Wetin window period mean
Wen HIV enter di body, notin wey test fit find go show immediately. First, di virus go multiply. Den di body defence system go begin make antibodies. Each kind of HIV test dey look for one or more of dis signs, so each one get im own window.
For inside di window period (di time afta infection wen test neva fit show HIV), person fit get HIV and still get negative result. Na why negative test wey you do quick afta exposure (wen HIV fit don enter your body) no be di final answer. Once di window don pass, negative result don be final: if you neva get new exposure since dat time, e mean say you no get HIV from dat exposure.
Di window for each test
CDC give each test one range. Di first number na di earliest time wey di test fit usually see HIV. Di second one na wen negative result go become final.
| Test | E fit see HIV from | Negative result don final from |
|---|---|---|
| Nucleic acid test (NAT / RNA) | Day 10 | Day 33 |
| Antigen/antibody lab test (4th gen, blood wey dem draw from vein) | Day 18 | Day 45 |
| Rapid antigen/antibody test (wey dem prick finger) | Day 18 | Day 90 |
| Antibody test (most rapid tests and self-tests for house) | Day 23 | Day 90 |
NAT (nucleic acid test)
NAT dey look for di genetic material of di virus inside blood, wey mean say e dey look for di virus itself. Im window na di shortest, 10 to 33 days, but e cost pass and no be every clinic dey do am. Dem dey mostly use am afta recent exposure wey get high risk, or wen person get symptoms of early infection.
Lab antigen/antibody test
Dis na di normal test for most clinics and labs. E dey look for HIV antibodies and for p24, one protein from di virus wey dey show before di antibodies show. Wit blood wey dem draw from vein, di window na 18 to 45 days.
Rapid antigen/antibody test
Na di same kind test, but dem dey use one drop of blood wey dem prick from finger, and result dey come out for minutes. Im window long pass: 18 to 90 days.
Antibody tests
Dis ones dey look for only antibodies, and antibodies dey take di longest time to show. Most rapid tests and self-test for house, plus di ones wey dem dey rub for mouth, na antibody tests. Di window na 23 to 90 days. Read more about dem for HIV self-test for house.
Wen to test again
Wetin CDC advise simple: if you test afta possible exposure and di result negative, test again afta di window period for di test wey you use.
- You test inside di window? Test again once e don close. For lab antigen/antibody test, dat one na day 45. For antibody self-test for house, day 90.
- You test afta di window, and you no get new exposure? You no need test again for dat exposure.
- You get anoda exposure since dat time? Di window go start again from di newest exposure.
- You take PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis: HIV medicine wey you go take afta exposure to stop di virus)? Follow di plan wey your doctor or nurse give you. CDC recommend HIV test about 4 to 6 weeks and 12 weeks afta di exposure.
Negative result inside di window still mean something. Afta receptive anal sex (di person wey dem enter) wit partner wey get HIV and no dey take treatment, di estimate na 1.4% (around 1 out of 72). Negative lab antigen/antibody test for four weeks go bring am down to 0.18% (around 1 out of 540). See how HIV test dey accurate week by week for every week.
Person fit pass HIV during di window period?
Yes. Person wey just get infection fit neva test positive, but di amount of virus for im blood dey usually high pass for di first weeks. HIV fit pass to anoda person many times more for dis early time than later. If you fit don get exposure, e make sense to use condom or avoid sex until you get result wey don be final.
Di window period and PEP
No test fit tell anytin about exposure for di first few days. But na exactly dat time PEP fit stop infection. No wait for test result before you ask for PEP. You must start am within 72 hours.
Exposure happen for di last 72 hours? If your partner get HIV and e no dey take treatment wey dey work, or you no sabi im status, ask for PEP today for emergency department (A&E) for hospital, urgent care center or sexual health clinic. How you fit get PEP
Wetin to do now
- Write down di date of di exposure and count di days since dat time.
- If e neva reach 72 hours, ask for PEP first.
- Choose your test. Lab antigen/antibody test from about day 18 go give you early idea, and e don be final for day 45.
- Book di time to test again for di end of dat test window if your first test fall inside am.
- For US, you fit find free test for gettested.cdc.gov (for pipo for US). CDC recommend say everybody wey dey between 13 to 64 years suppose do HIV test at least one time.