This area of our site focuses on the health education components of our new programs designed to educate the many community members that we serve.

Health Education Phone:(330) 315-2764 Directions Info: This area of our site focuses on the health education components of our new programs designed to educate the many community members that we serve. Newsroom/Learn More

HIV Testing- Know Where You Stand

It is a simple process that shows if you've been infected with the HIV virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV spreads through contact with infected body fluids mainly through:

• Having sex with a person infected with HIV
• Sharing a needle of syringe with a person infected with HIV
• Mother-to-child transmission

You should think about getting tested if you or your partner has ever engaged in risky behavior such as :sharing needles, having unsafe sex, has had certain illnesses (such as tuberculosis, or STD's), wants to have a baby, has had more than one sex partner. HIV infection and AIDS are not the same thing- HIV infection is a long-term illness that attacks the immune system- at present, there is no cure. When HIV infects the body, the body makes antibodies. Antibodies help to fight germs, but HIV antibodies cannot keep up with the HIV virus. People may not know they have HIV; they may look and feel healthy for years. But, they can still pass HIV to others. Symptoms may take years to appear. Most people have a period of flu-like symptoms within weeks of being infected. Later, people may have such symptoms as: swollen lymph glands, recurrent fever, rapid weight loss, diarrhea and decreased appetite, yeast or other vaginal infection that are recurrent or hard to treat, white spots or unusual blemishes in the mouth. AIDS is the last stage of HIV infection, when the immune system becomes so weak it can no longer defend the body against certain cancer, lung infections, or viral infections.

How does testing work?

At CHC and oral swab test is used, although some agencies use blood testing. The sample is tested for HIV antibodies. It make take the body up to 6 months to make enough antibodies for the test to detect. If HIV antibodies are found, the sample is retested. HIV tests are very reliable, the chances for wrong results are small. Results are usually returned within one week. A negative means that no HIV antibodies were found. You could, however, still be infected if you have been exposed to HIV in the past 6 months. Your body may not have made enough HIV antibodies to have shown up yet. You should consider getting retested in a few months. A positive results means your body is making HIV antibodies - you have HIV. This doesn't mean you have AIDS or will get sick soon. An indeterminate result means that the results were unclear. You may have to be tested again.

Reduces stress and anxiety Protect yourself If you are infected, the test helps you to: get proper treatment, avoid spreading HIV, avoid getting reinfected with.

For more information us at (330) 315-2764 or send an email.