What are the risk factors for HIV?

If you were HIV-negative the last time you were tested, the test was more than one year ago, and you can answer yes to any of the following questions, then you should get an HIV test as soon as possible:

• Have you had sex—anal or vaginal—with a partner who has HIV?
• Have you had more than one sex partner since your last HIV test?
• Are you a man who has had sex with another man?
• Are you a person on testosterone that has had sex since your last HIV test?
• Have you injected drugs and shared needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment (for example, cookers) with others?
• Have you exchanged sex for drugs or money?
• Have you been diagnosed with or treated for another sexually transmitted disease?

You should be tested at least once a year if you keep doing any of these things. Sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (for example, every 3 to 6 months).

If you’re pregnant, talk to your health care provider about getting tested for HIV and other ways to protect you and your child from getting HIV.

Before having sex for the first time with a new partner, you and your partner should talk about your sexual and drug-use history, share your HIV status, and consider getting tested for HIV and learning the results.