The authors noted that one infant had undetectable HIV DNA after 6 days on treatment, another had undetectable HIV DNA after 3 months, and a third had undetectable HIV DNA after 4 months, suggesting that rapid decline of HIV-1 RNA and DNA may complicate definitive diagnosis. 58 More recent studies from the same authors suggest that ART Antibody tests can usually detect HIV 23 to 90 days after exposure. Most rapid tests and self-tests are antibody tests. A rapid antigen/antibody test done with blood from a finger stick can usually detect HIV 18 to 90 days after exposure. An antigen/antibody lab test using blood from a vein can usually detect HIV 18 to 45 days after exposure.
But this means that around 4/1000 times, the HIV test will be positive even in a person without HIV — the prevalence of acute HIV in most screened populations is way lower than that. As a result, in many centers (including ours), most of the reactive HIV screens with negative confirmatory tests ultimately end up being false-positive screens.
Health experts consider these tests accurate 10–33 days after exposure to HIV. Because every HIV test has a different window of accuracy, anyone who receives a negative test result should repeat
HIV PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, is a short course of HIV medicines taken very soon after a possible exposure to HIV to prevent the virus from taking hold in your body. You must start it within 72 hours (3 days) after a possible exposure to HIV, or it won’t work.
HIV Incubation Period: the incubation period of HIV is between two to four weeks after being exposed to the virus. That’s when symptoms like the flu start appearing and can last for many weeks. HIV Window Period: window periods can differ between a virus to testing technique and another. An HIV antibody test would need a period of 30 to 90 JH7nX.
