Is saliva test for HIV accurate?

Many people are very taboo about AIDS, but when they suspect that they have AIDS, they are too embarrassed to go to the hospital for examination and want to do self-testing. So, are the saliva tests for AIDS on the market accurate? I believe everyone has this question, so let me tell you whether the accuracy of the HIV saliva test paper is high or not?

There is a prominent reminder posted at the blood drawing window of the CDC: Please show your ID card for HIV testing and collect the test results within 7-10 working days.

Social discrimination has caused more high-risk groups to stay away from the voluntary HIV consultation and testing (VCT) sites of the CDC. Due to the particularity of HIV, many people who have engaged in high-risk behaviors for HIV infection have various concerns and confusions about going to public health institutions for HIV testing. This is why the public chooses to purchase HIV saliva test strips online.

We all know that AIDS is a malignant disease with many transmission routes, a long incubation period, and no obvious initial symptoms.

HIV self-test is also accurate!

After engaging in high-risk behavior, many people have learned more or less about AIDS through various channels. They suspect that they have been infected with AIDS, but they dare not go to public health institutions for testing. They become anxious and fearful, and may even suffer from AIDS hypochondriasis. The best solution is to buy AIDS test strips and conduct self-testing to rule out the possibility of infection.

It is understood that there are currently more than 100 methods for detecting HIV (AIDS), which can be generally divided into two categories: antibody testing and virus testing.

Due to the stability of HIV antibodies, the diagnosis of AIDS requires the results of HIV antibody testing. So far, my country generally uses two methods for HIV antibody screening: the third-generation enzyme-linked absorbance assay (ELISA) reagent and the gold standard rapid detection method, which is the HIV saliva test strip. These two methods are almost the same in terms of accuracy and detection window period.

The accuracy of HIV test strips can reach 99.8%, and the accuracy of cross-testing of two or more test strips can reach 100%. It is equally accurate for individuals to buy HIV saliva test strips for self-testing!

Experts remind that self-testing of HIV knowledge is a method of initial screening, and the positive result of the HIV saliva test strip can only be used as a reference. Once a positive result is detected, it is necessary to go to the CDC's confirmation laboratory for confirmation. However, a negative result of the last high-risk test after the window period can rule out infection.

It is impossible to directly determine whether someone is infected with AIDS by looking at symptoms. There may be no symptoms or the symptoms may be very mild. In daily life, these symptoms can be easily overlooked. Therefore, timely AIDS testing will help control the spread of AIDS. Such testing is a responsibility to both family members and society.