HIV Testing FAQs

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone be tested for HIV as a part of routine health care. The CDC estimates that one in seven people with HIV in the U.S. do not know they have the virus.

If you are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant, knowing your status will help you take precautions to keep you and your baby from getting, and/or passing on, HIV.

See: How often should I get tested for HIV?

CDC, HIV Basics,Testing. March 2018.

How often you get tested for HIV is something to discuss with your health care provider. Annual testing may be recommended depending on your risk. Your health care provider can also advise you about testing for other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Having an untreated STD can increase your risk for HIV.

Given the higher rates of infection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and many health departments recommend gay and bisexual men and transgender women get tested for HIV more frequently, every 3 to 6 months.

Women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should get tested as early as possible. If you are found to have HIV, there are treatments that can prevent passing the virus to the baby.

CDC, HIV Basics, Testing. March 2018.

The only way to know for sure if you are being tested for HIV is to ask to be tested.

Even though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends HIV testing as a part of routine health care that does not mean you are automatically tested when you go to the doctor or a clinic, even if you have your blood drawn.

HIV cannot be diagnosed with a Pap smear or through a pelvic or prostate exam.

CDC, HIV Basics, Testing. March 2018.

It varies, but no test can detect HIV immediately after infection. If you think you have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, talk to your health care provider about post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) right away.

HIV tests look for antibodies that result after infection. It can take three to 12 weeks before antibodies are detected by a test.

The time period between when someone has contracted HIV and a positive test is called the “window period.” During this period, a person could test negative for HIV antibodies, but still have HIV and be able to pass the virus to others if protections are not taken.

Some people have longer window periods, so if you get a negative HIV-antibody test result in the first 12 weeks after possible exposure, you should repeat the test. Talk with your health care provider about your situation and the window period for the HIV test you are taking to find out if re-testing is recommended.

See: What is PEP?

CDC, HIV Basics, Testing. March 2018.

There are several different ways to be tested for HIV. Some tests use blood, and others test cells inside the mouth. HIV blood tests may be a finger stick or a draw from the inner arm. Oral HIV tests use a swab of the mouth.

If you have a preference for the type of test, ask your health care provider. At-home HIV test kits are also available for sale in many drug stores.

See: How long does it take to get HIV test results?

Some testing locations, including at-home tests, provide initial results of HIV tests in under 20 minutes, with some as fast as one minute. These are referred to as rapid HIV tests.

Others may require a few weeks to get back results from the lab. If you have a preference for the type of test, ask your health care provider what they offer.

Free and low cost HIV testing is available in most locations across the U.S.

Most insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare, cover HIV testing in full. If you are paying out-of-pocket the cost can vary at different locations.

Click here to find HIV testing near you, including free HIV testing.

HIV testing is available in most doctor’s offices and health clinics, including Planned Parenthood.

If you don’t have a regular health care provider, click here to find HIV testing near you, including free testing.

When you donate blood in the U.S., your blood is tested for HIV and other infections. Given the level of screening, the U.S. has one of the safest blood supplies in the world today. However, blood donation is not a reliable or recommended way to learn your HIV status.

Click here to find HIV testing near you, including free HIV testing.

If your HIV test comes back positive, a follow-up test will be conducted. If the follow-up test is also positive, it means you are living with HIV.

It is important that you start medical care and begin HIV treatment as soon as you are diagnosed with HIV, even if you don’t feel sick.

Antiretrovirals (ARVs) are prescribed medications used to treat HIV. A person diagnosed with HIV on ongoing treatment and in medical care can live a normal, healthy lifespan. In addition to improving health, ARVs also prevent the spread of the virus.

ARVs are recommended for all people with HIV, regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they are. To get the full health and preventive benefits of ARVs, it is important to stay connected to medical care and continue to take medications every day as prescribed.

Click here to learn more about HIV treatment.

HHS, Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected Adults and Adolescents: Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy. October 2017.
CDC, HIV Basics, Testing. March 2018.

If you don’t have HIV, the goal is to stay that way. There are more options than ever to prevent infection.

For people who do not have HIV who want added protection, PrEP is a prescription pill that keeps HIV from taking hold in the body. When taken every day, PrEP has been shown to be highly effective in protecting against infection.

Condoms are a non-medication means of protection that are readily available. When used consistently and correctly, condoms are highly effective in protecting against HIV, as well as many other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). There are also condoms specifically designed for women. Like male condoms, female condoms are a barrier method of protection. Female condoms are inserted into the vagina.

If your HIV test results are within a window period when you might have been exposed, it is possible that it is too early for the test to detect HIV. Your health care provider can advise on whether re-testing is necessary and how often you should be tested going forward.

See: How soon will a test detect HIV?
See:  How often should I be tested for HIV?

CDC, HIV Basics, Testing. March 2018.
CDC, HIV Basics, Prevention. February 2018.