This project is sponsored by the AIDS Trust Fund.
HIV Tests
- The HIV antibody test:
The test is made to test the presence of antibodies that are specifically produced after HIV infection. The ELISA test is commonly used for routine screening and the WB test for confirmation. The ELISA and WB tests produce highly accurate diagnostic result. Blood is usually taken for the two tests. To encourage HIV testing among the high risk groups, HIV antibody test using urine sample is provided in all methadone treatment centres in Hong Kong. A typical HIV test may take more than 1 week to process. - Rapid HIV test for delivering women and selected settings:
In Hong Kong, all pregnant women can check their HIV status through the routine HIV test in the antenatal clinic. A rapid test is available for delivery women who do not know about their HIV status. The test takes only 5 – 20 minutes to show the results. A rapid test giving positive result indicates high possibility of HIV infection but its accuracy is lower than the routine HIV test. A further blood test will
be done for confirmation if the rapid test is positive. The window period also applies to rapid HIV rest.
* The test result may be negative if the HIV-infected person gets the test done during the window period.* See below for details.
Apart from antenatal clinics, rapid test is available in the following settings:
- Hospitals or clinics where the risk of needle-stick injury is high.
- Out-reach settings where routine HIV testing may not reach the high risk groups such as homosexuals, sex-workers and drug addicts.
- Conventional HIV care settings where the care recipients have poor attendance (high default rate).
Window Period:
A window period is the time between the exposure of HIV infection and the development of detectable HIV antibodies. The window period for a HIV antibody test is about 3 months. A HIV antibody test cannot reliably detect HIV antibodies during the window period. In other words, the test will show negative result even the person is exposed to HIV infection. Alternative test with a shorter window period is developed, hence improving very early detection of HIV infection. Please consult your doctor for more information.
Treatment and Side effects
A HIV / AIDS disease is treatable but not curable. The standard treatment of HIV infection is called the antiretroviral therapy (ART), which delays the progression of HIV disease through suppression of virus replication. HIV virus will quickly become resistant if only one antiretroviral drug is taken. A combination of 3 antiretroviral drugs or more will greatly reduce the risk of treatment resistance and provide maximal suppression of HIV virus in the long term. Additional medications may be required to protect you against opportunistic infections and to prevent side effects.
ART suppresses the amount of HIV virus so the risk of transmission is reduced, although not eliminated. A HIV-infected on ART can still pass the HIV virus to another person.
Disclose your medical history to your doctor as well as the prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, recreational drugs, and supplements that you are taking.
When to initiate the treatment?
Recommendation regarding the time to initiate ART has been regularly reviewed in consideration of new scientific evidence. The World Health Organization supports early treatment of HIV infection. ART is recommended if CD4 cell count falls below 500 cell/mm3.
Specifically, the initiation of ART is highly recommended in the presence of the following conditions:
- CD4 cell count drops below 350 cells/mm3
- Severe symptoms of HIV infection
- HIV-related illness and co-infection
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women with HIV
- HIV-positive individual who has sex with an uninfected partner
Side effects and drug compliance
Initiation of ART may lead to transient side effects such as anemia, nausea, diarrhea, allergy, headache, fatigue, fever, pain and nerve problems, dizziness, etc. Most side effects improve when patients get used to the drugs. Do not stop taking the medications or self-adjust the dose when the side effects upset you. Compliance to HIV medications is highly importance to prevent treatment resistance. Talk to your doctor so he or she can help you get through the initial period by treating your side effects or switching to alternative antiretroviral drugs. A balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle also help improve your side effects and strengthen your immune system.