Question
Is my negative DUO test after 28 days conclusive?
19 August 2010. Related: All topics, HIV testing.
Can I consider my negative DUO test after 28 days as fully conclusive? Does this mean that I don’t have HIV from this exposure?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
No this test will detect 95% of infections at day 28, but a confirmatory test 90 days after the exposure is needed to be conclusive.
Hi John, the comment you are posting to was from 2010 so hopefully this happens much less often now. Your post was lightly edited to match appropriate tone guidelines for the Q&A pages. We highlighted this in a small research project:
http://i-base.info/htb/16437
i-Base guidance is here:
http://i-base.info/guides/testing/why-do-some-uk-clinics-ask-people-to-wait-3-months
Some doctors don’t know much literate HIV/AIDS let alone the latest tests – only speak with specialist HIV doctors.
P24 antigen will be detectable before antibodies. P24 is the virus core itself and that is what stimulates antibodies to be produced. The duo test (4th generation) will detect P24 antigen from around 12 days in some people peaking at 28 days, after that P24 drops as antibodies are made. The 4th generation test will detect both antigen and antibody. The older tests (3rd generation) take from 6 weeks to 12 weeks for most people. The NHS and other government bodies always go to extreme lengths to not be seen as wrong, that’s why they use the extreme window period of 12 weeks. Some people in the NHS even say 12 months which is not accurate and only adds to someone’s digress and worry.
The DUO and the ELISA 4th generation test are the same type of test.
A negative early result is good, but you need to confirm this with another test 90 days after the exposure.
Is the DUO test the same as the ELISA 4th generation combo test with the same level of accuracy as I have had it done 3 time in Indonesia at 18, 25 and 38 days post exposure all non-reactive as my results showed would this be conclusive. Do I need to retest?
The information from the clinic is correct and is based on BASHH guidelines.
The NHS have me concerned about this all over again, Ive spoken to two doctors in the employ of the NHS and they are adamant that the duo test isnt accurate until 12 weeks. This goes against eveything else ive read online but is enough to make me fell stressed again. This shoud be addressed in my opinion.