Materiały źródłowe

• #1 Core Concepts – HIV Diagnostic Testing – Screening and Diagnosis – National HIV Curriculum

  https://www.hiv.uw.edu/go/screening-diagnosis/diagnostic-testing/core-concept/all

  Diagnostic testing is the crucial first step in the HIV care continuum. Establishing a diagnosis of HIV has important implications for both HIV treatment and prevention. Accumulating evidence shows that persons with HIV who take antiretroviral therapy without interruption maintain suppressed plasma HIV RNA levels, do not transmit HIV to others sexually, and have better clinical outcomes. Improving rates of HIV testing and awareness of HIV status is critical because a high proportion of HIV transmissions occur from persons unaware of their HIV diagnosis. The highest HIV transmission rates occur among persons with acute HIV who are unaware of their diagnosis. The CDC estimated that in 2022, approximately 13% of people with HIV in the United States were unaware of their HIV diagnosis. Universal testing is also important because individuals who test negative but have a risk of acquiring HIV can be offered HIV risk-reduction counseling and preventative measures, including HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

• #1 Clinical Testing Guidance for HIV | HIV Nexus | CDC

  https://www.cdc.gov/hivnexus/hcp/diagnosis-testing/index.html

  CDC recommends all patients between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. […] Use opt-out approach to remove stigma associated with HIV testing and foster earlier diagnosis and treatment. […] Diagnosing HIV quickly and linking people to treatment immediately are crucial steps to reducing new HIV infections. […] An HIV risk assessment should be included as part of routine primary care visits for all your sexually active patients. […] Routine, opt-out screening has proven to be highly effective because it removes the stigma associated with HIV testing, fosters earlier diagnosis and treatment, reduces chances of transmission, and is cost-effective. […] HIV testing laws vary from state to state. […] Three types of HIV tests are available.

• #1 Getting Tested for HIV | HIV | CDC

  https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/index.html

  Everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should get tested for HIV at least once. […] The only way to know your HIV status is to get tested. […] If your test result is positive, you can take medicine to treat HIV to help you live a long, healthy life and protect others. […] People with certain risk factors should get tested more often. […] You should get tested at least once a year if: You’re a man who has had sex with another man. […] You’ve had anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV. […] You’ve had more than one sex partner since your last HIV test. […] You’ve shared needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment (for example, cookers). […] You’ve exchanged sex for drugs or money. […] You’ve been diagnosed with or treated for another sexually transmitted infection, hepatitis, or tuberculosis (TB).

• #1 Getting Tested for HIV | HIV | CDC

  https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/index.html

  You’ve had sex with someone who has done anything listed above or you don’t know their sexual history. […] Sexually active gay or bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (every 3 to 6 months). […] Pregnant people should get tested for HIV during each pregnancy. Testing pregnant people and treating those who have HIV is a highly effective way to prevent babies being born with HIV. […] There are three types of HIV tests: antibody tests, antigen/antibody tests, and nucleic acid tests (NAT). […] An antibody test looks for antibodies to HIV in your blood or oral fluid. […] An antigen/antibody test looks for both HIV antibodies and antigens. […] A NAT looks for the actual virus in the blood. […] Talk to your health care provider about what type of HIV test is right for you.

• #1 HIV/AIDS – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiv-aids/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373531

  HIV can be diagnosed through blood or saliva testing. Tests include: Antigen-antibody tests. These tests most often use blood from a vein. Antigens are substances on the HIV virus itself. They most often show up in the blood within a few weeks after being exposed to HIV. The immune system makes antibodies when it’s exposed to HIV. It can take weeks to months for antibodies to show up in blood. You may not show a positive result on an antigen-antibody test until 2 to 6 weeks after exposure to HIV. […] Antibody tests. These tests look for antibodies to HIV in blood or saliva. Most rapid HIV tests are antibody tests. This includes self-tests done at home. You may not show a positive result on an antibody test until 3 to 12 weeks after you’ve been exposed to HIV. […] Nucleic acid tests (NATs). These tests look for the virus in your blood, called viral load. They use blood from a vein. If you might have been exposed to HIV within the past few weeks, your healthcare professional may suggest NAT. NAT is the first test to become positive after exposure to HIV.

• #1 HIV Tests: Uses, Side Effects, Procedure, Results

  https://www.verywellhealth.com/hiv-diagnosis-3132731

  There are both indirect and direct methods of HIV testing. Indirect methods do not detect the virus but rather proteins, called antibodies, that are produced by the immune system in response to the virus. Direct testing methods detect either proteins on the surface of the virus, called antigens, or the genetic material of HIV in the form of RNA (ribonucleic acid, which is important in regulating gene expression). […] There are a few testing options, which vary in their speed, accuracy, and ease of use and include: Rapid point-of-care tests can deliver preliminary results in around 20 minutes. These may require a blood drop from your finger, an oral swab from your gums, or a sample of urine. Of these, the preferred method is the blood-based combination HIV antigen/antibody (Ag/Ab) test. […] Standard point-of-care tests are lab-based tests that detect HIV antibodies only. Also known as the HIV ELISA, the test requires a blood draw. The results are usually returned within five to 10 working days. The test is less commonly used today and has been largely replaced by the combination HIV Ag/Ab test.

• #1 HIV Tests: Diagnosis, Monitoring, and More

  https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/tests

  Fourth-generation HIV tests, which look for antibodies and the antigen p24, can detect HIV 18 to 45 days after transmission. […] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 97 percent of people with HIV produce a detectable number of antibodies within 3 months. […] If a person thinks theyve been exposed to HIV, they should tell their healthcare professional. A viral load test that directly measures the virus can be used to detect whether someone has recently acquired HIV. […] If a person has received an HIV diagnosis, its important for them to monitor their condition on an ongoing basis. […] The two most common measures for assessing HIV transmission are CD4 count and viral load. […] If a persons CD4 count decreases to fewer than 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood, theyll receive a diagnosis of stage 3 HIV, or AIDS.

• #1 HIV and AIDS | Better Health Channel

  https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/hiv-and-aids

  HIV is a virus that can damage the immune system and make it difficult for the body to fight off some infections. […] HIV is not the same as AIDS. […] Regular testing for HIV helps identify infection early, to enable treatment to start sooner. […] It is recommended that everyone who is sexually active get tested at least annually for HIV as part of routine health care. […] It is recommended that anyone with has multiple sexual partners, or is on PrEP, get tested for all sexually transmissible infections (STIs) including HIV, 3 monthly, or at the very least, once a year. […] Blood tests are the most common and reliable tests for HIV. […] Most tests used in Australia can detect HIV as early as 2 to 4 weeks after infection. […] If your blood test shows that HIV or its antibodies are present, you are HIV-positive.

• #1 HIV Tests: Uses, Side Effects, Procedure, Results

  https://www.verywellhealth.com/hiv-diagnosis-3132731

  Rapid at-home tests are saliva-based antibody tests that can be purchased online or at many retail drugstores. While less accurate than a point-of-care test, this test offers privacy and can deliver results in around 20-40 minutes. […] Home collection kits can also be purchased online. This antibody test requires a drop of blood placed on a test card, which you then send to a lab via Express Mail. You can then receive the results either by phone or online as early as one business day after your sample is delivered. […] Nucleic acid tests (NAT) are blood-based tests that detect HIV RNA. While expensive, the NAT can detect HIV earlier than other forms of testing and may be appropriate if you have had a recent high-risk exposure or are experiencing acute symptoms of early infection. The NAT is also used to screen donated blood or test newborns suspected of having HIV. Results are usually returned within a couple of days.

