HIV testing results

Can you test negative for HIV and still have HIV?
Yes. If you were only recently exposed to the HIV virus, you could test negative and still have HIV (false-negative), particularly with the standard antibody tests. Unfortunately, you may also be at greatest risk of spreading the virus during this time.

If you test negative for HIV during standard antibody HIV testing and it's been less than three months since the suspected exposure, consider retesting. The best time for retesting is three months or more after the possible exposure.

Instead of waiting to be retested with an antibody test, you may also have the option of getting one of the few less commonly done tests that can identify HIV infection earlier, before antibodies can be detected.

What if you test positive for HIV?
Although there's no cure for HIV/AIDS, treatment has come a long way in the past few decades, offering extended and improved quality of life for many. Early treatment can help you stay well and delay the onset of AIDS. Inform any partners about a positive diagnosis, because they will need to be evaluated and possibly treated, as well.

Discuss further testing and treatment with your doctor. Your doctor will use PCR tests to measure the amount of the virus in your blood, which can help predict the probable progression of your disease. People with higher viral loads generally don't do as well as those with lower viral loads. Viral load tests are also used to decide when to start and when to change your treatment.

A healthy lifestyle can also help you stay well:

• Avoid smoking, using illicit drugs and drinking too much alcohol. These can weaken your immune system.
• Get tested for tuberculosis (TB) and STDs. You may have TB or STDs and not know it. These may cause serious illness if not treated.
• Use condoms. Abstaining from sex is the most effective way to avoid transmitting HIV to others or to getting other STDs that may harm your health. But if you decide to have sex, use condoms. Condoms are very effective at preventing HIV and other STD transmission, though they aren't 100 percent effective.