Archive for the ‘HIV Testing’ Category
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV destroys the body’s immune system and leads to AIDS. People with AIDS develop many diseases and “opportunistic” infections (such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, cancer, and skin infections) that ultimately lead to death. There is no cure for HIV/AIDS. Prevention is critical. If you have been exposed to the HIV virus in any number of ways, you can be tested to see if you have the HIV antibodies.
- How HIV is transmitted
- The HIV virus can be transmitted by unprotected sexual contact (vaginal, anal, or oral sex), sharing needles, transfused blood products, mother to newborn (30% risk), and occupational needlestick exposures. From the minute the HIV enters the body, the virus begins replicating at a rate of 10 billion new specimens per day.
- Some 90% of all new HIV infections occur in developing countries, such as in Africa and Asia, where the vast majority of cases are transmitted by sexual relations between men and women (heterosexual intercourse).
The diagnosis of HIV infection can be made by detecting the presence of disease-fighting proteins called antibodies in the blood. These HIV antibodies are not generally seen until 1-3 months following infection. If you have been exposed to the HIV virus, early testing is important because it is generally believed that the earlier treatment is started the better your outcome. Furthermore, high-risk behaviors that could spread the virus to others can be avoided.
Two different types of antibody tests, enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and Western blot, are available. The screening test is the ELISA test, and Western blot is the confirmatory test. Both of these tests can be negative for up to 3 months after the exposure. In this situation, if the suspicion for HIV infection remains high, another, more accurate test can be performed. This test directly looks for the actual HIV particles in the blood.