HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is a virus that can weaken your immune system, the body’s built-in defence against disease and illness. HIV is transmitted by blood, semen, vaginal/front hole fluids, anal fluids and breast/chest milk. You can have HIV without knowing it—that’s why it’s so important to get tested.
For people who test positive, effective treatment is a great HIV prevention tool that saves lives and prevents HIV transmission. With effective treatment, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives.
Consider getting support with pre-test counselling
Many people find pre-test counselling and support helpful when they’re deciding to know their status. If you want to talk to someone there are resources available to support you and answer your questions.
To speak to someone about self-testing, you can call the information lines in the HIV self-test kit package insert or visit the Care pathways pages on this website or HIV411.ca to find help. You can also access our I’m Ready, Talk app to make an appointment with a peer navigator.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can help within 72 hours of exposure
If you are concerned about a recent exposure to HIV within the last 72 hours, you can go to a hospital emergency department to ask about HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). This is a 4-week course of medications that you can take if you are HIV negative and think you have been recently exposed. PEP can prevent HIV infection and is more effective the earlier it is started.
Before you use the test kit
Before you begin the HIV self-testing (HIVST) procedure, read the package insert that comes with the test kit carefully or watch the instructional video. If you feel that HIVST is not right for you, there are other testing options you can choose depending on where you live, including laboratory testing or point of care testing. You can call the local info-line for your area that is provided in the HIVST package insert, connect to whereto.catie.ca or visit our Care pathways pages on this website to find out more about HIV testing options.
Considering a positive result before you test
If you get a positive result, this means you are likely living with HIV and you should see a healthcare provider as soon as possible to tell them your result was positive. They can give you the information and support you need to take care of your health. While highly accurate, the test you are about to take is a screening test and all positive results need to be confirmed by a lab test that your provider can order to give you a formal HIV diagnosis. Learn more on our page about getting a positive result.
Considering a negative result before you test
If your result is negative, this means antibodies (your body’s immune response) to HIV were not detected. If you think you may have had any exposure in the last 3 months, you could be in the window period. This is the period before antibodies can be detected by the test, and we recommend you test again 3 months after the exposure. Regular testing for HIV is encouraged for people who are sexually active or use injection drugs. Learn more on our page about getting a negative result.
The results of your HIV self-test are yours alone
Before taking the test, you may want to think about who you could talk to about your results. You can choose to share with partners, family members and social connections, or keep them to yourself—the choice is yours. Regardless of your results, there are things you can do to treat or prevent HIV.
Support is available
To speak to someone about self-testing, you can call the information lines in the HIV self-test kit package insert or visit the Care pathways pages on this website or whereto.catie.ca to find help. You can also access our I’m Ready, Talk app to make an appointment with a peer navigator.