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HIV infection - Symptom

Alternative Names

Human immunodeficiency virus infection

Symptoms:

HIV can cause any symptoms of illness, since infections can occur throughout the body. Some ymptoms related to HIV infection include:

Note: At the time of diagnosis with HIV infection, many people may not have experienced any symptoms.

Signs and tests:

The HIV ELISA/Western blot test detects antibodies to the HIV virus. Having these antibodies means you are infected with HIV. If the test is negative (no antibodies found) and you have risk factors for HIV infection, you should be retested in 3 months.

If the HIV ELISA/Western blot test is positive, other blood tests can be done to determine how much HIV is in your bloodstream. White blood cell differential may also show abnormalities.

A lower-than-normal CD4 cell count may be a sign that the virus is suppressing your immune system.

  • Reviewed last on: 4/27/2008
  • David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: sect XXIV.

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