How do I know if I have HIV?
There are several ways to find out if you have HIV. The most common way is to get tested. Testing is usually done with a blood test or saliva test. Another option is to pay for a home testing kit, but these tests are not as accurate and may give false-positive or false-negative results.
How often should I get tested?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone ages 13 to 64 get tested at least once for HIV. If you are at high risk for HIV, such as having unprotected sex with an infected person, your doctor may recommend getting tested more often — every 3 months during periods when you have risk factors, such as unprotected sex with multiple partners or injection drug use.
The first step to determining if you have HIV is a simple blood test.
HIV infection can be diagnosed by testing for antibodies to the virus — antibodies are proteins made by the body’s immune system in response to an infection. The most commonly used tests look for antibodies to HIV called “p24” or “gp41.”
If your doctor finds evidence of HIV antibodies, he or she will likely order additional tests to confirm that your antibody test is positive and not due to a false positive result.
The most common test for HIV antibodies is called the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). This test looks for HIV antibodies in your blood. If the ELISA is positive, it means that you have been infected with HIV at some point in time. To confirm the diagnosis, doctors usually send off another test called Western blot (WB) which looks for specific types of antibodies that indicate exposure to HIV.
It’s important to know that these tests can sometimes produce false results — meaning they show that someone has been infected when they really haven’t been exposed at all (false positives). Although rare, false positives can happen because of other infections or medications that produce similar results on these tests. If a
HIV is a virus that can lead to AIDS, which is a disease that weakens your immune system and makes you more likely to get infections and certain cancers.
You can’t tell if you have HIV by looking at yourself or feeling your body. The only way to know for sure is to get tested.
If you’re concerned about getting HIV, talk to your doctor or local health department about getting tested. Many states have laws requiring testing for certain populations (such as pregnant women) and some states have laws requiring disclosure of HIV status before sex.
Testing may be free or low-cost, depending on where you live. Testing can help you know your status so that you can take steps to protect yourself from spreading the virus and getting sick.
If you’re worried about HIV, it’s important that you see your doctor.
Your GP can diagnose HIV and will be able to give you information about treatment options.
You can also get tested for HIV in a sexual health clinic or at a genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic. At these clinics, doctors are trained to ask questions about your sexual health and they have special equipment to test for HIV. They’ll also make sure that the tests are done properly and only give you the results when they think it’s right for you.
A diagnosis of HIV can be difficult to hear, but it doesn’t mean that your life is over. There are lots of things that can help you cope with living with HIV and there are many different ways of coping with it too. That’s why it’s so important that if you think you may have been exposed to the virus – or even if you think you might have been exposed to it – that you go to see a doctor or nurse as soon as possible.
What is HIV?
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. It attacks the immune system, causing it to break down and making it hard for the body to fight off infections.
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. The virus is spread through blood and other bodily fluids. It can be transmitted during sex or through contaminated needles.
The main ways people can get infected with HIV include:
Having unprotected sex (vaginal, oral or anal) with someone who has HIV.
Sharing needles with someone who has HIV, such as through injecting drug use, needle-exchange programs or tattooing or body piercing.
Being born to a mother who has HIV. Some babies may be born with HIV if their mothers take HIV medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding but don’t take them long enough or consistently enough to prevent transmission (see Mother-to-Child Transmission).
Transfusions of contaminated blood products before 1985, when testing began in the United States (see Blood Transfusion).
In rare cases, HIV can be spread by sharing toothbrushes or razors with an infected person
HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s CD4 cells, which are responsible for fighting off infections. The immune system then becomes weakened and unable to fight off opportunistic infections. This can lead to death if left untreated.
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, which is the name given to the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
The human body contains billions of cells that work together to keep it healthy and functioning properly. A small number of these cells are CD4 T-cells, which play an important role in defending against disease by helping other immune cells to fight infection. HIV targets these cells and can destroy them within a few years of infection. This means that people with HIV develop an impaired immune system, making them more vulnerable to infections and cancers.
People who have HIV may have no symptoms or only mild symptoms at first — these include flu-like symptoms, such as swollen glands or rashes. As the disease progresses it becomes harder for the body to fight off diseases like pneumonia or tuberculosis (TB). Some people with HIV develop AIDS within 10 years after being infected; others can live with HIV for decades without developing any noticeable symptoms
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
HIV is a virus that can be passed from one person to another during sex, blood transfusions and other activities. The virus attacks certain cells of the immune system (CD4+ T lymphocytes). This weakens the body’s ability to fight infections and disease.
HIV is a retrovirus, which means it uses RNA as its genetic material. Once inside a cell, HIV makes DNA from its RNA genome and inserts it into the host cell’s DNA by using an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. The viral DNA genes then direct the production of new copies of the virus within the host cell. The new viruses break out of their host cells, kill them and go on to infect other cells in order to repeat this process.
HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus. It attacks the immune system, making it difficult for your body to fight off infections. HIV is also known as “the virus” or “the AIDS virus.”
HIV can be transmitted through blood, semen, and vaginal fluid during sex. Infected blood can pass the virus to others through sharing needles or syringes or through blood transfusions or organ transplants that aren’t carefully screened for HIV.
HIV can be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. This is called vertical transmission.
HIV has been around since the 1980s, but there’s still no cure for it. Treatment with antiretroviral drugs can keep the virus from developing into AIDS — but only if you take your medications as prescribed every day by your doctor!
HIV isn’t just a problem for gay men and drug users anymore: The number of people infected with HIV in the U.S. has increased dramatically over the last decade to about 1 million people — including many heterosexuals and women who don’t use intravenous drugs — according to federal health officials who announced a new strategy Wednesday aimed at reducing new infections by 25 percent over five years (
What is the first symptom to HIV?
The first symptom of HIV is usually a relatively mild illness, such as mononucleosis or flu-like symptoms.
Some people may have no symptoms at all at first. But these early signs can be missed if you don’t know what to look for.
When the body gets infected with HIV, it starts producing antibodies to fight off the virus. This can cause an increase in P24 antigen (a protein produced by the body) in your blood. This could show up as a positive result in an HIV test within three months of infection.
The first symptoms of HIV are similar to those of other illnesses, such as flu or glandular fever. They often start around two weeks after catching HIV, but can appear up to six months after exposure to the virus – and sometimes even later than this.
Symptoms include:
Fever
Aches and pains
Mouth ulcers or thrush (in adults)
Rash on the palms of hands or soles of feet
The first symptom of HIV can be different for everyone. Some people may not have any symptoms when they are first infected with HIV, while others can have mild symptoms that go away in a few days or weeks. The most common symptoms of HIV include:
Fever
Tiredness (fatigue)
Swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy)
Rash or skin lesions
Headache, sore throat and other flu-like symptoms
Problems with concentration, memory and thinking clearly
The first symptom of HIV is usually a flu-like illness. This may be followed by swollen lymph nodes, a rash or a sore throat. It can take up to 10 years for these symptoms to appear after the virus has been passed on.
The symptoms of HIV are similar to those of other infections and so it is difficult for doctors to diagnose early on. The only way to know whether someone has HIV is through testing.
If you think you might have been exposed to HIV and have any of these symptoms, visit your GP as soon as possible.
When you’re first infected, it can take weeks to months for the virus to start replicating in your body. This is called seroconversion. During this time, you may experience a flu-like illness that lasts from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. It’s not clear whether this illness is caused by the HIV or some other infection.
It’s also possible that you won’t experience any symptoms at all during this early period. Many people who are infected with HIV don’t know it until they develop later complications related to AIDS.
Symptoms after seroconversion usually include:
fever
sore throat (may last several weeks)
swollen lymph nodes in the neck and underarms (may last several weeks)
How long does it take for HIV to show up?
It depends on the type of test. The earliest you can find out you have HIV is 10 days after exposure. For most people, it takes more than a month to develop antibodies that can be detected by an antibody test, so that is the most commonly used test to look for HIV infection.
If you think you might have been exposed to HIV and would like to get tested, get in touch with your local sexual health clinic or GP.
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, making it harder for your body to fight infections. It’s usually transmitted through unprotected sex or shared needles.
It can take weeks or months for someone to show symptoms of HIV infection. It can be difficult to tell if you have HIV because the symptoms are similar to those from other illnesses.
You can get tested for HIV at any time during your life. If you test positive, you’ll need to see a doctor for treatment and follow-up care.
How long does it take for HIV to show up?
It can take between one and three months after exposure to HIV before you develop antibodies against the virus in your blood — the first sign that you might have been infected with HIV.
After several months, an antibody test will detect these antibodies in your bloodstream and confirm whether or not you have been infected with HIV.
It can take months or even years for HIV to show up in the blood, but it’s possible to get tested before then. But if you are HIV positive, it doesn’t mean that you will necessarily develop AIDS.
It takes a few months after infection with HIV for the virus to reach detectable levels in the blood. However, it can take years before the immune system is seriously damaged by HIV and people start to feel sick.
HIV can be detected in the blood as early as three weeks after infection (the first window period), but usually takes longer. This is why doctors recommend that people be tested again three months after a negative result to make sure they really don’t have HIV (because they may not have been infected at all).
It can take up to six months for an infected person to develop antibodies against HIV that can be detected in the blood — so some people may be able to pass an antibody test even though they’ve been infected for more than six months already.
If you have contracted the virus, then it may take several years before you show symptoms.
The average time between infection and when HIV shows up as a positive reading on a test is eight to 10 years in men and 10 to 20 years in women.
This is because it takes time for the virus to replicate and develop into an infection that can be detected by a blood test or during an examination at your doctor’s office.
