HIV infection is normally detected using an HIV test. There are different types of test - one test looks for the antibodies the immune system produces to fight HIV infection. Another test looks for the HIV itself (called a p24 antigen test). 

The overwhelming majority of people infected with HIV will produce antibodies within 45 days of infection. Some people produce antibodies sooner, and in a very small number of people it can take six months, or even longer, for antibodies to appear after infection.

Most clinics in the UK use a test which includes both of these types - an antibody test and an antigen test. This means that HIV can be found sooner after infection than it would be by using an antibody test on its own.

The HIV test is not an ‘AIDS test'. There is no such thing.

Click here to read more about HIV testing.