What is the ‘Window Period'? - In medicine, the window period for a test designed to detect a specific disease (particularly infectious disease) is the time between first infection and when the test can reliably detect that infection. It is the time it takes the body to react to an infection, such as that by HIV, by creating antibodies. During this period, an infected person cannot be detected as infected (as he/she has no antibodies present in the body yet) but may still be able to infect others.
- HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B all have a window period of 3 months. A test can therefore only show for certain after 3 months whether or not you are infected with the virus causing any one of these.
- The three month window period is normal for most people. Many people will have detectable antibodies in three or four weeks.
- Should you however have a risky encounter and be anxious to be tested soon after, for your peace of mind for instance, you can go ahead and get the test. Just remember that the results of that test will not be completely reliable and you should have another test after three months. Some test centres may recommend testing again at six months, just to be sure.
- Although HIV may not be detected by a test during the window period, HIV can be transmitted during that time. In fact, individuals are often most infectious during this time (shortly after they have been exposed to HIV).
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