What is the HIV Antibody Test?
There are several types of HIV antibody tests used today. All are highly accurate at detecting HIV antibodies, specific proteins made in response to an HIV infection. After infection with HIV, however, it can take up to 3 months for HIV antibodies to develop. A negative HIV antibody test result means that a person does not have detectable HIV antibodies at the time of the test. Since it can take up to 3 months after HIV infection for antibodies to develop, a negative test result is reliable only if the person has not had any sexual or needle-sharing risk behavior during the 3 months prior to testing. Some people with recent risk behavior will test HIV antibody negative, yet may have actually been infected during the previous 3 months; these people will also likely be highly infectious and may easily transmit HIV to their sex and needle-sharing partners. Finally, a negative test result does not mean that a person is safe from future HIV infection. People who test HIV antibody negative a
There are several types of HIV antibody tests used today. All are highly accurate at detecting HIV antibodies, specific proteins made in response to an HIV infection. After infection with HIV, however, it can take up to 3 months for HIV antibodies to develop. A negative HIV antibody test result means that a person does not have detectable HIV antibodies at the time of the test. Since it can take up to 3 months after HIV infection for antibodies to develop, a negative test result is reliable only if the person has not had any sexual or needle–sharing risk behavior during the 3 months prior to testing. Some people with recent risk behavior will test HIV antibody negative, yet may have actually been infected during the previous 3 months, these people will also likely be highly infectious and may easily transmit HIV to their sex and needle–sharing partners. Finally, a negative test result does not mean that a person is safe from future HIV infection. People who test HIV antibody negative a
What many people call the “AIDS test” is not a test for AIDS, but for antibodies to the virus that cause AIDS- the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The immune system reacts to the HIV infection by producing antibodies that fight HIV. The test detects these antibodies. Therefore, the test is accurately called the “HIV Antibody Test”.
