HIV Tests FAQ
What is an HIV test?
What do the results mean?
How quickly should I test?
Where can I get an HIV test in Jersey?
Who will know that I've had an HIV
test?
Will I have to pay to take the test?
Why might I need to take a second test?
Who should take an HIV test?
There's no cure for HIV/AIDS, so what's the point
in getting tested?
I'm pregnant, why have I been offered an HIV
test?
What is an HIV test?
Antibodies are your body's response to a viral infection. Anti
bodies to HIV typically appear between four to six weeks after
infection, but this may take as long as twelve weeks. This is
commonly referred to as the 'window' period.
The p24 antigen is a protein of the virus itself and can be
detected in a blood sample for a short period after infection
(normally from two to five weeks). However it rapidly becomes
undetectable once antibodies to HIV start to develop.
The most commonly used test looks for both the HIV-1 and HIV-2
antibody and the HIVp24 antigen. This is an improvement on the
previous generation of HIV tests which looked for antibodies only,
and can give a reliable result from as little as 28 days after
exposure. In the event of a positive result a second sample is
requested for confirmation.
Another test may be used in special circumstances e.g. following
recent potential exposure where post-exposure-prophylaxis (PEP) is
being considered. These are now the preferred test to diagnose
early infection if primary HIV infection is suspected and the
antibody/antigen test is negative.
What do the results mean?
An HIV positive result indicates that you have been infected
with HIV, but a second sample will be requested for confirmation.
This means that you can pass HIV on to others and should take
precautions to avoid this. You may also benefit from treatments;
your clinic will advise you on this.
How quickly should I test?
If you believe you are potentially at risk you should seek
advice immediately. You are most likely to pass HIV on to someone
else within the first few weeks of being infected so you will need
advice on what steps to take at this time to protect others.
If you seek advice within 72 hours of potential exposure, you
may also be able to take Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).
PEP is a course of anti-HIV treatment, which is taken for 28
days. It can prevent the virus infecting the body. PEP is not
always successful and must be taken within 72 hours of exposure. It
is not an easy treatment; the drugs given are the same as those
taken by people living with HIV to control the virus. Side effects
can include diarrhoea, nausea, headaches and vomiting. If you feel
you might need PEP contact the Sexual Health Clinic, or the
Accident and Emergency Department at the General Hospital.
Where can I get an HIV test in
Jersey?
HIV tests can be obtained at the Sexual Health Clinic and at
Doctor's surgeries. For more information about these services,
please click here.
Who will know that I've had an HIV
test?
If you go to the Sexual Health (GUM) Clinic to take the test,
the results are completely confidential and will not appear on your
medical record.
If you choose to have an HIV test through your GP it will be
retained on your medical record. Insurance companies and mortgage
lenders may ask if you have ever had an HIV-positive test
result.
Will I have to pay to take the
test?
The Sexual Health (GUM) Clinic provides a free service. There
may be a charge if you choose to be tested at your GP surgery.
Why might I need to take a second
test?
There are two main reasons why a second HIV test may be needed.
The first relates to the speed at which the human body produces
antibodies, which can take up to three months or longer.
Any tests conducted in the first three months after someone has
been exposed to HIV may give a false negative result. For this
reason, tests are usually done when the patient first presents to a
Doctor and then again when three months have elapsed since the
patient believes they may have been exposed to HIV. An HIV test
conducted approximately three months after exposure, will normally
confirm whether or not HIV infection has occurred.
A second test is also sometimes used to rule out a false
positive result that may have been affected by another medical
condition or other circumstances.
Who should take an HIV test?
Anyone who may have been exposed to HIV should consider being
tested as soon as possible. HIV is mainly transmitted through
shared injecting equipment and unprotected sex. Early diagnosis
will ensure that a person receives appropriate medical care and
prompt access to treatment.
Many people choose to have a full sexual health screen before
starting a new relationship, so they can be confident of not
passing on or contracting a sexually transmitted infection such as
HIV.
There's no cure for HIV/AIDS,
so what's the point in getting tested?
Although there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, a number of highly
effective treatments have been available for the last 10 years.
Anti-retroviral drugs control the rate at which HIV damages the
immune system and allow HIV positive men and women to live
relatively normal healthy lives without progressing to an AIDS
diagnosis. HIV positive people on treatment can now expect to live
much longer than those without treatment.
Those with undiagnosed HIV infection are unable to access
appropriate medical care and treatment for their condition and may
progress to AIDS and premature death. They may also be passing HIV
on to sexual partners inadvertently.
I'm pregnant, why have I been offered
an HIV test?
Don't worry, all pregnant women are offered an HIV test as part
of their ante-natal care. HIV positive women are given special
treatment during pregnancy to avoid passing the virus to their
child, but this is not made available unless the mother has tested
positive for HIV. Advances in the prevention of Mother to Child
Transmission (MTCT), mean that 98% of HIV positive mothers are now
giving birth to HIV negative babies.
If you would like to submit an FAQ for inclusion on this page,
please contact us.
Last updated April 2010