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Does Flu Condition Or Medicines For Flu Affect HIV Test Results?
Brief Answer:
False positive Combo test in Flu insignificant
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Welcome to XXXXXXX
Thanks for posting your query.
Drugs given for flu will not affect the result of HIV tests.
Drugs like steroids and other immuno-suppressive drugs may likely to delay the formation of antibodies for HIV and there is a false negative result is possible.
As far as the 4th generation Combo test is concerned it is a combination of both Antigen and Antibody test. If it is done after 3 months of high risk activity its specificity becomes as high as 99.78%.
The chances for a false positive result in presence of a "flu" with 4th generation Combo test after 3 months of high risk activity is as less as one in 1000 tests when compared to 15 for 1000 tests of an ordinary HIV rapid test.
This is very insignificant and a remote possibility of interference with "flu".
So relax and have the test boldly without any fear of false positive result.
Dr S.Murugan
False positive Combo test in Flu insignificant
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Welcome to XXXXXXX
Thanks for posting your query.
Drugs given for flu will not affect the result of HIV tests.
Drugs like steroids and other immuno-suppressive drugs may likely to delay the formation of antibodies for HIV and there is a false negative result is possible.
As far as the 4th generation Combo test is concerned it is a combination of both Antigen and Antibody test. If it is done after 3 months of high risk activity its specificity becomes as high as 99.78%.
The chances for a false positive result in presence of a "flu" with 4th generation Combo test after 3 months of high risk activity is as less as one in 1000 tests when compared to 15 for 1000 tests of an ordinary HIV rapid test.
This is very insignificant and a remote possibility of interference with "flu".
So relax and have the test boldly without any fear of false positive result.
Dr S.Murugan
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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