How accurate are STD tests?

Question

Is it possible that an STD which you may be having might not show up during the test? If ti doesn't then will this STD get transferred to the partner?

Answer 1

It is possible for a test to be incorrect. Often times, this happens because the infection is fairly new, and therefore, the body has not yet mounted a strong antibody response. Most tests for STDs are done through antibody testing. It would then be possible to pass these along.

In America, before a test can be approved by the FDA, it must go through many stages, and it must be shown to be extremely accurate. Some tests, like the HIV Elisa, can have incorrect positive readings, which is why all Elisa positive tests are followed up with more specific testing, like a western blot. A scientist would never say that anything is 100% for sure, always right, but the testing that is done is a accurate as we can be today.

So, possible, yes, but unlikely.

Edit for the "answer" below me



1) Why, as in the case of all other diseases, do those antibodies not cure the infection?

All other infections are cured by antibodies? So no one ever dies of infectious diseases? Or needs to take medicines to help the body fight them off? Antibodies are a great defense, but pathogens have found ways to over come them.

2). How could you know if (1) above had taken place as you can only test for antibodies.

I never said you could only test for antibodies. In the case of HIV, RNA tests are done to determine the amount of virus in the system. and to genotype it for classification and resistance testing. Decreases in viral loads indicate that the current drug regiment is working. These tests are very expensive compared to elisa, and cannot determine if there are very few virons present, or none at all, so they are not used to determine HIV status. Antibody production is the key to status. That does not mean that the virus is never isolated, genotyped, cultured, or observed.

3). As the test reacts to such a wide range of antibodies how do you know they are 'HIV' antibodies?

It does not react to a "wide" range of antibodies. The test is very accurate. the science you are quoting is flawed, and the research has not been substantiated by independent labs. It does cross react with a small number of things, just like every other elisa test ever done. That is why all tests must be confirmed. Every single argument in the HIV/AIDS conspiracy theory could be applied to all disease testing that is done, to all determinations that pathogen X causes disease Y.




Sorry your question got highjacked.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

How Accurate Are Std Tests

Answer 4

2

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How accurate are STD tests?
Is it possible that an STD which you may be having might not show up during the test? If ti doesn't then will this STD get transferred to the partner?

Answer 6

STD testing is safe and easy. Getting tested protects your health, and can even save your life.

Answer 7

in my opion none of them are postive till another test is done to see if it was just starting . my opion?

Answer 8

no