The only way to determine if a person is HIV positive or not, is through an HIV antibody test.  A positive result means you have been infected and can pass on the virus to others. It does not tell when you were infected or how healthy you are.  A negative result means you have not been infected.

The time it takes a person who has been infected with HIV to seroconvert (test positive) for HIV antibodies is commonly called the “window period.”  This window period is about 3 months long.  In the window period, people infected with HIV may not show HIV antibodies in their blood.  However, the person may already have high levels of HIV in their blood, sexual fluids, or breast milk.  HIV can be passed on to another person during the window period even though an HIV test will not show that one is infected with HIV.