No test can detect HIV immediately after exposure, including a blood test.  The Labcorp OnDemand HIV Test is an antigen/antibody blood test. It can detect HIV infection about 18 to 45 days after exposure, which is known as the window period.³

This window period varies from person to person and also depends on the type of HIV test performed.⁴ If testing is done before 18 days, an HIV infection might be missed.

If the Labcorp OnDemand HIV Test is completed in the window period (earlier than 45 days after exposure) and the result is negative, you should get tested again after the end of the window period especially if there is ongoing concern about the possibility of infection.

The symptoms of HIV may vary depending on the person and the phase of infection. During the active HIV infection phase, when people are most contagious, some people have flu-like symptoms around two to four weeks after exposure, which can include:

• Sore Throat
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Swollen glands
• Fever
• Chills

Others may not experience symptoms or may experience only mild symptoms, but they can still infect others. When symptoms do occur, they can last from a few days to several weeks, typically followed by a long symptom-free period where the virus is still active and continues to replicate in the body.

This HIV Test is designed for anyone age 18 and older who is concerned that they may have been exposed to HIV.

Some individuals may be at higher risk of contracting HIV due to certain risk factors.²  Knowing your HIV status is crucial if you:

• Have a sexual partner with HIV
• Have had another STI such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis or herpes
• Have had more than one sexual partner since your last HIV test
• Have a sexual partner who has had more than one sexual partner since their last HIV test
• Are a man who has sex with men
• Are a current or former injection drug user

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all sexually active men who have sex with men, people who share injection drug equipment, and those who engage in sexual behaviors that could put them at risk should be tested at least once a year for HIV.⁵

The CDC also recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine healthcare.⁵

If you test positive, you will be contacted by a physician from our independent physician network to discuss your results one-on-one in a stigma-free space. They can answer questions and provide personalized guidance to help with next steps, so you aren’t left wondering what to do.  

Note: The consult provided with our independent physician network does not include providing treatment or writing prescriptions. Please consult with your physician to discuss further monitoring and treatment options.

No. The one-on-one consult is included at no additional cost for anyone who purchase this HIV test and receives a positive result.  

STD stands for “sexually transmitted disease,” and STI stands for “sexually transmitted infection.” Both STDs and STIs refer to the same condition: infections that are passed from person to person through sexual contact.

Over the years, these infections have gone by several different names; “STI” is now the most up-to-date term. Educators and healthcare professionals switched from “STD” to “STI” because “infection” is thought to be less stigmatizing and more accurate than “disease” to describe these conditions.⁶

Visit the Labcorp OnDemand® website to browse and purchase laboratory tests and create your Labcorp Patient™ account to view your results. All Labcorp OnDemand testing requires an order from an authorized healthcare professional. For your convenience, Labcorp OnDemand has contracted with independent professional entities (collectively, Providers) to deliver healthcare provider services. Visit a Labcorp location for sample collection; or, if using an at-home collection kit, collect your sample yourself. We’ll let you know when your results are ready and can be accessed through your Labcorp Patient™ account.

Your testing will be performed in a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory. Labcorp provides leading-edge medical laboratory tests and services through a national network of primary clinical laboratories and specialty testing laboratories. Our labs perform regular quality assurance testing to ensure our results are accurate.

Your results will be provided to you through our secure online portal to view or print. Results are also made available through a secure portal to the independent healthcare provider who placed your test order.  If you are accessing your results through your Labcorp Patient™ account, all users linked to the account will have access to all OnDemand test results. Results may also be provided to a local, state, and/or federal health authority; for example, many states require the testing laboratory and physician to report test results for certain communicable diseases, such as COVID-19, to local or state health departments.

If you have questions or comments regarding the Labcorp Notice of Privacy Practices, or have a complaint about our use or disclosure of your PHI or our privacy practices, please contact: privacyofficer@labcorp.com, call us at (877) 234-4722 (877-23-HIPAA) and ask for the Labcorp HIPAA Privacy Officer, or send a written request to: HIPAA Privacy Officer, Labcorp, 531 South Spring Street, Burlington, NC 27215. You also may file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.