Will a general blood test determine if you have HIV?

A routine blood test of the sort that you're likely to get as part of
a physical exam will not determine whether or not you have HIV. In
order to check for HIV, a special type of test must be performed to
look for HIV antibodies in the blood. This kind of test is not
typically included in routine blood testing; in some places it is
against the law to test for HIV without a patient's written consent or
a court order.

"Routine blood tests do not test for HIV. Your MD has to ask you
specifically about it or you have to ask your MD."

The Body: Answers to Questions About Hepatitis & HIV
http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Hepatitis/Archive/MiscHep/Q11285.html

"Question:
If someone has HIV and or Aids but is unaware of it, would a routine
blood test during a physical show any presence of the disease...
 
 Response:
Briefly, the answer to your question is 'not necessarily!' Only an
HIV-specific blood test can tell you if you've contracted the virus."

The Body: HIV and Blood Test
http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Fatigue/Archive/Infected/Q146038.html

"Routine blood tests do not include an HIV test."

Swedish Medical Center: HIV in People Over 50: A Growing Concern
http://www.swedish.org/16222.cfm 

"Regular physical check ups and routine blood tests do not test for
HIV. You must ask far an HIV antibody test."

HIV/AIDS Facts
http://www.angelfire.com/ak5/bo/hivfacts.html

Google search strategy:

Google Web Search: "blood tests do not" + "hiv"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22blood+tests+do+not%22+hiv

I hope this is helpful. If anything is unclear or incomplete, please
request clarification; I'll be glad to offer further assistance before
you rate my answer.

Best regards,
pinkfreud

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Request for Answer Clarification by adleigh-ga on 04 Nov 2004 23:19 PST

Do they test blood HIV when you donate blood?  Or how do they
determine if the donated blood is ok for transfusion?

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 05 Nov 2004 00:35 PST

When you donate blood, the blood is tested for HIV antibodies.
However, donating blood is not the best way to find out whether or not
you are HIV positive.

"Is giving blood a good way to get tested for HIV?

No. Attempting to donate blood to get an HIV test can contaminate the
blood supply and does not offer much confidentiality for the person
getting tested. Although the American Red Cross tests all donated
blood for HIV antibodies and attempts to notify the donor if it is
infected, the system is not perfect. Because HIV antibodies take up to
six months to develop, a person's blood could be infectious yet not
test positive for HIV, and if donated, could potentially infect the
blood supply. In addition to testing the donated blood, there is a
pre-donation screening that a person goes through before they donate
blood, intended to identify people who are at risk for HIV and prevent
them from donating. It is important to understand that these two
screening processes are the only ways used to keep the blood supply
free of HIV. If you want to find out your HIV status, a free HIV test
at The Center for Healthy Student Behaviors or other clinics is a much
safer, more accurate way of being tested for HIV."

http://shs.unc.edu/library/articles/hivaidsfaqs.html

Thanks so much for the info.  I was just wondering how they keep HIV
from infecting people who get a blood transfusion and how they screen
that kind of thing when someone donates blood.