What is the window period?
As the HIV antibodies will appear only after 3 weeks to 6 months of infection, some infected people will test negative because their body hasn’t got around to producing antibodies. This period of time is referred to as the “window period.” To ensure that one does not take the antibody test during the “window period,” one should wait at least 12 weeks (3 months) from the time of possible exposure before taking the test. Anybody who tests negative but thinks that they have been exposed to the virus should consider having another test six months later.
It takes some time after a person is first infected with HIV for the body to produce enough antibodies to show up on a test. For some weeks, or even months, it is possible to be infected with HIV, and to have an antibody test result show up negative. This period of time is called the window period. During this window period, HIV is still active in an infected person’s system, even though the test cannot pick up the presence of antibodies. The virus can be transmitted to another person who has unprotected contact with the infected person’s blood, semen, vaginal secretions or breast milk. Because of the window period, the antibody test is not useful immediately after a first exposure to HIV. If you want to get tested for HIV antibodies, you need to remember the last date that you believe you were at risk for HIV infection. The New York State Department of Health recommends that a person be tested 30 days after possible exposure, and then again at three months. The U.S. Centers for Diseas
The time period from the first point of exposure with HIV to the development of measurable HIV antibodies. The window period usually runs two weeks to 12 weeks and may last as long as six months, and in very rare cases even longer. During the window period, an HIV-infected person may test negative for HIV antibodies.
