Why pipo dey use am

Self-test dey make you check for HIV for house or for any private place, any time wey good for you. You no need appointment, and nobody else need to know. For plenti pipo, dis one dey make am easy to really go do di test.

Di oda side na timing. Self-test for house dey take longer pass lab test before e fit catch new infection, so e dey best for exposure wey happen some time ago, or for regular test.

Di two main types

Oral swab test (wey dey use mouth). You go use di swab rub your gum to collect fluid from your mouth, then you go test di sample as di kit tok. Na dis type CDC describe for US.

Finger-prick test. You go prick your finger and put one drop of blood for di test. NHS (for UK) describe self-test for house wey dey use either saliva or blood from your finger.

Both types dey give result for some minutes; CDC tok say e no go pass 20 minutes. Most self-test for house, any of di two types, na antibody test: dem dey look for di antibodies wey your body dey make to fight HIV, no be for di virus itself.

How correct dem be?

Di biggest tin na wen you do di test. Antibodies dey take time before dem show, so antibody test get long window period (di time afta infection wen test neva fit show HIV): CDC tok say dem fit usually detect HIV 23 to 90 days afta exposure.

  • Before day 23: e too early. Negative result no fit tell you anytin about exposure wey just happen.
  • Between day 23 and day 90: negative result dey give hope, but e neva be final.
  • From day 90: negative result don be final, as long as you neva get anoda exposure since dat time.

See how much negative self-test fit lower di estimate. For one time of receptive anal sex (anal sex wey you be di person wey dem enter) wit partner wey get HIV and no dey take treatment, di estimate start from 1.4% (around 1 out of 72). Negative antibody test for four weeks dey bring am down to 0.85% (around 1 out of 120). For day 90, e go fall reach 0.0014% (around 1 out of 71,000). Lab antigen/antibody test (blood wey dem draw from vein) for four weeks go don already give 0.18% (around 1 out of 540). To know more about timing, see how correct HIV test be week by week.

Di oda tin na to use di test well. CDC warn say if you no follow di directions, di test fit no work. Read di instructions before you start, and call di helpline number wey dey inside di kit if you no sure.

How to choose and buy test

  • For US, you fit buy self-test for pharmacy and online. CDC tok say you fit order free self-test through Together TakeMeHome, and gettested.cdc.gov (for pipo for US) dey show local organizations wey dey give self-test for free or for small moni.
  • For UK, NHS advise make you buy from source wey you fit trust. Di kit suppose show clear say na for self-test, get CE mark and show di details of di company wey make am.
  • For oda places, sexual health clinics and national health services fit tell you which self-test dem don approve for where you dey live.

Wetin your result mean

Negative. If you do di test at least 90 days afta your last possible exposure, you no get HIV from dat exposure. If you test before dat time, test again afta day 90, or do lab test, wey don be final from day 45.

Positive (reactive: e show say HIV fit dey). Dis one mean say you fit get HIV. E neva be diagnosis. You need anoda test for clinic or wit health worker to confirm am. See wetin to do afta positive test.

Invalid. Di test no work. Use anoda self-test, or go do test for clinic or testing center.

Wen self-test for house no be di right choice

  • Di exposure happen for di last 72 hours. No test fit detect HIV dis early. Wetin matter now na PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis: HIV medicine wey you go take afta exposure to stop di virus).
  • You wan answer before 90 days. Lab antigen/antibody test for clinic don be final from day 45, and NAT (nucleic acid test, wey dey look for di virus itself) from day 33.
  • You get symptoms afta exposure wey just happen. Go see health worker and ask for test wey fit detect early infection.

Exposure for di last 72 hours? No wait for test. If your partner get HIV and no dey take treatment wey dey work, or you no know im status, ask about PEP today for emergency department (A&E) for hospital, urgent care center or sexual health clinic. How to get PEP

Wetin to do now

  1. Count di days since di exposure.
  2. E never reach 72 hours? Ask about PEP first.
  3. E never reach 90 days? Self-test for house fit give you hope, but plan to test again for day 90, or use lab test.
  4. Follow di kit instructions well well, and read di result inside di time wey e give.
  5. Any positive result need test for clinic to confirm am.