Difference between rapid hiv test and the regular test ?

waht is the difference between the rapid hiv test and the regular test ? do u still have to wait 3 months after exposure to get the rapid test ? thanks

Yes, you still have to wait. The only difference is that the rapid test is able to be performed faster. Usually it's done when a patient presents to the Emergency unit for a trauma or some similar circumstance. Actually, these days usually the rapid test is performed as standard and if it's positve then it's sent for confirmation by what you're calling the "regular" test.

Different tests have different sensitivities, so you do not have to wait as long for some of the longer types of tests:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV_test

The problem with the rapid test is that there can sometimes be false positives, and more rarely, false negatives.
So you could take the rapid test, and it could say that you have HIV. That's why when you take a rapid test, and it comes back positive, they make you take the regular test to make sure that it isn't a false positive.

More rarely you have false negatives, where it says that you don't have it although you really do. But this is extremely rare.

The only difference is with the rapid test you only have to wait 20 minutes to get your test results and they swab your cheek instead of drawing blood.

The wait period after exposure is the same. The Rapid test is 99.9% accurate. Positive result is sent to lab for confirmation, negative is not. Follow-up with another test in about 30 days.

My Rapid test was done with blood from a finger prick and took about 20 mins. to get the result. I did a follow-up at the county health department in 30 days and this time we did a hepatitis screening (I recommend this) also and for this they drew two viles of blood. I'm still waiting for the results.

The standard blood test for HIV starts of with an EIA/ELISA test. If that is (-), you are considered to be negative taking into account the 3 month window period. Case closed. If it is (+) or (indeterminate), a second type of antibody test is done (Western Blot). IF that is (-) you're negative. Case closed. If that is (+) you are positive.

There are a few different "rapid" or point of care tests. Some are a saliva sample, some a pin-p.r.i.c.k. blood sample, some require plasma.

The rapid tests are ONLY the EIA/ELISA portion of the standard test. As part of pre-test counselling a patient would be made aware of these facts,:
- person must receive a "Subject Information Pamphlet" provided with the test
-a negative test is considered negative unless tested in the window period (3 months post exposure)
-positive tests are considered preliminary positive results and should be confirmed with a Western Blot (or IFA) NOT another EIA!
-patients with indeterminate results should be retested with rapid test after 1 month

These tests are as reliable as the standard screening tests.