Home AIDS Test
AIDS, or Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome, is the most dreaded and one of the most rampant diseases of the modern age. AIDS is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This virus can be spread through unprotected sexual contact with an infected person, by using a contaminated, unsterilized needle, by receiving infected blood during a transfusion, or from an infected mother to a child in her womb. Once you are infected with HIV, you may or may not develop AIDS. The window period for the virus to manifest itself is between 25 days to 6 months after contracting it.
The best way to determine whether or not you have been infected is by performing a blood test. This test, which is known as the ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) test, looks for antibodies in the body that are generated as a result of the HIV. Although there are several other tests that can be used to check for the presence of HIV, such as the Western Blot test (which is far more accurate) and oral fluid tests (which are less invasive), the ELISA test is the most commonly available and affordable test in the market.
ELISA tests can be performed at a number of medical labs and AIDS testing centers across the United States. You can even ask your doctor for the address of the nearest clinic where the test is administered.
Many people, perhaps because of the stigma associated with AIDS, prefer to keep the tests confidential. Well, the results of your HIV test are not shared with anyone else; however, the exact laws vary from state to state. Some states also allow you to undergo these tests anonymously. When you call to make an appointment for the test, you are assigned a unique identification number, and you simply have to quote this number when you go for this test.
Another option for anonymous testing is to use a home AIDS test kit. However, when it comes to such kits, it is best to err on the side of caution. You do not want to be stuck with an inaccurate result when it comes to testing for such a dreaded virus. So it is imperative to ensure that the test kit that you use is approved by the FDA.
Beware of kits that give you instantaneous results. The only kind of home AIDS test that has been approved is one where the user collects a blood sample from the comfort of his/her own home using the contents of the kit, and then sends it to the designated lab mentioned in the kit for lab testing. Accurate AIDS tests have to be conducted in a proper laboratory and cannot be conducted at home.