Rapid HIV Testing

HIV/AIDS is one of the fast spreading diseases around the world. It is said that more than 300,000 people in United States are infected with the disease and are unaware of their positive status. One of the most stressful times in life comes, when one is asked to take an ELISA test for HIV. The wait period for the result makes one worry day and night. An ELISA test for HIV may take about 1 to 2 weeks to get the results. This long wait period gives a person sleepless nights. Thus, many people think about going in for rapid HIV testing. Let us understand what is rapid HIV testing and how accurate these test results are.

What is Rapid HIV Testing
Rapid HIV testing is one of the widely used HIV test methods. These tests follow similar principles like the ELISA test. It tends to detect the HIV antibodies in the body. There is only one rapid HIV test that is given a license by the Food and Drug Administration for its use in US. Only when the rapid test is confirmed, one may be given a diagnosis of positive infection.

How is Rapid HIV Testing Carried Out
A rapid HIV testing requires the use of blood or oral fluid samples. The oral mucosa is generally used to test the presence of HIV antibodies. It is important to clarify that even though one needs to give their oral mucosa sample, HIV cannot be transmitted by sharing utensils, glasses and by giving a kiss on the cheeks. You should read all about HIV transmission for clearing your doubts, if any.

How Long Does it Take to Run Rapid HIV Testing
The main reason most people prefer taking a rapid HIV test is the short duration of getting a result. Rapid HIV testing takes just 20 minutes to give a result. Thus, the wait period is shorter compared to the ELISA test. All positive results are given for further testing, that is, the ELISA test for confirmation. If a negative test does not satisfy the doctor or person tested, one can go in for the ELISA test as a confirmatory test.

HIV Testing Window Period
Before one thinks about getting a HIV test done, they should understand what is HIV testing window period. This is the time period that is considered between HIV infection and production of antibodies. If a test is conducted between this period, it may give a false negative result. This means, even though the individual has contracted the virus, he/she will give a negative test to HIV. In order to avoid such false results, one is asked to conduct HIV tests after 3 months of possible exposure to HIV. If even after 3 months the person tests negative, he/she is termed not infected. Sometimes, it takes up to 6 months for a person to develop antibodies to HIV. Thus, a second test conducted after 6 months still comes out to be negative, the person is confirmed negative or 'not infected'. However, one should keep in mind, even during the HIV window period an infected person can transmit the virus and infect a healthy person as well.

How Accurate is Rapid HIV Testing
Rapid HIV testing is as accurate as an ELISA test for HIV. However, all positive rapid tests must be screened using an ELISA test. And ELISA test is conducted in combination with Western Blot or IFA in US. Many times a second rapid HIV test is conducted to confirm the first rapid HIV test that came out to be positive. Rapid tests do have a small margin of error that ranges from 1 to 3 per 1,000 tests. Thus, the chances of rapid test begin erroneous is too low.

Free Rapid HIV Testing
The rapid HIV testing costs more than Elisa tests. A kit usually costs about $6 to $10 depending on the region you live in. however, there are many agencies, government organizations, NGO's, etc, who offer free rapid HIV testing. You should look up the Internet and search for these organizations who offer free HIV testing in your area.

This was some information related to rapid HIV testing. As you can see, getting a result within 20 to 40 minutes helps reduce the stress a lot. Also, this test is about 99% accurate, thus making it a reliable screening test. If you have indulged in sexual activities or think you have been exposed to the virus, make sure you speak to a doctor and get tested. Getting HIV does not mean you have AIDS. You should know that there is a difference between HIV and AIDS. There are many retro-viral drugs that help prevent preventing the HIV progress to AIDS. Reduce high risk behavior and gather all knowledge about HIV/AIDS and spread of the disease. Awareness will help curb the spread of disease. If a test comes out to be positive, it is important one undergoes counseling and understands more about the disease. Hope the above information on rapid HIV testing has helped you learn a bit about this important screening test.