HIV + AIDS Test

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is spread through exposure to infected blood and bodily fluids, primarily through sexual contact and the sharing of needles during intravenous drug use.

Other methods such as blood transfusions from donors that have not been properly screened and the use of piercing or tattoo implements that have not been properly sterilized can also spread the virus. 

HIV damages the immune system making it easier to become seriously ill or even die from infections that the body would normally be able to fight off.

Rapid Results DNA + Drug Testing's HIV + AIDS Test has the quickest turnaround of any HIV test and typically sees results in just 1-2 business days. 

The 4th generation HIV test is an improvement over the previous generation of testing which only looked for antibodies to the HIV virus. This updated testing method looks for both antibodies and the p24 Antigen which is specific to HIV. 

The p24 Antigen is a viral protein that makes up the majority of the HIV viral core (capsid).  Whereas HIV antibodies are typically detectable at 4-12 weeks from exposure, the P24 antigen can be detected as early as 3 weeks from exposure and even sooner in some people. 

The combination of screening for both antibodies and antigens allows this test to detect a significantly higher number of early infections than previous generations of HIV screening.  The 4th gen test can be used to screen for both HIV-1 and HIV-2.