The first symptoms of HIV are the presence of infection in a couple of weeks.
These symptoms are very similar to symptoms caused by other viral infections.
People infected to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often ask for medical help when the disease already severe.
People with HIV must get tested or seek treatment early.
The amount of virus that present in the body related to the stage of the symptoms.
Unfortunately, those newly infected with HIV often have few or no symptoms.
The first stage of the disease often called variously as acute HIV infection, seroconversion illness or HIV acute retroviral syndrome.
This early stage often show common symptoms like fever, fatigue and skin rash.
Some people also experience headache, sore throat and swollen glands for two to four weeks after the infection and generally clear up within two month.
The presence of early symptoms does not mean people get HIV infection.
Symptoms of HIV infection may occur eight to 10 years after diagnosis and include fatigue, rash, headache and oral thrush, as well as the flu-like symptoms experienced during primary infection.
The symptoms of acute HIV infection can be diagnose for other infections, even by doctors.
People who believe they have exposed to HIV should be tested at three and six months after possible exposure to establish HIV status.
An HIV test performed on an infected person before HIV seroconversion occurs will yield a false negative.
A person with no symptoms of HIV is contagious, so it is essential that anyone infected with the virus always use a condom during every sexual encounter.
Never share the needles for an intravenous drug user with HIV.
Women who diagnose that they are HIV-positive during pregnancy can receive antiviral medication to help the infant remain negative.