HIV Test: The Top Ten Questions Answered
HIV Test: The Top Ten Questions Answered
Last Updated on Monday, 30 August 2010 06:50 Written by Administrator Monday, 30 August 2010 06:50
Becky Kuhn, MD, answers the top ten questions about the HIV test and how different HIV tests are used together during HIV testing: 1) How do HIV tests work? 2) What are the window period and false negatives? 3) How long after exposure to HIV does it take for a person to get an HIV positive test result? 4) What’s the risk of a false positive on the initial ELISA HIV test? 5) What’s the risk of a false positive diagnosis after a Western Blot HIV test? 6) Can I be HIV tested for free? 7) Can I be HIV tested without revealing my name? 
Do I have to be stuck with a needle to take an HIV test? 9) If I test HIV positive, does that mean I’m going to develop AIDS and die? 10) Why should I get tested for HIV? She also explains: anonymous HIV testing; confidential, name-based HIV testing; home-based testing for HIV-1; and use of the PCR Test for detection of HIV infection during the window period. There is a 98.5% chance that an “HIV positive” result on an initial ELISA test is correct (and a 1.5% chance that it was a false positive). There is a 99.9996% chance that an “HIV positive” result after an initial ELISA and a confirmatory Western Blot test is correct (and 1 chance in 250000 that it was a false positive). HIV denialists (people who deny that HIV is the cause of AIDS) often exaggerate the frequency of false positives and ignore the fact that a person must get an “HIV positive” result on BOTH the initial ELISA *and* the confirmatory Western Blot test before the person is …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
I have a question to anybody reading this right now. I had a threesome a couple days ago with this girl we meet at college and my friend. As far as i know my friend doesnt have hiv, he has told me before that he has never had vaginal sex with anyone, just oral. To get to the point, a very very small amount of the girl’s vaginal fluid (wetness) managed to get into my mouth. Also at the end my friend got some semen into her mouth but she spit it out/she then gave me oral. Could i have a hiv?
is a 11 week antibody test reliable…how accurate is it…doctor say it is should be..however am still worried… test was done in Canada recently..i am a healthy male
thanks!
@imamagnetum: Please do two things. (1) Take steps so you’re at lower risk of being exposed to HIV. If you’re sexually active, use a condom. If you inject drugs, don’t share needles. (2) Get tested to find out your current status, and follow the doctor’s instructions for any follow-up testing. If you’re really being exposed to HIV daily, change your life so you aren’t being exposed daily. Your quality of life and length of life matter!
@DidiT1979: From TheBody web site: “In the clinical studies by the manufacturer, the OraQuick oral fluid test correctly identified 99.3% of people who were infected with HIV-1 (sensitivity) and 99.9% of people who were not infected with HIV-1 (specificity). The Food and Drug Administration expects clinical laboratories to obtain similar results.”
so, i would never take the test, i get exposed everyday.
I’m sorry you are absolutely right. My question is can the results be relied upon? How accurate are the results?
@fid78577: This is Eric; I’m not a doctor. You appear to be asking what the false negative rate on a PCR Qualitative test would be after 11 weeks. I haven’t researched that question and don’t have the time to research it unfortunately. Please ask your doctor if you have questions about the meaning of your HIV test result and follow any instructions they give you for follow-up testing.
@DidiT1979: What is your question regarding rapid tests? “What about” is too vague for me to know what information you’re seeking.
what about rapid tests?
Sorry I didn’t finish my question the question was that if a PCR Qualitative by DNA after 11 weeks be assuring?
I was exposed to HIV in the first week of January 2010 and I went to get tested with and ELISA 11 weeks after my exposure it cam back negative. I wasn’t satisfied with those results so I had the PCR Qualitative by DNA performed also 11 weeks after possible exposure. and that one came back negative fir HIV 1. My question to you is if the PCR
Yha…i got tested about the 1 week and the one month after the possible exposure..the both tests were negative..the method they used was particle agglutination..thts why i am askng u tht cn i rely on the test result..plz help me..and i hav 1 more ques..is there any video about the particle agglutination test on youtube,where i can find some infromation..?plz..plz..ans me and help me…i m so tensed….thank you..plz..ans..plz..
@ahsan8720: This is Eric; I’m not a doctor. Get tested; ask your questions to a staff person at the clinic where you get tested.
Halo….does it mean that,there are enough antibodies at the time i will have some symptoms in body to detect hiv?..and i also want to know that how acucrate the particle agglutination/serodia test is…?plz ans…..and save me…
Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System available for $59.99 at pharmacies like Walgreens in the U.S. is one example. Note that with these systems, you take a sample at home and mail it in to the lab and get your results anonymously using a code number in the kit.
Whats the name of the test you claim could give you results from your home? How much would it cost? Please send me a PM please, Thank you.
#10: That wouldn’t make sense. Western Blot is only to be used for confirmation after a *positive* ELISA. It’s not intended to be used for primary screening (which is essentially what you’re suggesting). The reason has to do with the relative rates of false positives and false negatives on the two tests. #11: I’m not sure whether ALL home-based tests require sending in the sample; the one I’m aware of does, but there could be others I don’t know about.
This is Eric; I’m not a doctor. The “rare cases” she’s referring to are typically people whose immune system is compromised, which means it’s slower to respond and develop antibodies. People who are on immunosuppression medication (e.g. after a transplant) are one example I recall. I believe that chemotherapy and radiation exposure are other possible causes of immunosuppression that could cause it to take longer for the test to show HIV+.
In the video explained that in rare cases it can take up to 6 months to developed antibodies to hiv. What kind of “rare cases” does the doctor mean? Is there any conditions or other virus/dieases that can effect ELISA results, in this case longer window period?
Question 10: Can I request a Western Blot test if my ELISA is negative?
Question 11: Do all home based testing require sending in the sample or can results be determined at home much like a pregancy test?
This is Eric; I’m not a doctor; this is not a doctor’s opinion. Get tested just to be safe. Better to know than to wonder. Follow the doctor’s instructions for any follow-up testing. Then you’ll definitely not have to worry because you’ll have done the right thing and made sure.
O i see. but like i said it was hardly any! LIke a drop or two. i have researched online and it said that i shouldn’t worrY but i wanted to doctor’s opinion. should i get tested then?
This is Eric; I’m not a doctor. We know that HIV is present within breast milk and that people (typically children) who drink that milk can contract HIV from it. There’s no reason to think that the risk of HIV transmission through breast milk should be exclusive to nursing infants only and not adults, so yes, for an adult to drink breast milk should be considered a risk factor for HIV. Know your partner’s status and get tested yourself & follow your doctor’s instructions.
can adults contract hiv from breast milk if the woman is hiv positive?? I just recently sucked a woman’s breast and tasted 1 or 2 drops. am i in risk???