HIV Test and Testing London UK
HIV Test and Testing London UK
- Fast, friendly HIV testing
- Safe, clean clinic
- No need to give your real name
- No data passed to central database
- Healthcare Commission approved and Registered
- Call 02076371600 for a test
The UK Health Protection Agency estimates (in its report dated Nov 2007) that approximately 73,000 adults are now living with (infected) HIV in the UK of which aproximately 22,000 are undiagnosed. The HPA goes on to say that much of the increase in HIV infections occurs in men who have sex with other men.
Of the 7,800 new HIV infections in the UK in the HPA report 2,700 were in men who have sex with other men.
Almost half of the 7,800 diagnoses were in Black Africans and 3% in Black Caribbeans.
In the UK heterosexual population the HIV new diagnosis rate rose from 232 in 2000 to 750 in 2006.
This ultimately means that the overall chances of acquiring HIV through heterosexual sex with a UK resident is very low indeed.
1 HIV Duo Test or HIV 28 Day Test - includes HIV p24 antigen.
The HIV antibody/p24 antigen Duo Test is an excellent, accurate and inexpensive HIV test that reliably detects HIV infection that occurred just 28 days prior to the test. This HIV test is known as the 'Duo' because it tests for both HIV antibodies as well as the 'HIV P24 antigen'. The HIV p24 antigen is a core HIV viral protein which becomes detectable at approximately 10 days post exposure, peaks at 16 days or so and then remains at high level for 8 to 10 weeks post exposure. It will then fluctuate over the rest of the course of the illness. HIV p24 antigen is extremely useful in combination with an HIV antibody test in determining early on whether an individiual has been infected with HIV. The HIV DUO test is extremely accurate at 28 days and is now the test recommended by the new UK Guidelines on HIV testing 2008.
We send a small blood sample to our laboratory and the results are usually available in a few hours. The cost of this HIV test is £125 (all inclusive ). The HIV DUO test including p24 antigen is rated as 99.8% accurate.
For more Detailed Information on the HIV DUO test please click the links below
Early diagnosis of HIV infection using p24 antigen
2. HIV Antibody Test or HIV 90 Day Test
This is similar to the traditional HIV test that many people receive from GUM clinics except that we are able to give you your results in a matter of just 2 minutes, i.e. whilst you are still with the doctor. A small blood sample will be taken. You may prefer the speed of this test to the HIV Duo test (above) if you are unlikely to have been infected in the previous 90 days. We use the Insti HIV test kit which is very reliable for detection of possible infection greater than 90 days before the test.
The cost of this HIV test is £125 (all inclusive). This HIV test is rated as 99.9% accurate.
3. HIV PCR Test - Results from 10 Days!
You may also have heard of HIV PCR testing. This is the most sensitive HIV test available and aims to test for HIV 1 infection that occurred as little as 10 days prior to the test. This HIV PCR test is not 100% reliable but it is a guide for those that are desperate for some peace of mind at the earliest opportunity. We recommend that this HIV test is followed-up with an HIV Duo Test at 28 days after the suspected infection. Like the HIV Duo test, a blood sample is sent to our laboratory and the results should be with you in 5-7 working days. This test will help allay fears over the possible early symptoms of HIV. The cost of this HIV PCR test is £299 (all inclusive).
We provide a full range of HIV test and testing services, including the HIV DUO test combining HIV antibody and p24 antigen test; the HIV Antibody test and also the HIV Viral Load PCR test. We offer a Sameday HIV test and can provide an HIV test from as early as 10 days after exposure which can help allay fears over the possible early symptoms of HIV.
There are several different types of HIV test. During your consultation with our doctor we will discuss the HIV testing options with you and recommend the most suitable HIV test for you.
There is currently no available HIV test to detect whether you have been infected with HIV in the previous few days but you no longer have to wait 3 months until you can get a reliable HIV test result. A consultation with one of our experienced doctors and an appropriate test can allay fears over the possible early symptoms of HIV. Generally GUM (STD) clinics will only offer an HIV test which will detect an infection that took place 3 months or so prior to the test. We offer very up-to-date HIV testing from 10 days after exposure to the virus.
"Time is also a key factor. If you want to have a blood test because you have had a risky episode (such as unprotected sex, for example), taking hours off work to go through the soul-destroying experience of waiting in line at a drop in sexual health clinic is just not an option. Direct and discreet, this is a service that can put your mind at rest, fast." [read article]
Richard Bence, The Independent on Sunday, 8th May 2005
HIV-2 Infection
At Freedomhealth we receive very many queries about HIV-2. Here we wanted to set out some basic facts which we hope will be reassuring for patients and people having HIV tests.
HIV-2 Infection
At the Autumn conference of the British HIV Association in November 2007, Dr Kamal Mansinho from the Egas Moniz Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal gave an overview of HIV-2 and how it differed from HIV-1.
His main points were that HIV-2 is a less virulent, less aggressive and less harmful virus than HIV-1, with a five to nine foldlower probability of its sexual transmission. In West Africa it is associated with a normal life-span. It is spread by direct contact with HIV-2 infected primate blood and the butchering of sooty mangabeys for food.
When is HIV testing complete?
We receive very many enquiries about when can people regard HIV testing as complete and 100% accurate.
When is HIV testing complete?
HIV testing has developed enormously over the last 30 years since the appearance of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
There are many HIV tests in use. At Freedomhealth we try to concentrate on using the most modern tests, with the most supporting evidence regarding their use, our own collective personal experience of using them and also the varying Guidelines and advice from the UK Advisory Groups. Advice and statements from the CDC in the US is considered as valuable but is commonly incomplete and out of date. Consequently, we rely heavily on modern advice obtained from within the UK and also published in world-class medical journals.
Some of the advice published may appear to be contradictory, so again we have tried to develop a consensus view, using our combined huge experience of the tests available.
The new UK Guidelines on HIV Testing published in September 2008 have emphatically recommended the use of 4th generation combined HIV p24 antigen and HIV antibody tests (HIV DUO tests) as the test of first choice, citing the very distinct benefit of the earlier diagnosis of HIV using these tests as opposed to the older 3rd generation HIV antibody tests. The 4th generation combined tests will shorten the time from infection to diagnosis by 1-2 weeks over the older 3rd generation HIV tests. The older 3rd generation tests are excellent and will still identify the majority of new HIV infections by 6 weeks.
The new UK HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis Guidelines published in October 2008 are in agreement with the above HIV testing Guidelines with respect to the use of the 4th generation combined HIV p24 antigen and HIV antibody tests except they set the interval for definitve testing at 12 weeks post exposure.
Both lots of Guidelines have been written by different groups but with a cross over of experts. So as with many other issues in life, complete agreement is sometimes not possible.
From the Freedomhealth point of view, using as described above the combined knowledge and experience of the team we regard the HIV DUO test as a conclusive HIV test at 28 days or beyond in almost all circumstances. In situations where a patient has had an exceptionally high level of HIV exposure and has symptoms which we might in our expert opinion regard as suggestive of an acute HIV infection, we will encourage the patient to re-test at an appropriate interval which we will decide with the patient. However, it is almost always the case that a negative HIV DUO test at 28 dyas or more will be conclusive and will not need repeating.
