Category Archives: HIV Testing
When to Test for HIV
Q. I have spent all morning researching and I am still confused about when to test for HIV. Some websites say to take the HIV test at six weeks, and others say six months. A. This is one of those posts that I like to start off by saying “you are not the only one.” […]
Tests For HIV
Q: Tests for HIV, why so many? I am in Philadelphia area and I have been looking at the options for my HIV test, there are so many how do I choose? A: As covered in a previous submission, there are multiple tests for HIV. If you have questions about which test you should be […]
How to Test for HIV
Q: I know that it’s the safe and responsible thing to do, but I never exactly knew how to test for HIV. Could you elaborate/explain the process for me? Thanks! A: Many people are confused when it comes to how to test for HIV. There are a variety of ways to do it, and each […]
Specificity of HIV testing
Q: My Grandma, a rheumatoid arthritis patient, had a blood transfusion for a surgery 4 months ago. Two weeks ago, her HIV ELISA test was found to be positive. We then performed an HIV PCR test that was found to be negative. I would like to know the specificity of the test and whether an […]
Is the HIV DNA PCR test reliable?
I had a recent exposure on Jan 6th and I heard the DNA PCR will be able to provide conclusive results on HIV after 28 days. However, I read contradictory statements on the internet that it is not a reliable method and there are more false positives and even HIV positive people are not caught […]
Reliability of the HIV DNA PCR
I have been told that the PCR test is not supposed to be used for diagnostic purposes. I had a PCR test done for HIV a month after I had sex with someone who turned out to be a different person than I thought he was. The PCR test said “not detected”, but if it […]
Is 65 days enough for an HIV EIA?
Hi there, I have a question: I had protected sex. After 65 days from that, I did an HIV EIA test. The result is negative. My question is: does that mean I am 100% free from HIV? Is an EIA enough? Do I need retest again or am I fine? Thank you so much To […]
A New Wave of HIV Anti-retroviral Therapy?
Scientists from across the world have done research on what appears to be a promising addition to the different forms of HIV Anti-retroviral therapy. Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS, and is at the forefront of research in many fields. One of the most interesting topics of research is anti-retroviral […]
Dirty Needle Causes Concern
One month ago, I went to a hospital in Fairfax, VA to check for HIV on a blood specimen. At that time, I also checked for other sexually transmitted diseases, and all of my tests results were negative. I am confused about one thing, that is, when the doctor took my blood using needle and […]
New HIV Test Approved by FDA
Each year over 50,000 people in the U.S. become infected with HIV. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) more than 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, and over one-quarter of them do not know it. HIV is most often transmitted through sexual intercourse or direct contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal […]