Question
I am vegetarian, does this affect my HIV test result?
7 May 2010. Related: All topics, HIV transmission.
Hello.
Have been tested with the ‘OraQuick ADVANCE® Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test’ using oral fluid after 6 weeks of having had sex with woman who I paid to have sex with me. The results came back negative. After 8 weeks I tested again and it was again negative.
I’m vegetarian. May this cause it needs a longer period for antibodies to be produced?
Do I need to retest or are those two tests conclusive?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
If you have had two HIV tests at 6 and 8 weeks after possible exposure and both came back negative then you are very unlikely to have HIV. UK guidelines recommend that a negative test at 90 days is considered conclusive. Being vegetarian will have no affect on production of antibodies so it will not affect the test.
For more information on HIV transmission and testing please follow this link to the i-Base factsheet
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