HIV testing

Getting tested for HIV can be scary, but the condition is treatable so it is important to get tested if you think you have been exposed. Early detection and monitoring of HIV will help your doctor determine whether the disease is progressing and when to start treatment.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone should get tested for HIV as part of their regular medical care. In addition, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening tests for HIV if:¹

• You or your sex partner(s) engages in high-risk behavior.
• You are pregnant. Early treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can reduce the risk of passing HIV to your baby.
• You have been to a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic or a tuberculosis (TB) clinic.

You and your doctor can decide if testing is right for you.

You can get HIV testing in most doctors’ offices, public health clinics, hospitals, and Planned Parenthood clinics. You can also buy a home HIV test kit in a drugstore or by mail order. But be very careful to choose only a test that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If a home test is positive, see a doctor to have the result confirmed and to find out what to do next.

For more information, see the topic Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection.

Citations

1. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2005). Screening for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection (AHRQ Publication No. 05-0580-A). Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Also available online: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspshivi.htm.