How does oraquick work

You can also learn more about how the test works below, too. The test is very easy to use and comes with thorough instructions. The OraQuick test detects whether there are HIV antibodies in your mouth, which are proteins that your body makes to fight HIV if you have been infected. No — and this is important for users of the test to understand. The test is not reliable at detecting HIV infection until at least three months after infection.

In addition, even after three months, there can also be false negative results because no test is perfect. Clinical studies by untrained consumers showed that the OraQuick test will produce about one false negative result out of every 12 tests performed in HIV- infected individuals.

Also, individuals taking medicine to treat or prevent HIV infection may get false negative results because the medicines may affect antibody levels. The CDC web page on HIV testing has information on where you can get screened, the different types of tests and what you can expect. Enter your email address to subscribe:. Please note, the writer has not tested these products. All information is research-based.

The company offers an HIV test as part of two different assessment bundles: the Standard 5 bundle tests for HIV, chlamydia , gonorrhea , trichomoniasis , and syphilis. The Complete 8 tests for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, syphilis, Gardnerella, mycoplasma, and ureaplasma. The company advises people take their test in the morning and send their samples back to the LetsGetChecked laboratories on the same day. Each testing pack provides complete instructions for the test and how to send samples back to the lab.

Learn more about LetsGetChecked here. According to the company, the test is the same one that healthcare professionals have used for many years. A person needs to use an oral swab to perform the test.

They take and test a sample home, while results are usually available within 20—40 minutes. A person should talk to their doctor about any positive HIV test results, as they may need to undergo additional assessments to confirm. A person can choose from single HIV tests or packages that include testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Health Testing Centers also say the single HIV test works within 18—45 days following exposure to the virus. Once a person selects the test they want, they choose which lab they wish to send their test to once completed. Individuals can pick up the test in person from the lab or have it mailed to them. Once they complete the test, they need to send the sample to their nominated lab, after which they should receive their results within 1—3 business days.

Those at higher risk may wish to get tested more frequently. The CDC also recommend that individuals ask themselves several questions about their behaviors and get tested if they answer yes to one or more of the questions:. Learn about HIV screening here. The kit is designed to allow you to take the HIV test anonymously and in private with the collection of an oral fluid sample by swabbing your upper and lower gums with the test device.

A positive result with this test does not mean that an individual is definitely infected with HIV but rather that additional testing should be done in a medical setting to confirm the test result. Additionally, a negative test result does not mean that an individual is definitely not infected with HIV, particularly when exposure may have been within the previous three months.

Again an individual should obtain a confirmatory test in a medical setting. If you actively engage in behavior that puts you at risk for HIV infection, or your partner engages in such behavior, then you should consider testing on a regular basis.