HIV Testing | Health Services Center

FREE, confidential HIV testing Monday through Friday at our Hobson City clinic.

No appointment necessary.
Walk-ins welcome!

Testing Hours:
Monday through Thursday 9am till 3pm
Fridays 9am till 11am

Call to schedule your testing event!
We offer testing off-site for organizations or groups. Contact our Prevention/Education Director, Julie Hope, at 256-832-0100, to arrange testing at your business, club or school.

Experts agree that getting an HIV test is important for everyone. In fact the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) actually has made a recommendation that an HIV test be part of any routine medical exam and physical. To that end, physicians and patients have a choice as to which type of HIV test to use.

There are two primary types of HIV tests:

The ELISA / Western Blot - The standard screening test for HIV is a blood test known as the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or ELISA for short. This test requires a small sample of blood from the person being tested. Typically, the test requires two visits; one to receive pretest counseling and to have the blood drawn and the second to receive test results, post-test counseling and medical referrals for HIV care if the result is positive.

The Rapid HIV Test - This test makes it possible for the patient to get pre-test and post-test

counseling, their test results, and any medical referrals they may need all in one visit. Let's learn more about rapid HIV.

What is Rapid HIV Testing?
Rapid HIV testing differs from conventional HIV testing in that it allows:
• results of the test to be ready in 5 to 30 minutes
• it allows testing, counseling, and referrals to be done in one visit

OraQuick / OraQuick Advanced Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test - this test has been approved for 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.

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.

What's Are the Advantages of A Rapid HIV Test?
There are distinct advantages or rapid tests over conventional tests. They include:
• they are less costly for testing agencies whose budgets are limited
• almost all people tested will get post-test counseling and their results because only one visit is necessary
• because results are delivered quicker, positive people get into medical care quicker
• by learning of infections earlier, potential exposures that would have occurred between traditional testing and receiving results is reduced
• rapid tests are easier to use
• their results that are as accurate as a traditional Elisa test

Is a Confirmatory Test Required if the Rapid Test is Positive?
As is true of conventional ELISA antibody procedure, a positive rapid HIV test result should be confirmed the Western Blot test.

For more information on testing - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -Questions and Answers