A reactive result means that the test has reacted with something in your blood. It could be a sign of HIV infection, but it’s not the same as a positive result.
We follow the World Health Organization's guidance on HIV testing. This says that HIV can only be diagnosed after completing 3 separate tests. These tests look for 3 different parts of the HIV virus or its antibodies.
If you have a reactive result on your first test then we'll ask you to go to a sexual health clinic so that they can complete the second and third tests. About a third of reactive results will be confirmed as positive in a clinic.
If you're worried about a reactive result or are anxious about waiting for another test, contact our clinicians. We can talk you through the process and answer your questions.