HIV Screening

The DSC Clinic routinely screens for HIV for all patients attending the clinic. However, if you would like to opt out from the test, please let us know

We offer two types of HIV tests, namely the HIV Antibody blood test and the HIV Rapid test. Patients can choose to perform either of these tests

a. HIV Antibody Blood Test

  • The HIV Antibody blood test detects antibodies produced by the body in response to infection of HIV. The result for the test takes approximately 5 working days.
  • If the screening test is reactive, confirmatory test known as the Western Blot test will be carried out. The Western Blot test is specifically used to confirm reactive results from the HIV Antibody tests. The result for the test takes approximately 14 working days.


b. HIV Rapid Test

  • The HIV Rapid test also detects antibodies. The result for the test takes approximately 45 minutes.
  • If the rapid test result is reactive, a HIV Antibody blood test and a confirmatory test will be carried out.


In the meantime, it is important to abstain from sex to avoid the possibility of transmitting the infection to others while awaiting the results of the confirmatory test


WINDOW PERIOD
The window period for HIV is the period between the point of infection and the maximum time it takes for a particular test to detect infection. This is between 1 to 3 months. Hence, if the blood test is done during the window period, the results are not very reliable. Re-testing is necessary.

A person can go for a HIV test 1 month after the last exposure and repeat the test at 3rd month.


HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES
A person is considered at high risk if he/she practices either of the following:

  • Engage in unprotected anal/ vaginal/ oral sex with multiple partners, casual partners or commercial sex workers
  • Engage in unprotected anal/ vaginal/ oral sex with a known HIV infected person
  • Share needles

It is recommended for those with high-risk behaviour to undergo the HIV test at 6-12 monthly intervals.


RISK REDUCTION AND PREVENTION MEASURES
These are measures that a person can adopt to prevent or reduce risk of STI/HIV transmission:

  • Abstain from sex
  • Mutual monogamy between two uninfected partners
  • Reduce the number of sex partners
  • Practise safer sex – consistent and correct usage of condoms and lubricants.
  • Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs before sex, as they are likely to affect a personal judgment and increase risk taking behaviour.
  • Early diagnosis and treatment of STIs
  • Do not share injecting equipment
     

NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

If a person is tested positive for HIV, these are the notification requirements:

  • HIV positive people are required by law to disclose their HIV status to their sexual partners before engaging in sexual intercourse.
  • HIV positive people are recommended to disclose their HIV status to medical and dental personnel performing invasive procedures on them.
  • The HIV positive person is encouraged to get his/her sexual partners and others who might be exposed (such as children of HIV positive mothers) to test.
  • The person will also be referred to the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) of Tan Tock Seng, which is the national referral center for HIV/AIDS for further management.
  • Apart from the above situations, no one (including employers and other family members) will be notified, as the Infectious Disease Act protects the identity of HIV infected people and prohibits the unwarranted disclosure of information, which can identify someone as being HIV positive.

  

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