
The negative result is sent back to the healthcare provider or clinic that ordered the test so that the person who tested can be given the result. If the screening test indicates that the person who gave the blood sample does not have HIV (also known as a non-reactive test result or testing negative or HIV negative), no further testing is normally performed. All laboratories in Canada use a fourth-generation test to screen blood samples. Regardless of how the blood was collected, the first test used in a laboratory to analyze a blood sample is referred to as a screening test. DBS samples are very stable once collected and do not need to be refrigerated, which makes this sampling approach particularly useful in rural and remote areas. Currently, this collection technique is in limited use in Canada because very few public health laboratories can process the DBS cards to prepare the blood for analysis. The blood spots are dried at room temperature and mailed to a public health laboratory. This approach uses samples of blood from a finger prick that are collected as blots on a card. A much less common method of collecting blood samples is through dried blood spot (DBS). Typically, a blood sample is drawn from a person’s vein and sent to a public health laboratory for analysis. Most HIV testing of blood samples is conducted in a laboratory. There are also rapid tests available, which use a drop of blood from a finger prick to test for HIV immediately after the sample is taken. With the most common test, a vial of blood taken from a vein is sent to a laboratory to be tested for HIV (standard testing). To test for HIV, a sample of a person’s blood is taken. How are testing technologies used to diagnose HIV infection?

They also now have the option to test themselves in their own home. People can be tested for HIV in a variety of different settings in Canada, including hospitals, health clinics and the community. These tests differ in several ways, including how the test detects HIV infection, the length of its window period and how long it takes to receive results. Several types of HIV testing technologies are used in Canada. HIV testing technologies are used to determine if a person has HIV.
