Unlike other kits,
these tests do not need to be sent off to a lab to get the results.
It works by detecting
antibodies on a small drop of blood, which are often only detectable three
months after the infection is caught.
Experts warn that any
positive tests must be reconfirmed at clinics.
This
new "do-it-yourself" test is made by company Bio Sure UK and can be
bought online.
It works in a similar
way to a pregnancy test, measuring levels of antibodies - proteins made in
response to the virus - in a person's blood.
The device analyses a
small droplet of blood, taken from the finger-tip using a lancet. Two purple
lines appear if it is positive.
The company recommends
attending sexual health clinics for advice and further blood tests if both
lines appear.
And even if the test is
negative experts say it does not mean people are definitely virus free -
especially if exposure occurred within the last three months.
The three-month window
period, between the moment someone catches the infection and the time it can
take for antibodies to develop, means the kit is not reliable during this time.
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