How Is The Test Used
HIV tests are used to screen for and diagnose HIV infections.
Screening
Different types of tests may be used for HIV screening:
Diagnosis
Home Hiv And Aids Tests
There are advantages to home testing for the HIV virus. You can do it in a private and confidential manner. Home HIV tests have an accuracy rate of 99% and higher. What are your testing options?
One option is to use an HIV-1 test system. With this test, you take a sample of blood using the lancet supplied in the kit and send it to the testing laboratory. Once the test is complete, in about a week, call the laboratory and get your results. Everything is kept completely confidential and anonymous for your protection. This FDA-approved test has an accuracy of 99.9%.
If you need faster results, an express HIV-1 test system is available. It’s similar to the standard HIV-1 test system but you can access the results the next day. If your test is positive, referrals for medical care and counseling are available by phone when you get your results.
Get Lowest Hiv Test Cost At $69 Rapid & Confidential Testing
According to the World Health Organization , nearly 3.5 million people in the U.S. were living with HIV in the year 2018 and every 1 in 7 of those people didnt know they have HIV infection. Undiagnosed and untreated HIV can lead to severe complications. As the symptoms of HIV also do not show up at the earlier stage of infection, we highly recommend every sexually active person to get tested for HIV at least once in a year.
The article below covers all the significant topics of HIV tests like the cost of HIV tests, HIV symptoms, different stages of HIV, when to get tested for HIV, rapid HIV tests, HIV cure, HIV prevention, and how to get tested for HIV near me.
For our readers who would like to know more about the cost of HIV test beforehand, we begin with that section.
Don’t Miss: How Do You Know If You Got Hiv
Should I Tell Anyone Else Of My Test Results
Yes. If you test positive for HIV infection, it is important that you tell your healthcare practitioners as well as all current and future sex partners and/or anyone with whom you share needles. Counseling services are often available from the clinic that performed the test or from your healthcare provider that will help you to inform the people who need to know.
How Often Do You Need To Get Tested For Hiv
How often you should get tested depends on your personal practices, risk behaviours, and how often you engage in them.;
For most people, it is important to have a full sexual health test at least once each year. This testing includes:
- HIV
Even if you always use condoms, it is recommended you get tested annually as condoms dont provide 100% protection against HIV and STIs.
Read Also: Can I Have Hiv Symptoms After 1 Week
How Confidential Are Hiv Test Results
Your HIV status, like other medical conditions and test results, is protected by the HIPAA Privacy Rule and cannot be shared with friends, family, or employers without your written permission. Your HIV status may be shared with your healthcare providers who have a “need to know” in order to treat you. Also, in order to determine the incidence of HIV and to provide appropriate prevention and care services, all new cases of HIV are reported to state and local health departments.
Certain testing centers provide either anonymous or confidential HIV testing and counseling. You can also contact your state or local health department to find out where testing may be available.
What Kind Of Tests Are Available
There are several different ways to be tested for HIV. Some tests use blood, and others test cells inside the mouth. HIV blood tests may be a finger stick or a draw from the inner arm. Oral HIV tests use a swab of the mouth.
If you have a preference for the type of test, ask your health care provider. At-home HIV test kits are also available for sale in many drug stores.
You May Like: Does Walgreens Do Hiv Testing
How Soon After Exposure To Hiv Can Tests Detect I Have The Virus
The window of time between exposure to HIV and when a test will show you have the virus varies from person to person and by the type of test:
- Nucleic acid test : The NAT test can detect HIV infection the earliest. It can tell if you have HIV infection 10 to 33 days after exposure.
- Antigen/antibody test: The antigen/antibody test can detect infection 18 to 45 days after exposure when performed by a lab using blood from a vein. If the sample is from a finger prick, the window is 18 to 90 days after exposure.
- Antibody test: Antibody tests can detect infection 23 to 90 days after exposure.
If your initial test is negative, get a second test after the window of time has passed. The second test can confirm your negative result in case you got tested before the infection was active in your body.
Remember, post-exposure prophylaxis can help prevent infection, but you must start it within 72 hours of possible infection. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to start PEP.
