The only way to know for sure if you have HIV or another
STD is to get tested. There are a number of different
ways to test for HIV, including:
Standard HIV Blood Test
A blood sample is drawn and results are generally
available within a few days to two weeks.
Rapid HIV Test
Three rapid HIV tests are now available. The first,
a new rapid test which uses an oral fluid sample was
just approved by the FDA, but is not yet widely available.
The test provides results in 20 minutes and includes
a health care worker wiping a treated swab along the
gums of the mouth. The second, a rapid blood test, uses
a finger prick and provides results within 20 minutes.
The third, a rapid blood test, uses blood serum or plasma
- as opposed to a finger prick - and can produce results
in 30 minutes or less.
Oral Test
This test involves no blood or finger pricking. A health
care provider swabs the inside of the mouth to collect
a tissue sample. This test is not available at all testing
sites.
Home Test
HomeAccess, the only home HIV test currently approved
by the FDA, may be purchased from many drug stores and
costs around $45. It involves pricking one's finger
with a special device, placing drops of blood on a specially
treated card, and then mailing the card in to be tested
at a licensed laboratory. Customers are given an identification
number to use when phoning for the test results, and
may receive phone counseling.
Urine Test
A urine test is another alternative to a blood test.
The person getting tested provides a urine sample to
a health care provider. The sample is screened in a
laboratory and results are generally available within
a few days to two weeks.
[top]
* Text courtesy of KNOW HIV/AIDS, a partnership
of Viacom and the Kaiser Family Foundation
