Convenient HIV Testing at Your Primary Care Office

HIV testing detects the presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in a person’s blood. HIV is a sexually transmitted infection. Proper testing can help detect this virus, which can lead to immediate treatment. Here are the details about stress-free HIV testing that you can get at your local primary care clinic.

The essentials of HIV testing

HIV attacks the human immune system. This makes it difficult for one’s body to fight different infections. This virus may lead to AIDS or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. This disease can become life-threatening in some cases.

That is why one must have HIV testing. Early HIV detection means early treatment. Presently, the treatments available can reinforce the immune system. This can help fight off the virus better. Early treatment can also prevent the onset of AIDS.

HIV testing for high-risk individuals

This virus enters the body through the exchange of body fluids through blood transmission or sexual relations. An individual can be at high risk if there has been significant exposure to the mentioned fluids from an HIV-infected person. Unprotected intercourse with an infected partner increases a person’s risk of contracting this virus. Regular HIV testing is necessary if the individual:

• Shares needles to inject medications
• Has oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with an HIV-positive individual or a person whose HIV status is unknown
• Has another sexually transmitted infection
• Has sexual intercourse with more than one partner
• Has a partner who has sexual relations with other people
• Is male and has sexual relations with other male individuals

The HIV testing must happen at least once a year. The CDC highly recommends that men with male partners go through this testing every three to six months. A checkup with the primary physician can determine the frequency of one’s HIV tests. The doctor will explain the risk of HIV so that the patient can understand the importance of these tests.

A person who was just sexually assaulted must also have HIV testing. A healthcare provider will conduct the test as soon as possible. This specific test is called HIV PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis). It will have a series of medications that can prevent the proliferation of HIV in the body. The individual must start taking them within three days of possible exposure so that they can be effective.

How HIV testing works

The doctor will be looking for the presence of HIV in the patient’s oral fluid or blood. The results may have HIV antibodies. It may have the virus or both antibodies and antigens. The patient will need more testing to confirm the test results. A negative result means that the patient does not have the virus.

The types of HIV testing from a primary care office

Rapid HIV testing checks the oral fluid or blood for the presence of HIV antibodies. The healthcare provider will collect the oral fluid with a mouth swab. Collecting the blood sample will involve drawing blood from a finger prick or a vein. Some of these rapid tests can have results in about five minutes. But these findings are merely preliminary. A positive result will need another test to finalize the patient’s final HIV status.

A Lab HIV testing involves drawing blood. The sample will go to a lab. Analyzing the sample can happen in a clinic. A positive result will need more tests. Below are the stages of HIV testing that the CDC recommends:

• Antibody/antigen test for HIV antibodies and antigen p24
• Antibody test for HIV-1 and HIV-2
• NAT test for the presence of HIV in the blood

You can have your HIV testing from your primary care doctor’s clinic

HIV is a much dreaded sexually transmitted infection. Even so, detecting this illness early can lead to early treatment. This can prevent the onset of life-threatening AIDS. It is convenient to have your HIV testing at your primary care doctor’s clinic. Working with your doctor can give you quick and accurate results.

Get more information about Millennium Medical Care Herndon in Herndon at https://herndon.millenniummedicalcare.com.

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