| There are so many misconceptions about HIV | | | | you even think for a moment you may have |
| testing. Some people think the tests are | | | | contracted HIV. |
| horribly invasive while others think you are | | | | |
| automatically tested for it during your | | | | HIV Antigen Test |
| yearly physical. Neither of these ideas is | | | | |
| true. You need to request an HIV test if you | | | | The HIV antigen test can be used earlier than |
| want one and they are really pretty easy. It | | | | the antibody test but it may not be as |
| is just like any other blood test. | | | | accurate. It works by detecting a substance |
| | | | called P24, a protein that is produced by the |
| There are several different types of HIV/AIDS | | | | HIV virus itself. When a germ or virus enters |
| tests available that can help you detect | | | | the body, it carries with it an antigen, in |
| whether or not you have the disease. These | | | | this case, protein P24. As HIV "settles in" |
| types include: | | | | the body, an abundance of P24 is present and |
| | | | causes the production of antibodies to start. |
| HIV Antibody Test | | | | This means that this antigen is present |
| | | | before antibodies and once the antibodies |
| When you contract HIV, a special protein is | | | | begin to develop, the less likely a positive |
| produced called an antibody. Antibodies work | | | | result can be obtained from an antigen test. |
| to fight the invaders-the HIV virus-and are | | | | It is all about timing, really. |
| only present in the body if you have HIV. | | | | |
| Each virus causes the body to produce a | | | | DNA or RNA Test |
| specific type of antibody-one that is | | | | |
| tailored to fight that virus. If you have HIV | | | | A DNA or RNA test can be conducted within a |
| antibodies then you have HIV. | | | | week of suspected infection. This is because |
| | | | it goes so far as to detect the genetic |
| It can take up to three months for HIV | | | | material of HIV. They are usually used in |
| antibodies to appear in the blood. Having an | | | | babies born to an HIV positive mother. Babies |
| HIV test done before this can produce a | | | | in this situation do not respond well to the |
| false-negative result. For some people, the | | | | antibody or antigen tests as they will have |
| HIV antibodies do not appear until six months | | | | their mother's antibodies for quite sometime |
| after infection. A follow-up test after six | | | | after birth. The DNA or RNA test, also called |
| months is recommended just in case. | | | | a Polymerase Chain Reaction test, can be sure |
| | | | to get results right away. |
| It is also important to note that during the | | | | |
| first few weeks after infection, a person is | | | | You can go to a testing facility and have |
| extremely likely to pass on HIV to others. | | | | these tests done or purchase an at-home HIV |
| This is because the body has not even | | | | detection kit. Either way, you will be doing |
| attempted to fight back against the HIV | | | | yourself and those in your life a favor by |
| virus, meaning you have a ton of it floating | | | | being responsible and knowing for sure if you |
| around in your blood, semen or vaginal | | | | have this disease or not. |
| fluids. You should always abstain from sex if | | | | |