At-home HIV test

What an HIV test looks for

HIV self-tests sold over the counter look for antibodies — the proteins your immune system makes in response to HIV. They do not measure the virus itself, and they do not measure how much virus is present.

The OraQuick In-Home HIV Test detects HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies in oral fluid. A reactive result means antibodies were detected and needs confirmatory testing by a clinician; a non-reactive result means no antibodies were detected in that sample.

Who may consider testing

• You have had sex without a condom with a new or non-monogamous partner.
• A partner has told you they tested positive for HIV or another sexually transmitted infection.
• You share, or have shared, injection equipment.
• You are starting a new relationship and want a baseline before you stop using condoms.
• You simply test on a routine schedule — the CDC recommends everyone aged 13 to 64 is tested for HIV at least once.

How the at-home test works

• Swab your upper and lower gums once each — no blood, no fingerstick.
• Stand the swab in the developer tube that comes in the box.
• Wait 20 minutes, then read the result. Do not read it after 40 minutes.
• Two lines is a reactive (preliminary positive) result; one control line is non-reactive.

Timing matters: the window period

Antibodies take time to appear. Public-health guidance describes a window period of roughly three months for antibody tests, with most people developing detectable antibodies well before that.

A test taken a few days after a possible exposure can be non-reactive even if HIV was transmitted. If your possible exposure was recent, testing again after the window period is the responsible next step — and if the exposure was within the last 72 hours, contact a clinician immediately about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

What to do with your result

• Reactive (preliminary positive): this is not a diagnosis. Contact a healthcare provider for confirmatory testing. Treatment for HIV is effective and available.
• Non-reactive: if you tested inside the window period, retest after it has passed. Keep using the prevention that fits your life.
• Invalid or unclear: no control line means the test did not run. Do not interpret it — use a new test.

Important limitations

• An over-the-counter self-test is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
• It cannot detect a very recent infection.
• It does not test for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea or trichomoniasis.
• Diagnik never stores your result. You read it at home and nothing is transmitted anywhere.