The most common form of HIV test is a blood test, in which a small amount of blood is taken and tested in a laboratory. The result is usually available within a few days, sometimes on the same day. These tests can provide a reliable result seven weeks after exposure to HIV.

If the test finds no signs of infection, then your test result is ‘negative’. If the HIV virus has been found in your blood then the test result is ‘positive’.

If you test positive for HIV, you will undergo a number of tests to monitor the progress of the infection and you will be started on Antiretroviral Therapy (HIV medication)

Why Test for HIV?

As people can live with HIV for many years before having any symptoms, the only way to be sure is to have a test for HIV.

There are significant benefits to being tested if you think you may have put yourself at risk of HIV infection. If you are HIV positive and remain undiagnosed, the virus may damage your immune system and compromise your future treatment options, so testing early means your health can be monitored carefully and HIV treatment started. It may also influence the decisions you and your partner(s) may make about the type of sex that you have.

For people who think they may have been exposed to HIV, having a test and receiving a negative result (which means they are not infected with HIV), can put their mind at rest and help make decisions about protection from possible HIV infection in the future.

Who should test?

Although HIV can affect anyone from any background, certain activities can put you at a greater risk. These include:-

  • Anal sex (bottom/bum)
  • Sex with someone from a country where HIV is higher
  • Sharing injecting equipment for taking recreational and/or performance enhancing drugs (e.g. steroids/heroin)
  • Sexual partners of people who are living with HIV and do not have an undetectable Viral Load.

U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable):

  • This means if a person is living with HIV and is taking their medication without missing any tablets and they have had an undetectable Viral load for more than 6 months, they can not pass the virus on to another person.
  • If you and your partner have a different HIV Status (i.e one HIV positive and one HIV Negative) it is suggested that the partner who is negative has a check up once a year. It is important to be aware of the availability of PEP and PrEP, however, these may not be necessary in cases of U=U. You can contact the clinic to discuss your options.