How can a person know they have HIV Virus?

One cannot look at someone and say that they have the HIV Virus. You need to take a blood test at the hospital or lab to see signs of the human immuno deficiency virus in your blood.

HIV Testing
This is simply a lab test that checks if you have the HIV virus. This test is usually done at the lab in your hospital. A blood sample, urine and body fluid such as cells from your mouth are taken and checked. The virus will only show correct results after 3 to 6 months of you contracting the virus. This is because the virus can stay hidden for a long time.

What do the results mean?
A positive results mean you have the HIV virus in your blood. Sometimes another test is needed to confirm that first positive result. A negative result means you are free of the virus, even though you can get the virus in future if you engage in any of the risk behaviors. Sometimes a result is unclear (intermediate result) and you may be advised to do the test again.

Who should get tested?
Every person who has been involved in a sexual activity, or been involved with drugs and needle sharing should get tested. You can also get tested if you intend to have sex or get pregnant. This is because it will help you (and your baby) to know your status and take precautions to stay negative or prevent it from spreading if you are already positive.

Is it confidential?
Yes. No one will know the result except you. In some hospitals, they use a code (not your real name) so that no one can connect a result to you. There are professionals and trusted health workers at the testing centers who can help you with all your concerns. Feel tree to speak to them confidentially

Having HIV virus in a blood does not mean you have a few days to live. Thanks to new medications, someone infected with HIV can stay relatively healthy and symptom-free for many years. But these medications are very expensive and not available to everyone in the world.

Symptoms of HIV Aids

An HIV-positive person will eventually begin to feel sick. Signs you may see include:

Swollen lymph nodes
Weight loss
Fevers that come and go
Diarrhea
Infections in the mouth
Feel tired for no reason all of the time.

Eventually, the virus can infect all of the body's organs, including the brain, making it hard for the person to think and remember things.