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What is the Difference Between HIV and AIDS? What are the symptoms? What is an HIV test? How Soon Can I Get Tested? What is the Window Period? |
HIV: The letters HIV stand for Human Immunodefiency Virus. This virus infects cells of the human immune system and destroys them or stops them from working. Someone whose immune system has been damaged by HIV is much more vulnerable to infections and cancers. AIDS: AIDS is short for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Someone with HIV does not have AIDS unless their immune system has been severely weakened. By this point, the person will have developed one of a number of particularly severe illnesses, or will have lost most of their immune system cells. Read more about stages of HIV infection. The early symptoms of HIV resemble that of the common cold or flu viruses, other sexually transmitted diseases, or other infections like mono or hepatitis. Symptoms are very individual, some people will have strong symptoms, and others mild. Most common symptoms are: fever, fatigue, rash, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and a sore throat, rapid weight loss, dry cough, diarrhea for more than a week, white spots on tongue, mouth or throat, memory loss, depression. NOTE: You cannot diagnose HIV soley on these symptoms, blood tests must be performed to conclusively diagnose HIV. 
HIV testing is most commonly done through a blood test, however it can also be done via oral swab. This test looks for antibodies in your blood. These antibodies are produced when HIV enters the persons body. Antibodies are your bodies response to an infection. So, if you have HIV antibodies in your blood, this means you have been infected with HIV.
HIV antibodies in your blood normally develope in approximately 3 months. In some cases it has taken up to 6 months. NOTE Getting tested before 3 months can reslut in a false test result, as the infected person may not have developed the antibodies, and therefore could still have HIV. The time between initial infection and antibodies showing up in your blood is called the 'window period.' Here there are no antibodies in your blood that an HIV test can detect. However, and this is VERY important, you may have high levels of the HIV virus in your blood, sexual fluids, or breast milk. During this time HIV can be passed from one person to another |