Q and A

Question

Questions about HIV transmission and HIV testing

4 September 2015. Related: All topics, HIV testing, HIV transmission.

Answer

Answer: Robin Jakob

If you have sent i-Base a question about HIV testing or transmission, please read the info below.

We do appreciate your question and that you may be worried.

Whatever your question, if you received an email linking you to this page, then answer is already on the i-Base website.

This page will help you find it.

Each link below is grouped into different main questions about HIV transmission and testing.

Questions about testing or transmission?

1.   Look at the FAQ HIV testing page first. It includes answers to more than 90% of questions that we get asked about testing and transmission.

2.   See the Guide to HIV Testing and Risks of Sexual Transmission. This is written in easy-to-read non technical language. It includes a lot more detailed information than the FAQ page. It includes three additional appendices that includes even more detail, for example, on testing technology.

3.   Look at previously answered questions. There are more than 360 questions already answered on HIV testing and more than 470 questions on HIV transmission.

Worried about HIV?

If you are worried about a possible HIV infection, contact an HIV test centre, sexual health clinic, your doctor or local HIV organisation.

If you are in the UK, this page include an option to search for clinics by postcode.

If you anxious or worried about HIV testing this page discusses feelings abount taking a test.

Understanding HIV test results

If you do not understand results from an HIV test, please contact the centre where you were tested.

You have a right to have your results explained to you so that you understand them.

The FAQ page and testing guide both include a lot of information about interpreting test results.

Worried about symptoms?

It is common to worry about HIV if you have recently had sex without a condom.

Please remember that HIV is still relatively difficult to catch and many more people text negative than positive. For example, in the UK, more than 99% of HIV tests are negative.

If you are concerned about symptoms, please read symptoms of HIV seroconversion.

Advocates at i-Base are not medical doctor or nurses. If you have symptom we always recommend that you contact a doctor.

i-Base Q&A service

  • The i-Base Q&A service is mainly to help HIV positive people with their health and treatment.
  • We care about HIV testing and transmission but we can not answer these questions individually.
  • Instead, we have produced online information that does answer your question.
  • i-Base is an activist project that supports HIV positive people take control of their own health. The same is true if you are HIV negative. Your health is important so please look for information in the resources linked above.

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