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[inadepression]

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Welcome to the CDC National Prevention Information Network. You are now chatting with 'Jack'. How may we help you?
you: Hello
you: What is the window period of hiv according to the CDC
Jack: Thank you for waiting. I'll be with you in just a moment.
Jack: Hello, I am sorry for the delay. According to the CDC, the window period is 6 months after exposure.
you: Is it same for 4th generation tests?
Jack: I'm sorry for the delay. I'll be right with you.
Jack: The reason it is 6 months is because 97% of people will develop antibodies to HIV at 3 months, but some rare cases 3% occur at 6 months.  This window period is for antibody testing.
you: Ok. I am talking about ag/ab tests.
you: Combo tests or duo tests
you: My doctor told me that the new window period is 3 months
Jack: But which kind of combo/duo tests?
you: p24 + hiv 1/2 antibodies
Jack: According to the CDC, it is 6 months.  I can not comment on your doctor's statement or his information.
Jack: Ok...if the tests are antibody tests...it is still 6 months.
you: I have learnt that CDC used to say 6 months since 2004
you: It was 6 months but
you: from 2004, it is 3 months.
you: right?
you: no?
Jack: Again, it is 6 months because there are rare cases that take this long...it is still 6 months...I can give you the website.
you: Ok. When is the last case who seroconvert after 3 months?
Jack: We do not have that kind of information here...you can contact CDC INFORMATION at 1-800-232-4636 or e-mail at ***@****.
you: ok
you: thank you
you: here is the last question
Jack: Have a good day.
Jack: ok
you: CDC says 6 months to include all people and people who use IV drugs or has severe immune system disorder produce antibodies after 3 months. Is that true? or Can healthy people produce antibodies after 3 months?
Jack: No. Healthy people can develop antibodies after 3 months...they are rare cases but anyone could be that rare case.  
you: You even did not ask my exposure.
you: What kind of consultancy is that
you: You know nothing about hiv
Jack: I do not need to know your exposure...that is your personal information.  
you: Oh really.
Jack: You asked me the window period.
you: But it depends
you: if it is oral sex
you: than, 6 weeks will be sufficient
you: if it is receptive anal sex
you: 13 weeks will be conclusive
Jack: That is not accurate information.  
Jack: You can contact CDC INFORMATION at 1-800-232-4636

-No comment.-
Teak will say, they know nothing. But, here is the official guide of CDC.

[stressed25]

I don't understand why you're so hung up on what the CDC says. All over the world, the standard is either three months or lower. In Britain it's three months and in ten years of having their guidelines, not ONCE have they seen someone test negative at three months and positive at six. In Australia it's six weeks and in Israel its two months. And one more thing; I visited a HIV specialist - a world renowned one - last week who said that a negative test at 6 weeks, with the accuracy of tests nowadays, is as good as gold and he hasn't seen any evidence to the contrary in the last five years.

I'm not saying don't test at six months, but don't be surprised when you test negative and look back on all this as madness:)

[stressed25]

While I accept the 3 month conclusive thing, I think inadepression's point is that there doesn't seem to be any document where the CDC says 'HIV testing is definitive at three months'. Even the link that Teak provided only makes reference to the infamous  '97% by three months' figure, but mention nothing of immune suppression as the reason that the other 3% take longer. Back this up with an extended conversation with a CDC representative that stuck rigidly to the six month testing window, and I can sort of understand where he's coming from.

Like pretty much all of us that use this forum, inadepression is simply looking for complete assurance that he's ok. In fairness he did have a high risk and is probably suffering from severe depression/anxiety. He's trying to fix that anxiety by finding CONCRETE evidence that three months is indeed the definitive testing time, and so far no one has provided it to him, apart from saying that 'it's three months, just accept it'. By this logic, we need to start believing every statement made by everyone that has ever posted here, which would mean that blowjobs are a risk for HIV, that people regulary test positive after six weeks etc.


I think you guys do a great job on here, and I'm extremely grateful for your support, but this time, while I don't think inadepression has anything to worry about and is focussing on the wrong issue - outdated testing advice rather than anxiety - I can see the point he is trying to make.

[mike_no]

I can only understand two things from reading your posts

A. Either you can't read
B. You can't understand what you're reading

CDC clearly states 3 months is conclusive. it never says 6 months. No one adheres to 6 months window period any more.

6 month's for people with compromised immune system and practically an individual having cancer in his last stage of the disease is the only one who will have to wait till 6 months for his conclusive.

It's okay for us if you want to go with that 6 months window period or maybe believe that you are HIV infected deliberately however please don't misinform others here, they don't deserve to be a jacka$$.

You can take your self and your beloved 6 months to some other place and do the propaganda but this is not the place.

Yes, I'm rude to you because you are not accepting the help instead you are attacking on one who's trying to help you.

ALL - 3 month's conclusive because there is a logical reason and that is;
After an individual getting infected the seroconversion process takes place at approx. three weeks from the time of infection and two weeks following the seroconversion process the detectable amount of anti bodies are almost always present. Hence, a test at the 6th week is more or less conclusive but to avoid any kind of disconnect/discrepancy it's the 3 months which is considered to be definitive.

[regularjoey]

I'm not aware of that hemophilia data.  To my knowledge, the longest documented time to seroconversion is 9 months - and that was 10 years ago, so it's probably irrelevant today.

You can't have an immune disorder and "stay healthy".  Immunodeficiencies are serious medical conditions.  

[karap]

Hi regularjoey,
                      Thanks for the comment. What do you say about it?

People who take longer than 6 months are immunocompressed like chemo, organ transplantetc.   Are there any hidden immune diseases which a person will not know by staying healthy.This is true that immune disorders can delay seroconversion even by 1-2 years because there are datas where people seroconverted after 2 years like a patient of haemophilia.

Thanks.

[Teak]

Name the other states and name the test that is approved to give you a conclusive test result at 6 weeks.