Early HIV symptoms: What are they?

Q: When do early HIV symptoms first appear? After having unprotected sex, I developed a mild flu-like illness. Could these symptoms have been from HIV infection?

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It is possible, if you were exposed to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Some people develop a flu-like illness when they first become infected with HIV, usually two to four weeks after being infected. Doctors refer to this illness as acute retroviral syndrome, or primary HIV infection.

Early HIV signs and symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Swollen lymph glands
• Rash

These early HIV symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for those of another viral infection. During this period, you are very infectious. More-persistent or more-severe symptoms of HIV infection may not appear for several years after the initial infection.

HIV is most commonly diagnosed by testing your blood or oral mucus for the presence of antibodies to the virus. Unfortunately, HIV tests aren't accurate immediately after infection because it takes time for your immune system to make these antibodies. However, the vast majority — more than 95 percent — develop antibodies by three months after infection. Rarely, it can take up to six months for an HIV test to become positive. Some tests, such as those that test for the presence of the virus itself, may become positive sooner.

The symptoms that indicate an early HIV infection are extremely common. Often, you can't tell them apart from symptoms of another viral infection. If you're concerned that you might have been exposed to HIV, talk to your doctor about your testing options. There's no vaccine to prevent HIV infection and no cure for AIDS. But it's possible to protect yourself from infection. If you don't know the HIV status of your partner, use a new latex or polyurethane condom every time you have anal or vaginal sex.