The following graph was prepared based on the latest information on Testing for the Diagnosis of HIV Infection. 1. If you are within the first 10 days of possible HIV infection (aka the Eclipse Period), don’t bother doing any tests. There are NO tests that are accurate. 2. At day 10, the HIV-1 RNA PCR can detect HIV Viruses in the blood. Remember that the RNA PCR test has a high chance of giving a false positive result. If the RNA PCR test gives a report of less than 5000 viral copies per ml, it is likely a false positive. Also, the viral load may drop to an undetectable level upon full sero-conversion. This is because the body’s immune system may have suppressed the infection to a point where there is not enough HIV virus in the blood for the RNA PCR test to detect. 3. Between day 14 to day 20, the HIV P24 Antigen will start appearing in the blood. This can be detected with 4th Generation tests (aka Combo tests). This is why, although the official recommended Window Period for the Combo Test is 28 days, we are very confident when a patient tests negative at 2 weeks. #Diagnosis #InfectiousDiseases #HIVAIDS #Testing #Windows #Screening #Antibody #Detection #Timeline
