HIV Diagnosis

Diagnosis of HIV Infection

Anyone who has unprotected sex with or shares a needle or syringe with a person who is HIV-positive, even once, is at risk for HIV infection. Making the decision to be tested for HIV can be difficult. Anyone who has questions or concerns should talk to a trained counselor at an HIV/AIDS testing center.

People who want to be tested should look for a center that offers free, anonymous, confidential testing, and HIV counseling. People under the age 18 should find out if parental permission is required in their स्टेट

For information on where to go for testing and HIV counseling, look under "Drug Abuse" in the Yellow Pages of the phone book or call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National HIV/AIDS Hotline:

• 1.800.342.2437 (English)
• 1.800.344.7432 (Spanish)
• 1.800.243.7889 (TTY, for hearing-impaired)

If a person is infected, the sooner he or she knows the better. Patients can stay healthier longer by seeking early treatment and can protect others by preventing transmission. Being tested too soon, however, (i.e., within 3 to 6 weeks of exposure) can result in unreliable test results. This is because tests that are used do not detect the presence of the virus itself. They are used to detect proteins that the immune system produces to fight the virus. These proteins, which are known as antibodies, usually cannot be detected until about 3 to 6 weeks after the initial infection.

The ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent) and Western blot assay are the two most common ways to determine if a person is infected with HIV. In certain circumstances, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may be used. All three of these tests are performed on a small blood sample, usually drawn from the arm.

Another test, called the OraQuick test, uses saliva samples to diagnose HIV infection. In some cases, results from this test, which are more than 99% accurate, are available in less than 20 minutes. A recent study has shown that the OraQuick test may be useful to diagnose HIV in women who are in labor. Using information from this test, physicians can administer anti-retroviral drugs immediately to newborns who have been exposed to the virus, which may reduce the risk for infection.