HIV FAQ - Who Should Get Tested And When
Everyone should know their HIV status. The only way to do that is by getting tested.
Some people think they would know if they had HIV, but like other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV often shows no symptoms.
An estimated 1 in 7 people living with HIV in the U.S. does not know it. Left untreated, HIV can cause serious harm to someone’s health.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 receive an HIV test at least once.
Men who have sex with men are advised to get an HIV test as often as every three to six months. Additionally, the CDC recommends that anyone who is at ongoing risk of HIV should be tested at least once a year. This includes people who have:
- Had sex with someone who has HIV
- Had a new sex partner since their last HIV test
- Shared drug-injection equipment
- Engaged in sex work
- Had another STD
- Had hepatitis B or C or tuberculosis (TB)
- Had sex with someone who falls into any of the above categories
- Had sex with anyone whose sexual history they don’t know
- Anyone who is pregnant or planning to get pregnant should get tested as early in the process as possible. Treatment can prevent women with HIV from passing the virus to the baby.
Learn more about our confidential testing options at Orenda Health and Wellness.
