- When to get tested for HIV
- What is the difference between immune window and incubation period?
- What is a false negative result?
- Immune window of other infections
The immunological window corresponds to the period between contact with the infectious agent and the time it takes the body to produce enough antibodies against the infection that can be identified in laboratory tests. Regarding HIV, it is considered that your immune window is 30 days, that is, it takes at least 30 days for the virus to become detectable through laboratory tests.
It is important to know the immunological window of infections to prevent a false negative result from being released, for example, in addition to being essential with regard to the process of donation and blood transfusion. Thus, it is recommended that, when examining or donating blood, information related to risky behavior, such as sharing needles and syringes or sexual relations without condoms, be informed.
When to get tested for HIV
The HIV immune window is 30 days, however depending on the person's immune system and the type of virus, it is possible that the HIV immune window is up to 3 months. Thus, it is recommended that the HIV test be done 30 days after the risky behavior, that is, after sexual intercourse without a condom, so that there is enough time for the body to produce enough antibodies against the virus to be detected through serological tests. or molecular.
In some people, the body is able to produce sufficient amounts of specific antibodies against HIV about 30 days after risky behavior, such as unprotected sex, even if there are no symptoms. Thus, it is recommended that the first HIV test be done at least 30 days after the risky behavior, respecting the immunological window, and should be repeated after 30 and 60 days after the first test, even if the test was negative and that symptoms have not arisen.
In this way, it is possible for the organism to produce enough antibodies against the HIV virus, being possible to detect it in the exam and thus avoiding false-negative results.
What is the difference between immune window and incubation period?
Unlike the immune window, the incubation period takes symptoms into account. That is, the incubation period of a given infectious agent corresponds to the time between the moment of infection and the appearance of the first symptoms, varying according to the type of infection.
On the other hand, the immunological window is the time between infection and detection by means of tests, that is, it is the time that the organism takes to produce specific markers (antibodies) for the type of infection. Thus, in the case of the HIV virus, for example, the immune window is from 2 weeks to 3 months, but the incubation period is between 15 and 30 days.
Despite this, the person with the HIV virus can go years without symptoms of infection being noticed, so it is important that the infection is monitored periodically and the tests are done after the risky behavior, respecting the immunological window. Learn how to identify the first symptoms of AIDS.
What is a false negative result?
The false negative result is that performed during the immunological window of the infectious agent, that is, the immune system cannot produce enough antibodies against the infectious agent to be detectable in laboratory tests.
That is why it is important to know the immunological window of infections so that the result released is as true as possible. In addition, in the case of diseases that can be transmitted through sexual contact or blood transfusions, such as HIV and hepatitis B, for example, it is important that the information given to the doctor is true so that there is no seroconversion at the time of transfusion, for example.
Immune window of other infections
Knowing the immunological window of infections is important both to know when is the ideal time to perform the test and avoid false negative results, and for blood donation and transfusion processes, since these procedures can bring risk to the recipient donation when the donor has risky behavior about which he did not inform in the screening.
Thus, the immunological window of hepatitis B is between 30 and 60 days, that of hepatitis C between 50 and 70 days and that of infection by the HTLV virus is between 20 and 90 days. In the case of syphilis, the immunological window varies according to the stage of the disease, however, in most cases, it is already possible to detect antibodies against Treponema pallidum , the causative agent of syphilis, about 3 weeks after infection.
