HIV testing is available for FREE at community health clinics, sexual health clinics and from your family doctor. Family planning centers or drug treatment facilities also offer testing. See also the list of testing sites in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

HIV is detectable by a blood test. The test tells you if you are infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) by looking for antibodies. HIV antibodies are your immune systems response to HIV in your blood. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to fight a specific germ.

Other tests are used when people already know they are infected with HIV. A viral load test is used to measure how many cells are being infected and killed by the HIV virus and is usually done when an individual is diagnosed with HIV infection and at regular intervals following diagnoses. A CD4 cell count measures the number of CD4 cells in a sample of blood. It is used by health care providers to determine when to begin, interrupt, or halt-anti-HIV therapy, when to give preventive treatment for opportunistic infections, and to measure an individual’s response to treatment. The lower the CD4 count, the higher the risk of an individual developing an opportunistic infection. The healthy range for a CD4 cell count is: 500-1500.

HIV is detectable by a blood test. Newer tests can detect HIV antibodies in mouth fluid (not the same as saliva), urine, or from a scraping sample taken from inside the cheek. "Rapid" HIV test results are available within ten to thirty minutes after a sample is taken. One of these tests has produced a high rate of false positives. A positive result on any HIV test should be confirmed with a second test.

Antibody test results for HIV are accurate more than 99.5% of the time. Once blood has been taken, an Elisa test is used to test for HIV antibodies. A positive test result is then confirmed with a Western blot test.
 
Two special cases have been known to give false results:

1. Children born to HIV-positive mothers may have false positive test results for several months because mothers pass infection-fighting antibodies to their newborn children. Even if the children are not infected, they have HIV antibodies and will test positive. Other tests, such as a viral load test, must be used to confirm results.
2. People recently infected with HIV may test negative if they get tested too soon after being infected with HIV.

All test results are confidential and must be delivered in person. You should not get your positive or negative result over the phone or by email. A positive test result means that you have HIV antibodies and are infected with HIV. A health care provider will give you information and options on what to do next and how to access services and support.

A negative test result means that you have not been exposed to HIV and you are not infected with HIV (provided you have not participated in a risk activity since testing). You now have the opportunity to learn and continue to practice HIV prevention, protecting yourself and others from STIs.

The result from an HIV test can either be positive or negative.

A positive test result tells you that you have been infected with HIV. Being HIV positive does not mean you have AIDS. By regularly monitoring your health and exploring your treatmentoptions, you can slow the progress of HIV and live a longer, healthier life. You can get support and information about living with HIV. Call your local AIDS Helpline for more information.

If the result is positive, you will be asked if you need help identifying people that might have been at risk of getting HIV from you. You have the right to say that you do not need this help. If youdo want help, public health staff will work with you and your doctor or clinic in order to identify people that may need to be warned that they have been at risk of HIV infection. If you have questions about this, call your local AIDS Helpline.

A negative test result can tell you one of two things:

1. Either you don't have HIV, or
2. You've been infected recently and your body hasn't produced enough HIV antibodies to be measured in a blood test.

A negative result doesn't mean you are immune to HIV. You might consider this a good opportunity to look at what you've been doing and what you can do to reduce your risk of infection.