The HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) virus causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). The only way to determine if you have the virus is through HIV testing, commonly known as HIV screening. In this article, let's discover in detail about the HIV test.
What Is An HIV Test?
A blood sample is used in an HIV test to determine if you are infected with HIV. A virus attacks specific immune system cells. These cells guard your body against infections brought on by bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Your body will have problems warding off infections and other disorders if you lose several immune cells.
Importance Of HIV Test
The only way to determine if you have HIV is to take an HIV test. Getting tested is crucial even if you feel great because AIDS symptoms can take years to manifest. Knowing your HIV status, whether you test positive or negative, is essential for obtaining treatment and halting the spread of the illness.
Blood and sperm are two biological fluids that HIV can transmit through. This means that unprotected sex and reusing needles while using drugs are two of the most typical ways people get HIV. It's crucial to be tested if you've done these things with a person whose HIV status is unknown. Knowing your condition will allow you to seek treatment and make decisions to further avoid the spreading of disease.
Types Of HIV Testing
Most HIV tests are done on blood or oral fluid. They could also be used with urine. The three main types of HIV testing are:
Antigen-antibody tests
Antibody tests
Nucleic acid tests (NAT)
Three Ways To Take A Sample For An HIV Test
You might need to make an appointment with your doctor to schedule a lab test. Many public health clinics accept walk-in patients. There are three methods by which you can take a sample for an HIV test.
Lab MethodA little blood sample will be taken by a technician and sent to a lab. Some immunoassay tests examine your urine or oral fluids (instead of saliva), but because there are fewer antibodies in these samples, you risk receiving false negative results.
Home Blood Test You could pierce your finger to acquire a tiny bit of blood for at-home blood testing, which you would then send to a lab. You can get your result by contacting them without giving your name. The lab will do another test to confirm if it is positive.
Oral Fluid TestYou swipe your upper and lower gums for the home oral fluid test, and the sample is tested in a vial. The test results for about 1 in 12 affected individuals are false negatives. Get a lab test to verify if the result is affirmative.
Time Required For HIV test Result
The time required for an HIV test result may vary from case to case.
Rapid testing return results in less than 30 minutes.
Results from a typical blood test or antibody/antigen test should be available in a week.
Results from a NAT test may take over 15-20 days.
The results of a urine test could take up to two weeks.
Bottom Line
If you have recently experienced a high-risk HIV encounter, visit the emergency hospital straight away or give your doctor a call. For a confidential test, go to Easy Medical Centre. To accommodate the demands of both private and professional life, we provide up to 100 medical tests. A client will be given a thorough certificate following the testing of the sample, which may have been blood, urine, or stool.
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