Dear Eve,

Can HIV be hidden in the body and not detected even after three tests?

Best.

MB

Dear MB,

Your question implies that you have reason to believe that you were exposed to the HIV (Human Immuno-Deficiency virus) and you think that transmission of the virus took place.

Before I answer your question directly let me first point out the persons who need to take an HIV test: Sexually active persons, including those persons who are currently abstaining, but were sexually active up to 10 years ago; persons with more than one sex partner, even those who have engaged in serial monogamy; persons who have unprotected sex, and those who use condoms inconsistently and incorrectly. Also at risk are persons who are unsure if their sex partner is faithful.

You said you have taken the HIV test three times. I do not know the time period over which these tests were done. The health care providers with which you interacted would have told you about the 'window period' which is the length of time that your body takes to manufacture antibodies to fight against the virus. This period of time from first exposure to the virus to the formation of antibodies is between six weeks and up to three months for some persons. HIV antibodies take up to six months to show up in other persons.

If you had taken all these factors into consideration when you did your tests it is unlikely that your tests would not pick up the presence of these antibodies. The concept of the virus hiding or not hiding does not apply to transmission of HIV because the tests are designed to pick up the presence of the antibodies which are the body's natural response to the virus. The tests that are used to determine the presence of these antibodies are highly specific and very sensitive, and this means that it is unlikely that these tests are incorrect.

Remember that to remain free from HIV infection you should use condoms during every sexual encounter or abstain.

Disclosure difficulty

Dear Eve,

Why do you think it is more difficult for some to disclose their positive HIV status than others?

DS

Dear DS,

Disclosure is a personal matter and it may be hard for some persons who are not infected to understand the nature of this difficulty.

Generally, the issues connected to HIV infection are linked to infidelity, betrayal and pain. One's sexuality is also intricately involved. When you add an environment that is not socially accepting of persons who are infected it makes it truly problematic. There are still mothers today who, when their adult children disclose to them, their hostility towards them is evident in the actions that they take. There are cases of relatives joining community members to stone their family member who is HIV infected. There are cases of family members who do not allow their HIV-infected relative to use or share utensils, toilets or even allowed to sit on beds.

These factual incidents are a part of the landscape of HIV. Another part is that in research, when the public was asked if they would support family members who were HIV-infected the majority said that they would. This majority has been steadily growing over the years.

But until the minority sentiment of scorn, fear, lack of accurate information and misplaced beliefs and attitudes are extinguished, only then will the environment for disclosure be enabling.

You can send your questions or comments relating to HIV or related issues to info@eveforlife.org or write to Eve for Life, C/O Jamaica Observer.

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