SOAIDS

The HIV Test

 

Introduction

 

HIV is one of the most serious STIs. Nowadays with the availability of effective medication it is worth your while to know your HIV status. If you are tested positive, medication will help you to have a longer and healthier life. If you are tested negative, you can take precautions to make sure you stay negative.

 

Here are some reasons to have yourself tested for HIV:

  • If you test negative, it will take away the stress of not knowing or wondering or suspecting your status.
  • Should you find out that you are HIV positive (infected with HIV), you and your healthcare providers can better plan early treatment and intervention, improving your chances of slowing down the progression of HIV to AIDS and of living healthier and longer.
  • By knowing your status, you can find out whether or not you can infect others, and what precautions you can take to prevent transmission to other people.
  • Regardless of the result (positive or negative), testing tends to increase peoples commitment to overall good health habits. If you test positive, you can learn more about HIV and how to live a long and productive life even with infection. If you test negative, it will motivate you to keep yourself HIV-free. For instance by practicing safe sex.
  • If you are considering having a baby and you test positive, you can go on treatments that help prevent mother to child transmission of HIV (also known as vertical transmission).
  • You will also know that you should avoid breastfeeding if you are infected with HIV (you can pass on the HIV virus through breast milk).

 

You cannot be tested reliably for HIV until three months after you have had unsafe sex. This is because of the window period. An HIV test is done on a blood sample taken by a docter or specialist nurse.

 

The best place to request for an HIV test is from your doctor or at your local GGD.

HIV Test Results

 

A positive result means:

  • You are HIV-positive. This means that you are carrying the virus that causes AIDS. Another term for 'HIV-positive' is 'seropositive'. 
  • You can infect others who come into contact with your blood, semen or vaginal fluid.
  • When you take necessary precautions, such as practicing safe sex, you can avoid transmitting HIV to others.

 

A negative result means:

  • No HIV antibodies were found in your blood at this time.
  • In order to stay negative, practice safe sex.

    The only way to know if you are HIV-positive is through an HIV test. If you have recently been exposed to HIV, or think you may have been exposed to HIV, then contact a doctor or sexual health clinic.