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National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention |
How can I tell if I'm infected with HIV? What are the symptoms? The only way to know if 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:
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. For more information refer to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report “1993 Revised Classification System for HIV Infection and Expanded Surveillance Case Definition for AIDS Among Adolescents and Adults” at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00018871.htm. For information on locating an HIV testing site, visit the National HIV Testing Resources Web site at http://www.hivtest.org. If you would like more information or have personal concerns, call the CDC National AIDS Hotline at 1-800-342-AIDS (2437) (English), 1-800-344-SIDA (7432) (Spanish), or 1-800-243-7889 (TTY). LEGEND: = Link is outside of the DHAP domain...click the BACK button to return to this page.
Last Updated: December 15, 2003 |