OPTIONS CLINIC HIV ANONYMOUS TESTING
Options Clinic
How is HIV Transmitted? What are risky activities? Who should get tested? What is the HIV Antibody Test? What does thetest tell you? Is the Test Accurate? Why should you
get tested? Talk to a counsellor
before you get tested. What is Anonymous Testing? Why Test Anonymously? Protection from HIV involves a range of choices. Making a positive
choice involves... Rapid testing or standard testing? Clinic Hours and Making an Appointment
How is HIV transmitted?
HIV is mainly spread by having anal or vaginal sex (intercourse) with an infected person without a condom or by sharing needles.
There are two primary principles involved in the transmission of HIV. These can help you assess the level of risk involved in any activity:
- There are four body fluids that contain enough HIV to cause infection: Blood, Semen, Vaginal Fluids and Breast Milk.
- One of these fluids must gain entry to your blood system for the possibility of infection to occur.
REMEMBER, there is not enough virus in other body fluids to cause infection. Therefore, saliva, urine, tears and sweat do not present you with risk.
What are risky activities?
HIGH Risk
- anal intercourse without a condom
- vaginal intercourse without a condom
- pulling out before ejaculation, without a condom
- shared sex toys without cleaning or use of a new condom for each person
- sharing needles for injecting substances and/or mixing equipment
LOW Risk
- oral sex on a man, taking semen in one's mouth or swallowing it
- oral sex on a woman
- anal intercourse with a condom, without barrier
- vaginal intercourse with a condom
- injection of substance with used needle or syringe that has been cleaned
NO Risk
- using a new unshared needle
- using unshared sex toys
- solo masturbation
- casual everyday contact
- hugging/kissing, body rubbing, caressing, touch.
- coughing, sneezing
- shared food, eating utensils
- toilet seats
- mosquitos and other insects and animals
- penile masturbation by partner (without using semen or vaginal fluid as a lubricant)
- urination. ejaculation or defecation on unbroken skin.
Negligible Risk
- oral sex on man or woman with barrier
- digital-anal or digital-vaginal intercourse
Who should get tested?
Anyone who:
- has had unprotected vaginal intercourse
- has had unprotected anal intercourse
- has shared needles (body piercing, steroid use, intervenous drug use)
- has had a blood transfusion or received a blood product prior to 1986
- is considering getting pregnant or donating semen or organs, and think there is a chance of being at risk
The Bottom Line is ... If you have had unprotected sex or other risk in the past ten years, you should at least talk to a counsellor to find out whether the test is necessary.
What is the HIV Antibody Test?
- a blood test which tells you if you have been infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
- your body produces antibodies to fight the HIV virus. The blood test tells you if you have these antibodies which show you are infected.