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HIV TESTING

The Student Health Service (SHS) provides free, anonymous and confidential testing for the human immunodeficiency virus through a contract with the Kern County Health Department. The SHS provides testing on a daily basis throughout the school year.

To obtain this test you must talk to a one of the SHS HIV counselors who will discuss the test, your risk factors, and how to lessen your risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. A blood specimen will be sent to the Health Department for testing. Your specimen will be given a unique identifying number and you will be given a receipt with that same number. Your name will not appear on any specimen. The result will be available at the SHS within two weeks. You must bring in the numbered receipt in person for the result. No result will be given over the telephone.

If you think you might be at risk for HIV disease and would like to be tested call the SHS reception desk and ask for a "anonymous counseling" appointment with either Sandy, Erika or Carolyn. You need not give your name. One of these trained counselors will spend about 15 to 20 minutes with you as discussed above. For those students who have not made an appointment, occasionally testing can be done on a walk-in basis. Ask at the reception desk if a counselor can see you on this basis.

The following information may answer some of your questions about testing:

• Anonymous testing: To guarantee that you maintain control of the results of your HIV test the SHS provides you with anonymous testing. Your name or other identifying information is not recorded or attached to any result. Your numbered receipt is the only means of identifying your result. The only people who will know the result of your test are those whom you decide to tell.
• Confidential testing: The results of a confidential HIV test can be identified with your name. The result will be protected and placed in a separate part of your medical record. With your specific written permission the result can be released for insurance or employment screening.
• Testing: The initial test done for virus that causes AIDS is the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) which screens for antibodies to HIV in the blood. If the results are negative no further tests are done. Positive results from the ELISA must be confirmed by a second test. The second or confirmatory test used by the Health Department is the IFA (immunoflourescent assay) test. No positive test is ever reported by the SHS unless it has been confirmed by the confirmatory IFA test.
• Negative result = no HIV antibody detected. If you think you may have been exposed to HIV in the last 6 months, protect yourself from further risk and repeat the test again in 6 months.
• Positive result = HIV antibodies found. This does not mean that you have AIDS. It does mean that you have been infected with HIV and that you need to seek medical care and counseling as soon as possible to maintain your health. The SHS counselor will help you with referrals to appropriate caregivers knowledgeable in early intervention strategies for HIV.
• False negative results: In a false negative test result the test fails to detect HIV antibodies in the blood of a person who actually has HIV infection. This usually is because the test is taken too soon, i.e., before antibodies to HIV have been produced. If your test is taken within 6 months of possible exposure to HIV you should repeat the test after 6 full months have elapsed.
• False positive results: A false positive HIV test is one that is positive even though the blood does not really contain HIV antibodies. Because of the risk of false positive results, a single positive ELISA test, although highly accurate, cannot determine accurately whether an individual is infected with HIV. For this reason all positive ELISA test results are confirmed by IFA or other confirmatory testing. Positive results must always be confirmed by secondary testing.
• Window period: The time between infection with HIV and a positive test for antibodies can vary from 6 weeks to 6 months. During this window period the ELISA test is negative although the person is infected and able to infect others.
• Early intervention: Early treatment of people with HIV infection delays the development of serious symptoms and prevents or reduces complications. However, to take advantage of early intervention you must recognize that you are at risk for HIV and be tested.
• Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Testing is available for other STDs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes and syphilis, through the SHS. If you think you are at risk or have STD symptoms call for an appointment with a physician or the nurse practitioner.

Resources: The HIV Antibody Test, American College Health Association; Kern County Health Department.

9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, California 93311 (661) 654-2394 Fax: (661) 654-3301