INSTI HIV Self Test

HIV spreads through contact with blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluid, vaginal fluids, or breast milk of an infected person. Transmission can occur from unsafe sex. It can also result from exposure to blood through the sharing of used syringes or needles. Women living with HIV can pass the virus to their babies during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. It is also possible to become infected with HIV through a blood transfusion, although this is now very rare.

HIV cannot be passed on from one person to another through casual contact. There is no risk of infection when we share everyday items such as food, dishes, utensils, clothes, beds and toilets with a person living with HIV. The virus is not spread from contact with sweat, tears, saliva, or a casual kiss from an infected person. People do not become infected from eating food prepared by a person living with HIV. People have not become infected with HIV through insect bites.

Relax and have a drink of water about 20 minutes before you start the test. Warm your hands by washing them with warm water. Ensure your hands are dry. Place your hand below waist level to promote blood flow. Before using the lancet, look for a spot on the side of your finger tip that is smooth and not calloused and away from your fingernail.

Antibodies are proteins produced by your body’s immune system in response to harmful organisms like viruses and bacteria. Their purpose is to defend the body against infection by these organisms.

Extensive research studies have shown that this test is extremely accurate when performed correctly. In a recent study performed by untrained users, the test sensitivity was 100%.
It also has a proven specificity (a measure of reliability that the test will be negative for people who do not have HIV infection) of 99.5%. In the untrained user study, the specificity was 99.8%.
*If you are unsure of your result you must go to a doctor to perform more testing.
The contents of Bottle 1, Bottle 2 or Bottle 3 do not absorb into the test device.
It is very rare for this to happen, but if it does, you will not be able to complete the test procedure and read the results. You will need to perform another test.

Keep going with the test procedure. As long as the control dot shows a visible dot after pouring Bottle 3 into the test device, the test results are valid.

Based on bioLytical’s studies, INSTI demonstrates third generation performance and detects HIV antibodies of the IgM and IgG class. IgM antibodies are the earliest antibodies that the body produces after an HIV infection and are detectable within 21-22 days.1,2 Depending on how quickly a person’s immune system generates HIV antibodies after infection, it could still take up to 3 months to get a positive result.
If you think you have been exposed to HIV within the last 3 months, and your results are negative, you will need to test again after at least 3 months have passed since your exposure. The time from HIV infection to when a test can correctly give a positive result is referred to as the ‘window period’.

Make sure you have adequate lighting. If no dots are visible, you may not have completed the test correctly, or collected enough blood. You will need to perform another test.

The INSTI HIV Self Test has a built-in control dot to show that the test has been performed correctly and that you have added the proper sample type and amount of blood sample. If the control dot does not appear (invalid test result), your test has not worked. It is not possible to draw conclusions from this result and you will need to perform another test. In the event of repeated invalid results, consult a doctor.