The HIV test is performed to detect the presence of the HIV virus in the body and should be performed at least 30 days after exposure to high-risk situations, such as unprotected sex or blood contact or secretions of people infected with the virus. Hiv.
The HIV test is simple and is primarily done by testing a blood sample, but saliva can also be used to check for the presence of the virus in the body. All HIV tests detect two types of existing viruses, HIV 1 and HIV 2.
- The HIV test should be performed at least 1 month after the risky behavior.
- Because the immune window.
- Which corresponds to the time between contact with the virus and the possibility of detecting the infection marker.
- Is 30 days.
- And there may be the publication of a false negative result if the test is performed before 30 days.
To understand the HIV test result, it is important to check whether it is reactive, non-reactive, or indeterminate beyond the indicated values, because normally the higher the value, the more advanced the infection.
HIV blood test is done to identify the presence of the virus and its blood concentration, giving information about the stage of infection. Hiv testing can be performed using a variety of laboratory diagnostic methods, with the ELISA method being the most widely used. Possible results include:
In the event of a positive HIV result, the lab itself uses other methods to confirm the presence of the virus in the body, such as Western Blot, Immunoblotting, Indirect immunofluorescence for HIV-1. So the positive result is really reliable.
In some laboratories a value is also published, in addition to the indication that it is reactive, non-reactive or indeterminate. However, this value is not as clinically important as determining the positivity or negativity of the exam, being only interesting for medical follow-up. If your doctor interprets it as a clinically important value, more specific tests, such as the viral load test, can be requested to check the number of copies of the virus circulating in your blood.
In case of an indeterminate result, it is recommended to repeat the test after 30 to 60 days to verify the presence or absence of the virus. In such cases, the test should be repeated even in the absence of symptoms, such as rapid weight loss, persistent fever and cough, headaches and red spots or small skin sores, for example. Learn about the main symptoms of HIV.
Rapid tests indicate the presence or absence of the virus and are performed with a small saliva sample or a small drop of blood to identify the virus. The result of the quick test is emitted between 15 and 30 minutes and is also reliable, being the possible results:
Rapid testing is used on the street, in government campaigns at screening and counseling centers (CTAs), and in pregnant women who start working without prenatal care, but these tests can also be purchased online.
Typically, government campaigns use OraSure tests, which analyze saliva and the test that can be purchased online at online pharmacies abroad is Home Access Express HIV-1, which is FDA-approved and uses a drop of blood.
The viral load test is a test that aims to track disease progress and check if treatment is effective by checking the number of copies of the virus present in the blood at the time of collection.
This test is expensive because it is performed using molecular techniques that require special equipment and reagents and is therefore not necessary for diagnostic purposes. Thus, the viral load test is performed only when HIV infection is diagnosed in order to track and follow up the patient, at the request of the doctor, 2 to 8 weeks after diagnosis or initiation of treatment and a recurrence every 3 months.
Based on the test result, your doctor can evaluate the number of copies of the virus in your blood and compare it to previous results, thus verifying the effectiveness of treatment. When the increased viral load is found, this means that the infection has worsened and possibly resistance to treatment, and the doctor should change the treatment strategy. When the opposite happens, that is, when there is a decrease in viral load over time, it means that the treatment is effective, with inhibition of replication of the virus.
The result of an indeterminate viral load does not mean that there is no more infection, but that the virus is in low blood concentrations, indicating that treatment is effective. It is a consensus in the scientific community that when viral load tests are undetectable, there is a low risk of sex transmission of the virus, but it is still important to use condoms during sex.
The false negative result can occur when the person has been examined within 30 days of risky behavior that may have been sex without a condom, sharing disposable syringes and needles, or drilling with contaminated sharp objects such as knives or scissors, for example. . The body cannot produce enough antibodies for the presence of the virus to be indicated in the test.
However, even if the test was performed 1 month after risky behavior, it can take up to 3 months for the body to produce enough antibodies against the HIV virus and the result is positive. For example, it is important that the test is repeated 90 and 180 days after the risk behavior to confirm the presence or absence of the HIV virus in the body.
Basically, whenever a result is positive, there is no doubt that the person is HIV positive, whereas in case of a negative result, it may be necessary to repeat the test due to false negative. However, an infectious disease specialist can indicate what to do in each case.