What Are The Advantages Of A Rapid Hiv Test
The rapid test allows for testing of more individuals. According to the CDC, 1.2 million Americans have HIV, but up to one in eight don’t know it. About 44,000 Americans per year become infected with HIV. This number has decreased recently due, in part, to more testing. Among those who get tested using traditional methods, 31% of those who test positive do not return for their results .
People give a variety of reasons for not returning for their test results. The frequency of each response depends on the population being tested. The most commonly given reasons include the following:
- Fear of a positive result
- Lack of transportation
- Relocating to a new city
- Belief that they are at low risk for HIV and therefore the result will be negative
- Fear that their HIV status will be disclosed to someone else
Significant benefits of the rapid HIV test include the following:
Once important difference between the conventional laboratory test and rapid tests is the ability to detect very early or acute HIV infection. This is done with the addition of an HIV RNA PCR or NAT test. HIV RNA appears in the blood within the first few days of infection. If the antibody test is negative but the NAT is positive, this may indicate that the patient is very newly infected. NAT testing is also used to confirm a positive result of the third- or fourth-generation test. Western Blot testing is no longer routinely used.
You May Like: How Much To Get Hiv Test
How Is The Hiv Infection Diagnosed
If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms or if you suspect the possibility of being exposed to HIV, then get tested for HIV immediately as it is fatal. The HIV test requires only a blood sample. The phlebotomist will draw the blood sample and send the sample to the lab for analysis. Self-collection of the blood sample at home is also possible with HIV home test kits offered by some labs across all the cities in the United States.
Where & How Do I Get Tested For Hiv
Under the Affordable Care Act, nobody can be denied health insurance due to a pre-existing condition. Most health insurance plans must cover certain recommended preventive services. This includes HIV testing for everyone between the ages 15 and 65 and for people of other ages at increased risk without additional cost-sharing, such as copays or deductibles.
Whether or not you have insurance, you can likely get an HIV test at the following locations:
- Local health clinic
- Primary care doctor
- Hospitals
If you don’t have insurance, you can become a Mira member and get an STD test for just $50- results are private and fast.
There are other options for HIV testing if you don’t have insurance.;
- Health clinics or community health centers
- STD or sexual health clinics
- Your local health department
- Substance abuse prevention or treatment programs
You May Like: Can Untreated Chlamydia Cause Hiv
Insurance Coverage Of Hiv Testing
Most insurers now broadly cover HIV testing, many without cost-sharing, in part due to a decision made by the United States Preventive Services Task Force , an independent panel that assess the net benefit of preventive services and assigns a subsequent letter grade . Under the ACA, any A or B graded preventive services must be provided by most insurers without cost-sharing; in addition, traditional Medicaid programs, while not required to provide USPSTF top graded services are incentivized to do so. In 2013, the USPSTF gave HIV screening an A rating for all adolescents and adults, ages 15 to 65.39; It; also gave an A grade to HIV screening for pregnant women. Both of these recommendations were reaffirmed in 2019.40 The current insurance coverage landscape of HIV testing is as follows:
Where To Get Tested For Hiv
Getting an HIV test is easy. Tests for HIV and other STIs are confidential and available from your local doctor , or a sexual and reproductive health clinic.
It is a good idea to have some pre-test counselling. Before the test, talk with your doctor, nurse, or peer tester about any concerns, your level of risk, whether you are likely to be HIV-positive and what a positive result may mean.
Don’t Miss: When To Get Tested For Hiv
Why Should Someone Get Tested For Hiv
If someone is infected with HIV, it’s important to know because:
- Starting medicines right away can keep a person stay healthy for a long time.
- There are ways to stop the spread of HIV to others, such as using a condom and taking medicines.
- A pregnant woman who is infected can get treatment to try to prevent passing HIV to her baby.
Another reason to get tested is peace of mind: A negative test result can be a big relief for someone who is worried about being infected.
Why Testing Is Important
If you’re carrying the HIV virus, early treatment can keep you healthy longer. Treating HIV infection early may slow down damage to the immune system and may help prevent or delay some of the life-threatening infections people with AIDS can develop. By knowing your HIV status, you can also take steps to avoid spreading the virus to other people.
