Meditalk: Can I tell if someone has HIV?

DEAR Dr. Fritz,

Good day to you. I just wanted to know if it is possible that just by looking at a person, I would be able to know if he or she has HIV. How do we know if we get it at the earliest possible time after we get it? Thanks.

Zooeeyyy Z.

***

Dear Zooeeyyy Z.,

Sorry. It is not possible to tell someone just by looking at them, if they have HIV. As a matter of fact, you can have HIV and not know it. You may have also been exposed to HIV but you may not just have been infected. About 1 in 7 people who are HIV-positive don't know that they are infected with the virus. The only way to know is to get an HIV test.

HIV doesn't affect the same way to everyone. Some notice the signs soon after they get the virus. But, others don't.

If you just got in contact with HIV, probably you won't notice anything different. But, if you have doubt, the best is to see your doctor or go to a health clinic right away, so that you can be given an emergency antiretroviral medication called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent a possible infection. You should start the drug within a day or two after exposure. This greatly lessens your chances of infection if you take it correctly, but it's not 100% effective.

But, if you became infected, the first symptoms won't appear until about a week or eight weeks later, which is called acute HIV infection, where flu-like symptoms appear, including: Fever and chills, headache, aches and pains, including muscle aches, tiredness, night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, rash, and sore throat.

Good luck and keep safe!

Dr. Fritz

(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She is the anchor of Secrets of Dr. Fritz, of Hugyaw.com. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, "Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.". For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o SunStar-Davao Publishing Inc., Ebro-Pelayo Building, Jacinto St., Davao City, (former Department of Foreign Affairs office), across Ateneo de Davao University and beside Holy Child School of Davao, or you e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don't wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)

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