Testing positive less than 48 hours after infection

[SugarCrash1]

The most likely scenario seems to be that I tested positive (with a PCR test) 44 to 45 hours after infection, with symptoms becoming noticeable four days after the test (6 days after infection).
Other scenarios seem to me even more flukey like symptoms not developing until 13 days after infection.
Has anyone else experienced a long period between the test and the symptoms appearing?
Can anyone with expertise in this area tell me approximately how unlikely it is to test positive less than 48 hours after infection. I can’t find anything - or at least not dumbed down enough for me to understand. Thank you

Are PCR tests supposed to be used when pre/a-symptomatic?

How do you know for sure when infection was?

@DumplingsAndStew
Thanks for posting. PCR tests can be used to screen asymptomatic people. Lateral flow tests should not be used for symptomatic people. Does that answer your question?
I don’t know for sure when infection took place, but I am sure it wasn’t from within my household so opportunities were very limited.

I think it is possible to test positive less than two days after infection. When the March outbreak occurred on the Isle of Man (so points of transmission were definitely known) a number of people tested positive just a couple of days after contact at a singing event (took place Tuesday night, tested positive Thursday). The Health minister there made a point that the Kent variant transmits more quickly than the original virus. So definitely possible although I appreciate this is a small sample !

Thanks @Mumtofourandnomore. Maybe it isn’t such a fluke.

Both 48 hours and 13 days are within the "normal" range, at the extreme ends of normal, but still normal.

Symptoms show between 2 and 14 days after infection, so you're well within the window there.

@Nootkah

Symptoms show between 2 and 14 days after infection, so you're well within the window there.

Yes, I think symptoms showing after 6 days is pretty much the peak, or bulge, of normal. I’ll stick with that theory, as testing positive after 44 hours obviously isn’t impossible. Thanks