Antibody blood tests are used to detect HIV antibodies in the bloodstream. A second test, referred to as the Western Blot test, is run to confirm a positive result. Results are accessed by an anonymous identification number and are given over the telephone several days later. Home Testing Kits are sold in drugstores and health clinics throughout the country and are available by mail. Western Blot tests are alternatives to blood tests.
Oral testing is done with samples of mucus from inside the cheeks and gums rather than with blood.
Oral tests have been approved by the FDA and are as accurate as blood tests. Home test kits are not yet available for the Oral HIV test. This test is done to detect the presence of HIV antibodies, not the virus itself. No cases of HIV transmission have been attributed to saliva. A rapid test for detecting antibody to HIV is a screening test that provides quick results , usually in five to thirty minutes.