just to verify

is 3 months considered conclusive for HIV? Why does CDC say 6 months on their website? What is the chance I will be positive if I test negative at 3 months?

[baller99]

mine was unprotected sex but why does cdc say 6 months?

[worried826]

Here is what the CDC says. the 6 month part is for rare cases like people whos immune systeams are already weakened.

How long after a possible exposure should I wait to get tested for HIV?

Most HIV tests are antibody tests that measure the antibodies your body makes against HIV. It can take some time for the immune system to produce enough antibodies for the antibody test to detect, and this time period can vary from person to person. This time period is commonly referred to as the “window period.” Most people will develop detectable antibodies within 2 to 8 weeks (the average is 25 days). Even so, there is a chance that some individuals will take longer to develop detectable antibodies. Therefore, if the initial negative HIV test was conducted within the first 3 months after possible exposure, repeat testing should be considered >3 months after the exposure occurred to account for the possibility of a false-negative result. Ninety-seven percent of persons will develop antibodies in the first 3 months following the time of their infection. In very rare cases, it can take up to 6 months to develop antibodies to HIV.

Another type of test is an RNA test, which detects the HIV virus directly. The time between HIV infection and RNA detection is 9–11 days. These tests, which are more costly and used less often than antibody tests, are used in some parts of the United States.

[worried826]

heres the link  http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/testing/resources/qa/be_tested.htm#wait

[plzhelpca]

mine is oral risk. so people who need to wait for 6 months are people with cancer, or organ transplant? not healthy people?

[worried826]

Yes those people have a hard time building anti bodies because their immunse systems already arent working right.