How can
I tell if I'm infected with HIV?
What are the symptoms?
The only way to determine
for sure whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection.
You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected
with HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any
symptoms at all for many years.
The following may be warning signs of infection with HIV:
- rapid weight loss
- dry cough
- recurring fever or profuse
night sweats
- profound and unexplained
fatigue
- swollen lymph glands in
the armpits, groin, or neck
- diarrhea that lasts for
more than a week
- white spots or unusual
blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat
- pneumonia
- red, brown, pink, or purplish
blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids
- memory loss, depression,
and other neurological disorders
However, no one should assume
they are infected if they have any of these symptoms. Each of
these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. Again, the
only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested
for HIV infection.
Similarly, you cannot rely
on symptoms to establish that a person has AIDS. The symptoms
of AIDS are similar to the symptoms of many other illnesses.
AIDS is a medical diagnosis made by a doctor based on specific
criteria established by the CDC. |