• #1 HIV Lab Tests and Results

  https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/staying-in-hiv-care/provider-visits-and-lab-test/lab-tests-and-results

  Before you start treatment with HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), your health care provider will order several baseline lab tests. […] Your lab test results, along with your physical exam and other information you provide, will help you and your provider work together to manage your HIV care. […] Your health care provider will periodically repeat some of these lab tests as part of your ongoing HIV care to see how well your HIV medicine is working so that you can get the virus under control, protect your health, improve your immune status and prevent other infections called opportunistic infections, and prevent transmitting the virus to others. […] One important test is your HIV viral load test. Its a lab test that measures of the amount of HIV in your blood. […] HIV viral load tests are used to monitor the progress of your HIV infection and how well your treatment is working.

• #1 Core Concepts – HIV Diagnostic Testing – Screening and Diagnosis – National HIV Curriculum

  https://www.hiv.uw.edu/go/screening-diagnosis/diagnostic-testing/core-concept/all

  In 2014, the CDC and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) released an HIV diagnostic algorithm to allow for more accurate diagnosis of acute HIV-1, improved ability to detect HIV type 2 (HIV-2), fewer indeterminate results, and faster turnaround time for completion of the testing algorithm. This diagnostic algorithm, which was updated in 2018, is discussed in detail below in the section CDC HIV Testing Algorithm. The HIV testing approach recommended by the CDC consists of initial screening with an HIV-1/2 antigen-antibody test, with follow-up testing of reactive samples using an HIV-1/HIV-2 differentiation antibody assay. The latter test can differentiate HIV-1 from HIV-2 and can provide antibody confirmation. Indeterminate or ambiguous results based on the initial HIV-1/2 antigen-antibody test and HIV-1/HIV-2 differentiation assay require further evaluation with an HIV nucleic acid test (NAT), such as an HIV-1 RNA PCR assay (or rarely an HIV-2 PCR).

• #1 HIV Infection and AIDS Workup: Approach Considerations, Screening for HIV Infection, CD4 T-cell Count

  https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/211316-workup

  Early detection using combination screens may be more effective than simply using serology. The additional detection of p24 antigen or viral RNA may detect a greater number of very recent infections before seroconversion occurs. […] To address the problem of confirmatory supplemental tests giving false-negative results early in the course of HIV infection, the CDC conducted two prospective evaluations of a new HIV diagnostic algorithm. The new diagnostic algorithm replaces the Western blot with an HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation assay as the supplemental test and includes an RNA test to resolve reactive immunoassay with negative supplemental test results.

• #1 False positive results on HIV tests | aidsmap

  https://www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/false-positive-results-hiv-tests

  Tests always produce a small number of false positive results. […] In settings where very few people have HIV, a higher proportion of reactive results will be false positives. […] To ensure accurate diagnosis, a sequence of confirmatory tests is used to verify all reactive results. […] A diagnosis of HIV is never made on the basis of a single test result. […] A false positive is a test result that says a person has HIV when, in fact, they do not have it. […] This preliminary result must be verified with a series of confirmatory tests. […] If that is the case, the confirmatory testing is essential. […] The only way to know is to go and have it checked by a qualified healthcare professional. […] For these reasons, an HIV diagnosis is never made on the basis of a single test result. […] All reactive (potentially positive) results are checked with extra confirmatory tests. […] The positive predictive value of a testing algorithm, using a sequence of two or three different tests, is almost 100%.

• #1 HIV Screening Test: MedlinePlus Medical TestLock

  https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hiv-screening-test/

  If you regularly do any of the things on the above list, you should be tested for HIV at least once every year. […] If you have had hepatitis or tuberculosis, you should also get tested for HIV at least once a year. […] If you are pregnant, your doctor may order an HIV test. That’s because HIV can be passed to the fetus during pregnancy and to the baby at birth, and through breast milk. There are medicines you can take during pregnancy and delivery that greatly reduce your risk of spreading HIV to your baby. […] A negative test result means that no signs of an HIV infection were found in your sample. But that doesn’t always mean that you don’t have HIV. You could have an HIV infection, but it’s too soon for the test to tell and you may need another test later. […] A positive test result means that signs of an HIV infection were found in your sample. You will need a follow-up test to confirm an HIV diagnosis unless you had a NAT test.

• #1 HIV/AIDS – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiv-aids/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373531

  Talk with your healthcare professional about which HIV test is right for you. If any of these tests are negative, you may need a follow-up test weeks to months later to confirm the results. […] If you’ve been diagnosed with HIV, find a specialist trained in diagnosing and treating HIV to help you: Decide whether you need other tests. Find which HIV antiretroviral therapy, also called ART, is best for you. Watch your progress and work with you to manage your health. […] If you get a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, tests can help your healthcare professional learn the stage of your disease and the best treatment, including: CD4 T cell count. CD4 T cells are white blood cells that HIV targets and destroys. Even if you have no symptoms, HIV infection becomes AIDS when your CD4 T cell count dips below 200.

• #1 HIV & AIDS: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4251-hiv-aids

  The goal of ART is to reduce HIV in the blood (viral load) to an amount that’s not detectable by an HIV test and to slow HIV’s weakening of your immune system. […] There is currently no cure for HIV, but there are many treatment options that can slow the progression of HIV significantly. […] If you’re diagnosed with HIV, it’s important to know that those living with HIV who follow treatment guidelines can live full lives for nearly as long as those without HIV. […] If you have a high CD4 count and an undetectable viral load within a year of starting treatment, research suggests you’ll have the best outcomes, as long as you continue your treatment plan. […] Left untreated, it can take about 10 years for HIV to advance to AIDS. […] To be diagnosed with AIDS, you must be infected with HIV and have at least one of the following: Fewer than 200 CD4 cells per cubic millimeter of blood (200 cells/mm3) or An AIDS-defining illness. […] AIDS is caused by having too few immune cells to fight off other illnesses.

• #1 HIV Lab Tests and Results

  https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/staying-in-hiv-care/provider-visits-and-lab-test/lab-tests-and-results

  Once you start HIV medicine, you want your viral load to decrease and stay low. […] A CD4 cell count measures how many CD4 cells are in your blood. […] A CD4 cell count is a good measure of how well your immune system is working and your risk of opportunistic infections. […] Once you’ve started HIV treatment, CD4 cell count and viral load tests are used to monitor whether your HIV medicines are working effectively to control your HIV. […] Treatment with HIV medicine is recommended for everyone with HIV, no matter how high or low their CD4 count is. […] There are other lab tests that will help your health care provider get important information about your health and work with you to choose the right HIV medications for you. […] A drug resistance test helps your health care provider identify which, if any, HIV medicines will not be effective against the strain of HIV you have and choose which HIV medicines are most likely to work for you.

• #1 HIV/AIDS – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiv-aids/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373531

  Viral load, also called HIV RNA. This test measures the amount of virus in your blood. After starting HIV treatment, the goal is to have a viral load so low that it doesn’t show up on the test, called undetectable. This greatly reduces your chances of opportunistic infection and other HIV-related complications. […] Medicine resistance. Some strains of HIV are resistant to medicines. This test helps your healthcare professional know if your form of the virus has resistance. This guides treatment decisions. […] Your healthcare professional also might order lab tests to check for other infections or complications.

