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Can An HIV Screen 4th Generation With Reflex Show HIV At Six Months Post Exposure?

Posted on Wed, 4 Dec 2019

Question: Can an hiv screen 4th generation with reflex show hiv at six months? My results showed non-reactive. Can I trust that?

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, at 6 months the HIV (4th gen) is very accurate.

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

At 6 months, the fourth generation HIV test is very accurate, so you can consider it reliable. It is over 99% accurate at this many months after exposure.

I hope this information helps you to feel reassured. Please let me know if I can provide more information or clarification.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (58 minutes later)

Thank you so much! I feel so much better!

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Your welcome!

Detailed Answer:
Your welcome! For people who are immune-competent (not on immune suppressants like steroids or chemotherapy), The benchmark is typically 3 months. There are (less than 3% of) people that have not made enough antibodies yet to turn antibody tests positive at 3 months because they have immune suppression due to chemotherapy, ongoing treatment with corticosteroids, or other immune suppressors. And by 6 months, the percentage that would be positive if they have HIV approaches 100%.

So you can consider this test conclusive.

Best regards,
Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, MD

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar