| Show Its It's Time lime to Market The HIV Test or she will be less likely to engage in high risk high risk behaviors that might transmit the virus to another per per- son Just as important from a health perspective a person can do domany domany domany many things to keep him herself healthy in the face of only if the person kI knows he or she has it When an HIV test is done on a blood sample the lab is actually looking for the antibodies that a persons person's body produces when HIV is present not the virus itself A person is diagnosed as HIV positive positive positive tive after a sample has tested positive positive positive pos pos- twice Despite considerable publicity false positives samples samples samples sam sam- ples testing positive despite the absence of antibodies are not common although certainly lab ups mix-ups can occur It takes the body between three weeks and six months to produce the antibodies to HIV Therefore a person could have hav contracted the virus very recently yet test negative negative negative nega tive because the body has yet to produce the antibodies A person should test six months after the last risk opportunity to feel confident that HIV is not present in his her Q I body As a general rule AIDS educators educators educators tors like to encourage sexually- sexually active people to get tested once a year for HIV even if their actual sexual activities are low risk There are two ways to be tested tested tested test test- ed anonymously and confidential confidential- ly The organization or agency administering an anonymous test does not know or care who you are These tests are usually free and offered in conjunction with a local state or county health depart depart- ment Confidential testing is more common they know who you are and are supposed to lock you results away in a confidential medical medical medical med med- ical file Anonymous testing is not available available available avail avail- able in all states and in some anonymous testing sites are located only in big cities Students on many campuses have become active in lobbying for greater funding funding funding fund fund- ing for and access to anonymous testing If you would like more information information information mation on AIDS testing contact Dee Dee Lobato or the Health Center Center Center Cen Cen- ter in jn room of the College Cen Cen- ter |