• #1 HIV Symptoms Testing Prevention & Treatment | Freetesting HIV

  https://freetesting.hiv/about-hiv

  If there is a positive diagnosis of HIV after all three tests, you will be referred to a specialist HIV clinic to discuss your treatment options. […] If you are diagnosed with HIV, you will be prescribed antiretroviral medication. It works by stopping the virus from replicating. This protects your immune system from further damage and allows it to repair and strengthen itself. […] The goal of HIV treatment is to have an undetectable viral load. This means the level of the virus in your body has dropped so low that is can no longer be detected in a test. […] If you have been taking effective HIV treatment and your viral load tests have come back undetectable for more than 6 months, it means you cannot pass the virus on through sex. This is called undetectable equals untransmittable (U=U). […] A late diagnosis means that the person has been living with HIV without knowing and their immune system has been severely weakened by the time they are able to start treatment. These people are at risk of developing AIDS.

• #1 HIV Lab Tests and Results

  https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/staying-in-hiv-care/provider-visits-and-lab-test/lab-tests-and-results

  Its important to get a glucose test when you start HIV treatment to help guide the choice of HIV medications and then to get repeat tests to monitor possible increases in your blood glucose. […] These blood tests check for current or past infection with Hepatitis A, B, or C. […] A cervical Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for cancers and precancers in a woman’s cervix. […] If you have HIV and you are pregnant, you can greatly lower your risk of passing HIV to your baby and protect your own health by taking ART during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. […] Having an STD also can increase your risk of transmitting HIV to others.

• #1 Diagnosis and Management of Acute HIV Infection – Clinical Guidelines Program

  https://www.hivguidelines.org/guideline/hiv-acute/

  The diagnosis of acute HIV infection requires a high degree of clinical awareness. The nonspecific signs and symptoms of acute HIV infection are often not recognized or attributed to another viral illness. […] Clinicians should always perform a plasma HIV RNA assay in conjunction with an Ag/Ab combination immunoassay when acute HIV is suspected. […] If a diagnosis of acute infection is made based on HIV RNA testing, clinicians should recommend ART initiation without waiting for serologic confirmation. […] Clinicians should recommend immediate ART initiation to all patients diagnosed with acute HIV infection. […] Patients are at greatest risk of transmitting HIV during periods of high viremia early in infection. Clinicians should counsel patients with acute HIV about the increased risk of transmission during the 6 months after acute infection and the ongoing risk of transmission beyond 6 months. […] When a low-level quantitative HIV RNA viral load result (200 copies/mL) is obtained in the absence of serologic evidence of HIV infection, the clinician should repeat HIV RNA testing and perform an Ag/Ab combination immunoassay to exclude a false-positive result.

• #1 Screening and diagnostic testing for HIV infection in adults – UpToDate

  https://www.uptodate.com/contents/screening-and-diagnostic-testing-for-hiv-infection-in-adults

  Screening and diagnostic testing for HIV infection in adults […] Approximately 13 percent of persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States remain unaware of their HIV status, leading to significant morbidity and risk of transmission to others. Improved access to HIV testing and new testing algorithms that enhance the detection of individuals with newly acquired infection can lead to increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), which can decrease the number of individuals who present with advanced immunocompromise and reduce transmission to others. Patients without other significant comorbidities who are treated before significant immunosuppression can expect a life expectancy approaching that of the general population. […] HIV testing should be performed to diagnose HIV in patients with clinical signs and symptoms of acute or chronic infection as well as those with a possible exposure to HIV. Screening for persons who are asymptomatic should also be incorporated into routine care for all adolescents and adults. […] All patients with signs and symptoms of acute or chronic HIV infection should be tested. […] For patients presenting with clinical manifestations of acute HIV infection, testing for HIV ribonucleic acid (RNA) should be added to standard screening tests.

• #1 HIV Testing | NIH

  https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/hiv-testing

  HIV testing determines if a person has acquired HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). HIV is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. […] HIV testing is important because it is estimated that 40% of new diagnoses of HIV are transmitted by people who are not aware of their HIV status. Knowing your HIV status can help keep you and others safe. Also, early and sustained HIV treatment will help you live a long and healthy life. […] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 13 to 64 years of age get tested for HIV at least once as part of a routine health care exam, and that people at higher risk for HIV get tested more often. […] CDC recommends that all pregnant women get tested for HIV so that they can begin taking HIV medicines if they are HIV positive.

• #1 Testing and diagnosis

  https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/hiv/hiv-testing-and-diagnosis/

  The window period is usually about: 6 weeks if you have blood taken at a clinic; 12 weeks for rapid testing, self testing or home testing. […] If you test positive for HIV, you’ll be referred to a specialist HIV clinic. You will have more tests at the clinic. You will find out about your treatment options. […] If you test positive for HIV, you will be referred to a specialist HIV clinic for treatment. Early diagnosis and effective treatment in pregnancy prevent infection in babies.

• #1

  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hiv-and-aids/diagnosis/

  The only way to find out if you have HIV is to have an HIV test, as symptoms of HIV may not appear for many years. Anyone who thinks they could have HIV should get tested. […] Seek medical advice immediately if you think there’s a chance you could have HIV. The earlier it’s diagnosed, the earlier you can start treatment and avoid becoming seriously ill. […] Some HIV tests may need to be repeated 1-3 months after exposure to HIV infection, but you should not wait this long to seek help. […] There are 4 main types of HIV test: […] The blood test is the most accurate test and can normally give reliable results from 1 month after infection. […] For all these tests, a blood test should be carried out to confirm the result if the first test is positive. […] If you’re pregnant, you’ll be offered a blood test to check if you have HIV as part of routine antenatal screening.

• #1

  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids

  HIV can be diagnosed through rapid diagnostic tests that provide same-day results. This greatly facilitates early diagnosis and linkage with treatment and prevention. […] Most widely used HIV diagnostic tests detect antibodies produced by a person as part of their immune response to fight HIV. In most cases, people develop antibodies to HIV within 28 days of infection. […] Following a positive diagnosis, people should be retested before they are enrolled in treatment and care to rule out any potential testing or reporting error. […] For children less than 18 months of age, rapid antibody testing is not sufficient to identify HIV infection virological testing must be provided as early as birth or at 6 weeks of age.

• #1 HIV testing and diagnosis insights | ViiV Healthcare

  https://viivhealthcare.com/about-hiv/hiv-testing-and-diagnosis/

  Innovation in HIV testing has brought us steps closer to the UNAIDS target of 95% of people living with HIV knowing their status by 2030. However, efforts are still underway; only 84% of all people living with HIV were aware of their status in 2021. In some regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, this percentage is even lower. […] Awareness of HIV status is also lower globally among certain populations, such as sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID), and transgender people, highlighting the need for increased testing access (facility and community-based) in high-incidence communities to meet the UNAIDS 2030 goal. […] Everyone should get tested for HIV, particularly people who are sexually active. The CDC recommends that everyone between 13 and 64 years old gets an HIV test at least once in a lifetime.

• #1 Diagnostics for HIV diagnosis – Consolidated Guidelines on HIV Testing Services – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK316033/

  Consolidated Guidelines on HIV Testing Services: 5Cs: Consent, Confidentiality, Counselling, Correct Results and Connection 2015. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015 Jul. […] ANNEX 7Diagnostics for HIV diagnosis […] Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are so called as they produce a test result quickly, usually in less than 30 minutes. The broad class of HIV-1/2 RDTs includes lateral-flow (immunochromatographic) and vertical-flow (immunofiltration) assay formats, which detect the presence of HIV-1/2 antibodies and/or HIV p24 antigen. RDTs are not only quick but also are easier to perform than assays that require a laboratory. With training, both health-care professionals and lay providers can perform HIV testing with high accuracy and reliability using RDTs. […] Most RDTs can be performed with capillary whole blood collected by a finger-stick procedure using a lancet. This means that phlebotomy by venepuncture is not necessarily required. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for use, however, for specific recommendations on specimen collection. Certain other RDTs are validated for use with oral fluid specimens. Results for RDTs are visually read and interpreted by the operator. The appearance of a control line and test line(s) signifies a reactive result, while the appearance of only a control line signifies a non-reactive result.

