The Top Ten Questions About HIV Tests

Published 9 months ago

Becky Kuhn, M.D., answers the top ten questions about HIV tests: 1) How do HIV tests work? 2) What are the window period and false negatives? 3) How long after exposure to HIV does it take for a person to test HIV positive? 4) What's the risk of... more

Becky Kuhn, M.D., answers the top ten questions about HIV tests: 1) How do HIV tests work? 2) What are the window period and false negatives? 3) How long after exposure to HIV does it take for a person to test HIV positive? 4) What's the risk of a false positive on the initial ELISA test? 5) What's the risk of a false positive diagnosis after a Western Blot test? 6) Can I be tested for free? 7) Can I be tested without revealing my name? 8) Do I have to be stuck with a needle? 9) If I test HIV positive, does that mean Im going to develop AIDS and die? 10) Why should I get tested? She also explains: anonymous testing; confidential, name-based testing; home-based testing for HIV-1; and use of the PCR Test for detection of HIV infection during the window period. There is a 98.5% chance that an "HIV positive" result on an initial ELISA test is correct (and a 1.5% chance that it was a false ... less

Tags: hiv aids test questions myths denialists false positive negative elisa enzyme immunoassay western blot