HIV DETECTION

1. What is HIV Testing?

The only way to find out if you have the HIV virus is via HIV Testing or in other words, HIV Screening

To know if you are infected with the HIV virus, there are a couple types of tests that checks your blood or bodily fluids. Nevertheless, most of the time the virus can’t be spotted right away because it takes time for antibodies towards the HIV virus to build in your body or for enough virus to grow inside of you.

2. Importance of HIV Testing

• It is important to screen for the virus and to find out the results soon so that treatment can begin ASAP.


• You also can prevent others from getting the virus from you.


• It is crucial for pregnant woman to get tested for HIV as early treatment can prevent passing the virus on to the baby.

3. Who Should Get an HIV Test?

It is recommended for those aged 13-63 to get tested for HIV at least once. You should be tested more often, at least once a year if you’re at higher risk of getting HIV, such as in case if you:

• Have had several sexual partners


• Had unprotected sex with someone who is or could be HIV-positive, including someone whose sexual history you don't know


• Injected drugs with a needle, syringe, or other device that someone else used first


• Have had or are getting tested for tuberculosis, hepatitis, or any sexually transmitted disease, including syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, or herpes


• Have had sex for drugs or money


• Had sex with someone who has a history of any of these

4.What types of HIV Tests are out there?

5. What to Expect?

Schedule for the HIV Treatment center in Kuala Lumpur that provide HIV Tests

The doctor will take a small blood sample and send it to a lab. Some biochemical tests check your urine / fluids from your mouth (not the saliva), but because there are not much antibodies in these fluids, false negatives in the results may occur.

On the other hand, in regards to the HOME BLOOD TESTS, you need to prick your finger to get a small amount of blood that you need to send to the lab. After a few days, you will get your results and if the result is positive, you need to do a double check with a follow-up test.

With home oral fluid tests, you swab your upper and lower gums and test the sample in a vial. You get a result in 20 minutes but there are higher chances to obtain a false negative with this. If it’s positive, it’s best to get a lab test to confirm or take Sexual Health Advice.

6. Positive test result, so what now?

A positive test result means there are traces of HIV in your body. If you did the rapid test, do get a standard lab test to double confirm.

A positive HIV test does not mean you have AIDS which is the most advanced phase of this disease.

To keep you from getting AIDS, HIV treatment is crucial which you need to talk to your doctor right away about starting medications called antiretroviral therapy (ART). These drugs lower the amount of the virus in your body, sometimes to a point where a test can’t spot it. The drug also protects your immune system so your HIV infection does not become AIDS.

7. So what happens if the result is negative?

If your results come back as negative, you still should protect and prevent yourself from contacting HIV. Taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication in HIV prevention strategy where HIV-negative individuals take anti-HIV medications before coming into contact with HIV to reduce their risk of becoming infected. The medications work to prevent HIV from establishing infection inside the body. Also, not forgetting to practice safe sex… always!

Even if your test is negative, your partner can still have the virus. Talk with them about getting tested too.

To get a positive result on some HIV test, it can take up to 6 months for your body to create enough antibodies towards the virus.

If it’s been 3 months or less since you might have been infected and your test result is negative, get another test at 6 months to be sure.

To find out more about HIV tests, contact:

PoliKlinik MUC -Bukit Bintang

03-2141-5814 / 011-5172-7890

88, Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang,

50200 Kuala Lumpur.