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HIV Antibody Testing
HIV antibody tests are conducted to determine if the patient has contracted the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV is a virus which affects the white blood cells and eventually destroys the body’s natural ability to fight infections. An infected person could pass on the virus to someone else by the exchange of body fluids such as blood, semen, and vaginal fluids. HIV antibody tests are inexpensive and very accurate.
The average time for the antibody to be detected is two weeks after exposure to the virus. If exposure to the virus is more recent, then the antibody levels may be too low to prove the condition. HIV antibody testing is used to screen for and diagnose HIV infections. The Early treatment of HIV infection can greatly improve long-term health.
HIV antibody testing is highly recommended if an individual is sexually active, has received a blood transfusion, is uncertain about his/her sexual partner’s risk behaviors, has sexually transmitted disease, or engages in risky behavior such as sharing needles.
The blood sample used for the test is collected from a vein in the patient’s arm. There also are tests available that could be performed on urine or oral samples. The ELISA test was one of the earliest HIV tests and it is still one of the most popular HIV antibody tests. ELISA stands for Enzyme-Linked Immunoabsorbent Assay. This is the first test that is usually administered. If the test results come back positive, the test may be repeated. If this too comes back positive, then a confirmatory test called the Western Blot test would be carried out. The Western Blot test confirms if the ELISA results are positive or false positives, as there as chances of a patient being detected with HIV while he/she has no infection. These tests take from one to two weeks to complete, depending on where the test is performed. They check for the presence of antibodies to HIV; however, they do not check for the virus itself.
There is also a home collection kit which is available for HIV antibody testing. While using the home collection kit, the blood sample is collected from a finger which is then mailed to a testing center. The results of the test are then conveyed over the phone with appropriate counseling.
Antibodies are actually proteins that are produced by the body as a response to any infection. The ‘window period’ is the period between HIV infection and the production of antibodies. During this time, an antibody test may give a false positive result. Thus, it is recommended that HIV antibody tests only be carried out three months after a person has been potentially infected. If you test positive for HIV antibodies on both the ELISA and the Western Blot tests, you are considered to be infected with HIV.
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