Important note: Information in this Q&A was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.If a person has a negative HIV RNA test a two weeks after possible exposure (protected vaginal sex), a negative antibody and p24 antigen test at 4 weeks after, and negative antibody test at both 6 and 8 weeks after, can he assume that he is negative or does he need to continue to test?
Mark H. Katz, M.D.
Department of Internal Medicine
Assistant Chief, Hospitalist Division; Kaiser Permanente of West Los Angeles
Most experts would agree that one should wait until 12 weeks, and that a negative test at that time is a true negative. (Some actually say to wait for 6 months, but most would go with the 12 weeks, or 3 months.)
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