Q and A

Question

What does HIV negative mean?

I don’t understand what HIV-negative means. Please explain this to me.

Answer

An HIV negative test result means someone does not have HIV.

More accurately, it means there were no HIV antibodies in the blood sample, which tell you the HIV status several weeks earlier.

If someone was recently infected – in the window period before the body develops antibodies – the a second test is recommended a few months later.

For further information see the other questions on testing.

Note: this answer was last updated in January 2017 from a question in November 2017.

11 comments

  1. Mohit

    I had unprotected sex 5 days ago and my report gets a hiv negative result today is it right

  2. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Shadrack,

    It means that you do not have HIV.

  3. Shadrack

    I have a negative test what is that meaning

  4. Simon Collins

    HIV tests only test for HIV. You need to use other tests for STIs.

  5. Balan

    Hi i have HIV test in feb 2016 and it’s negative and i tested again in august it also negative. What does it mean? Is any possible to have other std’s?

  6. Simon Collins

    Hi AD. False positive is when the first HIV test is positive but when you are really HIV negative. The second confirmatory test is needed for all positvie test and to confirm it the results is a genuine positive result.

  7. AD

    I recently found some hiv medication in my girl friends bag and she told me that she tested positive 10 years ago and then since then she hasn’t. I.told her that I wanted to go get tested and she said okay. What does a false positive mean?

  8. Rebecca McDowall

    Hi Noel, are you on HIV treatment? If your CD4 count is under 350 it’s important that you take ARVS. Treatment causes the CD4 count to up to safer levels to help prevent you from getting ill. You can read about CD4 counts in our introduction to combination therapy.

  9. noel

    First cd4 count under 200 now over that what does this mean

  10. Alina

    Thank you.