Testing for HIV

Testing for HIV

I may have been exposed to HIV. What

should I do?

Get tested. e only way to know if you’re infected with the

virus is to get an HIV test.

Soon after infection with HIV, a person may have u-like

symptoms. But HIV infection isn’t diagnosed on the basis of

symptoms. Getting tested is the only way to know if you’re

infected with HIV.

What is the most common HIV test?

e most common HIV test is the

HIV antibody test

. HIV

antibodies are a type of protein the body produces in

response to HIV infection. e HIV antibody test checks for

HIV antibodies in a person’s blood, urine, or uids from the

mouth.

Generally it takes the body about 3 months from the time of

infection to produce enough antibodies to be detected by an

HIV antibody test. (For some people, it can take up to 6

months.) e time period between infection and the

appearance of detectable HIV antibodies is called the

window

period

. Because HIV antibodies are not detectable yet, the

HIV antibody test isn’t useful during the window period.

What HIV test is used during the window

period?

e

plasma HIV RNA test

(also called a

viral load

test) can

detect HIV in a person’s blood within 9 days of infection,

before

the body develops detectable HIV antibodies. e

plasma HIV RNA test is recommended when recent

infection is very likely—for example, soon after a person has

had

unprotected sex

with a partner infected with HIV.

Detecting HIV at the earliest stage of infection lets people

take steps right away to prevent

transmission of HIV

. (See

the

Preventing Transmission of HIV

fact sheet.) is is

important because immediately after infection the amount of

HIV in the body is very high, increasing the risk of

transmission of HIV. Starting treatment at this earliest stage

of infection also can be considered.

What does it mean to test HIV positive?

A diagnosis of HIV is made on the basis of positive results

from

two

HIV tests. e

---

rst test can be either an HIV

antibody test (using blood, urine, or uids from the mouth)

or a plasma HIV RNA test (using blood). e second test

(always using blood) is a dierent type of antibody test called

a

Western blot

test. A positive Western blot test con

---

rms

that a person has HIV.

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