Question
How do they get a HIV test result from blood on a piece of paper?
19 August 2010. Related: All topics, HIV testing.
While I was abroad I had a HIV test done – I was very reluctant to get one done where I was, so I ordered a home sampling one which was FDA approved. Anyway I put my blood on this piece of paper and sent it back. What I am now realising is if the blood had dried how on earth can they get a HIV result from that? Would certain elements to the virus still be there? Should I re test?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
If you followed the instructions on the package and it is a FDA approved test then the test will work. It would help if you could let me know the name of the test and who it was made by.
Most home test kits involving blood on a piece of paper work like pregnancy tests and once a buffer is added the antibodies in the blood move along the paper. One line is a negative result and 2 lines are a positive result.
These tests do not look for the HIV itself but for antibodies made by the immune system. Whilst HIV dies outside the body, the antibodies are not changed once the blood is dried and so this should still be possible.
If you are worried you should go to your nearest GUM clinic and get a free confidential test done there.
For more information on testing please follow this link