Take the Test, Take Control – Know your HIV Status

ArchiveJun 22, 2014

2 min read

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS.
AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
HIV positive persons may develop AIDS, the disease when the body’s immune system is depleted. Symptoms include weight loss, diarrhea, skin and chest infections. If not treated, the person would rapidly deteriorate resulting in death.
Not having sex is the safest way.
Having a sexual relationship with only one uninfected person, who is having sex with only you.
Using a condom for high risk behavior.
NOT sharing any kind of needles.
The HIV test looks for antibodies in a person's blood. When HIV (which is a virus) enters a person's body, special chemicals are produced. These are called antibodies. Antibodies are the body's response to an infection.
A small sample of blood will be taken from your arm, sent to a laboratory and tested for antibodies. The test is always strictly confidential.
HIV positive means that antibodies to HIV were detected. It means that the person is infected with HIV. (Except in infants of HIV-positive mothers, who may retain her antibodies for some months).
HIV negative means that antibodies to HIV were not detected. In almost all cases this means the person is not infected with HIV. Most people develop the antibodies within three months of infection. In rare cases it can take up to six months. It is good for the test to be repeated three months later and even at six months after exposure, just to be extra sure.
The time between infection and the development of antibodies is called the window period. In the window period people infected with HIV have no antibodies in their blood that can be detected by an HIV test. The test is only accurate if there are no other exposures between the time of possible exposure to HIV and testing.

Published June 22, 2014