HIV Antibody Testing

HIV antibody testing is exploited to display and diagnose HIV infections. If the early treatment takes place, further consequences of HIV can be limited. For that reason, HIV antibody test is important. Moreover, knowing the status would help a person to avoid high-risk behavior.

Antibodies to HIV virus are frequently identified by a screening test called ELISA. If the result is positive, ELISA test is repeated. This is done to confirm the positive results as sometime false positive may occur. The results of ELISA tests are confirmed by western blot test. These tests can be performed by having blood samples, urine or oral sample in a doctor's office. There are many rapid tests that can be performed, but the results of these tests should be confirmed by retesting.

Home test kits are also available in the market. However, FDA does not approve many of them. So, it is suggested to have only those, which have been approved by FDA. These kits are easy to perform as well as you can have a blood sample at home and send it to the testing center. You can get your results on phone. You can get the appropriate counseling with your results.

When is it requested?HIV antibody testing can be requested if you may have been exposed to HIV.

Testing is recommended if

• You are sexually active, (sex with three or more sex partners in the last twelve months)
• You or your sex partner received blood transfusion before 1985
• You are unsure about your sexual behavior of your sex partner with others
• You are a male who has had sex with another male
• You have reused needle for injecting drugs
• You have a sexually transmitted disease
• Your job is related to direct exposure to blood
• You are a woman who wants to ensure that you are not infected with HIV before getting pregnant

What does the test result mean?

A healthy person has no antibodies to HIV. Nevertheless, if the results are negative, it means a person is not infected at least at the time of HIV testing. He/she may be infected with HIV though the results are negative. Therefore, it is advisable to go through the testing again. Those who are higher risk should go through the testing more often for detecting the HIV infection. If your test results are positive for HIV antibodies after performing the ELISA and then western blot tests then you are infected with HIV. It means that you are HIV positive. It is not possible to cure HIV once infected, but early diagnosis helps to control further consequences as well as help to decide the treatment plan. It compels the virus to develop slowly.

However, HIV antibody testing cannot detect the HIV soon after the infection, as the virus takes some time to appear in the blood. The body creates antibodies after the virus appears in the blood. They are the response to HIV. In the window period, the results of the tests are negative though you are actually infected with the virus. It is called as false negative. In such circumstances, you may use p24 antigen test that detects the presence of the virus in 1to 3-4 weeks after the exposure of HIV. You also may use HIV RNA test that is a viral load test in this period. It detects the existence of the virus, not the antibody response to it.

HIV antibody testing is performed for detecting the HIV in blood. However, retesting should be done after six months for confirming whether you are really infected with HIV or not.