Symptoms & When to Seek Help

 EARLY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS 

The signs and symptoms of HIV vary depending on the stage of infection. HIV spreads more easily in the first few months after a person is infected, but many are unaware of their status until the later stages. In the first few weeks after being infected people may not experience symptoms. Others may have an influenza-like illness including:

• Fever
• Headache
• Rash
• Sore throat

The infection progressively weakens the immune system. This can cause other signs and symptoms:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• weight loss
• fever 
• diarrhea
• cough

Without treatment, people living with HIV infection can also develop severe illnesses: tuberculosis (TB), cryptococcal meningitis, severe bacterial infections, cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi’s sarcoma. HIV can make other infections, such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B and mpox, and get worse.

WHEN TO GET TESTED/SEEK HELP

• -Everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should get tested for HIV at least once.
• People with certain risk factors should get tested more often. You should get testedat least once a year if:
• You’re a man who has had sex with another man.
• You’ve had anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV.
• You’ve had more than one sex partner since your last HIV test.
• You’ve shared needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment (for example, cookers).
• You’ve exchanged sex for drugs or money.
• You’ve been diagnosed with or treated for another sexually transmitted infection, hepatitis, or tuberculosis (TB).
• You’ve had sex with someone who has done anything listed above or you don’t know their sexual history.

Reminder:

Before having sex with a new partner, talk about your sexual and drug-use history, disclose your HIV status, and consider getting tested together. Even if you and your partner are having sex only with each other, you should both find out your HIV status.

Gay and bisexual men

Sexually active gay or bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (every 3 to 6 months). Talk to your health care provider about your risk factors and what testing options are available to you.

Pregnant people

Pregnant people should get tested for HIV during each pregnancy. Testing pregnant people and treating those who have HIV is a highly effective way to prevent babies being born with HIV

THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR TESTING

Early Diagnosis and Treatment: Regular testing allows for the detection of HIV before symptoms develop, making treatment more effective and significantly improving long-term health outcomes. 

Prevention of Transmission: Many people with HIV are unaware of their status, and regular testing is crucial to prevent the spread of the virus. Knowing your status allows you to take steps to protect your partners. 

Better Health Outcomes: Early treatment for HIV can prevent the virus from damaging the immune system, allowing people to live long, healthy lives. 

Disease Prevention: Consistent testing helps individuals and populations track and control the spread of HIV. 

Informed Health Decisions: Testing provides individuals with essential information about their health status, enabling them to make decisions regarding prevention and treatment.

Reduces stigma and promotes awareness: Encourages open discussions about sexual health.

Prevents advanced disease: Early treatment reduces risk of severe illnesses like opportunistic infections.

Supports public health: Helps track and control HIV spread in communities The only way to know your HIV status is to get tested. Knowing your HIV status gives you powerful information to keep you and your partner healthy. If your test result is positive, you can take medicine to treat HIV to help you live a long, healthy life and protect others. If your test result is negative, you can take actions to prevent HIV.

If your test result is positive

• If you use any type of antibody test and have a positive result, you will need a follow-up test to confirm your results.
• If you test in a community program or take an HIV self-test and it’s positive, you should go to a health care provider for follow-up testing.
• If you test in a health care setting or a lab and it’s positive, the lab will conduct the follow-up testing, usually on the same blood sample as the first test.
• If the follow-up test is also positive, it means you have HIV.
• If your test result is negative
• A negative result doesn't necessarily mean that you don't have HIV. That's because of the window period.
• If you get an HIV test after a potential HIV exposure and the result is negative, get tested again after the window period for the type of test you took.
• If you test again after the window period, have no possible HIV exposure during that time, and the result is negative, you do not have HIV.
• If you're sexually active or use needles to inject drugs, continue to take actions to prevent HIV.
• If you have certain risk factors, you should continue getting tested at least once a year.