If you get an HIV test after a potential HIV exposure and the result is negative, get tested again after the window period. Remember, you can only be sure you are HIV-negative if: This self-test is not intended for use in the context of therapeutic follow-up with patients receiving antiretroviral therapy.

Following a preliminary positive test result from a self-test, the current clinical workflow for laboratory-based HIV diagnosis is to initially utilize a 4th generation HIV immunoassay that can detect both HIV antibodies and p24 antigen. If a positive indication is obtained, a differentiation immunoassay is performed next to determine the strain of HIV, as treatment plans are different for HIV-1 and HIV-2 [ 10]. Currently, there is only one approved differentiation immunoassay that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Geenius HIV1/2 from Bio-Rad [ 11]. If the differentiation immunoassay is indeterminate, or if an early infection is possible, a HIV-1 nucleic acid test is also performed. This testing algorithm has been recommended by the CDC since 2014, replacing HIV-1 immunofluorescence and western blot assays [ 12]. After diagnosis, viral load and T cell counts will be tested pretreatment, 4–6 weeks after treatment begins, and every 3–6 months thereafter [ 13]. You haven’t had a potential HIV exposure during the window period. If you have had a new potential exposure, then you will need to be retested. Second- and third-generation tests can accurately detect chronic (long standing) HIV infection. But their ability to detect recently acquired HIV is more variable. Want to stay abreast of changes in prevention, care, treatment or research or other public health arenas that affect our collective response to the HIV epidemic? Or are you new to this field?Health workers involved in the study received a one-day training session for each test prior to the beginning of the study. However, all nurses were already highly experienced with these tests, as HIV rapid tests and INSTI HIV rapid tests had been used routinely for several years at our centers. In people who are taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). If they acquire HIV, they may have a delayed antibody response, extending the window period. 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.

Pant Pai N et al. Head-to-head comparison of accuracy of a rapid point-of-care HIV test with oral versus whole-blood specimens: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infectious Diseases 12: 373-380, 2012. You can read more about this study in our news report. If you have questions about HIV self testing feel free to get in touch, we'll be glad to help [email protected] If NO line appears next to the letter "C," it means your test is not working and you will need to get a new test.If that confirmatory blood sample test result is positive, the lab will conduct follow-up tests. If you receive a positive test result, you can take medicine to treat HIV (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), which protects your health and prevents transmission to others. You may be able to start treatment the same day you get your test result. If your test result is negative, and you haven’t had a possible exposure during the previous three months, you can be confident you don’t have HIV. The study will enrol 400 participants providing 89% power (5% significance level) to demonstrate that the true result is at least 95%, compared to the expected 98%. If 10% decline to undertake part 2 of the study, 360 participants will provide 91% power to demonstrate the overall correct identification is at least 94%, assuming that 98% of tests can be correctly interpreted. The participants will undergo a standard point of care test for HIV in parallel with the study test (but will not be given the result until they have interpreted their own self-test. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the usability and performance of blood-based HIVST. The primary outcomes of interest were the usability, acceptability, feasibility, and accuracy of blood-based HIVST kits in the hands of unassisted lay users. Usability was defined as the number and percentage of participants who completed all testing steps correctly without assistance and interpreted the results correctly. Acceptability was measured through acceptance of HIVST, willingness to recommend the test, desire to use the test in the future, preference for use of the test, and WTP for HIVST. Feasibility was measured by the ability of lay users to correctly use the self-test, succeed in obtaining an interpretable result, and correctly interpret the results. Accuracy was estimated by the sensitivity and specificity of HIVST kits compared to the gold standard enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test (i.e., Murex HIV Ag/Ab Combination).

HIV testing is provided to anyone free of charge on the NHS. Many clinics can give you the result on the same day. Home testing and home sampling kits are also available.Some HIV tests may need to be repeated 1-3 months after exposure to HIV infection, but you should not wait this long to seek help. There were more invalid results in people using blood-based tests (0.4-9.5%) than studies using oral fluid-based tests (0.2-4.5%). Common errors included incorrect or incomplete specimen collection, spilling or incorrect use of the buffer solution, problems transferring blood samples, and difficulties with the interpretation of results. Most devices for self-testing (home testing) are modified versions of professional tests, with comparable sensitivity and specificity. More than a decade ago, the biomedical framework “HIV treatment as prevention” began in earnest. It is a highly effective method of HIV prevention, wherein individuals living with HIV who are engaged in care can reduce their HIV viral load to levels undetectable by current laboratory testing standards and eliminate sexual HIV transmission risk to partners [ 171]. This evidence-based framework has led to public health campaigns promoting “undetectable equals untransmittable,” or “U=U”, to help reduce HIV stigma and promote HIV testing and treatment [ 172]. Nonetheless, fewer than half of MSM living with HIV are engaged in treatment care, and the U.S. continues to experience more than 35,000 HIV infections yearly [ 173], requiring combined biomedical and behavioral HIV prevention approaches to be inclusive of HIV-negative individuals.