HIV Home Test Kits - How do they work?

Recent advances in technology have made possible self-testing for HIV.

This allows individuals who may be worried they have HIV symptoms or are concerned about their HIV status to test in the privacy of their own home at their convenience. The HIV home test kits are extremely accurate and very easy to use. Head Start testing sells HIV test kits online through its website.  The test kits are >99% accurate, cover type 1 and 2 virus.

So before we get into how to use a HIV home test kit, let us look at what they detect.

All HIV test kits available today, whether purchased online, or carried out by a medical professional in a std, HIV or general blood testing facility check for the HIV anti-body, not the virus. The antibodies are produced after your body produces them in reaction to the pathogen (in this case the HIV virus).  HIV tests do not detect the HIV virus, they detect antibodies produced as a result of it. 

Humans take in general 4-12 weeks to produce these.  This means that any type of HIV test is not effective if your exposure is recent. Typically most will develop antibodies within 4 weeks but 12 weeks is seen as the safe window period to work with. A common testing practice then, is to test at 4 weeks (to be a strong indication) and again at 12 weeks ( to be certain).  Remember, this window period is the same for all tests whether from your doctor or an online provider such as Head Start Testing. As early HIV symptoms are very similar to those of other illnesses and many individuals show no symptoms at all, testing forantibodies is seen as they only reliable way to detect HIV.

So, how do HIV home test kits work?

1. The test is a simple process that involves the following steps.
2.  After washing your hands, open the sealed pouch of the test kit. Using the alcohol swab , clean your finger. 
3.  The included lancet delivers a small measured pin prick to your finger which. 
4.  Collect 2 or 3 drops of blood in the micro pipette and place the drops into the sample well on the test strip. 
5.   Add a few drops of diluent into the sample well.

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HIV Test Kits

With the recent advance and technology in relation to HIV testing it is now possible for individuals in Australia to self test for HIV.  The self test HIV kits give results within just a few minutes and are extremely accurate.  Previously to test for HIV and individual would have to visit a medical centre, take a blood test and then wait for the results.  In some cases this could take up to seven days and is often an extremely stressful and anxious waiting time.  With the arrival of self test kits individuals contest in the privacy of their own home and receive the results of the HIV test within minutes. When buying HIV test kits it is essential that the test kits you are purchasing have been manufactured by the.  Head Start Testing supply high quality HIV test kits in Australia that are manufactured under both the ISO and the GMP standards.  This ensures that every test kit produced is of a consistent quality and meets the specifications of the originally designed product.  With this in mind when purchasing an HIV test kit with the ISO and the GMP standards you can be sure that the result given is a true one.

HIV Home Test Kits

When using HIV test kits it is also essential that you follow the instructions carefully.  The HIV test kits are simple to use and come with clear instructions.  An important feature to look for when buying HIV test kits is the “failed test” outcome.  Of this clearly shows the user that the result is neither positive nor negative but that in fact the test has failed for some reason.  This is an important feature has it avoids false negatives of false positives. 
 
So if you are considering using an HIV self test kit and are looking for an online supplier in Australia then Head Start Testing can supply high quality and reliable HIV test kits for your use.

HIV status. It is the not knowing that will cause unnecessary risk of life.

Many individuals considering an HIV test put off or ignore testing for reasons such as privacy and convenience.  This can cause great unnecessary risk for those individuals and others who may be putting themselves at risk without realizing.  It is important that if you for any reason to believe that you have been at risk of HIV infection that you test as soon as possible.  The early detection and treatment of HIV greatly increases survival rates.  Many individuals carry on normal sexual behavior despite knowing that they have had what would be described as an HIV infection risk.  Given that the overwhelming majority of individuals once diagnosed with HIV take greater measures to ensure that they do not infect others leads us to the following conclusion.  Many individuals infected by HIV have been infected by a partner who had contracted HIV can have not tested and therefore had not been diagnosed.  It would be unlikely to that individual did not realize that they had been at risk of HIV infection.  So a primary cause of the individual going on to infect others is their choice not to have tested for HIV.  Given that there are several testing options available to the Australian public here at Head Start Testing we believe that by offering the public a supplementary HIV testing method that hopefully the instances of the example given can be reduced.  A simple HIV test carried out using a HIV self test kit can give an individual early results leading to early treatment and diminished and risk of infection to others.  As the message is that if you are in any doubt about your HIV status that you should take an HIV test at your earliest convenience.