The HIV virus is transmitted from person to person through sexual contact and contact with blood from an infected person. It can also be passed to an unborn baby through pregnancy, childbirth and breast-feeding. You can carry the HIV virus and not have symptoms initially. That’s why testing is so important. Some experts believe everyone should get tested for HIV at least once.
Read Also: Is Pep Effective In Preventing Hiv
Where Can I Go For Hiv Testing
You can get tested for HIV and other STDs at your doctors office, a community health clinic, the health department, or your local Planned Parenthood health center. You might want to get your HIV test at a place that also has HIV counseling .
You can either get an anonymous” or “confidential HIV test, depending on the laws in the state that you live in. Confidential” testing means your name is on the test, and the results go in your medical records. Your doctors and insurance company may also see the results. If you test positive, your results are sent to your local health department so they know the rates of HIV in your area. But your results are protected by privacy laws, so nobody else can see them without your permission.
“Anonymous” testing means your name isnt on the test. Youll get an ID number that youll use to find out your results. Your results wont go in your medical records, and they wont be sent to your insurance company or the health department youre the only one who will know them.
STD testing, including HIV testing, isnt usually automatically part of your regular checkup or gynecologist exam you have to ask for it directly. Be honest with your nurse or doctor so they can help you figure out what tests are best for you. Dont be embarrassed: your doctor is there to help, not to judge.
What Is The Cost Of The Rapid Hiv Test
The cost for the rapid HIV test, whether it uses oral fluid or a finger-stick blood sample is about $8 per test for public health officials and $8-$60 for other organizations. Most insurance plans now cover HIV testing.
There are several rapid tests available which can be done on either whole blood from a vein or finger stick, or oral fluids collected on a special swab. Many of these tests also can detect HIV-2, which is a different virus than HIV-1.
HIV-1 is the retrovirus that typically causes AIDS and is the HIV type most prevalent in most of the world, including the United States. If a person has antibodies to HIV-1, it means that he or she is infected with the HIV-1 virus that causes AIDS.
HIV-2 is a virus found primarily in western, sub-Saharan Africa. HIV-2 is rare in other parts of the world, but it has been reported sporadically in many locations. It is believed to be spread by the same methods of transmission as HIV-1. If a person has antibodies to HIV-2, it means that he or she is infected with the HIV-2 virus.
Testing for both HIV-1 and HIV-2 is important, particularly in people who may have acquired their infection in West Africa or from someone who may have links to that area. Much of the HIV testing currently done in the United States, including the rapid oral test, detects both HIV-1 and HIV-2 .
Available rapid tests include the following:
Third-Generation Tests
Also Check: Does Hiv Cause Hair Loss
What Happens If The Test Is Positive
If you receive a positive result, you will want to work with your healthcare provider on a treatment plan. Your healthcare provider will determine how far HIV has progressed and recommend medicines to help you manage it.
You will also want to talk about your diagnosis with your sexual partner. If you and your partner have had unprotected sex, you could have transmitted the virus to them. They should get tested, too.
When Is It Ordered
Several organizations recommend routine screening for HIV:
- The Centers for Disease Control and the American College of Physicians recommend that anyone between the ages of 13 and 64 be screened for HIV at least once.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends anyone age 15 to 65 get at least a one-time test.
- The CDC, USPSTF and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that all pregnant women be screened. Repeat testing in the third trimester may be done for women at high risk. Some women may opt to get tested when planning a pregnancy .
- The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that all sexually active youth be screened, and that youths between 15 and 18 years old be offered HIV testing at least once, regardless of sexual history.
For additional details on screening recommendations, see the articles for Teens, Young Adults, Adults, and Adults 50 and Up.
Annual screening is advised for those who are at high risk for HIV and is recommended when you:
- Have unprotected sex with more than one partner since your last HIV test
- Are a man who has sex with another man
- The CDC says that your healthcare practitioners may consider more frequent screening for you, such as every 3 to 6 months.
You should get at least a one-time test, regardless of age, if you:
Recommended Reading: What City Has The Highest Hiv Rate