Español: Día Nacional de la Prueba del VIH

June 27 is National HIV Testing Day, a day to encourage people of all ages to get tested and know their status.

If you are sexually active, getting tested for HIV is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health. Make sure you have an open and honest conversation about your sexual history with your doctor and ask whether you should be tested for HIV. You can also contact a local agency to find out how and where to get a test. 

DSHS estimates that there are about 16,000 Texans who have undiagnosed HIV infections—that means about 16 percent of Texans with HIV don’t know their status.

HIV testing saves lives. It is the only way to know if you are living with HIV.

• If you have HIV, getting in medical care and taking medicines regularly can keep the amount of HIV in your body at very low levels. This will help you live a long healthy life and eliminate sexual transmission of HIV to others.
   
• If you don’t have HIV but you are at higher risk of acquiring it, you can start pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), daily medicine that prevents HIV infection

There are programs that make free or low-cost testing, treatment, and PrEP available for those who qualify. Free, at home, HIV self-testing is also available through participating agencies.

Spread the word to your friends and loved ones and visit this page for updates on how to get testing and treatment for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.