The most commonly used test is an HIV antibody test. Antibodies are produced by the body in response to the presence of HIV, and this test looks for those antibodies.

What is the window period?

When someone becomes infected with HIV, it can take up to three months for their immune system to produce enough antibodies to show up on an HIV test (although in a few cases it can take up to six months) - this gap is known as the window period or sero-conversion. Because the HIV test looks for antibodies, taking an HIV test less than three months after possibly getting infected might not give an accurate result. However, throughout the window period, the infected person has enough viruses in the blood, breast milk or sexual fluids to infect another person even though it won't show on a test. Can you treat HIV? There is no vaccine or cure for HIV. However, anti-HIV drugs are available, and taking a combination of anti-HIV drugs (combination therapy) can slow down the damaging effect of HIV on the immune system. When combination therapy is successful, it can improve the health of someone with HIV, making them less likely to develop what used to be called 'AIDS-defining conditions' and prolonging their life expectancy. In order for the anti-HIV drugs to be most effective a certain level has to be maintained in the body at all times. However, taking anti-HIV drugs can be complicated. Some people have take a large number of pills every day with restrictions about when they have to be taken and with dietary instructions which can make it very difficult to stick to. Some of the treatments have side effects as well. The real problems Anti-HIV treatments have drastically improved the health of people living with HIV, but living with the virus can be stressful and difficult. Living with a potentially life-threatening infection, and knowing you could pass it on to someone else can be very difficult. Misunderstandings and fears about HIV are still widespread in society. People living with HIV may face hostility or rejection from society, some have lost jobs and homes and children have been banned from schools due to their HIV status.

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How is HIV passed on?

For someone to become infected, a sufficient amount of HIV must get into his or her blood. The body fluids which contain enough HIV to infect someone are blood, semen, vaginal fluids including menstrual blood, and breast milk. Saliva, sweat and urine do NOT contain enough viruses to infect someone. HIV CANNOT pass through intact external skin, or through the air like a cold or flu virus.

How does the HIV test work?

The most commonly used test is an HIV antibody test. Antibodies are produced by the body in response to the presence of HIV, and this test looks for those antibodies. What is the window period? When someone becomes infected with HIV, it can take up to three months for their immune system to produce enough antibodies to show up on an HIV test (although in a few cases it can take up to six months) - this gap is known as the window period or seroconversion. Because the HIV test looks for antibodies, taking an HIV test less than three months after possibly getting infected might not give an accurate result. However, throughout the window period, the infected person has enough viruses in the blood, breast milk or sexual fluids to infect another person even though it won't show on a test. Can you treat HIV? There is no vaccine or cure for HIV. However, anti-HIV drugs are available, and taking a combination of anti-HIV drugs (combination therapy) can slow down the damaging effect of HIV on the immune system.

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