What are rapid HIV tests?
A rapid test for detecting antibody to HIV is a screening test that produces very quick results, usually in 5 to 30 minutes. In comparison, results from the commonly used HIV antibody-screening test, the EIA (enzyme immunoassay), are not available for 1-2 weeks. The Food and Drug Administration currently license only one rapid HIV test for use in the United States. The availability of rapid HIV tests may differ from one place to another. The rapid HIV test is considered to be just as accurate as the EIA. Both the rapid test and the EIA look for the presence of antibodies to HIV. As is true for all screening tests (including the EIA), a reactive rapid HIV test result must be confirmed before a diagnosis of infection can be given.
Rapid tests for detecting antibodies for HIV are screening tests that produces very quick results, usually in 10 to 30 minutes. Rapid tests can use oral, blood draw, or finger-stick methods to collect samples for testing. Standards of care in the United States say that a positive result with a rapid test (called preliminary positive) must be confirmed by another test before an HIV diagnosis can be given. People who receive a preliminarily positive result from the rapid test will be asked to undergo another test before they are confirmed as HIV positive. The confirmatory test may take up to two weeks to process.
iDiagnostics HIV test is a rapid HIV test. A rapid HIV test is a test for detecting antibodibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); it produces very quick results, in 30 minutes or less. The test results are read visually. The advantage of a rapid test is that you do not have to return to get your test results. Rapid tests are single-use and do not require laboratory facilities or highly trained staff. In comparison, results from the commonly used HIV antibody screening test, the enzyme immunoassay (EIA), are not available for 1-2 weeks. As is true for all screening tests (including the EIA), a reactive rapid HIV test result must be confirmed before a final diagnosis of infection can be given.