• #1 Preventing HIV Infections

  https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/hiv-aids/preventing-hiv-infections.html

  HIV Nucleic Acid Testing looks for HIV RNA that reaches detectable levels sooner than HIV antibodies or even HIV antigens (surface proteins) form. So HIV Nucleic Acid tests can identify quite recent HIV infections that neither antigen nor antibody tests would yet detect. […] Rapid HIV tests typically process a sample of oral fluid or fingerstick blood at the testing location, producing a result in about 20 minutes. Most commonly, these rapid tests will be antibody tests (which will not detect HIV in its first few weeks of infection because the body has not yet produced antibodies to fight HIV). […] Because rapid HIV tests will sometimes give a False Positive, a reactive result when HIV infection has not actually occurred, a rapid test Preliminary Positive must always be confirmed by 1 or more supplemental laboratory tests.

• #1 HIV Testing Overview

  https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/hiv-testing/learn-about-hiv-testing/hiv-testing-overview

  If your test result is positive, you should go to a health care provider or clinic for follow-up testing. […] An HIV self-test is done entirely at home or in a private location, and you can get your test results within 20 minutes. […] No HIV test can detect HIV immediately after exposure, including a blood test. […] There are three types of HIV tests: nucleic acid tests (NAT), antigen/antibody tests, and antibody tests, and they all have different window periods. […] If you get an HIV test after a potential HIV exposure and the result is negative, get tested again after the window period. […] As required by the Affordable Care Act, HIV screening is covered by health insurance without a co-pay.

• #1 Diagnosis of HIV/AIDS – Wikipedia

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnosis_of_HIV/AIDS

  HIV tests are used to detect the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes HIV/AIDS, in serum, saliva, or urine. Such tests may detect antibodies, antigens, or RNA. […] AIDS is diagnosed separately from HIV. […] The eclipse period is a variable period starting from HIV exposure in which no existing test can detect HIV. The median duration of the eclipse period in one study was 11.5 days. The window period is the time between HIV exposure and when an antibody or antigen test can detect HIV. The median window period for antibody/antigen testing is 18 days. Nucleic acid testing (NAT) further reduces this period to 11.5 days. […] All diagnostic tests have limitations, and sometimes their use may produce erroneous or questionable results. […] False positive: The test incorrectly indicates that HIV is present in a non-infected person.

• #1 HIV Testing: Types, Procedure, How Often, What to Expect, and Results

  https://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/hiv-aids-screening

  Almost everyone who is HIV-positive has detectable levels of antibodies at 3 months. […] Every HIV test has a different window period. That’s how long you need to wait after exposure until you can expect an accurate result. […] This test uses blood that a technician takes from your vein and sends to a lab. It can find antibodies (proteins your immune system makes when you’ve been exposed to the virus) 23-90 days after infection. […] A positive test result means there are traces of HIV in your body. Health care providers never diagnose HIV based on a single test result. […] A positive HIV test doesn’t mean you have AIDS, the most advanced stage of the disease. HIV treatment can keep you from getting AIDS, so talk to your doctor right away about starting medications called antiretroviral therapy (ART).

• #1 HIV Tests: Uses, Side Effects, Procedure, Results

  https://www.verywellhealth.com/hiv-diagnosis-3132731

  Certain conditions can also trigger a false-positive test result, meaning that the test shows positive for HIV while the person is not actually HIV-positive. Conditions that can trigger a false positive include syphilis, lupus, and Lyme disease. Confirmatory testing will almost always weed out these incorrect findings. […] According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), at-home rapid HIV tests have an 8% false-negative rate. This means that 1 of every 12 negative results is incorrect and the person tested actually has the virus. This is not only due to user error but also to the fact that the saliva-based test is less sensitive. […] There are no contraindications for HIV testing, meaning there is nothing that makes getting tested inadvisable. Also, there are few risks. If a blood draw is required, you may experience soreness, swelling, and bruising at the injection site. Light-headedness and testing HIV positive are also possible.

• #1 HIV Tests: Diagnosis, Monitoring, and More

  https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/tests

  An HIV infection is now considered a manageable health condition, especially if treatment is sought early. […] If a person contracts HIV, early detection and treatment can help: improve their frame of mind; lower their risk of disease progression; prevent the development of stage 3 HIV, or AIDS. […] The life expectancy of people with an HIV diagnosis who start treatment early is the same as those without the virus. […] In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test. […] If a person thinks theyve contracted HIV, it can take anywhere from 1 to 6 months after transmission for a standard HIV test to produce positive results. […] According to Avert, third-generation HIV tests which are ELISA tests can only detect HIV 3 months after exposure to the virus.

• #1 Clinical Testing Guidance for HIV | HIV Nexus | CDC

  https://www.cdc.gov/hivnexus/hcp/diagnosis-testing/index.html

  Today’s diagnostic tests reduce the time to diagnosis and treatment of early HIV infection by decreasing the window period. […] For those with a positive HIV test result, studies have demonstrated the benefits of early HIV diagnosis in terms of patients’ health outcomes. […] CDC recommends that people start treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis to gain maximum benefit from ART.

• #1 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) | Communicable Diseases Agency

  https://www.cda.gov.sg/public/diseases/hiv

  Treatment as Prevention (TasP) refers to the use of HIV medicine to decrease the risk of HIV transmission. People living with HIV who take the medicine as prescribed can suppress their HIV viral load to an undetectable level (less than 50 copies/ml), reducing the risk of HIV transmission to others (i.e. Undetectable = Untransmittable, U=U).

• #1 The HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the United States: The Basics | KFF

  https://www.kff.org/hivaids/fact-sheet/the-hiv-aids-epidemic-in-the-united-states-the-basics/

  HIV testing is important for both treatment and prevention efforts. While knowledge of HIV status is growing, in 2022, an estimated 13% of those with HIV were unaware they were HIV-positive. […] Current U.S. HIV treatment guidelines recommend initiating ART as soon as one is diagnosed with HIV, and new research has underscored the importance of starting treatment early. Engaging in treatment early and consistently affords individuals with HIV optimal care outcomes including improved health, quality of life, and life expectancy, as well as offering preventative benefits. When an individual with HIV is consistently engaged with antiretroviral therapy and the level of HIV in their body is undetectable, there is effectively no risk of sexual transmission. […] HIV testing is important for both treatment and prevention efforts and rapid testing is now more widely available. While knowledge of HIV status is growing, in 2022, 13% of those with HIV were estimated to be unaware they are HIV-positive. Knowledge of HIV status is important because individuals with HIV can engage in care and treatment to achieve optimal health outcomes and can take steps to prevent transmission. Testing also offers an opportunity for those who are HIV negative to engage in prevention opportunities. Routine HIV testing is recommended for all people ages 13-64, and most forms of health insurance cover HIV testing, usually without cost-sharing.

