Question
Can I still have AIDS even if my test is negative?
29 December 2008. Related: All topics, HIV testing.
I got an HIV test and it was negative. Another doctor told me that you can still have AIDS. Is this true? If yes, please explain. Thanks!
Answer
No, you need to be HIV positive before you develop AIDS. Most probably your doctor meant that you can be still HIV positive even if the test says that you are negative. This can happen if the test was not done according to the requirements of the test system for: time after exposure or procedure of the testing.
As for AIDS-like conditions, they are very rare and are usually a result of auto-immune diseases, certain cancers or genetic disorders. All of those, however, have nothing to do with HIV.
If your test was done following the assay requirements and the result is negative, then you are HIV-negative.