Fact Sheet Number 102
- WHAT IS HIV TESTING?
- HOW DO I GET TESTED?
- WHEN SHOULD I GET TESTED?
- DO ANY TESTS WORK SOONER AFTER INFECTION?
- WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF I TEST POSITIVE?
- CAN I KEEP THE TEST RESULTS CONFIDENTIAL?
- HOW ACCURATE ARE THE TESTS?
- THE BOTTOM LINE
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PrintHIV testing tells you if you are infected with the Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV) which causes AIDS. These tests look for “antibodies”
to HIV. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system
to fight a specific germ.
Other “HIV” tests are used when people already know
that they are infected with HIV. These help measure how quickly
the virus is multiplying (a viral load test) or the health of
your immune system (a T-cell test). For more information, see
Fact Sheet 412 (T-cell Tests),
and Fact Sheet 413 (Viral Load Tests).
You can arrange for HIV testing at any Public Health office, or
at your doctor’s office. Test results are usually available within
two weeks. In New Mexico, call the AIDS Hotline at 800-545-2437
to find a test site. In other states, call the National AIDS Hotline,
(800) 342-2437.
The most common HIV test is a blood test. Newer tests can detect
HIV antibodies in saliva, a scraping from inside the cheek, or
urine. A “rapid” HIV test was approved in November 2002.
Rapid test results are available within a half an hour after a
blood sample is taken. A positive result on any HIV test
should be confirmed with a second test.
Home test kits: You can’t test yourself for HIV at home.
The Home Access test kit is approved, but it is only designed
to collect a sample of your blood. You send the sample to a laboratory
where it is tested for HIV.
WHEN SHOULD I GET TESTED?
If you become infected with HIV, it usually takes between three
weeks and two months for your immune system to produce antibodies
to HIV. If you think you were exposed to HIV, you should wait
for two months before being tested. You can also test right away
and then again after two or three months. During this “window
period” an antibody test will give a negative result, but
you can transmit the virus to others if you are infected.
About 5% of people take longer than two months to produce antibodies.
A confirming test six months after exposure is a good idea.
SOONER AFTER INFECTION?
Viral load tests detect pieces of HIV genetic material.
They show up before the immune system manufactures antibodies.
Also, in early 2002, the FDA approved “nucleic acid testing.”
It is similar to viral load testing. Blood banks use it to screen
donated blood.
The viral load or nucleic acid tests are generally not used
to see if someone has been infected with HIV because they are
much more expensive than an antibody test. They also have a slightly
higher error rate.
IF I TEST POSITIVE?
A positive test result means that you have HIV antibodies, and
are infected with HIV. You will get your test result from a counselor
who should tell you what to expect, and where to get health services
and emotional support.
Testing positive does not mean that you have AIDS (See
Fact Sheet 101, What is AIDS?).
Many people who test positive stay healthy for several years,
even if they don’t start taking medication right away.
If you test negative and you have not been exposed to HIV for
at least three months, you are not infected with HIV. Continue
to protect yourself from HIV infection (See Fact
Sheet 150, Stopping the Spread of HIV).
TEST RESULT CONFIDENTIAL?
You can be tested anonymously in New Mexico. You do not
have to give your name when you are tested at a public health
office, or when you receive the test results. You can be tested
anonymously for HIV as many times as you want.
If you get a positive HIV test that is not anonymous, or if
you get any medical services for HIV infection in New Mexico,
your name will be reported to the Department of Health. See Fact Sheet 301 for more information
on HIV reporting in New Mexico.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) proposed in late 1998
that all states keep track of the names of HIV-infected people.
This proposal has not yet taken effect.
THE TESTS?
Antibody test results for HIV are accurate more than 99.5% of
the time. Before you get the results, the test has usually been
done two or more times. The first test is called an “EIA”
or “ELISA” test.
Before a positive ELISA test result is reported, it is confirmed
by another test called a “Western Blot”.
Two special cases can lead to false results:
Children born to HIV-positive mothers may have false
positive test results for several months because mothers pass
infection-fighting antibodies to their newborn children. Even
if the children are not infected with HIV, they have HIV antibodies
and will test positive. Other tests, such as a viral load test,
must be used.
As mentioned above, people who were recently infected may
test negative if they get tested too soon after being infected
with HIV.
HIV testing generally looks for HIV antibodies in the blood, or
saliva or urine. The immune system produces these antibodies to
fight HIV, but it can take up to three months for them to show
up. During this “window period” you will not test positive
for HIV even if you are infected. Normal HIV tests don’t work
for newborn children of HIV-infected mothers.
In New Mexico, you can get tested anonymously for HIV. Once
you test positive and start to receive health care for HIV infection,
your name will be reported to the Department of Health. These
records are kept confidential.
A positive test result does not mean that you have AIDS. If
you test positive, you should learn more about HIV and decide
how to take care of your health.
Revised November 16, 2002
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