Who should test for HIV?
Anyone considering a new physical relationship should always insist on a test process, as anyone can be at risk and most infected people do not know their HIV status as they look and feel well. The common causes of HIV infection are:
- Unprotected sexual contact with an infected person
- Using needles in connection with drugs
- Using unsafe blood products or transfusion with infected blood, such as during emergency medical treatment while traveling.
- Health care workers who take blood samples
Why the need to get tested early? Late testing results in missed opportunities for preventing HIV infections. Initiating antiretroviral therapy sooner, means a significantly longer lifespan and better quality of life. Also very importantly during the time between HIV infection and diagnosis, infected persons can transmit HIV to others during risk behavior.
Can I be infected by the test? There is no HIV present in the test and you cannot be infected by a new unused test. The rapid test kit is double sealed in air tight packaging with an auto-retracting sterilized lancet. Once you are pricked, the lancet retracts to avoid contact with the needle to avoid infection. The test device is for one-time use only.
What is the ‘window period’? The "window period" is the time it takes for a person who has been infected with HIV, to react to the virus by creating HIV antibodies. This is called sero-conversion.
During this window period, there are no antibodies to HIV in their blood that can be detected, even though the person may already have high levels of HIV in their blood, sexual fluids, or breast milk.
For this reason we recommend having two kits, 1 for immediate testing, the 2nd kit for testing after 30 days. If contact was within 2 weeks before your first test, then testing 30 days apart will ensure you detect almost all (>95%) sero-conversion cases.
What do I do if I am tested positive? It is most important that a positive HIV antibody test result be followed by a Western Blot or PCR test performed by a doctor or clinic, to confirm if you are indeed HIV positive. Since no test or test kit is 100% accurate it is important to confirm test results via a medical professional.
How reliable are Home Self Test Kits? The test kit has accuracy of 99.98% and has been thoroughly and successfully tested for its reliability, accuracy and sensitivity by regional health ministries and major reputable hospitals throughout the world. The manufacturing process is ISO 9001 compliant, and the kits are developed by one of the leading Biotech companies in the
Online Payment? Payment is 100% confidential as there is no indication as to the product purchased on your credit card statement. Payment is taken via WorldPay servers to insure 100% security. For more information on payment please see our Payment section.
