HIV Screening / Rapid Testing
Advantages of HIV Testing
If a healthy person is exposed to blood or potentially infectious fluids from an HIV-positive person, the only conclusive method of diagnosing HIV infection is through HIV testing/HIV screening.
If your HIV test is negative
The test shows that you do not have HIV infection. Steps may be taken to prevent HIV:
If your HIV test is positive
The test shows that you have HIV infection.
Learn more about treatment for HIV
If your HIV test is negative
The test shows that you do not have HIV infection. Steps may be taken to prevent HIV:
- Have less risky sex. HIV is spread mainly by anal and vaginal sex without a condom
- Always use condoms properly during anal, vaginal and oral sex
- Get tested and treated for STD. Insist that your partner gets tested and treated too. Having an STD can increase your risk of HIV infection. Learn more about STD
- If you are at high risk of becoming infected, taking a daily preventative HIV medicine called pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP may prevent HIV infection by more than 90%. Learn more about PrEP
If your HIV test is positive
The test shows that you have HIV infection.
Learn more about treatment for HIV
Current guidelines for HIV screening
Modern HIV testing is extremely accurate, but no test can
detect the virus immediately after infection. Tests are correct more than 99% of the time.
Latest recommendations of the United States Centre for Disease Control (2015) are:
Latest recommendations of the United States Centre for Disease Control (2015) are:
- HIV testing with an immunoassay combination test for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies and p24 antigen (P24 Antigen/antibody test) within first 45 days of exposure
- Following a negative result, an immunoassay combination test for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies (Antibody test) should be done 45 days later or 3 months post-exposure
Types of HIV screening tests available
Cross Street Medical Clinic is approved to do HIV Testing by the Ministry of Health Singapore. Cross Street Medical offers all relevant HIV screening tests. Speak to our doctors today about what you may need. Female doctors are available by appointment. We ensure patient privacy and confidentiality for all discussions, tests and treatments.
| Type of test | Name of test / Cost | How test is conducted | When is test done | How quickly are results available |
|
No suitable test
| However, for high risk exposure, you may consider Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) |
PEP is an oral medication
| PEP must be taken within 0-3 days post-exposure | NA |
| Rapid HIV 1/2 P24 Antigen / Antibody test “Rapid Gen-4 Test” |
ALERE DETERMINE HIV 1/2 COMBO KIT ($120) |
Finger-prick
OR Laboratory test | From 14 days post-exposure | 20 minutes |
| HIV-1/2 antibody differentiation immunoassay |
Western blot ($200) | Laboratory test only | After positive screening test | 2 weeks |
|
Nucleic acid test
(NAT/NAAT) OR Polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) |
NAT/NAAT/PCR ($600) | Laboratory test only | From 10 days post-exposure | 2 weeks |
Rapid Tests Available
P24 antigen/antibody tests (immunoassay combination test for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies and p24 antigen) look for both HIV antibodies and antigens. Antigens are foreign substances that cause your immune system to activate. If you’re infected with HIV, an antigen called p24 is produced even before antibodies develop. Tests that detect both antigen and antibodies are recommended for laboratory testing. This combination test is now available as a Rapid test.
Antibody tests (immunoassay combination test for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies) detect the presence of antibodies, proteins that a person’s body makes against HIV. This test is available as a Rapid test.
Western blot assay looks for antibodies to the three main groups of HIV proteins. This is a labour-intensive test and is commonly used in Singapore as a confirmatory test for HIV infection. Test is correct more than 99% of the time.
Nucleic acid test (NAT) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) look for the actual virus in the blood. This test is very expensive and is not routinely used for HIV screening unless the person recently had a high-risk exposure or a possible exposure with early symptoms of HIV infection. It is commonly used as a confirmatory test for HIV infection.
Antibody tests (immunoassay combination test for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies) detect the presence of antibodies, proteins that a person’s body makes against HIV. This test is available as a Rapid test.
Western blot assay looks for antibodies to the three main groups of HIV proteins. This is a labour-intensive test and is commonly used in Singapore as a confirmatory test for HIV infection. Test is correct more than 99% of the time.
Nucleic acid test (NAT) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) look for the actual virus in the blood. This test is very expensive and is not routinely used for HIV screening unless the person recently had a high-risk exposure or a possible exposure with early symptoms of HIV infection. It is commonly used as a confirmatory test for HIV infection.