Whether p24 antigen test in hiv can be used to detect late seroconversion cases. As p24 antigen will not fade away and remain there due to no formation of antibodies. So p24 antigen shall be available even after 6/9 months and this can be further used to further hiv diagnosis.

Dr. Chakravarthy S SGeneral Physician5yrs exp

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P24 antigen is a nucleocapsid protein of HIV virus and you need sufficient viral load to detect it. After a week person got infected with HIV, Acute primary HIV syndrome occurs during which the virus multiply very fast and number increases to more than one lakh per ml of blood. This phase is asymptomatic in many and appears like Common cold with rash. Later viral load in blood drops to a very low but constant level known as Viral set point. So P24 is mostly useful for diagnosis during this period of infection only later you can use antibodies after sero conversion. You can prescribe HIV RNA PCR. And is much helpful if the patient is having any infection.  

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