Diagnosis of HIV and AIDS

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HIV infection is diagnosed with a blood test (hence the term HIV positive). However, the test used in most UK hospitals will only show the presence of the virus once it has become established (three months or so after infection).

Blood tests for HIV are very accurate; if there is any doubt about the result, the person will be asked to take another test. Anyone taking an HIV test should be informed of the implications of the test, and have a chance to talk things through if they want to. This is because a positive result (showing HIV infection) can have wide-ranging consequences for a personâ€™s life and relationships.

Testing can be done either by a GP (family doctor) or in a specialist GUM (genito-urinary medicine) clinic. GPs may be asked to disclose details of test results to insurance companies and others making health checks on an individual, but tests in GUM clinics are subject to stronger legal confidentiality rules. You do not need to be referred by your GP to have a test at the GUM clinic.

All pregnant women in England should be offered and recommended an HIV test as part of their routine antenatal care. If infection is diagnosed, there are a number of steps that can be taken to help reduce the likelihood of passing the infection to their baby. These include the use of antiretroviral drugs for the mother and her newborn baby, giving birth by Caesarean section and avoiding breastfeeding.

Before treatment was available, many people felt there was little advantage in knowing whether they had HIV. Nowadays, testing means that someone can monitor their health and use treatments when they need to (usually not for several years after infection) to keep themselves well.

AIDS is only diagnosed on the basis of an AIDS-related condition (such as an unusual infection normally only contracted by those with damaged immunity) in the presence of a positive HIV result. Sometimes people are only aware of the fact that they have HIV when they develop an AIDS-related illness and then have the HIV test.

Treatment can still be effective at this stage, but some people still die every year in the UK because they did not know they had HIV until it was too late.