HIV test kits in Australia.

As you may well have noticed in the recent press on HIV testing in Australia, it is now possible to purchase HIV home test kits in Australia through web sites such as www.HeadStartTesting.com.

The home test kits test for HIV 1 and 2 sub-virus and promise > 99% accuracy in detecting the HIV virus. AS with all HIV testing methods it is important to remember the HIV test kits test for HIV anti-bodies and these take time to develop in the bloodstream after possible infection.

Head Start testing supply the iCare and EZ trust HIV test kits under their marketing campaign B-clear which aims to motivate individuals to not put off testing. The sites intention is to broadcast the message about HIV testing Australia “If in doubt about possible HIV infection, then please test”.

Any Australian, who has had a potential risk of exposure to the HIV virus and is putting off testing, is putting their health and the health of others at serious risk. In Australia if HIV is detected early, the survival rate is greatly increased through HIV ant-viral medications.

At present you cannot purchase HIV test kits in an Australian pharmacy so if you do not wish to test through a medical professional and prefer the privacy of self-testing then an online purchase is your only option in Australia.

If you or anyone you know in Australia may be at risk of HIV infection then it is wise to select the testing method suited to you and carry out an HIV test.

Are HIV test kits reliable?

We often are asked about the quality of our HIV test kits and this is a very valid question to ask a potential supplier. When buying HIV test kits it is essential that you check the quality of the product.

The test kits we sell through Head Start Testing NZ are manufactured under ISO and GMP standards. This means they are produced in a factory that adheres to specific quality control procedures to ensure consistency of product quality and reliability. Additionally the HIV home test kits are designed with quality as a priority (as opposed to cost or weight). As such the HIV test kits sold through Head Start testing NZ have the following:

-Clear, concise instructions accompany the kits

-An accompany information sheet is also included.

-Everything needed is present within the hygienically sealed pouch.

-The actual testing strip is sealed within a 2^nd pouch.

-The kit has a “fail” reading. In the event of a failed test, no negative or positive result is given and a clear failed reading is given.

When buying HIV test kits it is essential you read and understand the instructions clearly. The test kits can be used only once and incorrect use can result in a failed HIV test. HIV testing is an extremely serious matter and if you are in any doubt about whether home testing is suitable then you should consider contacting a medical professional to oversee your HIV testing. If you have decided to test for HIV at home, then you can purchase high quality test kits that test for both the HIV 1 and 2 sub viruses from our store at HeadStarttesting.co.nz.

Are you losing sleep over your sexual encounter and potential risk of HIV exposure?

Many individuals are, yet they elect not to seek medical advice and carry out a HIV test through their doctor or testing clinic. Sadly, this is high risk behavior as in many cases those individuals carry on their normal sexual behavior, potentially infecting others.

If you have had unprotected sex with an individual who you cannot be certain to be HIV negative, i.e. you know and trust their sexual history (something nearly impossible to do) then you should test for HIV.

If you choose not to do so through medical professionals then you can test buy buying a test kit, called a rapid HIV test kit, or HIV home test kit. These HIV test kits as sold by online stores such as Head Start Testing are >99% accurate and give results within minutes. Buying HIV test kits online is legal, convenient and safe. When buying HIV test kits you must ensure the product is ISO certified to guarantee production quality.

To worry about your HIV status and to not test is an illogical course of action (or inaction). A simple test using with a HIV test kits will give you a result in minutes and you can then be sure you are acting responsibly and that you are not worrying unduly. In the case of HIV, to not know, is far worse for everyone involved than knowing.