About the Rapid HIV test strips for self testing

hey,dear doctors,since I am in China,and in China we can buy HIV test strips from internet legally,and by self using.and here is my concern:so I bought one strip of Abbott Determine HIV from internet,and I got the package today,it comes with one Determine HIV strip,and a blood collection needle，one tampon.But the blood collection needle is seperated packed in a small plastic bag,but the custormer service explained that it sure is disposable.and I didnt think that much,and then I just followed the instructions getting ready to take the test by myself.After I collected my blood sample with the needle they offered.Then now I'm really worried about what if the blood collection needle wasn't disposable like they said?But I have used the 75% Alcohol to disinfect needle top before I started,and my question is what is the probability that I would probably get infected by the needle if it already had HIV virus on it.One more mention,it took about 3 days to deliver the package to my house,is that possible even if the needle had HIV virus and 3 days were enough to let it become eliminated?Thank you sooooo much for helping me!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I suspect that you are over reacting.  Abbott is a highly reliable company an while I o not know much about how such things are regulated in China, here in the U.S. it would be unheard of for a company to distribute contaminated materials.  Further, since the needle was sent to you, there is no way that they could re-use it after sending to another person.

The needles in such tests are typically solid needles as well. This too is important since with soli needles, blood cannot get trapped in the needle in the way that occurs for hollow needles.  Since blood cannot be caught in a hollow space, were there HIV (and I am confident there was not), HIV would die in transport.

As I said, think you are over reacting a bit.  I would urge you not to worry.

Take care.EWH

[byronxiong]

Dear Doctor,I have one more question,what do you think about the "window period". 6 weeks or 3 months.Are the results reliable and accurate by using HIV test strips by myself? Since I dont want to go to a hospital to do the test bc I am scared that people will judge me by doing a HIV test.What is your suggestion?thank you!

[byronxiong]

Dear Doctor,I have one more question,what do you think about the "window period". 6 weeks or 3 months.Are the results reliable and accurate by using HIV test strips by myself? Since I dont want to go to a hospital to do the test bc I am scared that people will judge me by doing a HIV test.What is your suggestion?thank you! and what is your suggestion?

[byronxiong]

sorry,doctor,i have so many questions want to ask you,is the Abbott’s ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo test strip results as same reliable as the "DUO" test???

[byronxiong]

And what is the "window period"for this after the exposure if I want to use Abbott’s ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo test strip to take a test,and is that the same 4 weeks as the "DUO" test?how accurate if i take the test using Abbott’s ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo test strip after 4 weeks exposure!thank you!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I'll answer your 3 "one more questions", then you should move on.

1  The window period refers to the time when a test might not detect an infected person.  For antibody tests, the theoretical "window period" is up to 8 weeks. After 8 weeks test results are completely reliable with currently available antibody detection tests.  For tests which detect both HIV p24 antigen and HIV antibody the so-called window period is less an after just 4 weeks results are reliable.

2.  Yes the Abbott ARCHITECT is the same, an just as reliable, as other related DUO tests.

3.  see above.

Time for you to move forward.  EWH

[byronxiong]

Thank you soooooooooooo much Docotor!!!
I'm so relieved now,and through your answers I know more about the HIVs.You are wonderful!!!!!!
HAVE A GREAT DAY!!