If you are infected with HIV, your body will fight it off naturally. The immune system will usually clear the virus in six months to one year if left untreated.
Can you have HIV and not know it?
Yes, you can have HIV and not know it.
A person who tests positive for HIV is considered to have AIDS if they have any of the following symptoms:
fever, sweats, or chills
a general feeling of illness (malaise)
swelling or tenderness in the lymph nodes
weight loss
night sweats (drenching sweat during sleep)
How can you get tested for AIDS?
You can get tested for AIDS at a health care clinic, doctor’s office or hospital. The test usually involves taking a sample of blood from your arm. The sample is sent to a lab where it is tested for antibodies to HIV and other diseases that can cause similar symptoms.If you are positive for HIV, there are medications that can help slow down the progression of AIDS and even make it possible to live like a healthy person with HIV infection.
Yes. It’s possible to be infected with HIV and not know it.
If you’re infected with HIV, the body begins making antibodies that fight the virus. It can take weeks or months for these antibodies to develop and show up on an HIV test. Some people never develop detectable antibodies, so they may remain unaware of their infection even though they are actively spreading the virus to others. This is called “seroincognito” infection.
The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested.
Yes.
Some people who have HIV don’t know they have it. They may not know because they haven’t been tested, or they may not realize that their symptoms are caused by HIV. Other times, people who are infected with HIV develop antibodies against the virus but haven’t gotten sick enough for their body to produce them in large numbers.
HIV can be diagnosed using blood tests that look for antibodies to the virus in your blood. If you test positive on two different blood tests conducted 6 months apart, you are considered to have full-blown AIDS.
Even if you test negative for antibodies, there’s still a chance that you may be infected with HIV — perhaps because your immune system hasn’t been exposed long enough for the body to produce detectable levels of antibodies or because your viral load is so low that it hasn’t been picked up by the tests used most commonly today (there are other types of testing available that can detect these lower levels).
The short answer is yes. There are many reasons why people don’t know they have HIV, and some of them are downright scary. Here’s what you need to know:
You may not know you’re infected if you’ve only had one sexual partner who was infected with HIV. This is because the virus can take up to six months before you start showing symptoms of infection (the average is eight weeks).
You may not know you’re infected if your partner didn’t tell you that he or she was HIV-positive. Many people with HIV don’t even realize they carry the virus, because they’ve never been tested or diagnosed. As a result, they may not be aware that their partner is at risk for contracting HIV from them.
You may not know you’re infected if your partner refused to wear a condom during sex (or used one incorrectly), which could have prevented the exchange of bodily fluids containing the virus during intercourse (this includes vaginal and anal sex).
How do you know if a female has HIV?
Women may not show symptoms of HIV infection until they have been infected for several years.
This is because women are more likely than men to have a symptom-free period between infection and the development of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The average time between infection and developing AIDS is 10 years, but it can range from two to 25 years. Women who have tested positive for HIV should be tested again after six months, one year and every year thereafter.
Women may also have different symptoms of HIV than men. They may experience unexplained weight loss or gain, fever or swollen lymph nodes in their armpits or groin area.
The best way to know if a woman has HIV is by getting tested at least once a year if you do not know your partner’s HIV status. If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, talk with your healthcare provider about getting an HIV test before conceiving so that you can start treatment immediately if you test positive for HIV infection.
If you have sex with a woman and she has HIV, there are many different ways that you can get it. If she has HIV, the virus is in her blood, semen (cum), vagina fluids or breast milk.
You can get HIV from vaginal sex if your partner has genital sores (or open wounds), which may bleed and allow the virus to enter your body. Sores can happen on the vulva or inside the vagina.
You can also get HIV from anal sex if your partner’s anus bleeds during sex and enters your body through tiny cuts or abrasions on your penis or around your anus.
If you have unprotected anal sex with someone who does not have HIV but does have other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis, these infections can cause sores in your rectum that could allow HIV to enter your body during anal sex.
Women are often overlooked for HIV testing and treatment, but they account for about half of all new HIV infections in the United States.
If you’re concerned about HIV, talk to your doctor or nurse. They can help you decide if you need an HIV test, and they’ll recommend the best time to get tested.
A positive result doesn’t mean you have AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). But it’s important to get medical care right away so you can start treatment as soon as possible.
If you have HIV, you have a lifelong condition. There’s no cure and there’s no vaccine. But with treatment, you can live a normal life, enjoy your family and friends and lead an active life.
If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s HIV status, there are lots of things you can do to protect yourself, your partners and anyone else who might be at risk of infection.
Testing for HIV
You can test for HIV at any time — even if you feel healthy and symptom-free. If you test positive, it doesn’t mean that you’ll definitely get AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). But if left untreated it may develop into AIDS in 10-15 years’ time.
If you’re pregnant and thinking about getting tested for HIV, talk to your doctor first. They can help arrange the test if necessary.