Question
Will ART prevent antibodies in the acute phase?
18 December 2021. Related: All topics, PEP/PEPSE.
Hello. Hope you’re all fine. I wanted to know whether early ART in acute infection will cause my body not to produce HIV antibodies. I appreciate your early answer.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
ART is used in the management of an established infection. Antibodies will have already been producing when you commence ART.
Even starting ART in very early infection is rarely in time to stop seroconversion (when antibodies are generated). However, some case have been reported.
PEP can also sometimes delay the time it takes for an infection to produce antibodies. This makes it difficult to test for HIV when PEP is stopped. Instead, testing is recommended in the UK about 6 weeks after the last dose of PEP.
As it is used from the point of exposure, PEP is like very early ART and can delay an immune response to HIV. If PEP was started too late, or if it doesn’t work for other reasons, then the antbody response will happen after PEP is stopped.
If you have another question let us know,
Josh.
Hi Richy, testing for antibodies 6 weeks after completing PEP is conclusive. Any sooner and it is possible HIV is still suppressed by PEP and a false result is obtained from the test.
Josh.
What if at the completion of the Pep the person tests for antibodies after 6 weeks long (10 weeks post exposure).. Would it be conclusive?