• #1 Global HIV & AIDS statistics — Fact sheet | UNAIDS

  https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/fact-sheet

  In 2023, 86% [69-98%] of all people living with HIV knew their HIV status. […] In 2023, 77% [61-89%] of all people living with HIV were accessing treatment. […] Among all people living with HIV, 86% [69-98%] knew their status, 77% [61-89%] were accessing treatment and 72% [65-80%] were virally suppressed in 2023. […] 84% [72-98%] of pregnant women living with HIV had access to antiretroviral medicines to prevent transmission of HIV to their child in 2023. […] In 2023, around 630 000 [500 000-820 000] people died from AIDS-related illnesses worldwide. […] AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by 69% since the peak in 2004 and by 51% since 2010. […] The target for 2025 is fewer than 250 000.

• #1 Underdiagnosis and late HIV diagnoses are holding back progress to end AIDS in the European Region

  https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/underdiagnosis-and-late-hiv-diagnoses-are-holding-back-progress-end-aids-european

  Ahead of World AIDS Day, the latest HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2024, released by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), shows that since the beginning of the epidemic in the early 1980s, over 2.6 million people have been diagnosed with HIV in the WHO European Region, including more than 650, 000 in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA). Despite significant progress, nearly one in three people living with HIV in the WHO European Region are still unaware of their HIV status. […] In 2023, nearly 113 000 HIV diagnoses were reported in 47 of the 53 countries in the WHO European Region, representing a slight increase of 2.4% compared to the previous year. […] Across the WHO European Region, more than half (52% for the total WHO European Region, 53% for EU/EEA) of HIV diagnoses are made late, leading to higher morbidity and an increased risk of AIDS-related death.

• #1 HIV – Improving Treatment, Prevention, & Diagnosis

  https://www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/programs/global-health/hiv

  Viral load testing—the measuring of HIV particles in the blood—can be critical to helping people living with HIV understand their health status and be motivated to continue treatment. […] We support the improved use of viral load testing, as well as the development of novel virus load testing systems, as a means of sustaining effective treatment. […] New, more effective prevention methods are essential to reducing HIV transmission. […] We support efforts to develop, evaluate, and introduce innovative approaches to protecting those at risk. […] We continue to invest in efforts to develop an HIV vaccine. […] While substantial progress has been made in increasing access to HIV treatment and new cases of HIV have declined substantially in some regions, controlling the epidemic will require improved efforts to increase the number of people living with HIV who know their status, as well as the effective use of better treatment and prevention measures.

• #2 Clinical Testing Guidance for HIV | HIV Nexus | CDC

  https://www.cdc.gov/hivnexus/hcp/diagnosis-testing/index.html

  CDC recommends all patients between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. […] Use opt-out approach to remove stigma associated with HIV testing and foster earlier diagnosis and treatment. […] Diagnosing HIV quickly and linking people to treatment immediately are crucial steps to reducing new HIV infections. […] An HIV risk assessment should be included as part of routine primary care visits for all your sexually active patients. […] Routine, opt-out screening has proven to be highly effective because it removes the stigma associated with HIV testing, fosters earlier diagnosis and treatment, reduces chances of transmission, and is cost-effective. […] HIV testing laws vary from state to state. […] Three types of HIV tests are available.

• #2 HIV testing for treatment and prevention | Labcorp

  https://www.labcorp.com/treatment-areas/virology-infectious-diseases/clinical-testing/hiv/hiv-screening-and-diagnosis

  Approximately 1.2 million people in the United States are infected with HIV. Approximately 13% of those with HIV infection are unaware of their diagnosis, contributing to transmission of HIV in approximately 40% of new infections. HIV testing is important for efforts aimed at treatment and prevention. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends HIV testing for all individuals between ages 13 and 64 at least once as part of standard health care. Annual screening is recommended for those persons with known or reported risk factors. All pregnant persons should be tested for HIV. CDC-recommended algorithm for laboratory diagnosis of HIV infection, including acute and primary infection. This test is intended for use as an aid in the diagnosis of HIV-1 or HIV-2 infection, including acute or primary infection. Presence of HIV-1 or HIV-2 RNA in the plasma of patients without antibodies to HIV-1 or HIV-2 is indicative of acute or primary HIV-1 or HIV-2 infection. This assay may also be used as an additional test, when it is reactive, to confirm HIV-1 infection in an individual whose specimen is repeatedly reactive for HIV-1 and/or HIV-2 antibodies. This test detects and quantitates HIV-1 in plasma.

• #2 Getting Tested for HIV | HIV | CDC

  https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/index.html

  Everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should get tested for HIV at least once. […] The only way to know your HIV status is to get tested. […] If your test result is positive, you can take medicine to treat HIV to help you live a long, healthy life and protect others. […] People with certain risk factors should get tested more often. […] You should get tested at least once a year if: You’re a man who has had sex with another man. […] You’ve had anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV. […] You’ve had more than one sex partner since your last HIV test. […] You’ve shared needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment (for example, cookers). […] You’ve exchanged sex for drugs or money. […] You’ve been diagnosed with or treated for another sexually transmitted infection, hepatitis, or tuberculosis (TB).

• #2 HIV Screening Test: MedlinePlus Medical TestLock

  https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hiv-screening-test/

  Getting tested for HIV helps catch the virus early so you can start treatment, stay healthy, and avoid spreading HIV. […] An HIV screening test is used to find out if you have been infected with HIV. It may be done as a routine test or after a possible exposure to find out if you were infected with HIV. […] If HIV is found early, you can take medicines to protect your health so you don’t get AIDS. Medicines can also help you avoid spreading HIV to others. […] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. […] If your last HIV test was more than a year ago, you should get tested as soon as possible if you have: Had vaginal or anal sex with someone who has HIV (HIV positive) or whose HIV status you don’t know, Injected drugs and shared needles, syringes, or other drug items with other people, Exchanged sex for money or drugs, Had a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as syphilis, Had sex with anyone who has done anything listed above.

• #2 HIV Testing | NIH

  https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/hiv-testing

  HIV testing determines if a person has acquired HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). HIV is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. […] HIV testing is important because it is estimated that 40% of new diagnoses of HIV are transmitted by people who are not aware of their HIV status. Knowing your HIV status can help keep you and others safe. Also, early and sustained HIV treatment will help you live a long and healthy life. […] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 13 to 64 years of age get tested for HIV at least once as part of a routine health care exam, and that people at higher risk for HIV get tested more often. […] CDC recommends that all pregnant women get tested for HIV so that they can begin taking HIV medicines if they are HIV positive.

• #2 HIV Testing Overview

  https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/hiv-testing/learn-about-hiv-testing/hiv-testing-overview

  If your test result is positive, you should go to a health care provider or clinic for follow-up testing. […] An HIV self-test is done entirely at home or in a private location, and you can get your test results within 20 minutes. […] No HIV test can detect HIV immediately after exposure, including a blood test. […] There are three types of HIV tests: nucleic acid tests (NAT), antigen/antibody tests, and antibody tests, and they all have different window periods. […] If you get an HIV test after a potential HIV exposure and the result is negative, get tested again after the window period. […] As required by the Affordable Care Act, HIV screening is covered by health insurance without a co-pay.

• #2 HIV Testing: Types, Procedure, How Often, What to Expect, and Results

  https://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/hiv-aids-screening

  Almost everyone who is HIV-positive has detectable levels of antibodies at 3 months. […] Every HIV test has a different window period. That’s how long you need to wait after exposure until you can expect an accurate result. […] This test uses blood that a technician takes from your vein and sends to a lab. It can find antibodies (proteins your immune system makes when you’ve been exposed to the virus) 23-90 days after infection. […] A positive test result means there are traces of HIV in your body. Health care providers never diagnose HIV based on a single test result. […] A positive HIV test doesn’t mean you have AIDS, the most advanced stage of the disease. HIV treatment can keep you from getting AIDS, so talk to your doctor right away about starting medications called antiretroviral therapy (ART).

