HIV tests and window periods

Di window period

Afta HIV enter di body, e dey take time before test fit catch am. Dat gap na di window period (di time afta infection wen test neva fit show HIV). For dat time, person fit get HIV and still test negative. Each type of test dey look for different tin, so each one get im own window.

NAT (nucleic acid test)

E dey look for di genetic material of di virus inside blood, wey mean say e dey look for di virus itself. E fit see HIV di earliest, from about day 10, but e cost well well and dem no dey do am everywhere. Dem dey mainly use am wen person get recent exposure (wen HIV fit don enter your body) wey get high risk, or wen person get symptoms of early infection.

Antigen/antibody test

Na di normal test for most clinics and labs, and some pipo dey call am fourth-generation test. E dey find both HIV antibodies and p24, one protein from di virus wey dey show before di antibodies show. Negative result for lab antigen/antibody test (blood wey dem draw from vein) don be final for 45 days. Rapid antigen/antibody test (wey dem prick finger) need reach 90 days.

Antibody test

E dey find only di antibodies wey your body dey make to fight HIV, and dis ones dey take longer to show. Most rapid tests and self-test for house, plus di ones wey dem dey rub for mouth, na antibody tests, and dem don be final from 90 days.

Timeline for HIV test

• First 72 hours: E too early for any test. If your partner get HIV and e no dey take treatment wey dey work, or you no sabi im status, ask for PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis: HIV medicine wey you go take afta exposure to stop di virus) now. You must start am within 72 hours.
• Days 10 to 33: NAT fit begin see HIV. Negative NAT don be final from day 33.
• Days 18 to 45: Lab antigen/antibody test fit begin see HIV. Negative result don be final from day 45.
• Days 18 to 90: Dis na di window for rapid antigen/antibody test (wey dem prick finger). Antibody tests, plus most self-test for house, get window of 23 to 90 days.
• Day 90 go front: Negative result for any of dis tests don be final.

To test early fit still help, especially if fear dey catch you, but plan anoda test wen di window don close. If you take PEP, follow di schedule wey your doctor or nurse give you; CDC recommend test about 4 to 6 weeks and 12 weeks afta di exposure.

Symptoms no be test

Some pipo dey get sickness wey be like flu 2 to 4 weeks afta HIV enter dem, wit fever, rash, sore throat, swollen glands or mouth ulcer. Plenti pipo no dey get any symptom at all, and di same symptoms fit come from many oda tins. If you get dem afta possible exposure, go see doctor or nurse and ask for test wey fit see early infection.

Where you fit do test

• Sexual health clinic and STI (sexually transmitted infection, wey be infection wey dey pass through sex) clinic, wey dey free and private most times
• Your doctor or community health center
• Pharmacy and community organization wey dey do rapid test
• Self-test kit for house from pharmacy or online

For US, gettested.cdc.gov (for pipo for US) go help you find free test near you. CDC recommend say everybody wey dey between 13 to 64 years suppose do HIV test at least one time. For oda countries, national health services and sexual health charities dey usually get similar tools to find test.

Afta your result

Negative afta di window period: if you neva get anoda exposure since dat time, you no get HIV from dat exposure. If e fit happen say you go get exposure again, ask about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis: HIV medicine wey you dey take before any exposure to protect yourself).

Negative inside di window period: e dey give hope, but test again wen di window close.

Positive or reactive (e show say HIV fit dey): you go need anoda lab test to confirm am. If dem confirm HIV, treatment dey work well well and e dey make pipo wey get HIV live long and healthy life. Pipo wey keep dia viral load (how much HIV dey di blood) undetectable (di HIV for blood don low reach where test no fit see am) no dey pass HIV through sex (U=U).