About HIV/AIDS
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system, the human body's shield against disease. If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). There is no cure for HIV and AIDS, but with the medications available today, people can still achieve a normal life expectancy.
HIV is transmitted through contact with blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, or breast milk from an infected person. Infection can occur through unprotected sex.
It can also be transmitted through blood contact by sharing a used syringe or needle.
Women living with HIV can transmit the virus to their babies during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. It is also possible to become infected through a blood transfusion, although this is very rare.
HIV cannot be transmitted through casual contact. There is no risk of infection when sharing everyday items such as food, dishes, utensils, clothes, beds, or toilets with a person living with HIV.
The virus is not transmitted through sweat, tears, saliva, or a casual kiss from an infected person. People do not get infected by eating food prepared by an HIV-infected person. People have also not been infected with HIV by being bitten by insects.
About the INSTI(R) HIV Self Test
The test is based on a simple flow-through technology to detect HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies in a drop of human fingertip blood. The test does not directly detect the virus; it only shows whether HIV antibodies are present or not. The INSTI® Self-Test is easy to perform and very accurate, but it will only work correctly if you read and follow the instructions carefully. To obtain a positive test, you must perform the INSTI® Self-Test at least 21 to 22 days after infection, although it can take up to 3 months to get a reliable result. Therefore, a negative result can be inaccurate for up to 3 months after an infection.
Diagnostic sensitivity is a measure of how well the test can detect the presence of HIV antibodies. Diagnostic specificity is a measure of how well the test can identify healthy, non-HIV-infected patients. In studies, the sensitivity of INSTI was 100% and the specificity was 99.5% and 99.8% respectively. The results therefore show extreme accuracy and are over 99% reliable.
Results
The INSTI® HIV Self Test has a built-in control dot to show that the test has been performed correctly and that you have added the proper amount of fingerstick blood. If the control dot does not appear, your test has not worked. Please discard your test and retest with a new test. If only the control dot is visible it means that your result is negative and you probably do not have HIV. If two dots are visible your test result is positive. This means you likely have HIV. Although the results of the INSTI® HIV Self Test are very accurate, you MUST have a positive result confirmed by a doctor as soon as possible so that treatment can be started immediately. It is essential for your health and wellbeing that you seek medical advice if your result is positive.
If your result is negative, but you have been involved in an activity in the past 3 months that puts you at risk of HIV infection, you may be in the so-called “diagnostic window”.
You are advised to have another test at a later date.
See a doctor as soon as possible and tell him or her that you have done an HIV self-test. All positive results must be confirmed by a laboratory test.