Since the Homeaccess test is being referenced I thought I'd throw out some info I checked on in regards to whether or not they check for HIV-2 as some posters have stated in recent months. I received the following reply from Homeaccess when I e-mailed them:
"Our test looks for the antibodies of HIV-1. HIV-2 is generally not a concern in the United States. The "2" is an identifier used to distinguish it for the African population which suffers from HIV in epidemic proportions. However, the basic anatomy of the two versions of virus are similar enough that our test will also detect the presence of HIV-2 antibodies."
They're dumbing down the difference between the two strains but obviously they claim to be able to detect HIV-2. I wonder if the FDA would endorse this statement??
The additional information doesn't change my response. But it sounds like they have a secure system to assure no mix-up of results.
I won't have any further replies.
Sorry to keep replying, I checked my mailed results and there is a specimen number and a control number. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.
Sorry Doctor, Just to clarify, I found a company on the website whom i paid, They sent me to a draw station who then sent my specimen to a lab. Thanks again.
Your opening comment suggests you have read other similar questions. My answers are the same as for those. Condom-protected sex, even with a CSW, is zero-risk for HIV transmission and you can rely on the negative test results. You didn't need testing, but in any case the negative results prove you didn't catch HIV.
1) I cannot comment on any particular clinic's management of test result for people who test anonymously or with limited information. You'll have to ask them how certain they are that the test results they gave you were your own. But most likely they are pretty careful about such things.
2) The Home Access test is designed to withstand all the transport conditions that are expected by US mail: cold, heat, rain, excess time in specimen transport, and the like. Before approving marketing of the test, the US Food and Drug Administration required to company to submit research data to show that such things are not a problem.
HHH, MD