An HIV test can tell if a person has HIV. On the market today, HIV AB Rapid Test testing service is quite popular and used by many people. So, is the rapid HIV AB test accurate?
What is HIV AB test?
HIV AB test stands for HIV Antibody test.
When the body is exposed to the HIV virus, the immune system creates antibodies to identify and neutralize the virus. However, this process takes a certain amount of time, so it depends on each person that the time to detect antibodies is fast or slow. HIV AB test can find HIV antibodies as early as 23 days after exposure. However, it can take up to 90 days for the body to make enough HIV antibodies. Therefore, the HIV detection time of this method can also be longer.
HIV antibody testing can be done in 3 common ways:
- Lab test that takes a blood sample from a vein
- Rapid test that takes a blood sample from your finger, saliva, or urine
- Home testing including self-test kits and saliva collection
Advantages:
- Simple to do, doesn’t cost much.
- High sensitivity should quickly detect suspected HIV cases, helping patients relieve psychological stress
- Can test right in the lab or hospital
Disadvantages:
- Low specificity
- In many cases, it is not possible to conclude whether a patient is infected with HIV or not, and needs to resort to other specialized methods.
Is HIV AB rapid test accurate?
To answer the question “Is the rapid HIV AB Test accurate?”, you need to consider the accuracy of the HIV test:
- Type of test in use
- The type of sample used in the test, e.g. blood sample, saliva sample, etc.
- How long does it take a person to get tested after being exposed to HIV
- How a person’s body responds to HIV.
However, when using this type of test, you should also note that the sensitivity of the HIV AB test is quite high. That is, they can detect all HIV-like structures, so they can give false positives. But at the same time, the specificity is low, meaning that the ratio of true positive / (true positive + false positive) is quite low.
Is HIV AB Rapid Test Accurate?
Because of the potential for false positives, HIV AB Test results are only confirmed in two cases: Negative or Unknown (results show false positives or true positives).
- If the case is negative, the HIV antibody level in the body is too low or completely absent. To be absolutely sure, you should get tested again after 3-6 months from the date of exposure.
- If in an undetermined case, the person suspected of being infected should carry out in-depth tests to get the most accurate conclusions from specialist doctors.
So, is the rapid HIV AB Test accurate? According to health experts, this is still an effective method to determine HIV exposure.
Time to get HIV test results
For rapid tests, results are available in 30 minutes. But with a standard antibody test, you’ll get results in a few days.
What should you do if you receive a positive HIV AB rapid test result?
If you get a positive result after taking the HIV AB rapid test, you need to You need to calm down and see a specialist for specific advice.
At this point, your doctor will order other tests to check how your immune system is working, how the HIV virus is developing, and how healthy your body is. With this information, your doctor will create a treatment plan suitable for your condition, including the duration and method of treatment.
Currently, thanks to modern treatment methods, people with HIV can still have a life expectancy close to the same as those of people who are not infected. Many studies show that early detection and early treatment reduce the HIV viral load in the blood, preventing transmission to others. Therefore, if in doubt, do not hesitate to go to the nearest medical facility to perform the test. Even the rapid HIV AB Test is accurate or not depends quite a lot on this stage.
When to get tested for HIV?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. If you do not want in-depth testing, you can choose the HIV AB Test. Whether or not the rapid HIV AB Test is accurate, it will tell you how well you are doing and if you need next steps.
You should get tested for HIV regularly if:
- Having a sexually transmitted disease
- Having sex with someone who is HIV positive (HIV positive)
- Injecting drugs, sharing needles, syringes, or drugs with others
- Have sex with anyone who has or is doing any of the above.
In addition to focusing on whether the rapid HIV AB test is accurate, it is also necessary to pay attention to some symptoms of early HIV exposure such as:
- Muscle pain
- Diarrhea
- Headache, fever
- Mouth ulcers, esophageal ulcers
- Genital ulcers.
Where is the HIV test?
You do not need to prepare anything before going to the HIV AB Test. There are many places to get tested like health clinics, private clinics, hospitals or any licensed medical facility. When you arrive, the medical staff will explain the types of samples taken and how.
Hope the article has helped you to have the answer to the question of whether the rapid HIV AB Test test is accurate. In some cases, the possibility of erroneous results is also possible. If you think your results are inaccurate, talk to your GP or other health care professional. They will help interpret the results and suggest the next steps you should take.