• #2 Core Concepts – HIV Diagnostic Testing – Screening and Diagnosis – National HIV Curriculum

  https://www.hiv.uw.edu/go/screening-diagnosis/diagnostic-testing/core-concept/all

  The HIV antigen-antibody laboratory-based immunoassays are the preferred screening tests for HIV. These immunoassays detect HIV-1 p24 (capsid) antigen and antibodies (IgM and IgG) to HIV-1 and HIV-2. The HIV-1/2 antigen-antibody immunoassays detect HIV significantly earlier than laboratory-based antibody tests, point-of-care antigen-antibody tests, and point-of-care HIV antibody tests. All reactive HIV-1/2 antigen-antibody tests require confirmatory testing. […] The recommended initial HIV test should be a laboratory-based HIV-1/2 antigen-antibody immunoassay; these tests can detect antibodies to HIV-1, antibodies to HIV-2, and HIV-1 p24 antigen. A positive HIV-1/2 antigen-antibody immunoassay requires confirmation and differentiation of HIV-1 from HIV-2 infection. A person with a negative initial HIV-1/2 antigen-antibody immunoassay is considered to not have HIV infection, as long as a very recent (within approximately 4 weeks) exposure to HIV has not occurred.

• #2 How accurate are fourth-generation combination tests for HIV diagnosis? | aidsmap

  https://www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/how-accurate-are-fourth-generation-combination-tests-hiv-diagnosis

  These are the recommended tests for routine use in the UK. […] They test for p24 antigen as well as antibodies, so are better suited for detecting recent infection. […] Their sensitivities and specificities are excellent. […] The most accurate and reliable routinely used diagnostic HIV test is a laboratory test that can detect both HIV antibodies and p24 antigen. […] Fourth-generation laboratory tests are extremely accurate. […] The key measures of accuracy are sensitivity (the percentage of results that are correctly positive when HIV is actually present) and specificity (the percentage of results that are correctly negative when HIV is not present). […] Fourth-generation tests are extremely sensitive and specific. […] They are more reliable in detecting early infection than rapid tests.

• #2 HIV & AIDS: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4251-hiv-aids

  HIV is diagnosed with either a test of your blood or your spit (saliva). […] If your test comes back positive, the lab may do follow-up tests to confirm the result. […] There are three types of HIV tests: antigen/antibody tests, antibody tests and nucleic acid tests (NATs): […] Antigen tests look for markers on the surface of HIV called p24. […] Antibody tests look for chemicals your body makes when it reacts to those markers. […] A healthcare provider will take a small sample of blood from your arm with a needle. […] A NAT can typically detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure. […] If your test comes back positive, your healthcare provider is likely to recommend other tests to assess your health. […] HIV is treated with a combination of medicines (pills) taken by mouth every day.

• #2 Screening and diagnostic testing for HIV infection in adults – UpToDate

  https://www.uptodate.com/contents/screening-and-diagnostic-testing-for-hiv-infection-in-adults

  Screening and diagnostic testing for HIV infection in adults […] Approximately 13 percent of persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States remain unaware of their HIV status, leading to significant morbidity and risk of transmission to others. Improved access to HIV testing and new testing algorithms that enhance the detection of individuals with newly acquired infection can lead to increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), which can decrease the number of individuals who present with advanced immunocompromise and reduce transmission to others. Patients without other significant comorbidities who are treated before significant immunosuppression can expect a life expectancy approaching that of the general population. […] HIV testing should be performed to diagnose HIV in patients with clinical signs and symptoms of acute or chronic infection as well as those with a possible exposure to HIV. Screening for persons who are asymptomatic should also be incorporated into routine care for all adolescents and adults. […] All patients with signs and symptoms of acute or chronic HIV infection should be tested. […] For patients presenting with clinical manifestations of acute HIV infection, testing for HIV ribonucleic acid (RNA) should be added to standard screening tests.

• #2 Diagnosis of HIV/AIDS – Wikipedia

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnosis_of_HIV/AIDS

  False negative: The test incorrectly indicates that HIV is absent in an infected person. […] Tests used for the diagnosis of HIV infection in a particular person require a high degree of both sensitivity and specificity. In the United States, this is achieved using an algorithm combining two tests for HIV antibodies. […] The combination of these two methods is highly accurate. […] In the United States, one emerging standard of care is to screen all patients for HIV in all health care settings. […] The CDC recommends elimination of requirements for written consent or extensive pre-test counseling as barriers to widespread routine testing. […] HIV antibody tests are specifically designed for routine diagnostic testing of adults; these tests are inexpensive and extremely accurate. […] Antibody tests may give false negative results during the window period, hence an interval of three weeks to six months between the time of HIV exposure and the production of measurable antibodies to HIV seroconversion is implemented.

• #2 HIV Lab Tests and Results

  https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/staying-in-hiv-care/provider-visits-and-lab-test/lab-tests-and-results

  Before you start treatment with HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), your health care provider will order several baseline lab tests. […] Your lab test results, along with your physical exam and other information you provide, will help you and your provider work together to manage your HIV care. […] Your health care provider will periodically repeat some of these lab tests as part of your ongoing HIV care to see how well your HIV medicine is working so that you can get the virus under control, protect your health, improve your immune status and prevent other infections called opportunistic infections, and prevent transmitting the virus to others. […] One important test is your HIV viral load test. Its a lab test that measures of the amount of HIV in your blood. […] HIV viral load tests are used to monitor the progress of your HIV infection and how well your treatment is working.

• #2 HIV testing | Quest Diagnostics

  https://www.questdiagnostics.com/healthcare-professionals/about-our-tests/infectious-diseases/hiv

  Quest’s comprehensive test offerings for ongoing HIV management can help you guide selection of antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs and evaluate eligibility for therapy. Evaluate prognosis, assess effectiveness of ART, and decide on a treatment regimen. Monitor overall patient health, including guideline-recommended testing for comorbidities. […] The CD4+ T-cell (CD4) count is the most valuable indicator of immune status and the strongest predictor of disease progression and survival in patients with HIV infection. Once a patient is diagnosed with HIV, baseline CD4 counts should be measured and then monitored every 3-6 months in patients who do not immediately begin ART. […] HIV-1 viral load is the primary marker of ART effectiveness. Before treatment begins, the viral load provides information on the risk of disease progression, helps inform treatment selection, and establishes a baseline for assessing treatment response. After treatment has begun, measuring viral load helps assess therapy efficacy.

• #2 AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) | Cedars-Sinai

  https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/a/aids-acquired-immunodeficiency-syndrome.html

  A person who has been infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is diagnosed as having AIDS after developing one of the illnesses that the Centers for Disease Control has identified as an indicator of AIDS. An HIV-positive person who has not had any serious illnesses also can receive an AIDS diagnosis based on certain blood tests (CD4+ counts). […] When infected with HIV, a person’s body develops antibodies against the infection, and these antibodies become detectable in laboratory tests within three months. After taking a medical history and performing a physical examination, a doctor may want to do other tests, including: […] A blood test to measure CD4 T cells. Because the virus uses these cells to copy itself, killing the CD4 T cells in the process, a low CD4 T cell count is an indicator of the progress of the disease.

