StemCell Therapy

Who should get tested?

If you are sexually active or thinking of becoming sexually active you should get tested.

Stellenbosch University Campus Health Service Weekdays: 08:00 - 12:00 021 808 3496

HIV/AIDS Helpline 0800 012 322

If you would like to give us feedback on your experience of these services or recommend services in other areas contact Monica du Toit.

VCT is about getting to know your HIV status by taking an HIV test, and does not test for Aids. This confidential test will tell you whether you are HIV positive or negative. Voluntary means that the decision to go for the test is entirely your own choice. Confidential means that you have the right to absolute privacy.

VCT is a three-step process that involves pre-test counselling, the test and post-test counselling.

The pre-test counselling will prepare you for the test and will help you to anticipate the result whether it turns out to be HIV positive or negative.

A trained counsellor will explore your reason for attending and explain shared confidentiality. The counsellor will explain to you what HIV is, explore your level of risk of having the virus, correct any misconceptions you may have and explain what the HIV test is. The counsellor will also explain the importance and the benefits of knowing your HIV status. In addition, he/she will discuss the different options available to you and give you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about HIV or the HIV test. You will be encouraged to talk freely about your fears and concerns. You then give informed consent/dissent freely.

There are three common types of HIV antibody tests: the Elisa test, the Western blot test and the Rapid test. The Elisa and Western blot test will require that you have a sample of blood taken. This blood sample will be sent to a laboratory for testing and the results will be received a week later. The Rapid test requires that the health worker take a drop of your blood by pricking your finger. A drop of this blood will be placed on the test kit where a chemical agent will be added. Your results will be available within 15 minutes. If the test is positive, a second Rapid test will be done to confirm the result.

Current HIV antibody tests can only detect the antibodies when sufficient quantities have been produced. With new technology the time it takes before antibodies can be detected is decreasing, but there is still a period during which the antibodies cannot be detected in the blood. This is called the window period and can last up to 42 days. During the window period, you may receive a negative HIV test result, but still have the virus in your body. It is recommended that if you have had unsafe sex in the past six weeks, you should have a second HIV test done six weeks later to confirm the result of a negative first test.

All these tests are highly reliable and accurate.

During the post-test counselling phase you will be given the results of your test simply and clearly. The counsellor will allow time for the results to sink in and to check your understanding. There are a number of basic issues that the counsellor can help you with, which includes dealing with your immediate emotional reactions, checking if you have immediate support available and identifying your options and/or resources.

A positive test result means that you have been infected with HIV. The counsellor will help you work through some of your feelings of shock, fear and anger. You will have the opportunity to talk about whether or not you are going to tell your family and your sexual partner. The counsellor will also discuss healthy and positive living with you.

Being HIV positive does not mean that you have no future. Many people live happy, healthy and productive lives with HIV. But it does mean that you will have to learn about keeping your immune system healthy, lowering stress levels and building up a good support system. It is also important that you protect yourself and your partner from further infection. You will also be given information about your rights as someone living with HIV. Your counsellor will refer you to further supportive counselling and medical help whenever you need it.

The counsellor will explore with you the various ways of keeping yourself and your sexual partner(s) safe from contracting HIV. He/she will help you understand the window period and the possibility of needing to be retested. Even if you tested negative, your counsellor will share with you the importance of taking responsibility for avoiding future risky behaviour and of using condoms. If you and your partner have come together for the test and one of you is HIV positive, you may need support as to how this affects your relationship.

As a student at a higher education institution, you are in the high-risk age group of HIV. It is very important that you know your HIV status. Deciding whether or not to go for an HIV test is a difficult decision. While some people think that it is better not to know their status, there are many advantages to knowing your status. With this knowledge you can take control of your life and your future.

You will be very relieved that you do not have HIV. You can begin to make sure that you practice safer sex and use a condom every time you have sex.

If you have had unprotected sex (sex without a condom) recently, the virus might not yet show up in the test. This is called the window period. The counsellor will ask you to come back after six weeks for another test.

This means that you have been infected with HIV. Knowing that you are HIV positive will help you to make informed lifestyle decisions. You can start to take care of your stress levels, eat a more balanced and healthy diet and live a healthier life. Knowing your HIV status will prolong your life. The earlier you are diagnosed the better!

HIV doesnt kill; opportunistic infections do. HIV attacks your bodys immune system so that you are at risk of getting a variety of infections. If you are HIV positive and know your status, you can become aware of the symptoms of the various infections and make sure that you get treatment as early as possible.

You can make sure that you do not get re-infected with a different strain of HIV, by using a condom every time you have sex. You can also make sure that you protect your sexual partner(s) from becoming HIV positive.

Knowing that you are HIV positive will allow you to plan for the future for your own health and well-being, as well as that of your family and partner.

Although there are many benefits to knowing your HIV status, there could also be negative consequences. In many families and communities it is difficult to disclose your status because of stigma and discrimination. Before you have a VCT, you need to talk to a counsellor and discuss all the possible outcomes of being tested. This will allow you to make an informed decision. Nobody can force you to have a test. It is also entirely up to you whether or not you disclose your status to anyone else. The advantages of knowing your status greatly outweigh the disadvantages. Deciding not to go for a test does not mean that you do not have the HI-virus.

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About Voluntary HIV Counselling & Testing | Office for ...

This entry was posted on August 4, 2016 at 9:40 am and is filed under Immune System. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |