Do you Have HIV?

How do you know if you have HIV?

The only one way to know if you have the virus is through a blood test.    This test looks for antibodies that you produce in response to the infection.  It may take between two weeks and three months for these antibodies appear in your blood after you have been infected.  If you think you have been in contact with HIV get tested two weeks after the first contact and then again at three months.  Most HIV infections will show up within 3 months of the first contact.

You can get tested for HIV at your doctor’s office, STI (sexually transmitted infection) clinic, youth clinic, walk-in clinic or emergency department.  To find an organization or STI Clinic that does testing nearest to you please see the following websites: www.stdresource.com or www.wontgetweird.com.

While some people do not notice any symptoms others can experience what’s called ‘seroconversion Illness’ soon after the time of infection.  It is called ‘seroconversion illness’ because this illness often occurs at the same time as HIV antibodies become present in the blood. 

Some symptoms of seroconversion illness include: sore throat, red blotchy rash over the trunk, prolonged fever and achy limbs (4-14 days), ulcers in the mouth or genitals, diarrhea, severe headaches, and aversion to light.  Approximately 80% of people infected with HIV will experience serconversion symptoms.  Often people experience these symptoms 2-6 weeks after infection and vary from a mild flu-like illness to a more severe illness sometimes resulting in hospitalization.  It is also worth mentioning that these types of symptoms can be caused by other infections such as flu, glandular fever, tonsillitis or a severe herpes outbreak.  The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.

Fraser Health Services