Different HIV Testing
HIV testing and treatment has come a long way since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. The ELISA HIV screening became available in 1985, a long four years after the epidemic started, and two years later the Western Blot test was approved. Since then, additional testing methods have become available, each with their own benefits.
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ELISA Test
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The ELISA, or Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay, was the first blood test available for HIV antibodies. Since the antibodies it tests for are not necessarily HIV-exclusive, additional testing is used to confirm positive results.
Western Blot Test
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The Western Blot test was made available in 1987. Along with the ELISA, it tests for antibodies to HIV. The antibodies that Western Blot tests for are HIV-exclusive, so positive tests are considered to be accurate.
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Rapid Tests
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Rapid tests are antibody tests that either use blood or saliva. These were not made available until 1992, but due to their quickness (results are returned within 20 minutes) they are very popular with some clinics. Rapid tests are usually confirmed with an ELISA or Western Blot test.
Home HIV Testing
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Home testing kits for HIV became available in 1996. Though they have a reputation of being less reliable than tests administered in clinical settings (generally due to the increased potential for user error), they are very popular because of privacy issues.
RNA Tests
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RNA (nucleic acid) tests look for the presence of the actual genetic material found in HIV. Not given regularly because of their high cost, RNA test are mostly used for testing blood supplies and for confirmations in very early cases of infection.
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