Venipuncture – blood test
- Testing for antigens AND antibodies
- 6-8 week window before testing
- Highly accurate
Fingerprick – rapid testing for antibodies.
- 8-12 week window before testing
- Can be mailed to remote locations
- This is a SCREENING test, and should be followed up by a consult & lab test.
Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) – combination
- One tablet, taken once at the same time each day, few side effects
- Start immediately/ASAP after diagnosis
- PBS subsidised for anyone in Australia
- HIV viral load can be UNDETECTABLE which means it is not damaging your immune system, and can not be transmitted
HIV can be prevented by:
Regular testing – know your status and the status of your sexual & injecting partners
Treatment – properly treated HIV can not be transmitted
Screening during pregnancy – an HIV postivie women on a treatment reduces the risk of passing HIV on to her baby
PrEP and PEP – Take PrEP or PEP to prevent transmission if you have been exposed to HIV
Safer sex – use condoms and lube to reduce the risk of HIV transmission
Harm reduction – Needle and Syringe exchange programs provide unused injecting equipment to help reduce HIV transmission
