Question
Does the NHS use sterile equipment?
4 August 2010. Related: All topics, HIV testing, HIV transmission.
Do the NHS always use single use, sterile, disposable equipment when carrying out HIV Tests?
How accurate is a DUO test after 4 weeks?
Answer
Yes, the NHS always use sterile equipment for all medical procedures.
The DUO test is over 95% accurate at 4 weeks after exposure.
For more information please follow this link
Your doctor is right, the test recommendations are to be taken at 28 days. However, in reality they are often able to pick up a positive result sooner than this.
It is difficult to state exactly when the tests will pick up an infection without actually giving people the infection as most people don’t come for a test until they start to get sick many years after infection. Also each person’s immune system is slightly different and so reacts differently and the tests have to allow for this.
Recent studies have found that the p24 antigen, which the p24 test looks for, is present at about 16 days after infection and so infection can be identified from that time onwards.
When these early test are negative, UK guidelines (BASHH) recommend retesting at 90 days after the exposure to confirm this.
hello.
i have been reading and following your website and find some information mind boggling!
from what i know duo test are reliable 28 days post exposure?
but in your posts and questions you state that 2-3 weeks is 95% accurate thats really close to 100.
so would you say for example is someone was negative 14 days is too early? if they tested negative 18 and onwards would that be the average so to speak?
sorry to be a pain but i am really cusrious as i have been told by GP that the guidelines are to take the test at 4 week and was just generally wondering where you got the information from – etc
Thanks