These also look for HIV antibodies, but they aren’t as accurate as other tests that check either your blood or oral fluid. But if you have a new infection, even if you got it in the past few months, the test won’t be as reliable. If you’ve had the virus for a while, the rapid oral test is highly accurate. Just swab the area between your gums and teeth to collect a sample of oral fluid (it isn’t the same as saliva) for antibodies against HIV. You can do this quick, easy test at home. The window period for this test is 18 to 90 days. This test has become the standard HIV blood test in most labs.Ī rapid antibody/antigen can also be done using blood from a prick of your fingertip. Newer antigen/antibody combination tests (you might hear them called “fourth generation” tests) can find HIV in 99% of people who are tested within 13-42 days of exposure. Your health care provider can do this test, or you can buy a kit that lets you mail your sample in for testing. It’s about as accurate as the original antibody test, but its window period could be longer - between 18 and 90 days. This test looks for antibodies using a drop of blood from a prick of your fingertip. It can find antibodies (proteins your immune system makes when you’ve been exposed to the virus) 23-90 days after infection. This test uses blood that a technician takes from your vein and sends to a lab. But if you wait too long to learn if you’re HIV-positive, you can miss out on early treatment and also unknowingly spread the virus to others. If you get tested too soon, you may get faulty results. No HIV test can tell if you have the virus just after you’ve been exposed. What Is a Window Period?Įvery HIV test has a different “window period.” That’s how long you need to wait after exposure until you can expect an accurate result. So if you test negative a month or two after your exposure, your doctor may want you to retest after 3 months to be sure. You can infect others soon after you're exposed, so practice safe sex and take other precautions in the meantime.Īlmost everyone who is HIV-positive has detectable levels of antibodies at 3 months. For most types of HIV tests, you’ll need to wait 2 weeks or more after exposure to get an accurate result. If you don't get to a doctor in time to get PEP, ask your doctor about getting tested for HIV. You need to take them within 72 hours (3 days) after exposure. Emergency drugs called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may prevent HIV infection. Examples include unsafe sex with someone who has HIV or if you were sexually assaulted. If you’ve had a high-risk exposure to HIV very recently, go to the emergency room or call your doctor right away. You can get them done in a community clinic or take them at home. These tests provide results in about 20-30 minutes. For these tests, a technician takes a sample of your blood and tests it. There are two basic ways to get HIV test results: Had sex with someone who has a history of any of these things.Have had or are getting tested for tuberculosis, hepatitis, or any sexually transmitted disease, including syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, or herpes.Injected drugs using a needle, syringe, or other device that someone else used first.Had unprotected sex with someone who is or could be HIV-positive, including someone whose sexual history you don't know.Have had several sexual partners since your last HIV test.You should be tested more often - at least once a year - if you’re at higher risk of getting HIV, including if you: The CDC recommends that everyone in the United States between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once. Pregnant women should get tested because early treatment means you probably won’t pass it to your baby. You can also take steps so you don't pass HIV to other people. If you have the virus, finding out quickly means you can start treatment right away so you can feel better and live a long, full life. Most can't spot HIV right away because it takes time for your body to make antibodies or for enough of the virus to grow inside you. Several types of tests check your blood or other body fluids to see whether you're infected. HIV testing, also called HIV screening, is the only way to know if you have the virus.

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