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Testing

Who should get tested for HIV?

CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 be tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. Testing once a year (or more) is recommended for people at higher risk of HIV infection, such as gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM), injection drug users, or people with multiple sex partners.

CDC also recommends that all pregnant women get tested because medication can improve the mother’s health and greatly lower the chance that an HIV-infected pregnant woman will pass HIV to her infant before, during, or after birth. Women should be tested with each pregnancy.

It is important to learn your HIV status and that of your partners because studies have shown that when people find out they are living with HIV, they take steps to protect their health and that of their partners. Furthermore, once you learn your status, if you find out that you have HIV infection, you can seek medical care that can help you live a longer, healthier life.
For more information on testing, visit CDC’s page on HIV Testing.

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Where can I get tested?

Locate an HIV or STD testing site near you or text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948). You also can call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) for assistance in locating a testing site.

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I think I have been exposed to HIV. Do I need to get tested right away?

Yes; if you have engaged in any activity that you think may have out you at risk for HIV infection you should get tested.
People with HIV are very infectious during the “window period,” which is the time immediately following infection. During this time, a person may test negative for HIV, even though he or she has high levels of virus circulating through their bodies. That means they can pass the virus on to others without knowing it.

Locate an HIV or STD testing site near you or text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948). You also can call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) for assistance in locating a testing site.

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What types of tests are there for HIV?

Blood Tests
EIA (enzyme immunoassay and sometimes referred to as ELISA), uses blood drawn from a vein. It is the most common screening test used to look for antibodies to HIV. A positive (reactive) EIA must be confirmed with a follow-up test, referred to as the Western blot to make a positive diagnosis.
Oral Tests
Oral Fluid Tests use oral fluid (not saliva) that is collected from the mouth using a special collection device (a plastic swab that is rubbed around the gums).
Urine Tests
Urine Tests use urine instead of blood. The sensitivity and accuracy are not as accurate or effective as that of the blood and oral fluid tests.
Rapid HIV Tests
Rapid HIV tests are screening tests that provide results very quickly – in as little as 20 minutes. Rapid tests use blood from a vein or finger stick or oral fluid to look for the presence of antibodies to HIV. As is true for all screening tests, a reactive rapid HIV test result must be confirmed with a follow-up confirmatory test before a diagnosis of infection can be made. Rapid tests have similar accuracy rates as traditional EIA screening tests.
RNA Tests
RNA tests look for the genetic material of HIV. RNA tests can be used in screening the blood supply and for detection of rare very early infection cases when antibody tests cannot detect antibodies to HIV.
Home Testing Kits
Although home HIV consumer-controlled test kits (popularly known as “home testing kits”) are sometimes advertised through the Internet, only the Home Access HIV-1 Test System is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The accuracy of other home test kits cannot be verified.

Locate an HIV or STD testing site near you or text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948). You also can call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) for assistance in locating a testing site.
For more information on testing, visit CDC’s page on HIV Testing.

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What should I expect when I go in for an HIV test?

When you go in for your test, a health care provider or counselor will generally talk with you before the test is administered. You may discuss your risk factors and answer questions about your general health. Your HIV test and results are confidential.

When it’s time to take the test, a health care professional will take your sample (blood, urine, or oral) and you may be able to wait for initial results (if it’s a Rapid HIV test, results can be ready in as little as 20 minutes). If the test comes back negative, meaning that your body does not have antibodies to HIV, you are finished with testing for the time being.

Keep in mind that there is a window period for developing HIV. If your test comes back positive, you will need to get a confirmation test. 

Regardless of your test results, you will likely talk to your health care provider or counselor again before leaving the appointment. Your health care provider should discuss next steps with you.

Locate an HIV or STD testing site near you or text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948). You also can call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) for assistance in locating a testing site.

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What's a confirmatory test?

The confirmatory test is performed to ensure someone with a false positive on the first test isn’t incorrectly diagnosed with HIV. EIA (blood) and rapid tests are generally very accurate, but the confirmatory test provides certainty about a diagnosis.

False positives are rare. A positive EIA (blood) test combined with a positive confirmatory test is more than 99% accurate in detecting an HIV infection.

Locate an HIV or STD testing site near you or text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948). You also can call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) for assistance in locating a testing site.

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I had unprotected sex with someone who is HIV positive, but my HIV test was negative. Does that mean I don't have HIV?

Not definitively. Because most HIV tests measure antibodies and it can take some time after becoming infected with HIV for your body to make these antibodies, you should get another HIV around 3 months after a potential exposure. Ninety-seven percent of HIV infected people develop antibodies in the first 3 months following the time of their infection, but there are rare cases where it takes up to 6 months for HIV antibodies to develop.

Locate an HIV or STD testing site near you or text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948). You also can call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) for assistance in locating a testing site.

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