AIDS tests, short for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome tests, cover a number of different procedures used to diagnose and treat HIV patients. Some AIDS tests are used to diagnose patients or confirm a diagnosis; others are used to measure the progression of the disease or the effectiveness of specific treatment regimens. Some AIDS tests can also be used to screen blood donations for safe use in transfusions.

Diagnostic blood tests for AIDS are usually given to persons in high-risk populations who have been exposed to HIV or who have the early symptoms of AIDS. Most persons infected with HIV will develop a detectable level of antibody within three months of infection. Public health experts recommend testing all children born to mothers with HIV.

It is possible to diagnose HIV infection by isolating the virus itself from a blood sample or by demonstrating the presence of HIV antigen...