She still had to wait 10 more days to take the test, but once that was accomplished and she found out she did not have exposure to the disease, she could begin the healing process from the trauma of the rape, according to Kim de St. Paer, who counsels HIV/AIDS patients at the clinic.
The young woman was one of two who came to the clinic in recent weeks for HIV testing after having been given a "date rape" drug, de St. Paer said.
"The new test is an exciting development in the detection and early treatment of HIV/AIDS," de St. Paer said. "It's been the same basic test for 20 years. Now people have a choice."
Since offering the test in late November for $40, about 20 have been done, she said.
The test requires a blood sample, which is sent to UC Irvine's laboratory for the testing procedure.
The new test also determines if antibodies exist, so it provides an extra level of assurance in the results.
"The test was approved by the FDA in June, and we began offering it two weeks after the Mayo Clinic," de St. Paer said. "It's the most innovative of the new generation of HIV tests."
The test is offered anonymously on a walk-in basis at the clinic, and people who are concerned about the prospect of AIDS don't have to wait for a doctor's referral.
Dr. Tom Bent, the clinic's medical director, authorizes the testing on the spot. If the test is positive, and the person needs treatment, then his or her name is used.
Other people who have found the test beneficial are those in a new relationship, where one partner could have been exposed to the virus and is concerned about spreading it.