• #2 HIV testing and diagnosis insights | ViiV Healthcare

  https://viivhealthcare.com/about-hiv/hiv-testing-and-diagnosis/

  It is generally advised that some people get tested more often (i.e. every 3 to 6 months). These include high-incidence groups, such as: MSM, PWID, those with a history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), people who have sex without the use of prevention tools such as condoms, and those who have had sex with someone living with HIV with a detectable or unknown viral load. […] The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that people living with HIV who have an undetectable viral load, and take antiretroviral therapy (ART) as prescribed have zero risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partner(s). […] HIV testing detects the virus before symptoms appear, or if you have a flu-like illness, a common reason for testing. Early diagnosis opposed to a late HIV diagnosis has many benefits; the sooner HIV treatment is started, the better the outcome.

• #2 HIV/AIDS Diagnosis | Stanford Health Care

  https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/sexual-and-reproductive-health/hiv-aids/diagnosis.html

  A doctor may suspect HIV if symptoms last and no other cause can be found. […] If you have been exposed to HIV, your immune system will make antibodies to try to destroy the virus. Doctors use tests to find these HIV antibodies or antigens in urine, saliva, or blood. […] A diagnosis of HIV infection is not made until a positive ELISA test is confirmed by a positive test to detect HIV DNA or RNA. A PCR test can do this. […] HIV antibodies or antigens usually show up in the blood within 3 months. […] You can get HIV testing in most doctors’ offices, public health clinics, hospitals, and Planned Parenthood clinics. […] If the results from a home test kit show that you have an HIV infection, talk with a doctor. […] If you test positive, your doctor will ask you about your past health and do a physical exam. […] Medical experts recommend testing the blood of everyone diagnosed with HIV to look for this drug resistance. […] AIDS is the last and most severe stage of HIV infection. It is diagnosed if the results of your test show that you have:

• #2 HIV testing | Quest Diagnostics

  https://www.questdiagnostics.com/healthcare-professionals/about-our-tests/infectious-diseases/hiv

  Lab testing is an important tool for selecting drug regimens when initiating ART or changing regimens due to inefficacy. Such tests include genotypic HIV resistance to identify drug resistance-associated mutations, HIV-1 coreceptor tropism testing to help determine eligibility for treatment with CCR5 antagonists, and HLA-B*5701 typing for genetic risk stratification prior to initiation of Abacavir therapy. […] The CDC recommends that all individuals infected with HIV be tested for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Approximately 2% of people with HIV in the US also have HBV, and HCV coinfection occurs in nearly 75% of people with HIV who also inject drugs. People with HIV are at greater risk for complications and death from HBV and/or HCV infection. […] Pre-exposure prophylactic (PrEP) medications could benefit an estimated 1.2M people in the US, but fewer than 36% of them are taking such prescriptions. PrEP could help reduce the risk of getting HIV in the following ways: From sex, by about 99% and from injection drug use, by at least 74%. […] In alignment with CDC guidelines for PrEP monitoring, our portfolio includes baseline testing to determine eligibility for PrEP, and ongoing testing to continually monitor patients for HIV infection, STIs, and any adverse PrEP medication effects.

• #2 AIDS/HIV | Apollo Hospitals

  http://www.apollohospitals.com/diseases-and-conditions/aids-hiv

  AIDS/HIV can be easily diagnosed by a blood or saliva test for the antibodies to the virus. It takes 12 weeks of time for the antibodies to develop and get diagnosed. Recently, a new test can quickly confirm the diagnosis sooner after infection. […] A home test option is available which is approved by Food and Drug Administration. In case of positive results, the person should see the doctor to confirm the diagnosis. If the test is negative, the person needs to repeat the test after three months. If the result of the home test is positive, there are several other tests that help the doctor determine the stage of infection which include CD4 count, viral load and drug resistance. In case of complications the doctor may also ask for following tests: Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, Sexually transmitted infection, Urinary infection, Damage to kidney or liver.

• #2 Diagnosis and Management of Acute HIV Infection – Clinical Guidelines Program

  https://www.hivguidelines.org/guideline/hiv-acute/

  The diagnosis of acute HIV infection requires a high degree of clinical awareness. The nonspecific signs and symptoms of acute HIV infection are often not recognized or attributed to another viral illness. […] Clinicians should always perform a plasma HIV RNA assay in conjunction with an Ag/Ab combination immunoassay when acute HIV is suspected. […] If a diagnosis of acute infection is made based on HIV RNA testing, clinicians should recommend ART initiation without waiting for serologic confirmation. […] Clinicians should recommend immediate ART initiation to all patients diagnosed with acute HIV infection. […] Patients are at greatest risk of transmitting HIV during periods of high viremia early in infection. Clinicians should counsel patients with acute HIV about the increased risk of transmission during the 6 months after acute infection and the ongoing risk of transmission beyond 6 months. […] When a low-level quantitative HIV RNA viral load result (200 copies/mL) is obtained in the absence of serologic evidence of HIV infection, the clinician should repeat HIV RNA testing and perform an Ag/Ab combination immunoassay to exclude a false-positive result.

• #2

  https://www.who.int/health-topics/hiv-aids

  HIV viral load measures the amount of virus in the blood. […] This test is used to monitor the level of viral replication and effectiveness of ART. […] Diagnosis of HIV uses rapid tests that provide same-day results and can be done at home, although a laboratory test is required to confirm the infection. […] Effective antiretroviral treatment (ART) prevents HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. […] HIV is treated with antiretroviral therapy consisting of one or more medicines. […] ART does not cure HIV but reduces its replication in the blood, thereby reducing the viral load to an undetectable level. […] ART enables people living with HIV to lead healthy, productive lives. […] ART should be taken every day throughout the persons life.

• #2 HIV testing and diagnosis insights | ViiV Healthcare

  https://viivhealthcare.com/en-us/about-hiv/starting-your-journey/hiv-testing-and-diagnosis/

  HIV testing detects the virus before symptoms appear, or if you have a flu-like illness, a common reason for testing. Early diagnosis opposed to a late HIV diagnosis has many benefits; the sooner HIV treatment is started, the better the outcome. […] Knowing your HIV status stops you from unknowingly transmitting it to others. If you’re HIV positive and maintain an undetectable viral load by taking HIV treatment, you won’t transmit the virus. […] Regular HIV testing is offered as part of comprehensive health screening. […] HIV-positive pregnant individuals who are undergoing effective HIV treatment maintain an undetectable viral load. Treatment administered to their newborns for 2-6 weeks can reduce the risk of HIV transmission to 1% or less. […] Testing after just 2 weeks would not give a reliable result due to the window period of HIV. Fourth generation tests can detect 99% of HIV cases 6 weeks after exposure, but testing at 4 weeks only identifies 95%.

