ukcoalition.org
*Home>>>HIV Test

Can someone test false positive for HIV in the window? How often does a false positive occur?!?


They said the initial test, Elisa tested positive twice for antibodies--- and it is tested twice due to the extreme sensitivty of the test then i was confirmed by a western blot which turned out to be negative? explanation???

Elisa has a 3-10% probability of a false positive. The Western blot is considered the best test but even it relies on the judgement of the test reader looking at the bands or rather looking for the bands.

So it is possible that you got two false positives on teh Elisa, but is also possible that you are positive and the person misread the Western blot test. As a measure of safety, and since you already have two positives, I would suggest another Western blot in 1 to 2 months and suggest it be done by a different lab.

The real question is why you are worried, are in a high risk group? If so then most certainly get recheck later. If your not in a high risk group then don't worry too much now but still get rechecked later.

Its difficult to quantify what a false negative probability is for any test as it is always possible that the evidence of infection your looking for aren't in a great enough concentration within your body to show up.

Sort of like testing for pregnancy each day after you had sex. Even though you conceived you wont show up on some test until you have actually been pregnant for some time. Does that mean that your pregnancy tests were false negatives? No it simply means that the chemical marker you were looking for wasn't picked up even though it was there.

This barely ever happens ever. This is very unusual and you should not worry about it.

Two separate tests are performed when screening for HIV in a laboratory. The ELISA test and the Western Blot. They each have features that make them extremely efficient in making sure that someone is not misdiagnosed.
The ELISA test is the "screening test" while the Western Blot is the "confirmatory test".
When blood reaches the lab, an ELISA test is performed. If the ELISA is negative, you are HIV-. This test is prone to "false positives" in fact it errs on the side of positive, so a negative result is considered conclusive.
If there is a positive ELISA or and "indeterminate" reading from the ELISA, then the confirmatory testing is done (Western Blot).
The Western Blot test is much more specific and the chances of getting a false positive are EXTREMELY rare. This test is much more expensive than the ELISA so they use the ELISA to screen out most of the negatives.
So, together they act as a catch all and they are very accurate. What happened to you happens a lot. Most people don't look at the specifics of the test results other than to hear "positive" or "negative".
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Hope this helps

Tags
  HIV Positive   HIV Virus   HIV Transmission   HIV Treatment   HIV Infection   HIV Symptoms   HIV Test
Related information
  • Rapid HIV Testing: What's the negative predictive value?

    1. The negative predictive value is not just a function of its sensitivity, it is also a function of the the actual rate of HIV infection in the population you are testing. The sensitivity of the S...

  • Can any ordinary blood test detect of HIV/aids?

    No, the test for HIV is specific. It has to be ordered specifically. It is not part of general blood testing.

    ...
  • HIV testing... In England!?

    In Brighton, the Terrence Higgins Trust, can provide an HIV (blood) test where you can receive a result in 1 hour. Contact them in complete confidence on 0845 122 1200 for information. ( It ...

  • Hiv testing accuracy?

    A. Yes, however, there are different strains of HIV. The antibody tests may only identify antibodies for the strains commonly found in the US. B. Viral Load tests do identify increased viral acti...

  • Does the p24 test check for hiv 1 and 2 ?

    The p24 test actually detects antigen. I just check with a nurse at a private clinic and she says they do. they check for hiv-1 and -2 antigen and also antibodies . So your friend should be fine...

  • If you test positive for HIV when you do immigration medical exam, do you get deported back to your country?

    If you have a positive HIV test for the medicial you will be refused a green card. However they are a few expections to this rule Generally, people with HIV are barred from both entering the cou...

  • When was the first test done for hiv-aids in america?

    The first test was an ELISA test which was introduced in 1985. Ths is an antibody test and does not detect the presence or absence of 'HIV'. It looks for antibodies. A Western Blot test w...

  • Suppose tested HIV positve after long time treatment appears HIV negetive is he free from HIV/AIDS?

    People that are HIV+ don't get cured. HIV does not go away, but it might be that his viral load is so low that it will not be picked up on a HIV test. It just means that the meds are doing the...

  •  

    Categories--Copyright/IP Policy--Contact Webmaster