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What are the benefits of rapid testing for HIV? Rapid tests offer great promise to help fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic. They can:
- increase the number of individuals who seek testing and who actually receive their test results;
- facilitate early identification of infection and help reduce the number of persons who are tested late in the course of their HIV disease;
- prevent new infections by ensuring that those at highest risk for infection learn their status and receive information that can help them protect their partners;
- help individuals maintain negative status by providing immediate test results along with HIV risk reduction information and counseling; help eliminate perinatal transmission; and make the most efficient use of resources.
Are there any disadvantages of offering a rapid test? Yes, a rapid test does not offer a rapid confirmed positive result. This means that individuals who receive preliminary positive test must wait to receive a confirmed positive result. For some individuals, this additional time may be unexpected. These persons may need extra support and counseling. It is important for them to return for their "final" test result. For some persons, this additional step to return for the results of the confirmatory test may be a challenge. Effective strategies to make certain that individuals receive their "final" test results are vitally important.
What are the limitations of rapid tests? No test is perfect - there may be a very small proportion of people who are not infected with HIV who will have a reactive result on this test (false positive), and a similar small proportion of people who are infected with HIV who will have a non-reactive result (false negative). Also, this test will not detect HIV infection in people who are tested within about 3 months of exposure to the virus (3 months is the time it takes for detectable antibodies to appear in the blood in repsonse to the HIV infection). These limiteations are true for all currently approved HIV antibody tests. For these reasons, it is essential that all individuals who are tested with this rapid test be appropriately counseled both before being tested and after receiving their test results. For those individuals with reactive test results, follow-up testing using another technique is necessary to confirm that the result is positive for HIV antibodies.
What's the difference between anonymous and confidential testing?
Anonymous - HIV is the only STI that can be tested anonymously. Anonymous testing means that your name is not associated with the test or the results in any way. You are given a number or a code to identify yourself when receiving your test results; all STI testing sites are required by law to report positive STI results.
Confidential - All other STI tests are confidential. Confidential STI testing means that your test results and any other information you discuss with your medical providers will be a part of your medical record.
Appropriate Uses of "Confidential" Rapid Diagnostic Tests; Rapid diagnostic tests can effectively be used for several purposes:
- Diagnosis - rapid tests can be used to identify, confirm, or rule out disease in symptomatic patients.
- Patient Management - rapid tests can be used to accurately prescribe therapeutic drugs and to monitor treatment.
- Epidemiology - rapid tests can be used to detect and monitor the incidence or prevalence of disease for targeting and evaluating health programs.
- Screening - rapid tests can also be used in case-finding to determine the prevalence of disease in asymptomatic individuals.
Home-use tests allow easy access to medical information about your health status. They cost-effective, quick, and confidential. Home tests can help:
- detect possible health conditions when you have no symptoms, so that you can get early treatment and lower your chance of developing later complications (i.e. HIV, cholesterol testing, Hepatitis testing).
- detect specific conditions when there are no signs so that you can take immediate action (i.e. Ovulation, pregnancy testing).
- monitor conditions to allow frequent changes in treatment (i.e. glucose testing to monitor blood sugar levels in diabetes drug & alcohol testing).
Despite the benefits of home testing, you should take precautions when using home-use tests. Home-use tests are intended to help you with your health care, but they should not replace periodic visits to your doctor.
Question: What is an in vitro diagnostic product (IVD)?
Answer: "In vitro diagnostic products are those reagents, instruments, and systems intended for use in diagnosis of disease or other conditions, including a determination of the state of health, in order to cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease or its sequelae. Such products are intended for use in the collection, preparation, and examination of specimens taken from the human body."
Question: Do I need to fast or collect my blood at a specific time of day?
Answer: No. You do not need to fast and you can test your blood any time of the day.
Question: Can you test negative and still be infected?
Answer: Yes, because it takes some time for your body to produce antibodies, there is a period of time when recent infections may not be detected. Testing over a period of time; i.e. every three weeks for two months can effectively cover a period of possible infection.
Question: What does a positive result mean?
Answer: It means that antibodies were found in that particular blood sample and the individual providing that sample is infected.
Question: What Affects the Test or Reasons why the results may not be helpful...
Answer:
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The use of antibiotics before having the test.
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A blood transfusion in the weeks before having the test.
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Have other conditions or diseases.
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