UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON
Abrons Student Health Center
HIV Testing Information
What is HIV? HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Soon after you become infected with HIV, you may
have symptoms of a flu-like illness. These symptoms will resolve, and you may feel perfectly normal –
even though you are now infected and can pass the virus to other people with whom you have sex (or
share needles). Long term, HIV will weaken your body’s ability to fight illnesses, making it easier for you
to get sick.
What is AIDS? When you are infected with HIV, and later develop other infections such as TB, certain
types of pneumonia, or cancers, you are considered to have AIDS. A person may be infected with HIV for
many years before developing AIDS.
How can I prevent HIV infection?
 Abstain from sex
 If you decide to have sexual relations:
 Abstain until you know/trust your sex partner and know his/her HIV status
 Have sex with one steady partner who is only having sex with you
 Use condoms correctly each time you have sex
 Do not use or inject drugs
 If you do use drugs, do not share needles, always using clean needles
What happens when I get tested for HIV at the Student Health Center?
Blood will be drawn and sent to a qualified lab, where tests will be performed to determine if you are
infected with HIV. If the test results are positive for HIV, the lab will retest your blood to verify the
results. The tests for HIV are very accurate, but no test is infallible.
Your provider will decide whether to give your test results by phone or in person. You will receive a
call from you provider or nurse in the SHC within one week.
Test results are kept in your medical records and are strictly protected by confidentiality laws and
policy. By law, however, a positive test result must be reported to the New Hanover County and
North Carolina Health Departments (just as with a positive gonorrhea, Chlamydia, or syphilis test).
Negative test result
 If your test result is negative, evidence of the virus (HIV) was not found in your blood. This means
that either you do not have HIV or that you are infected, but it is too soon for tests to detect HIV
infection. After HIV infects a person, up to three months can pass before tests can detect HIV
infection.
 If you think you may have been exposed to HIV in the past three months, then you need to be tested
again three months after your last possible exposure.
Positive test result
 If your test is positive, it means you have HIV in your body and you can pass it to anyone with whom
you have sex or share needles.
 You will be contacted by a representative from the North Carolina Division of Public Health. The
Division of Public Health will work with you to get prompt medical care, and to assist you in
identifying and notifying sex partners/needle sharing partners who will need to be aware of their
exposure and will need to be tested for HIV infection.
 The Student Health Center will also refer you to medical caregivers to help you manage your
infection.
SHC rev 11/08