Can the test detect the antigen even after ONE year?

[golden546]

Dear Doctors,

My Risk was before one year , I didnt do any test till last week.

This week I went to the hospitial and I do the COMBO test (ag/ab) came back Negative.

I ask the doctor its accurate he said "p24 antigen becomes undetectable is the presence of antibodies.  You would either have one , the other, or both.  If you have none of the two, you have not been infected and your result show nothing.

I start read about the rare cases of non sero-conversion or later sero-conversion without antibody production , my question to you doctors . Can the test detect the antigen even after ONE year?

Thanks and best regards,

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. This response to your question will have two parts.  the first part is my advice to stay off of the internet.  The reports of persons not developing antibodies to HIV over a prolonged period are an internet fueled myth with little or no current basis in fact.  The published reports are old and represent the results of efforts to diagnose and understand HIV using methods which are no longer used because newer methods are better.

The second part of my response is for me to tell you to believe your test results.  First, if you did not produce antibodies to infections, you would not have lived to become an adult.  Secondly, even if in some way you could not produce antibodies to HIV, the p24 antigen would still be detectable,  As HIV infection progresses, the reasons that the p24 antigen MAY become negative is because the antibodies bind to them and make them undetectable.  Thus as you were told, if you were infected, either there would be antibodies present, p24 antigen would be present, or both would be detectable.  Your negative test proves that you did not get HIV from the exposure you have mentioned.  EWH

[scorpion98]

are you nuts , you donot have hiv . forget about it . why are you so paranoid when a doctor says something you have to give in your lack of knowledge . believe him

[Edward W Hook, MD]

These are repetitive questions.  Please re-read my response.  A negative COMBO test at one year (or for that matter, at any time more than 4 weeks after exposure) provides proof that you did not get HIV.  EWH

[golden546]

Dear Dr. Hook

Thank you for your response. I promise you I will stay off of the internet.

I have few questions which really need your answer.

1- So I can be confident that even after ONE YEAR if my body not produce antibodies p24 antigen would be present and the test will detect the P24 antigen?

2- Its possible some one will has HIV and his body will not produce P24 antigen?

3- If someone has HIV and he didnt take any treatment , how long usually will take and his body will get AIDS.


4- My test come back negative after one year , can I go ahead without any concern and get married and have healthy family and life?

Thanks and best regards,

[golden546]

To make the question more clear , lets assume someone will not produce antibodies for one year for some reasons , Can the test detect the antigen even after ONE year?