Testing options
Types of HIV tests
HIV tests include antibody tests, antigen/antibody tests, and nucleic acid tests (NATs).
Read guide →TESTING · 3 GUIDES
Testing options
Compare common test types and decide where you would feel comfortable testing.
FAST FACTS
Testing options: key facts
A quick, accurate orientation before you open a guide.
72h
Exposure within 72 hours? Ask about PEP before you test.
3
Main test types: antibody, antigen/antibody, and nucleic acid (NAT).
Window
A negative result may need repeating after the test's window period.
VISUAL SUMMARY
A path through Testing options
Start with the guide that matches your question. The sequence is flexible—you can enter at any point.
Types of HIV tests
HIV tests include antibody tests, antigen/antibody tests, and nucleic acid tests (NATs).
HIV self-testing
A self-test can offer privacy at home or another private place, but a reactive result needs follow-up testing.
Where can I get tested?
Testing may be available at clinics, hospitals, community services, pharmacies, or through approved self-test options.
This visual is a guide to the page—not a personal diagnosis or treatment recommendation.
Testing options
HIV self-testing
A self-test can offer privacy at home or another private place, but a reactive result needs follow-up testing.
Read guide →Testing options
Where can I get tested?
Testing may be available at clinics, hospitals, community services, pharmacies, or through approved self-test options.
Read guide →DETAILED GUIDE
A quick guide to Testing options
What Testing options means for you
Compare common test types and decide where you would feel comfortable testing. That short answer is the place to begin; what matters next is how it fits your situation—your reason for reading, the timing of any event, and the support you can reach. Treat this guide as a map: it can help you prepare and ask better questions, while a qualified health professional applies the details to you.
The essentials for Testing options
HIV tests look for different markers—antibodies, the p24 antigen, or the virus itself—using oral fluid or blood, so no test detects HIV immediately. The date of a possible exposure and the test used both shape how a negative result is read. A reactive screening or self-test result always needs follow-up, and a possible exposure within the last 72 hours means asking about PEP right away.
Turn it into one next step
You do not need perfect medical words. Note any relevant dates, test names, or medicines, then choose one manageable action. For this page, a useful next step is read types of hiv tests—a suggestion, not a rule. If it feels too big, make it smaller: save a phone number, check opening hours, or tell someone you trust. The plan can change as a result or new information arrives.