You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected with HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for many years.

The following may be warning signs of infection with HIV:  

Rapid weight loss

Dry cough  

Recurring fever 

Profuse night sweats 

Enexplained fatigue 

Swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck  diarrhea that lasts for more than a week  

White spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat 

Pneumonia  

Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids 

Memory loss

Depression, and other neurological disorders

However, no one should assume they are infected if they have any of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. 

The only way to determine whether you are infected is to take a blood test called the "HIV Antibody Test." Some people call it the "HIV Test" or the "AIDS Test," even though this test alone cannot tell you if you have AIDS.

The HIV test can tell you if you have the virus and can pass it to others in the ways already described. The test is not a part of your regular blood tests-you have to ask for it by name. It is a very accurate test.If your test result is "positive," it means you have HIV infection and could benefit from special medical care. Additional tests can tell you how strong your immune system is and whether drug therapy is indicated.

Some people stay healthy for a long time with HIV infection, while others develop serious illness and AIDS more rapidly. Scientists do not know why people respond in different ways to HIV infection.

If your test is "negative," and you have not had any possible risk for HIV for six months prior to taking the test, it means you do not have HIV infection.

You can stay free of HIV by following prevention guidelines. (In the past five years, one study indicated that a few people with HIV infection took longer than six months to test "positive." This is an extremely rare possibility.)

Less than 2% of all people who test for HIV get an "inconclusive result." This means this test cannot determine whether or not they have the virus. Repeat testing is recommended.