THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HIV TESTS AVAILABLE! - HIV Prevention Message Board

Just-A-Boy · 02-06-2003, 10:59 AM

If you are still worried about your HIV status, there are other blood tests your doctor could give, to find out if you trully have HIV... for example, there are some HIV tests, that dont look for HIV antibody's but HIV it self!

So talk do your doctor about other HIV tests that are available out there, and which one be good for you!

Temperamental · 02-06-2003, 11:42 AM

That is true, however the antibody is still the most accurate.

Just-A-Boy · 02-07-2003, 12:41 PM

Actually, looking for HIV it self in the blood, I believe that one is the most accurate one, because there wont be any other exact looking HIV replicating in CD4 T-Cells!

Temperamental · 02-07-2003, 02:47 PM

I have to disagree here. Viral loads are in such small amounts sometimes they do not show up on blood tests. AIDS infected people on meds that have undetectable viral loads will still show + on an antibody, and sometimes - on vial load.

That is why the antibody is still the most widely used.

However a + antibody is usually followed up with a western blot, or another type of viral test.

Just-A-Boy · 02-08-2003, 07:01 AM

If a person takes HIV test (Antibody Test) and it comes unsure, or negative, thats where those other powerful HIV tests come in!

Each person is different!