Expert: Terry B - 9/26/2008

Question
dear terry, can u advice me on when to get a NAT test after suspected HIV exposure?

will the results be accurate 14 days after suspected exposure to HIV?

Answer
Dear Karan:

Peace.  ELISA and Western Blot testing remains the international standard for determining HIV status; Nucleic-Acid based Tests (NAT) have been used in screening the blood supply since about 2001; they reportedly reduce the 'window period' (time between infection and positive test result) to about 12 days.  

Primarily because of the costs of these tests and the relatively high rate of 'false positives' (more likely to suggest infection when it does not exist - causing needless worry), I am loathe to recommend them unless there is some overwhelming reason for urgency. One reason is an experience with a woman who'd been given test results prior to confirmatory testing who later told me she'd been suicidal; my strong urging that she pursue confirmatory tests revealed that she'd another infection, for which she sought appropriate treatment.

Perhaps the most neglected part of Voluntary Counseling and Testing is the 'counseling' part.  Clients - people seeking testing - often are so anxious that they don't pay much attention to what test results mean, nor to the hope, recommendations, and importance of follow-up.

Best to you and yours, proceed as suits your budget and peace of mind, but please listen closely to the information presented during the counseling aspect should you be tested.

Terry