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OraQuick Question
Hello Dr. Hunter Handsfield & Dr. Hook,
I want to ask a couple of questions about HIV testing. I have taken 3 Oraquicks HIV tests (6 weeks, 7 weeks, and 8 weeks):
1. How reliable is the Oraquick HIV test (oral mouth swab) at the 2 month mark?
2. I know reading into symptoms is terrible (as I work at a hospital and I know better), but ARS joint pain, can it be isolated to a finger and toe... I know that must sound like a stupid question...
Thank you for spending time answering these two questions.
I want to ask a couple of questions about HIV testing. I have taken 3 Oraquicks HIV tests (6 weeks, 7 weeks, and 8 weeks):
1. How reliable is the Oraquick HIV test (oral mouth swab) at the 2 month mark?
2. I know reading into symptoms is terrible (as I work at a hospital and I know better), but ARS joint pain, can it be isolated to a finger and toe... I know that must sound like a stupid question...
Thank you for spending time answering these two questions.
I saw that I posted the question into the wrong forum :( Sorry! I found the right place and reposted.
Thank you for taking the time to answer me!
Have a good night.
Thank you for taking the time to answer me!
Have a good night.
Just so you know, the Doctors won't respond in this forum. You'll have to post in the "expert" forum.
But since you asked, the Oraquick as any other antibody test be it lab based or rapid, is not considered conclusive before three months.
"Reliability" is the wrong term to use when testing is done within the window period . The percentage of truly positives being caught by Oraquick at 8 weeks can be "guesstimated " at around the 80% range or so. But that really does not mean much if you had a true risk. At 12 weeks and beyond your exposure, if you had one to begin with , Oraquick is reliable and conclusive, but not before.
But since you asked, the Oraquick as any other antibody test be it lab based or rapid, is not considered conclusive before three months.
"Reliability" is the wrong term to use when testing is done within the window period . The percentage of truly positives being caught by Oraquick at 8 weeks can be "guesstimated " at around the 80% range or so. But that really does not mean much if you had a true risk. At 12 weeks and beyond your exposure, if you had one to begin with , Oraquick is reliable and conclusive, but not before.
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