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Purpose of This Module
Diagnosing HIV InfectionIt is not possible to tell whether or not a person has HIV or AIDS by the way he or she looks and acts. Persons with HIV may not have any symptoms or clinical signs for many years and may not even know that they are infected with the virus. However, knowing one’s HIV status enables an individual to make informed decisions about treatment and care, avail themselves of potentially life-prolonging therapies (where available and affordable), receive available counseling and financial support services, and learn how to avoid passing the infection on to others. Early diagnosis and management of the infection is an active approach that may give clients many additional years of healthy life, and in pregnant or breastfeeding clients, steps may be taken to reduce the risks of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) and safeguard the health of the pregnant women. Only a laboratory test can confirm the presence of HIV, but these tests are often unavailable to clients in low-resource settings, thereby forcing many health care providers to diagnose infection based on signs and symptoms. The problem with relying on signs and symptoms for the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS is that they are usually nonspecific and common to other illnesses as well. When diagnosing HIV infection, providers must remember that infected clients may come into the health care system at any stage of the infection. While some clients first seek care immediately after an exposure to HIV, others may seek care only after they experience the symptoms of an HIV-related infection or after the infection has progressed to AIDS. Still others may be aware of HIV infection for many years before seeking medical advice.
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This
module discusses the signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS and provides basic
information about HIV testing, including:
