What is a preliminary HIV test?
An antigen test checks your blood for an HIV antigen, called p24. When you’re first infected with HIV, and before your body has a chance to make antibodies to the virus, your blood has a high level of p24. The p24 antigen test is accurate 11 days to 1 month after getting infected.
What is the confirmatory test for HIV-1?
ELISA Test ELISA, which stands for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, is used to detect HIV infection. If an ELISA test is positive, the Western blot test is usually administered to confirm the diagnosis. If an ELISA test is negative, but you think you may have HIV, you should be tested again in one to three months.
What is the initial HIV test?
An initial HIV test usually will either be an antigen/antibody test or an antibody test. If the initial HIV test is a rapid test or a self-test and it is positive, the individual should go to a health care provider to get follow-up testing.
How is HIV-1 diagnosed?
Blood tests are the most common way to diagnose the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). These tests look for antibodies to the virus that are present in the blood of infected individuals. People exposed to the virus should get tested immediately.
Can I test negative if my viral load is undetectable?
Having an undetectable of zero viral load does not mean you are HIV negative. If you were to do another HIV antibody test it would come back as being positive.
What happens when viral load is zero?
Having an undetectable viral load does mean that there is not enough HIV in your body fluids to pass HIV on during sex. In other words, you are not infectious. For as long as your viral load stays undetectable, your chance of passing on HIV to a sexual partner is zero.
How long does it take to get a HIV test?
HIV comes in 2 forms: HIV-1. This type is found worldwide. HIV-2. This type is mainly found in western Africa. But it has spread to the U.S. This test is 1 of several tests that look for HIV infection. Some of these tests take a few days for results. Rapid HIV tests can give your results in about 20 minutes.
What does a reactive HIV test result mean?
A reactive (preliminary positive) test result suggests that antibodies to HIV-1 may be present in the blood obtained from a rapid, finger stick test with whole blood. A specimen will have to be sent to a laboratory for a Western Blot test prior to confirmation of the reactive test result.
What does it mean to have an anonymous HIV test?
Anonymous testing means that nothing ties your test results to you. When you take an anonymous HIV test, you get a unique identifier that allows you to get your test results. These tests are not available at every place that provides HIV testing.
What does it mean when a follow up HIV test is positive?
If the follow-up test is also positive, it means you are HIV-positive. If you had a rapid screening test, the testing site will arrange a follow-up test to make sure the screening test result was correct.