Can HIV be detected immediately after entering the body?
The antibodies can take three to six months to show up in a person’s blood. The most commonly used test to find out if a person is infected with HIV looks for the antibodies to the virus. Antibodies are produced by the immune system to fight the virus. The time immediately after infection is known as the window period. During this time, an HIV test may be negative because the body has not started to produce antibodies against HIY. An HIV infected person can transmit virus during this window period. However, it is important to consistently reduce the risk, by refraining from any unprotected sex and/or the sharing of unsterilized needles during the window period. If a person thinks that he/she may have been exposed to the HIV virus through unprotected sex or the sharing of unsterilized then he/she should go for counseling or visit a doctor.
The antibodies can take three to six months to show up in a person’s blood. The most commonly used test to find out if a person is infected with HIV looks for the antibodies to the virus. Antibodies are produced by the immune system to fight the virus. The time immediately after infection is known as the window period. During this time, an HIV test may be negative because the body has not started to produce antibodies against HIV. An HIV infected person can transmit virus during this window period. However, it is important to consistently reduce the risk, by refraining from any unprotected sex and/or the sharing of unsterilized needles during the window period. If a person thinks that he/she may have been exposed to the HIV virus through unprotected sex or the sharing of unsterilized needles, then he/she should go for counselling or visit a doctor.