• #2 NCD – Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Testing (Diagnosis) (190.14)

  https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx?ncdid=53&ncdver=3&=

  In several unique situations, serologic testing alone may not reliably establish an HIV infection. This may occur because the antibody response (particularly the IgG response detected by Western Blot) has not yet developed (that is, acute retroviral syndrome), or is persistently equivocal because of inherent viral antigen variability. It is also an issue in perinatal HIV infection due to transplacental passage of maternal HIV antibody. In these situations, laboratory evidence of HIV in blood by culture, antigen assays, or proviral DNA or viral RNA assays, is required to establish a definitive determination of HIV infection. […] Diagnostic testing to establish HIV infection may be indicated when there is a strong clinical suspicion supported by one or more of the following clinical findings: The patient has a documented, otherwise unexplained, AIDS-defining or AIDS-associated opportunistic infection. The patient has another documented sexually transmitted disease which identifies significant risk of exposure to HIV and the potential for an early or subclinical infection. The patient has documented acute or chronic hepatitis B or C infection that identifies a significant risk of exposure to HIV and the potential for an early or subclinical infection. The patient has a documented AIDS-defining or AIDS-associated neoplasm. The patient has a documented AIDS-associated neurologic disorder or otherwise unexplained dementia. The patient has another documented AIDS-defining clinical condition, or a history of other severe, recurrent, or persistent conditions which suggest an underlying immune deficiency (for example, cutaneous or mucosal disorders). The patient has otherwise unexplained generalized signs and symptoms suggestive of a chronic process with an underlying immune deficiency (for example, fever, weight loss, malaise, fatigue, chronic diarrhea, failure to thrive, chronic cough, hemoptysis, shortness of breath, or lymphadenopathy). The patient has otherwise unexplained laboratory evidence of a chronic disease process with an underlying immune deficiency (for example, anemia, leukopenia, pancytopenia, lymphopenia, or low CD4+ lymphocyte count). The patient has signs and symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome with fever, malaise, lymphadenopathy, and skin rash. The patient has documented exposure to blood or body fluids known to be capable of transmitting HIV (for example, needle sticks and other significant blood exposures) and antiviral therapy is initiated or anticipated to be initiated. The patient is undergoing treatment for rape. (HIV testing is a part of the rape treatment protocol.)

• #2 HIV Testing Overview

  https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/hiv-testing/learn-about-hiv-testing/hiv-testing-overview

  Knowing your HIV status helps you make healthy decisions to prevent getting or transmitting HIV. […] If you take a test in a health care setting or a lab, a health care provider or lab technician will take a sample of your blood or oral fluid. […] If your oral swab or finger prick test is positive, it will need to be followed up with a blood sample to confirm the results. […] If that confirmatory test result is positive, the lab will conduct follow-up tests. If you receive a positive test result, you can take medicine to treat HIV (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), which protects your health and prevents transmission to others. […] If you get an HIV test outside of a health care setting or lab, such as at a community-based organization, mobile testing van, or elsewhere, you will likely receive a rapid HIV test.

• #2 HIV Symptoms, Signs, and Diagnosis

  https://www.emedicinehealth.com/hiv_symptoms_signs_and_diagnosis/article_em.htm

  During the first few weeks of HIV infection, mononucleosis-like or flu-like symptoms may occur that include fever, body aches, headache, and rarely a brief rash that may not be noticed. Many people do not have any symptoms at all. […] How is HIV/AIDS diagnosed? […] Blood testing for HIV is performed by a laboratory. The blood test includes a screening test, followed by a confirmatory test (western blot) if the screen is positive. Oral swab testing requires a confirmatory blood test if it is positive. A positive HIV blood test means that the person is infected with HIV virus. Many labs now use an HIV test for antibody and antigen in the blood. The sensitivity of the HIV tests is over 90%, and it is very rare to miss HIV infection. However, there is a window period within a few weeks after infection where HIV blood tests may not pick up the infection (a false negative). In general, rapid tests may be more likely to miss early HIV infection than blood tests, and the antigen/antibody blood tests may pick up HIV infection as early as three weeks after infection. The oral swab HIV antibody test may take 20 minutes to one hour for results (it does not include a confirmatory test). The blood HIV antibody test may take only one hour for results, depending on the laboratory’s schedule, plus one to two more days for the confirmatory test if it is positive. There are two home HIV tests: OraQuick In-Home HIV test (oral swab specimen) and the Home Access HIV-1 Test System (finger stick blood specimen). Both of these tests require follow-up confirmatory testing by a laboratory if the result is positive. A health care provider can order confirmatory HIV testing. The companies that sell the tests provide information and counseling on what to do next. Any home HIV test should be approved and validated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); unapproved tests are not verified to be reliable. Because of the window period (false negative test) that may occur in early infections, a negative HIV test should be repeated within three months to be sure it is negative. […] Also available are RNA tests that can test for HIV directly at about 10 days post infection, even before antibodies develop.

• #2 HIV testing and diagnosis insights | ViiV Healthcare

  https://viivhealthcare.com/en-us/about-hiv/starting-your-journey/hiv-testing-and-diagnosis/

  A negative test result doesn’t always rule out HIV, as the window period varies between individuals and depends on the test type. […] A positive antibody test result requires a follow-up lab test which is used to confirm a diagnosis of HIV. Confirmatory HIV tests are essential to rule out any false-positives, which can result from technical or biological errors, especially in self-test kits. […] Dealing with an HIV diagnosis can be challenging in many ways, but strong networks of support and effective treatment that allow a maintained quality of life are available.

• #2 HIV Tests: Diagnosis, Monitoring, and More

  https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/tests

  Fourth-generation HIV tests, which look for antibodies and the antigen p24, can detect HIV 18 to 45 days after transmission. […] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 97 percent of people with HIV produce a detectable number of antibodies within 3 months. […] If a person thinks theyve been exposed to HIV, they should tell their healthcare professional. A viral load test that directly measures the virus can be used to detect whether someone has recently acquired HIV. […] If a person has received an HIV diagnosis, its important for them to monitor their condition on an ongoing basis. […] The two most common measures for assessing HIV transmission are CD4 count and viral load. […] If a persons CD4 count decreases to fewer than 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood, theyll receive a diagnosis of stage 3 HIV, or AIDS.

• #2 HIV & AIDS: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4251-hiv-aids

  The goal of ART is to reduce HIV in the blood (viral load) to an amount that’s not detectable by an HIV test and to slow HIV’s weakening of your immune system. […] There is currently no cure for HIV, but there are many treatment options that can slow the progression of HIV significantly. […] If you’re diagnosed with HIV, it’s important to know that those living with HIV who follow treatment guidelines can live full lives for nearly as long as those without HIV. […] If you have a high CD4 count and an undetectable viral load within a year of starting treatment, research suggests you’ll have the best outcomes, as long as you continue your treatment plan. […] Left untreated, it can take about 10 years for HIV to advance to AIDS. […] To be diagnosed with AIDS, you must be infected with HIV and have at least one of the following: Fewer than 200 CD4 cells per cubic millimeter of blood (200 cells/mm3) or An AIDS-defining illness. […] AIDS is caused by having too few immune cells to fight off other illnesses.

• #2 Underdiagnosis and late HIV diagnoses are holding back progress to end AIDS in the European Region

  https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/underdiagnosis-and-late-hiv-diagnoses-are-holding-back-progress-end-aids-european

  Estimates show that overall only 70% of all people living with HIV in the WHO European Region are aware of their status. […] The EU/EEA has made strong progress on improving access to testing and reducing the number of people unknowingly living with HIV, but we still have more work to do. With more than half of diagnoses still being made late, it is vital that we focus on engaging with key populations and those who are most vulnerable to make sure they can be diagnosed early and access the prevention, treatment and care they need to live long, fulfilling lives. […] It is also crucial to address barriers to HIV care, including those related to residency or migration status, in order to ensure equitable access to services.

• #3 Core Concepts – HIV Diagnostic Testing – Screening and Diagnosis – National HIV Curriculum

  https://www.hiv.uw.edu/go/screening-diagnosis/diagnostic-testing/core-concept/all

  If the initial screening HIV-1/2 antigen-antibody immunoassay is reactive, a second HIV test is needed to confirm the initial test and to differentiate whether the infection is caused by HIV-1, HIV-2, or both. For this purpose, the CDC algorithm recommends using an HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation assay. The Geenius HIV 1/2 Supplemental Assay is the only FDA-approved assay currently in use for differentiating HIV-1 from HIV-2 infection.

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