What is a confirmatory HIV test?

The article was professionally consulted with Doctor Vo Ha Bang Suong - Therapist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.

HIV testing is the only method for diagnosing and determining a patient's HIV infection status to help patients access treatment, care and HIV prevention services for the community.

Those who need HIV counseling and testing include people who inject drugs, sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, people with tuberculosis, people with sexually transmitted infections, women pregnant women, spouses/children of people living with HIV, sisters of HIV-infected children, people exposed to HIV, people having unprotected sex with drug users of unknown HIV status, people If the patient is infected with hepatitis C virus, the patient has had a clinical examination and a paraclinical test but the cause of the disease is not detected or the symptoms suggestive of HIV infection.

A confirmatory HIV test, also known as a complement test, is a test to confirm whether a sample is HIV positive. The biological product used in the confirmatory test should have a high specificity. HIV confirmation testing is only performed at units authorized by the Ministry of Health to confirm HIV positive cases.
When HIV antibody screening tests are reactive, it is necessary for the client to do confirmatory tests

It is really difficult to know exactly when a person has been infected with HIV, because HIV is chronically progressive, in the early stages, sometimes the patient also has some symptoms, but those symptoms are completely non-specific. , the whole body like fever, lethargy, flu-like symptoms.. so it's easy to ignore.
HIV virus, after entering the body, will multiply and cause disease to the infected person silently for a certain period of time, usually:
In the first week, HIV virus multiplies and appears everywhere place in the body. However, at this time, the HIV virus is detected in the cerebrospinal fluid before being detected in the blood
About the next 3 - 6 weeks, most people exposed to HIV have no special symptoms and are in good health. However, there are also some cases where the early signs of HIV infection are similar to those of the common cold, such as fever, lymphadenopathy, and erythematous nodules in a short time.
Thus, after about 4-6 weeks of exposure, people suspected of being exposed to HIV can be tested. However, the most accurate time to determine HIV is 2-3 months from the time of suspected exposure.
So how long does it take to get accurate results when testing for HIV? Accordingly, the time to know the most accurate HIV test results is through the window period, that is, after 3 months. However, the health industry recommends that people get tested as soon as possible after the risky behavior, not wait until past the 3-month window period.

There are two main methods to diagnose HIV infection: serological testing and molecular biology testing.
Serological testing is usually applied to adults and children over 18 months of age. This method detects the presence of HIV antibodies or antigens in the blood. The molecular biology test method is commonly used for HIV-exposed children or children under 18 months of age with a positive HIV antibody test; Other cases are difficult to diagnose by serological methods. This method helps to detect HIV DNA/RNA present in blood or secretions.

Negative results: counseling and answering the results for customers not infected with HIV. For suspicious customers in the window period, it is necessary to re-test after 3 months. For customers in the high-risk group, re-test after 6 months.
Indeterminate result: the presence of anti-HIV antibodies has not been determined. Counseling, answering results for customers is not determining HIV status. Waiting for the customer to test again after 14 days.
Confirmed positive result: post-test counseling and confirmation of HIV infection. Return results and refer clients to HIV treatment and other appropriate services.
Thus, HIV testing is very necessary when it is suspected that you have been exposed, or have early symptoms of HIV disease. HIV testing should be conducted at reputable hospitals, with modern technological equipment, good service quality, and a team of highly qualified medical professionals to ensure that the testing takes place safely. accurate while still ensuring personal privacy.
Vinmec International General Hospital offers a Package of Examination and Screening for social diseases to help customers detect diseases early and have effective treatment and prevent dangerous complications. The screening package for social diseases at Vinmec is for all ages, both men and women.
To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide, or register online.