Types of HIV Tests

Types of HIV Tests

• EIA or ELISA Tests. These are the most common type of HIV test. Both tests have two phases and it generally takes 1-2 weeks to get the results. The first phase is the initial screening, which tests the blood sample for HIV antibodies. If the screening results come back positive, showing the presence of HIV antibodies, the screening is repeated on the same sample.
• Western Blot. If the EIA or ELISA test is positive for a second time, the results are confirmed by another test called a Western blot. If both of these tests are positive, the person is almost certainly infected with the HIV virus. In rare cases, the EIA test can produce false positives when antibodies other than the HIV antibodies respond to the tests.
• Rapid Tests. Rapid tests are the speedy alternative to the EIA and ELISA tests — and they're just as accurate. While a standard blood test takes between 1-2 weeks to return results, a rapid test is ready in about 20 minutes. Rapid tests are not available in a lot of places. Just like with the EIA and ELISA tests, the rapid tests need to be confirmed with the Western blot test as well.
• At-Home Tests. Many at-home testing kits are available over the counter or online, but only one of them, the Home Access kit, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Home Access test is available at most local drugstores and works in much the same way a home diabetes test works. The user pricks his or her finger and puts the blood on a specially prepared card. The card is then sent into a laboratory, where it is analyzed and the results are available (by phone with an anonymous identification number) in about 7 days. There is also a Home Access Express kit, which can provide anonymous results by the next business day. The Express kit is slightly more expensive than the 7-day kit. The Home Access test accurately identifies 99.5% of HIV negative blood samples, and 100% of known positive blood samples