What to Do When Results are Inconclusive

For some people, there is nothing that is more stressful than waiting for something, especially if that something is a bit nerve-racking. When it comes to HIV testing, many people are in a frame of mind that they will receive results that they do not have HIV. However, when they then find that the test was inconclusive, and there will have to be another one done, it can then have them think about it very differently. They may believe it is possible for them to have it. Many of the people who do end up having HIV did not think that they would possibly have it, and also may not have known for longer periods of time – or may not have had it before connecting with a particular partner who did not know they had HIV.

When it comes to HIV, there are many situations that, when it is not caught, can be detrimental to many people. There are many people who may have multiple sexual partners or even had multiple partners over a very short period, and each of the people involved can end up getting HIV. HIV is not spread every time a person has sex but it does have high likelihood, which is partly why HIV testing is very important. This is something that no one wants, which only makes not understanding test results more unnerving.

Faulty Testing and Results

When test results are inconclusive, this does not automatically mean a person has HIV. It can mean that the test was done incorrectly, that the items used for the test did not work correctly, or any number of other factors. If an individual is using is a home test kit, more than likely what happened was the test kit was faulty and did not work correctly, or the test was incorrectly administered. Even if a home test kit tests positive, an individual will still want to have a doctor check that the test results are correct. Home tests have a tendency not to be as reliable as blood tests, which are thought to be the most reliable form of checking for HIV.

No matter how a test is done, there is always a chance that something happened. For instance, if there was a urine or blood test, an individual could have a cold that was bad enough that he or she may not even have known about. This could possibly have an effect on the test, causing it to either be inconclusive or to say positive when it may not be. This is not to say that many of the positive tests are incorrect.

Flaws in Blood Testing

Approximately 13.2% of even the blood ELISA tests are correct and that is why there is the Western Blot test, to check the results of any positive HIV testing from that form of blood testing. This is because there is not very much information available for dealing with HIV and AIDS, which would ultimately help to develop a more effective form of testing. Even after a person has contracted HIV, they still may take four weeks up to six months to show signs. This can mean that a person may have had a test that was negative when they did have HIV because it was taken too early for that person to be able to show the main side effects the tests look for.

Part of the reason that it is so important to test is because if it is caught right away then an individual is able to treat some of the side effects and work towards a longer life span, in addition to trying to make sure that a person does not end up getting AIDS. In conclusion, when an individual has a test for HIV come back inconclusive, what it means is that he or she needs to have another test. Having inconclusive test result does not mean an individual has HIV, but rather that something was not done correctly, was faulty, or that there is something in his or her system that leaves the equipment unable to test properly, such as a virus. This can be something simple and only means that another test should be taken. Next, the rest of the blood work should be looked through to determine what virus an individual may have, so that he or she can then be tested properly for HIV.
