Question: When Can You Get an Accurate AIDS Test?

Unlike some infections, you can't usually test for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) immediately after a possible exposure. So knowing how long you need to wait and how to stay safe in the meantime is really important!

Answer:

HIV is the virus that causes the disease AIDS. Though they are sometimes called "AIDS tests," what most tests are actually looking for are the antibodies that the body has developed in response to having the HIV virus.


If you contract HIV, it usually takes from three weeks to two months for your immune system to produce HIV antibodies. These antibodies are what most HIV tests look for, so if you think you might have been infected and you test during this "window period," it is important to confirm any negative result with a follow up test after a few months.

As the HIV / AIDS organization, The Body explains:

If you think you were exposed to HIV, you should wait for two months before being tested. You can also test right away and then again after two or three months. If you are infected, you can transmit HIV to others during the window period even if you test negative.

About 5% of people take longer than two months to produce antibodies. Testing at 3 and 6 months after possible exposure will detect almost all HIV infections. However, there are no guarantees as to when an individual will produce enough antibodies to be detected by an HIV test.

There are a few ways to test. The most common tests are blood tests and oral swab tests.

Some new tests can give you results in a matter of minutes. But that doesn't mean you can get accurate results minutes after you think you might have been exposed.

If you are very concerned about a possible exposure and want to know your HIV status even sooner than a standard test will allow, there is another option. In 2010 a new blood test that looks for both antibodies to HIV and the HIV virus was approved. This can be taken even earlier than the standard tests that look for HIV antibodies. However, these tests are not commonly offered and can be expensive.

Sometimes people avoid testing for HIV because they are scared to learn the results. But regular testing is one of the best ways to stay safe. And if someone does get a positive result, then it is crucial to get early medical treatment and learn how to keep others safe. Though HIV / AIDS used to be called a death sentence, in North America today, it is seen as more of a lifelong chronic condition. That doesn't mean it is any fun, but for many people living with AIDS is very different now than it was in the past.

Though it is wise to be concerned about the risk of contracting HIV, it is also important to realize that if a person is currently HIV negative, it is possible to stay that way.

That is because we know exactly how the virus is transmitted and how to prevent transmission between people.

Some of the best ways to do so are to use condoms for all acts of anal, oral and vaginal sex and to make sure that you are your sex partners are regularly tested for HIV.

HIV may still seem really scary, but knowledge is one of the best weapons we have against a disease that has been with us for over thirty years, and sadly doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon.