1,487

HIV Tests Provided in 2022

1,039

HIV Clinic Visits in 2022

92%

Client HIV Viral Suppression Rate, September 2022

HIV is an epidemic affecting over 38 million people worldwide, and 1.2 million people in the United States. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that damages or weakens the immune system which protects the body from harmful foreign bodies. A healthy immune system is able to attack and clear out infections; however, untreated HIV prevents the immune system from fighting off infections and diseases.

HIV Testing Services: What to Expect

Cempa Community Care provides FREE & Confidential Rapid HIV tests. HIV antibody testing requires a finger prick, and your results are ready in 20mins.

Please allow 45 minutes for all testing services.

We recommend that you get tested 2-4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after a possible exposure to HIV. In many cases, a person will test positive 1 month after contracting HIV; and almost all people would test positive at 3 months if they contracted the virus. Testing negative beyond the 6-month time frame is a good indicator that you are uninfected. Still there is no single correct answer to this question.

Exposure to HIV is a Medical Emergency. PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis) is available to PREVENT HIV transmission within a 72 Hour MAXIMUM window from the time of exposure to when the person MUST start the 28 days of prescribed medicine.

If you think you may have been exposed to HIV and are within the 72-hour maximum window from the time of your exposure, please contact Mario Forte, PReP Navigator, at mforte@cempa.org.

To learn more about PEP please contact Mario Forte, PrEP Navigator, at mforte@cempa.org.

If you are a medical provider and would like to download the PEP Protocol please visit cempa.org/PEPprotocol or contact Mario Forte, PReP Navigator, at mforte@cempa.org for more information.

If you test positive (+) for HIV our Prevention Services staff will conduct a confirmatory test as required by the state. If the confirmatory results are positive (+), you will complete and sign a form acknowledging you were provided your positive test results. This document is for the Hamilton County Health Department to record all HIV test results in the county. You may also have the Health Department anonymously contact any sexual partners on your behalf.

Treatment is essential in stopping the spread of HIV. After receiving a positive confirmatory test, our staff will schedule you for an appointment with Cempa Community Care’s Clinic Services so you can be prescribed an Antiretroviral Therapy that same day. We know any new diagnosis can come with many questions, and Cempa’s staff is here for you to walk with you every step of the way. To learn more about HIV Healthcare click here.

Location & Hours of Operation

Location & Hours of Operation

1000 East 3rd Street, Suite 100
Chattanooga, TN 37403

FREE HIV & Hep C Testing Available

Monday – Thursday 8:00am to 5:00pm

Friday 8:00am to 2:00pm

Prevention Services is closed daily from 12:00 – 12:30 PM.

If you are at risk for HIV you may also be at risk for an STI. Follow the link to learn more about STI’s and your testing options.

Know Your Status

Click below to receive your FREE and confidential At Home Test Kit from Cempa Community Care!

Learn More About HIV

HIV can be transmitted through blood, semen (cum), pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum), rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk of an HIV positive person. These fluids must come in contact with a mucous membrane or damaged tissue or be directly injected into the bloodstream (from a needle or syringe) for transmission to occur. Mucous membranes are found inside the rectum, vagina, penis, and mouth.

HIV is NOT spread through casual contact like shaking hands, hugging, OR sharing public facilities like water fountains or bathrooms. HIV is NOT spread by saliva, tears, urine or sweat, nor is it spread by air, water, or insects.

Some people experience flu-like symptoms that include fever, chills, rash, muscle aches, fatigue, and mouth ulcers around the time they are infected by HIV. It is important to know, that not everyone experiences symptoms and that getting tested is the ONLY way to know if you are infected with HIV.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If left untreated, AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is the final stage of HIV infection and occurs when the HIV virus has severely damaged the body’s immune system. When this happens, certain infections are able to enter the body without resistance. Without treatment, AIDS can be fatal; with treatment, HIV may never advance to its final stage in becoming AIDS.

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, then you may be at risk for transmitting HIV and should get tested as soon as possible:

  • Are you a man who has had sex with another man?

  • Are you sexually active with a partner who is living with HIV?

  • Have you had multiple sex partners since your last HIV test?

  • Are you sexually active with partner(s) and been unaware of their HIV status?

  • Have you recently tested positive (+) for a sexually transmitted infection (STI)?

  • Do you infrequently use condoms?

  • Have you injected drugs and shared needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment with others?

  • Do you engage in sex that involves exchange of commodities (housing, drugs, money, etc.)?

PrEP Can Help Keep You Free From HIV.

PrEP, or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a therapy that can reduce the risk of acquiring HIV. PrEP medicines, when taken as prescribed, are over 99% effective at stopping the HIV Virus from establishing itself and reproducing inside your body.

Learn More and find out if you are a good candidate for PrEP.

For more information contact a PrEP / PEP Navigator at 423.226.1115 or mforte@cempa.org.

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