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Weakly Reactive duo test

Please can you help me - a result has come back weakly reactive.

What does this mean exactly? Previous tests have been sent to confirmation lab and come back negative, though the result paper doesn't state why they were sending it to the reference lab. The clinic did say that my previous two tests were equivocal and also that this new one was, but on the paper it says weakly reactive. Is weakly reactive and equivocal the same thing?

This test they say is 'identical' to a test a couple of months ago and so they aren't sending it for retesting.







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Avatar universal
Very understandable. If you want pay and post in the International Expert forum. Dr. Sean and Dr.Jose work for Freedom Health in the UK.
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Avatar universal
Thank you all for your help.

I've been getting so much different information from my own GUM clinic and another I visited. One says a weak reactive isn't equivocal, but where I had the tests done they say they are, then I've heard that the results are indeterminate, or borderline....or that an indeterminate or borderline is less 'true' than a weak reactive! SO confusing - and very stressful!
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If you were positive the antibodies in the Duo test would have shown up and you would be positive. As Teak suggested try a different place to get tested and just have an antibody test done.
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..and each were different types of Elisa assays...
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Following each initial test a further three tests were done on each sample, each coming back negative.
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Avatar universal
..but these tests have been like this for about 9 months already in total!

..plus if on my last test they saw a weakly reactive result, it would surely be totally wrong for them to have just left it, right? Un less they were sure nothing was going on ie. as mentioned before, there hadn't been a change between those tests which were two months apart.
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get tested after 3 months from a different lab for a all conclusive test.
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there is nothing to worry.  just to be sure get tested at 3 months from a different lab. which will have a different assay.  it will negative for sure.
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Avatar universal
Yes, but I have had:

Isn't an Anti-HIV 1 / HIV 2 + P24AG a duo test? Testing for antibodies and antigen?

They did three tests for these...all different manufacturers.
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A P24 test is not an antibody test. It's an antigen test.
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They have all been antibody tests - and at the reference lab, all three seperate tests came back negative, as well as the p24 test.
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Then go to another testing clinic and take just an antibody test.
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Avatar universal
I have just tested again. What if that too comes back as weakly positive? Surely after several months it would be due to something other than hiv by then, if two confirmatory tests have already rules out infection? Why would they not have tested the last test again if it was weakly reactive? Surely they just cant leave it unless they were sure it was ok - they said the results of that test were identical to the previous one.
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Avatar universal
You need the conclusive test result.
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Ah ok. So, I think that as two of my tests were sent to reference lab and came back negative (three different 4th gen elisa tests were done there) that my results are possibly caused by something that is maybe not hiv.

My last test came back as weakly reactive but they said there was no need to send it for more testing as it came back with the same result of the test two months before.
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They are call indeterminate. Yes they are common. It means you are neither positive or negative and will have to retest.
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Does anyone know if persistent weakly reactive results are common? Mine have been going on for several months now.
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I don't believe that a rapid test was done. I gave a sample from my vein.
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As the weakly positive test form a "quick test"?
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Thank you Vance!
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Avatar universal
Negative/non-reactive, positive/reactive or equivocal-neither positive nor negative.

I would not worry about it either since you are getting negative results on confirmation tests.
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Avatar universal
Yes, I meant 'NOT' - sorry!

I'm wondering if it this particular test used first each time that keeps showing as equivocal/weakly reactive  that is the problem. The other three confirmatory tests all show as negative.

By the way, is a weakly reactive result often referred to as equivocal when talking about antibody tests? I'm guessing there are three outcomes - negative, weakly reactive or positive. Any idea?
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Avatar universal
Well a DUO test is positive would be positive at 4 weeks because of the antigens part of the test.

You don't have a positive test and that combined with your non-risks and I assume you meant "I've been told 'NOT' to worry". It is more fearful because you have the unknown infront of you and your mind is wondering to all possibilities.
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Avatar universal
Surely if my last test is showing as  weakly reactive they cant just leave it? They say they don't need to send it to the reference lab for further testing as the result was identical to the test two months previous.

Or maybe they feel that HIV isn't the cause of these results?

Helpful - 0
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