Understanding Seronegative Test Results: What It Means and What Comes Next

Seronegative means that a person's blood test results are negative for a specific antibody or antigen. In the context of HIV, a person is considered seronegative if their blood test results do not show any signs of HIV antibodies or antigens. This does not necessarily mean that the person does not have HIV, as some people may be in the early stages of the disease and not yet have developed enough antibodies to be detected by a blood test.

Seronegative can also refer to other medical conditions, such as Lyme disease or rheumatoid arthritis, where a person's blood test results are negative for specific antibodies. In these cases, a seronegative diagnosis does not necessarily rule out the presence of the condition, as other diagnostic tests may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.