Friday, March 29, 2013

Email 299: Fourth Gen HIV Test?


Good day po.

I was reading your blog for a few weeks now. I am worried about my HIV status.
I have a protected anal sex last February 28 with someone i met in the chatroom. I was the bottom.

My anxiety is killing me and as I make a research I came across 4th generation ELISA test which can give you an accurate result 28 days after possible exposure.
Can you please help me find a medical facility in Manila which can do the said test? 

Thanks!

XXX

POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE


Hi XXX.

Thank you for the email. Thank you for reading the blog and finding time to ask you question during the long vacation here in the country.

With regards to your question, I asked Dr. Ditangco, the head of RITM-ARG in Alabang and this is what she said:

"The Elisa Test is a generic term for a testing technique being used for different purposes and most likely most tests are now on its fourth generation considering that the test was developed many years ago. Right now, all the HIV tests CAN detect antibodies even at 28 days post exposure however, it is a case to case basis depending on a person's ability to develop antibodies."

From her statement, one can deduce that each individual is unique and one person may have to ability to develop antibodies faster than others which can be detected by the HIV test. The HIV tests now are very sensitive to the presence of antibodies, but still it depends on each persons' rate of developing the necessary HIV antibodies to be detected. That is why doctors still advocate to take the HIV test as soon as possible because the faster the antibodies will be detected, the faster the treatment process. The window period of 3 months (12 weeks) still remains as this is the period that majority of the population develop the HIV antibodies and having a negative HIV test result during the window period doesn't mean that the "coast is clear" but it maybe possible that the body hasn't fully developed the antibodies yet to be detected by the HIV test.

I hope I was able to answer your concerns. Feel free to email me again if you have other questions.


Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy






"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
NO PLHIV is alone with his or her struggle with HIV!"

-Pozziepinoy-



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