HIV Testing

HIV or the human immunodeficiency virus has reached a pandemic state since it was officially recognized in 1981. Since that time there have been varying degrees of effective HIV testing procedures. The degrees are necessary as the end result should always be the same and certain other diseases can flag as being HIV related when in truth they are not. HIV testing is a very complicated procedure that can take several weeks to present the proper results.

HIV testing is normally done through a health care professional. In most cases this is completely confidential and will remain that way unless you specify that the results can be released to a third party. There is also the matter of the free HIV testing that is being offered in many cities and countries. This is the direct result of the government wanting to effectively contain the HIV virus and help to prevent the spread. The thought is that those who do know they have it will take more precautions when it comes to sexual intercourse.

HIV testing can be done through a variety of methods. The most common fluid for HIV testing is blood as that is where the virus is thought to reside for the largest part, but other areas can also be tested. For ease of operation there is now an oral method of HIV testing in use around the world. A mouth swab is taken and the cells are checked for certain markers that would indicate the presence of the HIV virus. If the result is positive a blood test is required to confirm the results. A negative result is accurate in most cases.

HIV testing is not a simple yes or no answer to the question. It is well known that the virus may not appear in the testing for many months following the exposure to the virus. That is why most of the doctors will recommend that a person have a series of tests done to ensure that the virus is not present. In most cases there is a waiting time of at least three months before any kind of positive results are found. The general rule of thumb is the longer the wait from exposure to HIV testing the better the chances of getting accurate results.

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