Urine tests take about 2 to 5 days to show a positive (you have it) or negative (you don’t have it) result. Blood tests can come back with results in a few minutes if the blood is analyzed on site. A positive rapid test result requires a confirmatory HIV 1/2 Ab differentiation immunoassay. If the rapid HIV test is not available on a timely basis, PEP treatment should be started knowing that it can be stopped if the test yields a negative result. Recent HIV infection is considered the period of ≤6 months after infection during which anti-HIV antibodies become detectable. Throughout this section, the term “early HIV infection” is used to refer to either acute or recent HIV infection. People with acute HIV infection may experience fever, lymphadenopathy, pharyngitis, skin rash AIDS is diagnosed separately from HIV. Terminology. The window period is the time from infection until a test can detect any change. The average window period with HIV-1 antibody tests is 25 days for subtype B. Antigen testing cuts the window period to approximately 16 days and nucleic acid testing (NAT) further reduces this period to 12 days. Within ∼5 days after p24 antigen test results become positive, HIV-1 antibodies reach levels that can be detected with sensitive enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) (third-generation EIAs) capable of detecting immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibodies, corresponding to Fiebig stage III . Stage III typically occurs 1–2 weeks after the onset of acute HIV NAT results are now available within a few days, and HIV in newborns is being diagnosed as early as the first days of life in many centers. A positive HIV NAT must be repeated to confirm HIV. However, ART initiation should not be delayed while waiting for the results of the confirmatory HIV NAT, given the low likelihood of a false-positive The window period for each of the HIV tests varies like mentioned below: The NAT can detect an HIV infection after 10-33 days. The antigen/antibody combination test can detect an HIV infection after 18-45 days of the HIV infection. The HIV antibody test window period is after 23-90 days of contracting the infection. The National Department of Health has decided to align with the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of a new three-test algorithm to ensure the accuracy of results. An expert unpacks why this is important. In South Africa, we have been using HIV Rapid Diagnostic Tests (Finger prick – same-day testing) for years. .

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