Testing & Treatment
The only way to know for sure whether you have HIV is to get tested.
Find free testing locations near you
Test yourself at home
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
Find PrEP providers near you
Post Exposure Prophylaxis
Find PEP providers near you
About HIV Testing
The only way to know for sure whether you have HIV is to get tested. The CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. Knowing your HIV status gives you powerful information to help you take steps to keep you and your partner healthy. This section answers some of the most common questions related to HIV testing, including the types of tests available, where to get one, and what to expect when you get tested.
Find free testing locations near you
Test yourself at home
PDF factsheet from the CDC
Find national HIV, STD, and Hepatitis Testing through the CDC
3 Reasons To Get Retested
- You should get retested if you have had anal or vaginal sex without a condom, or if you have shared injection drug equipment with someone who has HIV.
- The CDC suggests retesting because of the “window period.” This is the length of time between exposure to HIV and when HIV shows up on a test. This can take up to three months. So if your test result is negative, protect yourself and get retested after three months.
- Retesting can help you feel more confident about your health.
Additional Resources
- CDC.gov is a great source of information on the spread of HIV, its symptoms, and treatment solutions. The website also has a search tool to help you find convenient testing near you.
- The federal government manages a site, HIV.gov, that discusses ways to end the HIV epidemic and includes a listing of HIV awareness days.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a website with a focus on AIDS treatment solutions, including clinical trials and FDA approved drugs.
- Pregnant women who test positive for HIV can find reliable information on managing the virus during pregnancy and delivery at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists website.
- Let’s Stop HIV Together is a CDC Social Marketing Campaign that raises awareness about HIV and its impact on the lives of all Americans, and fights stigma by showing that persons with HIV are real people — mothers, fathers, friends, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, partners, wives, husbands, and co-workers.
- Transforming Health is a CDC campaign to help health care providers reduce new HIV infections among transgender people, particularly transgender women of color, and improve the health of transgender people who are living with HIV.
- Change Point– Change Point is a program of Northern Nevada HOPES and is Nevada’s first legal syringe services program. Change Point provides syringe services, testing an outreach services, and community building services. Change Point embraces diversity and advocates for medically underserved groups in the community.
- Trac B Exchange– Harm Reduction Center – Las Vegas is focused on ensuring the health of everyone in Southern Nevada. Trac-B Exchange is the storefront site committed to providing consultation to the community for infectious disease prevention and harm reduction surrounding syringe use and disposal. Trac-b Impact Exchange currently has 3 harm reduction vending machines in Las Vegas. These vending machines are the first and only of their kind in the United States. Anyone 18+ with some form of ID can come into Trac-B Exchange (6114 West Charleston Blvd, 89146) and sign up for a vending machine card, or at any of the 3 locations:
- Huntridge Family Clinic: 1830 East Sahara Avenue, 89104
- The Gay & Lesbian Community Center: 401 S Maryland Parkway, 89101
- Center for Behavioral Health: 3050 E Desert Inn Road #116, 89121
- What is PrEP?
- Who should take PrEP?
- How effective is PrEP?
- What are the side effects?
- How do I get PrEP?
- How can I pay for PrEP?
- Can I stop using condoms?
- Where can I find providers?
- Think you have already been exposed to HIV?
- What is PEP?
- How Do You Know If You Need PEP?
- How do I get PEP?
- How Long Do You Need to Take PEP?
- How Well Does PEP Work?
- Does PEP Cause Side Effects?
- What happens after I take PEP?
- Can You Take PEP Every Time You Have a Potential Exposure to HIV?
- Can You Get Help Paying for PEP?
PEP stands for post exposure prophylaxis. PEP is a series of pills you can start taking very soon after you’ve been exposed to HIV that lowers your chances of getting it. But you have to start PEP within 72 hours after you were exposed to HIV, or it won’t work.
— every hour matters.
