HIV
Testing
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I get tested to
see if I have AIDS?
How long do I have to wait before I get tested?
What are the types of testing?
How accurate are the tests and should I trust
them?
HOW CAN I GET
TESTED TO SEE IF I HAVE AIDS?
One thing to remember is that AIDS is not what the test is determining.
The test is for finding out if you have produced HIV antibodies
to fight the viral infection of HIV. If the test finds HIV antibodies,
you are presumed to be HIV positive. If it does not find them, you
are presumed to be HIV negative. This is all very different than
receiving an AIDS diagnosis.
Being HIV positive means that you have the viral
infection that can lead to AIDS. Having AIDS means that you are
HIV positive and have either been sick with a certain type of AIDS
opportunistic infection or that your immune system has suffered
a measureable loss of cells.
In the State of Florida, any person can be tested
for HIV at any of the County Public Health Departments. The Florida
HIV/AIDS hotline has a listing of all units which offer HIV tests.
Most Health Departments request an appointment, charge a nominal
fee (often on a sliding scale), and offer the test anonymously.
An anonymous HIV test is a test given to a person
without the tester knowing the person's name and address.
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HOW
LONG DO I HAVE TO WAIT BEFORE I GET TESTED?
HIV tests are sensitive to specific HIV antibodies which are produced
by your immune system as soon as you are infected with HIV. The
trick to obtaining a trustworthy test is to wait for your immune
system to produce enough antibodies to trigger the tests. While
you may test positive for HIV within several weeks of infection,
The Centers for Disease Control recommends waiting at least 3 months
from the date of exposure in order to get a reliable test. If you
choose to get tested prior to 3 months after the date of exposure,
and if your test is negative, that may simply mean that your body
hasn't yet produced enough HIV antibodies to show up on the test.
The only way to find out is to get tested after the 3-month "window
period" has passed.
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WHAT
ARE THE TYPES OF TESTING?
You have several HIV testing options. Your health care provider,
local clinic, and hospital can offer confidential testing. Your
blood, mouthcells (OMT) or urine can be tested. The Florida Department
of Health began OMT Testing (oral testing) in 1998. You may also
purchase a home blood collection kit at a drugstore that will allow
you to initiate the test in the privacy of your own home.
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HOW
ACCURATE ARE THE TESTS AND SHOULD I TRUST THEM?
It is not accuracy you are really hoping for with these tests, it
is reliability. In other words, you want the test to reflect the
same result at 3 months and at 6 months and 9 months, etc. The test
reliability increases with time. The longer you wait from the time
of exposure to the time of taking the test, the better the reliability.
If you have not produced antibodies by 3 to 6 months after an exposure, and you have not participated in any other high-risk behaviors, there is over a 99.9% likelihood that you are HIV-negative. The
Centers for Disease Control advises that you wait at least 3 months
to take an initial HIV blood test. This will insure a very high
reliability of the tests.
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If you live in Florida and you have further questions
or concerns about HIV testing, or if you need a referral to a test
site, please call the Florida HIV/AIDS Hotline
or send us a message.
If you live outside of Florida, visit The
Body to find an AIDS hotline near you.
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