HIV1/2 AB SCR W/RFLS 0019728

Although a healthy person has no HIV antibodies and will get a negative result, a negative screening test means only that there is no evidence of disease at the time of the test. If you have increased risk of HIV infection but negative screening results, it is important to get screening tests on an annual basis.
Antibodies can be detected about 2 to 8 weeks after exposure to the virus. If exposure to the virus is more recent, then antibody levels may be too low to detect and it may be necessary to repeat testing at a later time with another antibody test or combination HIV antibody/antigen test.
A positive screening test is not a diagnosis. A positive result must be followed by a second antibody test that is different from the first test, sometimes the Western blot test or an antibody test that detects different antigens and differentiates between HIV-1 and HIV-2, to establish a diagnosis.