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© 2007 Abesha Care Inc. All Right Reserved. office@abeshacare.org
How long after a possible exposure would I wait to get
tested for HIV?
Most HIV tests are antibody tests that measure the antibodies your
body makes against HIV. It can take some time for the immune
system to produce enough antibodies for the antibody test to
detect, and this time period can vary from person to person. This
time period is commonly referred to as the “window period.” Most
people will develop detectable antibodies within 2 to 8 weeks (the
average is 25 days). Even so, there is a chance that some
individuals will take longer to develop detectable antibodies.
Therefore, if the initial negative HIV test was conducted within the
first 3 months after possible exposure, repeat testing should be
considered >3 months after the exposure occurred to account for
the possibility of a false-negative result. Ninety-seven percent of
persons will develop antibodies in the first 3 months following the
time of their infection. In very rare cases, it can take up to 6 months
to develop antibodies to HIV.
Another type of test is an RNA test, which detects the HIV virus
directly. The time between HIV infection and RNA detection is 9–11
days. These tests, which are more costly and used less often than
antibody tests, are used in some parts of the United States.
For information on HIV testing, you can talk to your health care
provider or you can find the location of the HIV testing site nearest
to you by visiting the National HIV Testing Resources Web site at
http://www.hivtest.org or call CDC-INFO 24 Hours/Day at 1-800-
CDC-INFO (232-4636), 1-888-232-6348 (TTY), in English,
Wegen AIDS Talkline (in Ethiopia) can be reached by dialing 952
Monday through Saturday 8:00 am - 12 midnight
The Talkline operates with 31 highly qualified counselors and three
well-skilled supervisors thereby providing its services to callers from
across the nation. The Talkline also offers its services in various
languages such as Amharic, Guragigna, Tigrigna, Oromifa,
Hadiyisa and English. The line is Free including and cell phone.
Content Source:
Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
AIDS resource center in Ethiopia
tested for HIV?
Most HIV tests are antibody tests that measure the antibodies your
body makes against HIV. It can take some time for the immune
system to produce enough antibodies for the antibody test to
detect, and this time period can vary from person to person. This
time period is commonly referred to as the “window period.” Most
people will develop detectable antibodies within 2 to 8 weeks (the
average is 25 days). Even so, there is a chance that some
individuals will take longer to develop detectable antibodies.
Therefore, if the initial negative HIV test was conducted within the
first 3 months after possible exposure, repeat testing should be
considered >3 months after the exposure occurred to account for
the possibility of a false-negative result. Ninety-seven percent of
persons will develop antibodies in the first 3 months following the
time of their infection. In very rare cases, it can take up to 6 months
to develop antibodies to HIV.
Another type of test is an RNA test, which detects the HIV virus
directly. The time between HIV infection and RNA detection is 9–11
days. These tests, which are more costly and used less often than
antibody tests, are used in some parts of the United States.
For information on HIV testing, you can talk to your health care
provider or you can find the location of the HIV testing site nearest
to you by visiting the National HIV Testing Resources Web site at
http://www.hivtest.org or call CDC-INFO 24 Hours/Day at 1-800-
CDC-INFO (232-4636), 1-888-232-6348 (TTY), in English,
Wegen AIDS Talkline (in Ethiopia) can be reached by dialing 952
Monday through Saturday 8:00 am - 12 midnight
The Talkline operates with 31 highly qualified counselors and three
well-skilled supervisors thereby providing its services to callers from
across the nation. The Talkline also offers its services in various
languages such as Amharic, Guragigna, Tigrigna, Oromifa,
Hadiyisa and English. The line is Free including and cell phone.
Content Source:
Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
AIDS resource center in Ethiopia
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