If you belong to a high-risk group and have unprotected sexual contacts, it is wise to get tested regularly for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). If you are infected with the HIV virus, your regular partner should also be tested.

Also notify your previous sex partners so they can also get tested. That way, you will prevent new infections.

The HIV test, performed by us, is done on blood and detects both the antibodies against the HIV virus and the antigen (p24 antigen) of the HIV virus itself.

This test can be performed as early as 10 days after the contracted risk, but is 100% reliable only in case the result is positive. If the result is negative, the test must be performed again after 6 weeks. If the test is performed 6 weeks after a risk has been incurred, a negative result is reliable and the test should not be performed^{a second} time.

The blood test is performed completely anonymously and the result is generally known within a week.

What is HIV?

HIV or Human immunodeficiency virus is a virus, which comes in 2 forms, HIV type I and type II. The virus attacks the immune system that defends the body against bacteria and viruses. The virus multiplies in the white blood cells (CD 4 cells). With HIV infection, the number of white blood cells decreases and the amount of HIV virus in your blood increases. If the HIV infection is not treated, your immune system becomes so weakened that the body cannot defend itself adequately. The moment it actually develops symptoms, we speak of acquired immuno deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

With HIV infection, symptoms are not always present. In a portion of people newly infected with HIV, a number of symptoms occur, similar to flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, headache, lack of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, muscle pain, fever, sore throat and swollen glands. In addition, some of them also develop skin rashes. The symptoms that eventually fit AIDS may manifest after a few months, but in some cases will not manifest for years, even 15 years.

How is HIV transmitted?

The HIV virus is transmitted mainly through unprotected sexual contact (sex without a condom) through vaginal sex, through anal sex (highest risk of infection), through oral sex (lowest risk). In addition, you can contract HIV infection through contact with infected blood, e.g., after using contaminated hypodermic needles in intravenous drug use, and through prick and cut accidents with an infected person. The HIV virus is not transmitted by saliva (too little virus), kissing, sneezing, coughing or shared use of toilet, dishes and the like.

HIV infection is currently not curable. The virus remains in the body, but HIV medication does strengthen the immune system, making the viral load of virus almost undetectable in the blood. The HIV antibodies do remain detectable in the blood for life.

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