HIV Drug Resistance and Subtype Testing
Information for Clients
August 2007
This information sheet will help answer your questions about the
HIV drug resistance and subtype testing program.
On this page:
What is an HIV “subtype”?
What is “HIV drug resistance”?
How is drug resistance and subtype testing done?
Will everyone that gets an HIV test also receive
an HIV drug resistance and subtype test?
Will anyone know about you or your HIV tests?
How do we know if HIV is resistant?
Can a person be infected with resistant HIV before taking
any HIV medicines?
Why is HIV drug resistance and subtype testing important?
How can you get the HIV drug resistance and subtype
test results?
When can your doctor get the results of the HIV
drug resistance and subtype test?
If your HIV is resistant to drugs does that mean you
would not be helped by HIV medicines?
Whom can you contact if you have questions about HIV
drug resistance and subtype testing?
Download PDF versions formatted for print:
HIV Drug Resistance and Subtype Testing Information
for Clients
• English
(PDF: 41KB/2 pages)
• Spanish
(PDF: 41KB/2 pages)
• French
(PDF: 40KB/2 pages)
• Amharic
(PDF: 40KB/2 pages)
• Somali
(PDF: 39KB/2 pages)
• Oromo
(PDF: 37KB/2 pages)
What is
an HIV “subtype”?
Like the flu virus, there are many different strains of HIV. HIV strains
are identified by a letter. For example, the most common strain in the
United States is subtype B.
What is “HIV drug
resistance”?
Sometimes when a person takes medicine or drugs prescribed by a doctor
for HIV, the HIV can change to become resistant to those drugs. If this
happens, the drugs may not work as well to treat that virus. The HIV is
said to be drug resistant.
How is drug resistance and subtype
testing done?
These tests are done on the same blood sample you give for your HIV antibody
test or as a routine part of your initial visit to an HIV doctor. The
blood sample is sent to the MDH Public Health Laboratory and the drug
resistance and subtype testing is done there.
Will everyone that gets
an HIV test also receive an HIV drug resistance and subtype test?
No. If you test positive for HIV you may be eligible for a second test
that determines the subtype of HIV and checks to see if the virus is resistant
to any drugs. This second test is free of charge. It is done on the same
blood sample you give for the first HIV test. You will receive a free
HIV drug resistance and subtype test through this program if:
· You were diagnosed with HIV infection within the past 12 months,
and
· You have not already taken any HIV drugs.
Will anyone know about you
or your HIV tests?
Minnesota State law makes all of your HIV testing and health care information
private. This privacy or confidentiality means no one is allowed to talk
about you or give information out about you unless you or your doctor
request copies of your test results. All requests are treated confidentially.
There are strong penalties for anyone breaking the confidentiality laws.
How do we know if HIV is resistant?
Doctors have two different types of blood tests to look for drug resistance
in HIV. These tests are done at special laboratories. Doctors use the
results of these tests to help pick the right drugs for fighting off the
type of HIV in a person’s blood.
Can a person be infected with resistant
HIV before taking any HIV medicines?
Yes. If a person has drug resistant HIV, he or she can pass it on to another
person. If the person you got HIV from had drug resistance, that HIV resistance
could be passed to you.
Why is HIV drug resistance
and subtype testing important?
Your doctor can use the test results to pick the best drugs to treat your
HIV. Since most people do not have a resistant form of HIV when they first
find out they have HIV and because the test is expensive, doctors rarely
order the test for new HIV patients.
The information from this testing program will also help MDH learn what strains of HIV are spreading in Minnesota and which treatments might be best for people living here. Understanding the amount of HIV drug resistance and the different subtypes in the community can help improve HIV prevention and medical care in Minnesota.
How can you get the HIV drug
resistance and subtype test results?
You can choose a medical provider to receive the drug resistance and subtype
test results by telling the HIV counselor at the time you receive your
HIV test results or by asking your doctor to contact MDH on your behalf.
The drug resistance test results should only be interpreted by trained
medical personnel. If you wish to obtain a copy of the results for yourself,
you must visit MDH in person and show valid photo identification.
When can your doctor get the
results of the HIV drug resistance and subtype test?
The test results can be sent to your health care provider in about 3 to
4 weeks after MDH receives the blood sample.
If your HIV is resistant to drugs
does that mean you would not be helped by HIV medicines?
There are lots of medicines to treat HIV. Sometimes HIV drugs do not work
as well on resistant HIV, but they may still have some benefit. If your
HIV is resistant, your doctor can use the test results to help pick other
drugs that will work.
Whom can you contact if you
have questions about HIV drug resistance and subtype testing?
You may ask any questions about HIV testing including drug resistance
testing at any time now or in the future. Your HIV testing counselor or
health care provider can answer many of your questions. Your doctor or
health care provider is the best person to answer your questions about
treatment for HIV.
You can also contact MDH to:
· Find out how to get your HIV drug resistance and subtype testing
results
· Ask questions about the program.
Test results will not be given over the phone. Please see the contact information listed below.
For more information about the Minnesota Department of Health’s HIV drug resistance and subtype testing program, please visit our HIV/AIDS Surveillance web site.
If you would like to speak to someone at the Minnesota Department of Health about this program, please call 651-201-5414.
If you have been diagnosed with HIV infection and have questions about
medical or social services available to you, please contact:
Minnesota AIDS Project AIDSLine
Attention: Non-MDH link.
Metro: (612) 373-AIDS or (612) 373-2465 TTY
Toll-Free: 1-800-248-AIDS or
1-888-820-2437 TTY
Content Notice: This site contains HIV or STD prevention messages that may not be appropriate for all audiences. Since HIV and other STDs are spread primarily through sexual practices or by sharing needles, prevention messages and programs may address these topics. If you are not seeking such information or may be offended by such materials, please exit this web site.
