Get Virtual Care
For Businesses
About Us
A member asked:
Is home hiv test accurate at 3 weeks ?
3 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Depends: Home tests depend on antibody and three weeks after exposure is usually too soon to test as antibodies take longer to develop. No test will exclude HIV infection this soon after exposure. You may discuss getting an HIV nucleic acid test at about 6 weeks after exposure.
Answered 11/28/2017
3.2k views
Not quite: At 3 weeks, the oral fluids test (both home self test and the clinic version) probably picks up 50-70% of infections, so a negative result is only slightly reassuring. This is the only test that can take up to 3 months to become positive. The HIV blood tests, both rapid and lab based, require only 4-8 weeks to be completely reliable, depending on the specific test or combination of 2 tests.
Answered 7/7/2016
3.2k views
Related Questions
A member asked:
How accurate is a home HIV test that you get results in five minutes is that considered accurate and conclusive after 4 1/2 weeks ?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
A member asked:
If you do a HIV home test and the results are not exactly accurate. What does it mean if it was blank for the first 15min then there was a curved line that appeared on C ?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
A member asked:
Is the ora-quick home HIV test accurate? Its FDA approved. Should i use it and trust the results?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
Didn't find what you're looking for?
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more.
Ask your questionMore of what we treat
Download HealthTap
Video visit and message your doctor
