Q and A

Question

Will the p24 test pick up infection after 19 days?

Hi guys,

I had a risky encounter a few weeks ago. After 12 days I had a p24 test and it was negative and I am also having one tomorrow, 19 days after the possible exposure. As I have developed a flu and sore throat (probably just the change in weather) I am a little bit worried and also have a test next week 25-26 days after exposure.

I just wanted to ask, the 12 day test I am guessing was no good but the Drs wanted to do it as a baseline test. The test tomorrow – how accurate would it be as you guys have said a 3 week test is ok this is 2 days off 3 weeks but I am repeating next week.

I do not know the test results yet but will post them tomorrow.

Wish me luck (great website)!

Answer

Thank you for your question.

The results of your 19 day test are a good indication but they are not conclusive. If you are using the p24 test then it should be able to pick up infection at 19 days.

A test at 4 weeks will detect about 95% of infections and a test at 90 days is considered conclusive (as it picks up more than 99.99% or infections.

For more information please follow this link

Good luck

8 comments

  1. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Ntswaki,

    Yes its possible. However if there is any doubt you should have your test confirmed. If it comes back as being positive, please get back in touch.

    Q1 here explains what you need to know about testing.

    http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions

  2. Ntswaki

    hi
    on 22 June,I went to the aurum institute for HIV test and the results came out negative but today it’s the 11th July I went to the clinic to test with my boyfriend and they came out positive.
    so my question is,is this possible?

  3. Lisa Thorley

    Hi GhG,

    Please see Q’s 1 and 8 here:

    http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions

  4. ghg

    I did CMIA HIV test Ag/Ab test on 15th dayof exposure and the result is non-reactive.. how accurate is the result? How many percentage I am in safe side? Thank you

  5. Rebecca McDowall

    Taking ARVs in this way is called post-exposure prophlaxis or PEP. Please follow this link for more information about PEP.

  6. Specialist

    To all who read this post. Infection of HIV can be prevented if anti-retroviral treatment (even after confirmed HIV exposure) is administered within 72 hours. Therefore if you have a similar incident such the one presented above, or in the case of rape, it is highly recommended to take a prophylactic dose of anti-retroviral medication. Typically treatments are administered for one month. So instead of waiting, worrying, and risking infection, one must instead go to their doctor immediately and request for a regimen of anti-retroviral therapy.

  7. Charlotte Walker

    The p24 test at 23 days after exposure is a good indication that you do not have HIV, but UK guidelines (BASHH) recommend that this needs to be confirmed at 90 days after the exposure.

  8. Steve

    Thanks you so much!

    I’ve done a “combined p24/antibodies” test at 23 days after a possible risk (condom broke, no idea about the HIV status of the person I was with). I was terribly worried since some people tell me that a-less-than-3-months testing was useless.

    So, do you confirm that I can be at ease about my HIV status now?

    I still plan a confirmation test at three months but that answer REALLY eased my mind.