If you get a blood test for HIV in British Columbia, the first line test is called a 4th generation antigen/antibody test. If this test is negative. No further testing is done. If this test is positive, then a confimatory test is completed.

The confirmatory test is called an immunoblot test and it looks for antibodies to HIV (your immune response to the virus).

The HIV NAAT test is only used in BC under special circumstances and it needs to have a special order to accompany it. It is not used as a first line test for people testing for HIV in BC.

HealthNurse