Home HIV Test Kit

A home HIV test is an effective way to check if you have HIV from the comfort of your home. You collect a small sample of blood from your finger and send it back to our laboratory for testing. Our team will then contact you through your ZAVA private patient account with your results.

The home HIV testing kit works by detecting both the p24 antigen (a protein that’s found on the HIV virus) and anti-HIV antibodies (made by your body to fight off HIV infection).

p24 is usually found in the early stages of HIV infection, and antibodies are made later on. By testing for both, this test can pick up HIV over a longer period. It also tests for the 2 main strains of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a viral infection that’s spread via infected fluid, such as:

• blood
• semen
• vaginal fluid
• anal fluid
• breastmilk

Fluids like sweat, urine, and saliva do not contain enough of the virus for it to spread.

To become infected, HIV must enter the bloodstream. It can be transferred:

• via injection into the blood by sharing needles or other injection equipment
• through cuts or wounds on the skin
• through the thin skin around the genitals, including inside the vagina and anus
• through the thin lining of the eyes and mouth

Most people get HIV from having condomless vaginal or anal sex with someone who has HIV, but it’s also possible to get HIV from other sexual activities, like unprotected oral sex or sharing sex toys.

After entering the body, HIV replicates itself and gradually damages the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off other types of infection. The late stage of infection, where your immune system is badly damaged, is known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Why should I get tested for HIV?

Getting early treatment for HIV can help prevent the virus from replicating and avoid long-term damage to the immune system. However, many people with HIV do not realise they have it, which means regular testing is essential.

In the first few weeks after getting HIV, most people experience a flu-like illness with symptoms such as:

• a high temperature
• sore throat
• rash
• joint and muscle pain
• tiredness
• enlarged glands

But these signs can easily be mistaken for the flu or another illness. Once they improve, there may not be any other symptoms for several years, which is why testing is so important.

Anyone who thinks they may have HIV should get tested. If you’re sexually active, the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) recommends getting tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections once a year, or after every new partner. You can be tested up to every 3 months.

Some people at high risk should have an HIV test at least once a year, including:

• people who inject drugs
• sex workers
• men and trans women with male sexual partners (unless they have one long-term, exclusive partner)

Men or trans women who have sex with men should get tested for HIV every 3 months if they have:

• had condomless anal sex with anonymous men or men whose HIV status is unknown in the last year
• had more than 10 sexual partners over the last 12 months
• used drugs during sex in the last 6 months

This is because they’re at high risk of HIV infection.

Getting emergency treatment before testing

If you think there’s a high chance you’ve been exposed to HIV, it’s important to seek medical help as soon as you can because you may need to take emergency HIV medication.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a medication that can reduce the risk of getting HIV if started up to 72 hours after potential exposure. These medications are similar to those taken after a HIV diagnosis, but they’re usually taken for around 28 days. A healthcare professional can advise you if you should take PEP.

When to test

For our home HIV test kit, we advise waiting at least 45 days after you think you may have been infected with HIV. If you take a test earlier than this, negative results may be false. In some cases, you may need to be retested 1 to 3 months later to confirm a negative result.

Some blood tests for HIV can give reliable results from 1 month after infection, but other tests may not be accurate until a longer time after infection. This is because the virus levels (and the body’s response to the virus) need to be high enough to be detected by the test.

People who want to rule out having HIV can get tested by visiting their local sexual health clinic or by ordering a home testing kit.

You will need to provide a small blood sample at home using a small finger-prick device called a lancet. You might feel nervous about this, but the process is straightforward and simple. Once you have collected your sample, post it back to our partner laboratory using the prepaid postage label to receive your results within 72 hours of them receiving it.

What’s inside the kit

Each test kit contains 3 lancets. You only need 1 for the test, but an extra 2 are provided in case you need them. You’ll also have some swabs, a plaster, and a collection tube for the blood sample in your kit. We’ll give you all the materials needed to send your sample to the lab, including a prepaid envelope.

If you make a mistake, we can send you another test kit free of charge.

Taking the test

You can take the sample at any time of the day. Make sure it has been at least 45 days since you think you were infected.

To collect your sample, you’ll need to:

1. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water and dry them before using the test.
2. Wipe an alcohol swab on the finger you want to collect the sample from and wait for the skin to dry.
3. Take a lancet from the kit and twist and remove the purple stick.
4. Place the lancet onto your fingertip and press down on the button at the end.
5. You should see a small drop of blood on your fingertip when you squeeze it. If you do not, try again on another finger with a new lancet. Wipe away the first drop of blood with a tissue.
6. Open the collection tube, put your finger downwards towards the tube and squeeze your fingertip, allowing the blood to drop into the tube until you fill it to the top line. If you cannot get enough blood from one finger, use another lancet on another finger.
7. Once the tube is filled, apply the plaster to your fingertip and screw the lid back on the tube securely. Write your details on the label provided and stick it to the collection tube.
8. Place the tube inside the wallet and the wallet inside the prepaid envelope. You can then post this sample at your nearest postbox.
9. Make sure to post your sample the same day you collect it and avoid sending it over a weekend or bank holiday.

For detailed instructions, please see the leaflet, which comes with your test kit.

Our tests are 99.8% effective at detecting p45 (HIV antigen) and HIV antibodies if you were infected more than 45 days before the test.

The antibody/antigen tests that we use are fourth generation. Fourth-generation HIV tests are more accurate than older tests, picking up 28% of HIV infections missed by other tests. They are also able to detect HIV earlier than older tests can.

You’ll get your results in your confidential ZAVA account around 2 to 3 working days after the lab receives your sample. Results are never sent via email or text to protect your privacy.

Our doctors will always provide you with advice alongside your results on what to do next.

When you get your results, they will either say ‘positive’ or ‘negative’:

A negative result means no sign of infection was found in the sample you provided.

A positive result indicates that evidence of the HIV infection was found in your blood. Regardless of your test results, our team is always there for advice and support.

What does a negative HIV test result mean?

As long as you took the test at least 45 days after you may have been exposed to HIV, a negative result means you are not currently infected with HIV.

You do not need to take another test unless you are potentially exposed to HIV again.

What does a positive HIV test result mean?

If you receive a positive test result for HIV, it means the HIV infection was detected in the sample you provided. Our doctors will advise you on what to do next.

You will need to do another follow-up test in a clinic, and if this returns as positive, it means you have HIV. You’ll need to seek medical care, but we’ll help you find specialist services that will test and treat you.

HIV can be managed by taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). This is a combination of medications used to slow down the progression of the virus.

By taking your medication every day and attending appointments, you can avoid HIV progressing to AIDS. And, the sooner you start treatment, the less likely you are to become seriously unwell. Many people who get an early diagnosis and take their medication go on to live healthy and full lives.

What diseases can cause a false-positive HIV test?

Many different things can cause a false-positive HIV test result, including vaccinations, autoimmune disease, and other viral infections. These include conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, malaria, and autoimmune hepatitis. That’s why a positive HIV test result is always confirmed by performing another test.