HIV Testing Clinic

FREE WALK-IN HIV TESTING CLINIC

 9AM - 2PM   |    Belleville Family Clinic, 180 South Third Street, Suite 104

For more information, call 618.578.4007 or email tsmoker@sihf.org.

Why is it important to get tested?

An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States had HIV at the end of 2022, the most recent year for which this information is available. Of those people, about 13%, or 1 in 8, did not know they had HIV. People may not get tested because they think it can't happen to them. Anyone can get HIV if they have been exposed to infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk.

 

How will knowing my status benefit me?

If you have HIV, knowing your status can help you take steps to improve your health, prevent illness, and live a long life. 

 

Who will know I am being tested?

You and your health care provider are the only ones who will know you are being tested. If your test comes back positive, it will become part of your confidential medical record, and your state or local health department will also be notified. If you are interested in anonymous testing, meaning no names are used, let us know, and we will give you information about places where you can get an anonymous test in your area. 

 

How will the test be done?

Rapid HIV tests use a blood sample from a finger stick, and the results are available within 20 minutes. 

 

How do the tests work?

Once HIV enters the body, the immune system begins to make antibodies to fight the virus. Tests check for these specific antibodies. Some tests can also detect the presence of the virus itself. The tests used for HIV are very accurate, and incorrect results are rare. 

 

There are three possible test results for a rapid HIV test:

  1. Negative
    A negative (non-reactive) test result means that no evidence of HIV was found at this time. However, if you have been infected, with HIV recently, it may be too soon to detect the infection, and you should consider re-testing at a later date. 
  2. Positive
    A preliminary positive (reactive) test result means that you may have been exposed to the HIV virus. Another laboratory test (confirmatory) must be done to ensure that the preliminary positive result is accurate.
  3. Invalid
    An invalid test result means that the test did not function properly, and you should be retested as soon as possible. 

 

How can you protect yourself from HIV?

If you are sexually active

  • Use a latex or polyurethane condom when having vaginal or anal sex.
  • Use flavored condoms for oral sex (on a male).
  • Use saran wrap or dental dams for oral-vaginal or oral-anal sex.
  • Avoid ejaculating inside your partner or having your partner ejaculate inside you.
  • Reduce the number of partners you currently have.
  • Know the HIV status of your partners. 

If you use needles for injections, piercing, or tattooing

  • Avoid sharing any needles or syringes, purchase new syringes from a pharmacy or visit your local syringe exchange.
  • Avoid sharing works (such as cookers, cotton filters or water).
  • If you cannot obtain clean needles or syringes, limit the number of people with whom you share equipment, and know their HIV and Hepatitis status. 
  • Make sure your tattoo artist or piercing professional takes new, unused needles out of a sealed package in front of you.