OK, I have received many PMs from Bros asking me this and that about HIV and the testings, etc so I guess I put up this post.
I'm not an expert on HIV, but this post is quite accurate. No need to ask me how I know lah, that's not important.
A Guide to Testing for HIV
Introduction
Many people refuse to get tested for HIV because they find the idea of getting tested so frightening they just don't want to do it, even though they will often continue to be stressed and worried about whether they're infected. But if you have doubt, getting tested is a smart thing to do.
One of the most basic truths about HIV is that gender, age, race and economic status are irrelevant when it comes to vulnerability to HIV. Anyone can become infected.
If you are sexually active with multiple partners, never think of testing as unnecessary because you want to believe that HIV is something that won't touch you. It is estimated that more than 25% of people infected with HIV are unaware of their HIV status because they are often healthy in appearance and feeling well.
Now statistics have shown that most of the people who went for HIV testing turned out negative. But getting the assurance of that negative test result can provide an enormous relief to you emotionally.
The HIV epidemic is going to be with us for a long time to come. At present there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, but there are medications that have proven to be very effective in keeping HIV-positive people alive longer and healthier.
Because knowing your accurate HIV status is essential to your good health, HIV testing is something everyone needs to know about.
Symptoms of HIV
There are no specific symptoms in the period immediately after being infected with HIV. It is normally within two to four weeks where you might have flu-like symptoms such as fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, diarrhea, fatigue or rash. In rare instances, these symptoms may occur within a few days after you are being infected. Most of the time, these symptoms are so mild they are hardly noticeable, although for some people they might be severe enough for them to see a doctor.
Generally, these symptoms will usually go away after a week or two.
It's important to keep in mind these symptoms are almost identical to those of many other illnesses. That is why very often people who have the symptoms are worrying unnecessarily.
But we also know that only by taking the HIV test can someone reliably know their HIV status. Everything else is just guessing and HIV is too important to merely guess about.
What is an HIV test?
An HIV test will show if you are infected with HIV or not. HIV is the virus that attacks the body's immune system and causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
There are several different tests that can be used to determine if you affected with the HIV virus.
The first test developed, and also the most commonly used test is the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA or EIA). It is used for the initial detection of HIV infection.
The ELISA is usually done by drawing blood, usually from a vein in the arm.
If the ELISA test is negative, which meaning that antibodies are not found, the testing is complete.
If the ELISA test is positive, the laboratory will want to make sure that it is not a "false positive" result because some molecules in the bloodstream can sometimes cause a false-positive result. They will then repeat the ELISA test. If it is positive, they will conduct another test called “Western blot”. If both the ELISA and the Western blot test yield a positive result, a diagnosis of HIV infection is then confirmed.
If you have blood drawn for an HIV test, it can take between a few days to two weeks to know the results so waiting for a longer time to know the results does not mean that the result is "positive".
When should you get tested and how can you be sure the test result is accurate?
Getting tested before three months may result in an unclear result or a false negative. There is a "window period" which is the time it takes the body to produce antibodies after HIV infection has begun.
Less than 1% of those who are infected with HIV do not have detectable antibodies to HIV in their blood within 3 months of being infected. For the vast majority of those who will test positive, antibodies to HIV will develop within 4-6 weeks after exposure. Some will take a little longer to develop antibodies. It is extremely rare to take more than 6 months to develop detectable antibodies.
To make certain that you receive a reliable test result, it's necessary to wait at least three months (13 weeks) after your last possible exposure to the virus before being tested.
No diagnostic test will ever be 100% reliable, but if you test negative at the appropriate time (i.e., 13 weeks after possible exposure to the virus), you can consider that to be a dependable confirmation that you are HIV negative.
I hope this information will be useful to all bros.
