To, Dr HHH or any other medical professional - Window period for DUO test

[sam1am7000]

Hi,

What is the window period in which a "HIV DUO (serum) by CMIA (4th generation)" would yield 100% correct results?
The description of this test was as follows:
It determines the presence of HIV p24 antigen and antibodies to HIV I group M&O and HIV II.

I've had this test done at 6 weeks and it was non-reactive (index 0.2).

I'd really appreciate a response from a medical professional on this forum. However answers from all are welcome.

[Teak]

Forget about ARS, not all people have ARS. Your 3 month post exposure test will be conclusive.

[mike_no]

Yes, you probed a correct understanding.

[RainLover71]

The doctors in our expert forum say the DUO anytime after 4 weeks is accurate and if there is no detectable antigen there will be detectable antibodies,that,s why it,s such a good and effective test,however it must be followed up at 12 weeks for a 100% conclusive result.

[sam1am7000]

But the p24 Ag cannot be undetectable at 6 weeks right?

What I mean is if at 6 weeks the DUO was negative (considering only the Ag part of the test) and if one was infected, that the Ag has disappeared or fallen down from its once high levels. But this means that seroconversion should already have happened and so after this period ARS cannot set in. Right?

[mike_no]

Hate to do the odds, higher chances of it not being ARS but there is a slight prevailing chance that it might be.

Some times the p24 ag development is inadequate to be detected or the detection might be slightly later.

I hope you know that ARS symptoms are not just mild easy symptoms, when you go through ARS, you will know it is ARS, it will take you directly to the ER.

[sam1am7000]

Ok so that also means that if I start "seeing ARS symptoms" now, it cannot be ARS as Ag was not found in the test?
Thanks in advance.

[mike_no]

Usually, yes.

[sam1am7000]

So what that means is a DUO test past 4 weeks is a good indicator of one's HIV status. You will either find Ag or Ab after this time.

[sam1am7000]

Thanks for the assurance.

[mike_no]

Firstly, Dr.HHH is not on this forum. Secondly, I am not a medical professional but I might be able to tell you a bit about the duo test. Thirdly, there is nothing called as "100%" in medicine.

'Duo tests looks for both HIV antibodies as well as the 'HIV P24 antigen'. The HIV p24 antigen is a core HIV viral protein which becomes detectable at approximately 10 days post exposure, peaks at 16 days and disappears as soon as the detectable amount of antibody is present in the body.

hence, a duo test taken at the 28 days can be very reliable, if the body has already seroconverted the antibody result by then would be positive and if the body did not seroconvert the antigen would be positive.

However if a duo test is taken at the 34/38....days the Antigen part of the test is incompetent and only the antibody part of the test is functional.

However from the testing perspective, HIV duo (Ab + Ag) is an excellent test at the 6th week - The duo test looks for p24 ag and ab simultaneously and p24 ag's are almost always present in the body after acquiring the virus but disappears as soon as detectable amount of antibodies are produced. Hence, when tested at the 27/28th day, if the individual was actually infected and if p24 ag was present in his/her body it would have been detected and if detectable amount of antibodies were already produced, the AB part of the test would have been positive. In a nut shell, a six week duo - Negative = very very indicative.

I suggest you back your negative with a final one at the 12th week mark for an all clear, it will be negative.

[worried4144]

Medical pros suggest to get it at 4 weeks mark. But some dont believe in that. As far as i know 6 weeks is kind of late to rely on DUO test.