window period

Definition:

1. a critical interval of time.
2. the interval that elapses between infection or inoculation with a pathogen and the onset of symptoms or of detectability of infection by laboratory testing.
3. the time between infection with a bloodborne virus and the appearance of specific laboratory evidence of infection in a specimen of blood obtained from the asymptomatic host for the purpose of diagnostic screening, or in blood or blood products donated by the host.

See Also: window2

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