HIV Symptoms, the Unreliable Basis for Diagnosis

In any kind of health condition, early detection is very important. If you can detect your disease at an early stage, there is a high chance that you can prevent it from progressing into the fatal stage. In the case of the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) however, you cannot prevent the maturity of the infection but you can definitely slow down its development and increase the duration of your life span. Unfortunately, experts note that the detection of the HIV infection should not be based solely on the HIV symptoms that can be observed in the patient.

Absence of any sign or symptom

According to studies, not everyone who is infected with HIV will experience HIV symptoms. Though there might be some infected people who will experience strong symptoms, there are those who will experience not a single sign during the early phase of the infection or the “primary infection period”.

However, for those who did manifest some symptoms, most patients reported that they experienced early symptoms that resemble the signs of flu or a cold virus. They generally had fever and fatigue. Others observed that they experienced headache, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes. Such early signs of HIV will usually appear within a few days or weeks after the initial exposure to the virus.

Signs which are associated with other conditions

The common problem with HIV symptoms is the fact that these signs often resemble symptoms of other illnesses. Other than that of common cold, people who are infected with HIV might experience symptoms that are similar to the signs of other STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) and infections. In some cases, people often pay no attention to the signs because such can be associated with common conditions such as anxiety or stress. However, there are also a few patients who develop false interpretations of their condition. For example, instead of recognizing the signs as symptoms of HIV, they mistakenly link these symptoms with other diseases such as hepatitis or cancer.

Some implications

Health experts point out that since most symptoms that are associated with primary HIV infection are non specific, it is not a reliable way to diagnose an infection. Basically, you cannot rely on the presence or the absence of HIV symptoms. You should get an HIV test if you want to determine if you are infected or not. However, you should bear in mind that you can only take the test after the window period, which usually last for three months.

Basically, an HIV antibody test will only be effective and reliable if conducted between the primary HIV infection period and the period where the immune system of the body already developed HIV antibodies. GP