HIV Home Test

This test service is not suitable for:

• Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours
• Anyone who has possible symptoms of HIV
• Anyone who has tested positive for HIV in the past
• Anyone who is pregnant

This infection is caused by a virus called the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It infects the immune system cells and impairs the body’s ability to fight infections.

You can acquire this infection if you come into contact with body fluids from a person that has HIV with a high viral load (blood, semen, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids & breast milk). For transmission to occur, these fluids must get into the bloodstream of a HIV negative person.

Most cases are acquired following sexual activity, and so this infection is considered a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The most common mode of transmission is unprotected vaginal or anal sex. You can get this virus from oral sex, but the risk is much lower.
You can also get it from sharing needles or syringes.

The development of specific antiviral treatments has transformed this from a once-fatal disease to a treatable illness. However, if this condition is not identified and treated appropriately early on, it can develop into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) which can be life-threatening.

A HIV test is the only way to find out if you are HIV positive.

Being HIV positive is no longer considered life-threatening due to advances in medications and treatment. This is due to the existence of a large range of effective medications that can significantly lessen the effects of HIV on your immune system.

It is critical to get medical help early in the infection to ensure that your treatment is successful. Regular testing is essential so that if you test positive, you may get medical advice while the infection is still in its early stages.

HIV infection may also raise your chances of developing other STIs as your immune system is unable to fight these diseases.

A small blood sample is needed. This is taken via a simple finger prick test. More detailed instructions on how to do this will come with your test kit.

There are two possible results:

1. Reactive
2. Negative

If your result is reactive, this does NOT mean you have a diagnosis of HIV but it does mean that further tests will need to be arranged.

If your test is negative and you have had no potential exposure in the past 45 days, then no further action is needed.

Please note: this is a screening test. If the screening test is positive, this requires follow-up testing to confirm any diagnosis. We will telephone you to discuss this and arrange for a follow-up blood sample to check the diagnosis.

It is important to know the ‘window period’ for having a HIV test.

The window period is the time from when you may first have been exposed to HIV to the time when the test will give an accurate result.

If this test is done too early, it may not be accurate.
You should wait at least 4 weeks from the date of potential exposure to take a HIV test.

These tests are accurate, but another test should be done at 14 weeks to confirm (14 weeks is the window period for HIV).

You can test immediately if you would prefer, but you then must test again after the window period.

If you are taking a test as part of regular STI screening, you should test every 12-14 weeks.

If you think you may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, then you need to arrange an URGENT medical assessment. You should contact your local sexual health clinic or emergency department as you may require post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment.

If this is the case, this screening service is NOT suitable for you.

If you are concerned you have symptoms of HIV, it is essential that you visit your local GP or sexual health clinic for a physical examination.

See here for more information on HIV.

To protect your privacy, we will share your STI test results with you via your Webdoctor.ie Online Patient Portal. This is completely confidential and you can review your results at a time and place that suits you.

To view your results, simply log into your account using the “Login” button at the top of this page. Once you have entered your details, you will find your results and details of your previous treatments.

Once your results return from our partner laboratory, one of our GPs will review them. If your test indicates that you have an STI/STD, our doctors will contact you by telephone to discuss this and the next steps. If we cannot reach you by phone we will send a message to your chart to try and arrange a suitable time to call.

It takes An Post up to 3 business days to deliver your home test to our partner lab for analysis. Once the lab receives the sample, it can take up to 5 business days to process the results and send them back to our doctors for review. We usually send the results to your secure patient portal the same day we receive them.