If the test uses blood from a finger prick, it may take up to 90 days to detect an infection. These tests are typically done in a laboratory using blood drawn from a vein.Īn infection can be detected roughly 18 to 45 days after exposure. This test may also help differentiate between acute and chronic HIV infections. With this test, the virus can be detected 10 to 33 days after exposure. This test looks for the presence of the actual virus in a blood sample that’s drawn in a laboratory. This may also be called an HIV RNA or viral load test. Generally, tests that use blood from a lab draw deliver accurate results sooner than tests that use finger pricks or oral swabs. The following are types of HIV tests, window periods for each, and accuracy information. The window period and accuracy for HIV testing varies by test and the body’s individual immune response. What are the different types of HIV tests? In fact, the newest types of antigen/antibody tests are 99 percent conclusive within 44 days of exposure.
Because p24 can appear before antibodies to HIV, antigen/antibody tests have a tighter window period than older tests for antibodies alone. Newer laboratory tests work to detect antibodies to HIV as well as a viral protein called p24 (antigen) to detect an infection.
Ask a healthcare professional about the window period for your specific test. The window period is different for each test and person. There are a number of HIV tests that have been developed since the virus was first detected in the 1980s.Įach test has what’s called a “window period,” or the time between contact with the virus and when the virus can be detected in the body. For some people, detection could take months.Īccuracy of a negative test result depends on a person’s body and the type of test that was used. Some tests can detect HIV within 10 days of exposure, but detection ultimately depends on how quickly one’s immune system reacts to the virus.