HIV Testing

HIV Anti-body Testing, Reflex Western Blot Confirmation

What do I need to know about HIV testing?
An antibody test is the most common type of test used to diagnose HIV in individuals. This test shows whether a person has been infected with HIV by looking for HIV antibodies in a person's blood. When HIV enters a person's body, special proteins are produced, which are known as antibodies. Antibodies are the body's response to an infection. So if a person has specific antibodies against HIV in their blood, it means they have been infected with HIV.

What is a Reflex Western Blot Confirmation?
The Western blot test is used as a confirmatory test in the US; this test confirms any positive test results from the HIV test.  This test comes at no cost to you.  Test can separately detect antibodies to various HIV proteins. If several types of antibodies are detected then the result is positive; if no antibodies are detected then the result is negative.

What kind of sample is necessary for HIV testing?
A small blood sample is drawn at one of our Patient Service Centers.

Any test preparation needed?
No preparation is needed for this test.

What does my HIV test result mean?
A healthy individual has no antibodies to HIV. However, a negative screening test means only that there is no evidence of disease at the time of the test. It is important for those who are at increased risk of HIV infection to have screening tests performed on a regular basis to check for possible exposure to the virus.

If you test positive for HIV antibodies on both the ELISA (HIV – Anti-body test) and the Western Blot tests, you are considered to be infected with HIV. HIV cannot be cured, but early diagnosis allows for treatment that can help to suppress levels of virus in your body (viral load) and slow progression of the disease.

Ready To Order

Stress Free Testing is the only STD Testing company that has a fully intergrated online ordering system. We understand you may not want to speak to anyone on the phone about ordering your STD Test. You can order your tests without ever speaking to someone from our Order Page.