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HIV disease is serious, it should not be taken for granted nor should it not be given immediate actions. Every tick of the clock is a life extension for them. With a million people living with HIV and AIDS in the United States, a fifth of them are unaware of their infection, posing high risk of onward transmission. The given figures sound alarming, enough for a national government to put actions.

How you will be able to know that you are affected with the disease? Symptoms shows, but will you still wait until you know that it is already fatal? As soon as possible you should be able to know it or else you will be surprised one day.

Testing is one way of determining any possibility of infection, in terms of HIV, Rapid testing ranks first. What is Rapid HIV Testing? Rapid HIV Testing differs from conventional HIV testing for it allows results of the test to be ready in 5 to 30 minutes, and that it allows testing, counseling, and referrals to be done in one visit.

It was at the end of 2006 when four rapid tests had been approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

· OraQuick/ Oraquick Advanced Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test- the approval of this test is for the use with venous blood, plasma, and oral fluids for the detection of HIV-1 and HIV-2. The test consists of a small test paddle. The test area on the paddle is impregnated with HIV-1 and HIV-2 envelope proteins. The test specimen (blood, plasma, or oral fluid) is applied to the paddle (in the case of oral fluid the paddle is swabbed in the inside of the mouth) and placed in developer solution. If the specimen contains HIV, it binds with the impregnated proteins resulting in a red line on the paddle. Red lines in the test area and control area (to verify a valid specimen) of the paddle indicate a positive test. All positive tests require a confirmatory test. The test should be read no sooner than 20 minutes and no later than 40 minutes after the sample is placed in the developing solution.

· Reveals G2 HIV-1 Antibody Test - this test has been approved for use with plasma or serum specimens. While the test only takes 3 minutes to develop, the test is more complex than the OraQuick because it requires centrifuged serum or plasma. The test consists of a cartridge with a test area. Like the OraQuick, any HIV in the test specimen binds with the protein impregnated in the test area, in this case resulting in a red dot. If a red dot appears along with a red line used as a control (to verify a valid specimen) the test is considered positive, requiring a confirmatory test.

· Uni-Gold Recombigen HIV-1 Test - this test has been approved for us with whole blood, plasma, or serum from a venipuncture or fingerstick. It consists of a rectangular cartridge with a test area, a control area, and a specimen well. The specimen is applied into the specimen well and allowed to absorb, tracking along the test strip past the control and test areas. As is true in the first two tests, any HIV in the specimen binds to the proteins in the test area, resulting in a red line. A test is considered positive if a red line appears in both the test area and the control area. A sample is considered adequate if the specimen well is red in color. Like all rapid tests if the test is positive a confirmatory test is required.

· Multispot HIV-1/HIV-2 Rapid Test - this test has been approved for use on frozen or fresh plasma, whole blood, or serum. Multispot consist of a test cartridge and five reagents: specimen diluents, wash solution, conjugate, development reagent, and stop solution. The cartridge contains a membrane on which micro particles have been immobilized in four spots; there are two HIV-1 test spots; one HIV-2 test spot; and one control spot to verify that the specimen is adequate. The test is considered positive for HIV-1 if the control spot and either or both of the HIV-1 spots turn purple, and positive for HIV-2 if the control and HIV-2 spots appear. If purple appears in the control spot, the HIV-2 spot, and one or both of the HIV-1 spots, the test is considered HIV reactive (undifferentiated). In this case, the specimen may be tested by additional methods which allow differentiation between HIV-1 and HIV-2. The test is negative when only the control spot appears. The absence of the control spot indicates an invalid result, regardless of any other spot pattern.

The availability of these rapid tests in the market and the wide practice of medical professionals is the last option that you can afford. The early detection of disease is better than any other cure.