Question

Will COVID-19 antigen tests show I am HIV positive?

27 August 2021. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, COVID-19.

Hello. I’m having an antigen test for COVID-19. Will this test my cd4 count I guess? Is this test the same kind of test I will get when checking my CD4 count and viral load for my HIV doctor? Or are they different?

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

Thanks for letting us answer your Q online.

The COVID antigen test is only looking for SARS-CoV-2. The results don’t say anything about your HIV status.

The tests are similar to HIV antigen test that are used to diagnose HIV. But testing for COVID-19 doesn’t give any information about HIV status because the two viruses are so different.

CD4 tests look for a type of immune cell.

HIV viral load tests look for HIV.