Question
Can a positive person test negative again?
30 March 2023. Related: All topics, HIV testing.
Can a positive person test negative again?
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
No. HIV tests look for antibodies.
Antibodies are what the body makes in response to HIV.
These antibodies remain in the body and do not leave over time.
This means that an HIV test will remain positive once you have tested as such.
Josh.
Hi Chidozie, when did you first test positive? and how long had you been taking the HIV drug for?
Do you know the type of test you have recently taken that tested negative e.g., an antibody test or a PCR test?
Have you had recent tests to check your viral load and CD4 count?
How long have you had the pain in your muscles for? and have you gone to speak to your doctor about possible causes?
Hello,sir pls I did hiv test on determinnant kits and It cam out positive,but I took hiv drug for 2 day came out negative for three year I am negative.but I have movement and bite in my body.does it mean I have hiv.but I feel body pain and muscle pain
Hi Mariah, to confirm you had a reactive HIV test on your plasma and since then you’ve had a 4th generation test which showed that you were HIV negative?
If this is correct the most likely explanation is that there was a lab error.
A 4th generation test is conclusive from your last exposure. As you have no recent risk factors this would show that your 4th generation test is conclusive. You do not have HIV.
More information about testing and transmission can be found here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Hello all! I was donating plasma for approximately 4 months (Aug 2023-Dec 2023). I received a call that I had test results to go over. I go in and they said I was reactive to HIV. (My reactive result was Dec 19, 2023 and all tests were negative prior) After panicking I went to get tested and received a negative 4th gen result! I then called the plasma center I donated at and they said that my plasma donation that was done before the reactive (Dec 23, 2023) was negative as well. I have not had intercourse in over 4 years so surely donating would have picked HIV up the moment I started donating. I don’t do drugs/share needles/work in any healthcare facility. Is it safe to say my follow up was conclusive? HIV can be maintained but these reactives are something no one wants to hear.
Hi Allan, no you cannot test negative. If someone has AIDS, meaning they have a CD4 count below 200 and an opportunistic infection, by definition they are HIV positive.
For more information about testing please see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Can A person test negative while he is Aids positive
Hy Doctor what does it means if i test negative while taking arv
Hi Nco, what was the name of the test you took? and what treatment are you taking?
Do you know if this was testing antibodies or viral load? When on treatment it would be common to have a viral load that is undetectable. This is not the same as being HIV negative. Instead it means that your treatment is working so well that HIV is not active in the body. It does not mean that you no longer have HIV.
To confirm your status you need a test that can look for antibodies. These are cells made by the body in response to being HIV positive. If you have HIV, you will always test positive for these antibodies even when on treatment.
More information about testing can be found here: https://i-base.info/guides/testing