Contents:
- Medical Video: HIV Home Test
- HIV negative results do not necessarily mean the body is free of HIV
- How do you ensure that your test actually shows you are free of HIV?
Medical Video: HIV Home Test
A person can be diagnosed as having HIV infection (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) after proven to have the virus in his body. This is usually seen from various physical examinations, including blood tests. Blood tests that state that HIV is present in your body are usually marked with HIV positive, on the contrary if the HIV test results show a negative sign, then you may not get this infection. Yes, this is still a possibility, because people who have HIV negative results are not necessarily completely free from this infectious disease. So, what is the true meaning of HIV negative? What are the signs if I don't have HIV infection?
HIV negative results do not necessarily mean the body is free of HIV
When you get your HIV test results marked negative, there are a number of things that need to be considered. This does not necessarily indicate that you are completely free of HIV infection. It's possible, HIV is still in your body, but it's not detected. If this happens, it does not mean that your examination is wrong or improper.
So, actually the examination is done to see whether your body has a special antibody or not, instead of checking whether there is an HIV virus in your blood. When you are infected with HIV, the body will respond by releasing special antibodies that are ready to attack the virus.
Well, when you are first exposed to the HIV virus, your body usually does not directly produce these antibodies. Therefore, examining the HIV virus for the first time, the results you might receive are HIV negative, because the test has not detected the body's antibodies.
These special antibodies will only form around three months after the body is exposed to the virus. The time interval is called the window period. During this window period, transmission of the HIV virus is still possible and a person can experience HIV infection if an activity is at risk of transmitting HIV.
So, don't think that the negative results on your first inspection are the final result. You must continue to consult and see a doctor, until you know very well that you are free from the HIV virus.
How do you ensure that your test actually shows you are free of HIV?
Usually, HIV testing will not be done once, but several times over 3 months. In fact, some doctors also recommend testing until an interval of 6 months, to ensure the results of the examination that have previously been released.
So, if you are infected with the HIV virus, then the first result might be negative, but the second result after the window period will show a positive sign. While if you are not proven to be infected with the HIV virus, then the results of the first test and subsequent examination will remain negative.
However, if you are exposed to HIV risk after the examination, such as having unprotected sex or making a tattoo in a less trusted place, the previous examination is not valid and the test must be repeated as the first test.
If you are proven free of HIV, you must maintain your health status, live a healthy lifestyle, and avoid things that can make you infected. However, if you do have HIV, immediately continue treatment and consult a doctor for further treatment.
