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HIV Testing

HIV Testing

An HIV test is the only way to know if you or a partner has HIV. There are an estimated 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, including about 158,500 people who are unaware of their status. Nearly 40% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who don’t know they have the virus. For people with undiagnosed HIV, testing is the first step in maintaining a healthy life and preventing HIV transmission.

Outreach testing services are offered by CBO's and Local Health Departments who receive funding from the Department of Health through CDC grants. Our partners use a rapid antibody screening test usually with blood from a finger prick or with oral fluid and results are ready in 30 minutes or less.


CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. For people with certain risk factors, CDC recommends getting tested at least once a year. Knowing your HIV status gives you powerful information to help you take steps to keep you and your partner healthy.

People with certain risk factors should get tested more often. You should get tested at least once a year if:

  • You’re a man who has had sex with another man.
  • You’ve had anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV.
  • You’ve had more than one sex partner since your last HIV test.
  • You’ve shared needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment (for example, cookers).
  • You’ve exchanged sex for drugs or money.
  • You’ve been diagnosed with or treated for another sexually transmitted disease.
  • You’ve been diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis or tuberculosis (TB).
  • You’ve had sex with someone who has done anything listed above or with someone whose sexual history you don’t know.

For women who plan to become pregnant, testing is even more important. If a woman is HIV+, medical care and certain drugs given during pregnancy can lower the chance of passing HIV to her baby. All women who are pregnant should be tested during each pregnancy.

New HIV Diagnoses in the U.S. and Dependent Areas for the Most-Affected Subpopulations, 2021:

CDC bar graph showing most affected sub-populations in the USA as of 2021
Source: CDC. Diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States and dependent areas, 2021. HIV Surveillance Report 2023;34.

For more information, please call the HIV Prevention Program at 317-233-8602

HIV Testing Frequently Asked Questions