BEING HUMAN MEANS A SIMPLE LIFE WITH GOOD FAITH AND ACTION
ning conditions.
ning conditions.
rst test can be either an HIV
rms
rst antibody test are generally available within
What illnesses are considered
AIDS-defining
conditions?
e Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC)
considers several illnesses
AIDS-de
ning conditions.
HIV and Its Treatment –
HIV/AIDS: The Basics
Pneumocystis jiroveci
pneumonia, tuberculosis, and
toxoplasmosis are examples of
AIDS-de
ning conditions.
For more information:
Contact an AIDS
info
health information specialist
at 1-800
448-0440 or visit
http://aidsinfo.nih.gov
. See your health
care provider for medical
advice.
This information is based on the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services’
Guidelines for the Use of
Reviewed
Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected
Adults and Adolescents
available at,
http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines
Testing for HIV
I may have been exposed to
HIV. What
should I do?
Get tested. e only way to
know if you’re infected with the
virus is to get an HIV test.
Soon after infection with
HIV, a person may have u-like
symptoms. But HIV infection
isn’t diagnosed on the basis of
symptoms. Getting tested is
the only way to know if you’re
infected with HIV.
What is the most common HIV
test?
e most common HIV test is the
HIV antibody test
. HIV
antibodies are a type of
protein the body produces in
response to HIV infection. e
HIV antibody test checks for
HIV antibodies in a person’s
blood, urine, or uids from the
mouth.
Generally it takes the body
about 3 months from the time of
infection to produce enough
antibodies to be detected by an
HIV antibody test. (For some
people, it can take up to 6
months.) e time period
between infection and the
appearance of detectable HIV
antibodies is called the
window
period
. Because HIV antibodies are
not detectable yet, the
HIV antibody test isn’t
useful during the window period.
What HIV test is used during
the window
period?
e
plasma HIV RNA test
(also called a
viral load
test) can
detect HIV in a person’s
blood within 9 days of infection,
before
the body develops detectable
HIV antibodies. e
plasma HIV RNA test is
recommended when recent
infection is very likely—for
example, soon after a person has
had
unprotected sex
with a partner infected with
HIV.
Detecting HIV at the earliest
stage of infection lets people
take steps right away to
prevent
transmission of HIV
. (See
the
Preventing Transmission of
HIV
fact sheet.) is is
important because immediately
after infection the amount of
HIV in the body is very high,
increasing the risk of
transmission of HIV. Starting
treatment at this earliest stage
of infection also can be
considered.
What does it mean to test HIV
positive?
A diagnosis of HIV is made on
the basis of positive results
from
two
HIV tests. e
rst test can be either an HIV
antibody test (using blood,
urine, or uids from the mouth)
or a plasma HIV RNA test
(using blood). e second test
(always using blood) is a
dierent type of antibody test called
a
Western blot
test. A positive Western blot
test con
rms
that a person has HIV.
How long does it take to get
HIV test results?
Results of the
rst antibody test are generally available within
a few days. (
Rapid HIV antibody tests
can produce results
within an hour.) Results of
the plasma HIV RNA test and
Western blot are available in
a few days to a few weeks.
If I test HIV positive now,
will I always test HIV
positive?
Yes. ere’s no cure for HIV at
this time. Because you will
always be infected with the
virus, you will always test HIV
positive. But treatment with
anti-HIV medications can help
you live a longer, healthier
life.
Terms Used in This Fact
Sheet:
HIV antibody test:
An HIV test that checks for
HIV
antibodies in a person’s
blood, urine, or fluids from the
mouth. HIV antibodies are a
type of protein the body
produces in response to HIV
infection.
Mother-t
o-child transmission of HIV:
The passing of HIV
from a woman infected with
HIV to her baby during
pregnancy, during labor and
delivery, or by breastfeeding.
Plasma HIV RNA t
est (viral load test):
A test that
measures the amount of HIV in
the blood. This test is
used to detect recent HIV
infection or to measure viral
load at any stage of HIV
infection.
Rapid HIV antibody t
est:
An HIV antibody test that can
detect HIV antibodies in
blood or oral fluids in less than
30 minutes.
T
ransmission of HIV:
The spread of HIV from a
person
infected with HIV to another
person through the infected
person’s blood, semen,
genital fluids, or breast milk.
Unpr
otected sex:
Sex without using a condom.
Viral load:
The amount of HIV in the
blood. One of the
goals of antiretroviral
therapy is to reduce viral load.
W
estern blot:
A type of antibody test used
to confirm a
positive HIV antibody or
plasma HIV RNA test.
Windo
w period:
The time period between a
person's
infection with HIV and the
appearance of detectable HIV
antibodies.
This information is based on the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services’
Guidelines for the Use of
Reviewed
Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected
Adults and Adolescents
available at
http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines
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