Depending on the state you live in, your parent or guardian may be contacted. If you test positive for HIV, it is important to remember that with treatment you can live a long, healthy life.
In fact, with early treatment, people with HIV can live about as long as people that are not infected. A team approach will help you get the medical care and support that you need. Start by talking to your doctor or the counselor or social worker at the testing site.
He or she can help you with suggestions on how to talk to your parents or guardians and how to find a health care provider who's an HIV specialist. By starting treatment as soon as possible, you can stay healthy and learn to live well with HIV. Talk to your doctor or the counselor or social worker at the testing site to see if you need to get tested again.
If your HIV test is negative, it does not necessarily mean your partner is negative too. The only way to be sure that your partner does not have HIV is for him or her to get tested. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. And you need to get checked regularly if you: have unprotected sex are a guy who has sex with other guys use needles to inject drugs Why Should Someone Get Tested for HIV? If someone is infected with HIV, it's important to know because: Starting medicines right away can keep a person stay healthy for a long time.
There are ways to stop the spread of HIV to others, such as using a condom and taking medicines. A pregnant woman who is infected can get treatment to try to prevent passing HIV to her baby. Only go to a clinic if you've been told to.
Find sexual health clinic contact details. If the test finds no sign of infection, your result is "negative". If signs of infection are found, the result is "positive". The blood test is the most accurate test and can normally give reliable results from 1 month after infection.
The other tests tend to be less accurate and may not give a reliable result for a longer period after exposure to the infection. This is known as the window period. For all these tests, a blood test should be carried out to confirm the result if the first test is positive.
If this test is also positive, you'll be referred to a specialist HIV clinic for some more tests and a discussion about your treatment options. Therefore, check with insurance providers and healthcare providers regarding reimbursement for these types of tests before purchasing them. If a person gets a positive result or still feels unsure, they should speak with a doctor to confirm the result. As long as people follow the correct procedures, HIV tests are highly accurate.
However, some factors that may influence the accuracy of these tests include:. It is also important to be aware of the term window period , which refers to how much time has passed between the possible exposure and the test. HIV only becomes detectable after some time. A person should take a test at least 90 days after the potential exposure to get an accurate result. None of the available HIV tests can detect the virus immediately after acquiring the infection. If a person thinks they have experienced exposure to HIV in the last 72 hours, they should speak to a healthcare professional immediately about post-exposure prophylaxis PEP.
Tests have the below differences in virus detection times. If a person gets an HIV test after potential exposure and the result is negative, they should get a test again after the window period. There are many options available for people looking to get an HIV test. These include :.
People at higher risk should seek testing more often. Individuals should get an HIV test as soon as possible if they were HIV-negative the last time they had a test, the test was more than 1 year ago, and the below applies to them:. A person who answers yes to any of the above should get tested once a year. The CDC says that sexually active gay and bisexual males could benefit from more frequent testing, such as every 3—6 months. Before having sex with a new partner, a couple should disclose their HIV statuses to each other or both consider getting an HIV test.
A person can also self-test at home using a rapid or mail-in self-test. People can receive results for HIV tests at different times, depending on the test.
If exposure to HIV occurs within the past 72 hours, speak with a healthcare professional to discuss PEP as soon as possible. All individuals should receive an HIV test at least once. Those at higher risk should get a test once a year or more frequently, depending on their levels of possible exposure. Learn about the timeline of HIV infections and when to seek medical…. Here, we look at the symptoms, progression, transmission, medication, and management strategies.
HIV is a virus that targets the immune system. People may have the virus for many years with no symptoms.
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