The guy at the clinic told me that when they test someone that really does have HIV, the Oraquick 1/2 test turns positive almost immediately.
I got my oraquick test done two days ago. I was with the very kind Dr. the whole time. It just takes a few minutes for the saliva to travel upwards and activate the control line. If there are antibodies found then the positive line would appear first before the control line, because it is located below the control line. Thus, it is highly unlikely a that negative result will turn positive later. Also while the control line appears in a couple of minutes, it takes a good 10 minutes for all of the saliva to travel upwards. You can literally see this as he test strip turns from white to pink and then to white again. The Dr. actually gave me the test strip, I kept checking it for hours afterwards in case it turned positive but it did not. Therefore, you can be 100% sure that your negative result did not turn positive later on. Hope this clarifies.
A related discussion,
Oraquick Advance was started.
Dont believe the hype that if your test was done under 20 minutes that you're really really not positive. You're really really not positive if your negative results were givin at 10, 15, 20 or above 20 minutes. Its all dependant on the clinician and all clinicians are not the same. I dont know how long my test was taken since the other person working at the clinic/mobile testing site was talking to me while the other clinician was testing the swab. It could have been exactly 20 or just below or above 20 minutes. As long as the test doesnt show positive, you're negative. No need to have ANOTHER factor to worry about being HIV+. You're just gonna drive yourself crazy.
I do not know although I have also read that 20 minutes is the standard wait time....
I had an oraquick test done and it varies in time. You are ok. The test is 100 specific, so no false negatives unless within window period.
Mine came bakc in ten minutes, the tech explained to me that they really know in about 5 to 10 and only wait up to 20 if significant risk factors.
The test instructions are to read the result after 20 minutes, but no more than 40 minutes. My guess is that the vast majority of positives become apparent well before 20 minutes, but I'm not sufficiently expert in the OraSure test to know for sure.
Sorry I can't be more helpful.
HHH, MD