How long does HIV usually take to kick in?

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How long does it usually take before someone who has contracted aids "hiv" get side effects? What are some of the side effects? In this case, the person slept with someone who had got HIV, but it's been over 10 years.
Most people who have HIV, the virus that can lead to AIDS, have no symptoms for several years. Some people get flu symptoms within a few months after infection, but there is no way to tell the difference between flu symptoms caused by HIV and flu symptoms caused by flu.
Testing can detect antibodies to HIV within 3 to 6 months after someone gets infected. (More than 98% of people who have HIV would test positive within 3 months. Very rarely, it may take up to 6 months for someone to test positive.)

IMPORTANT: Within a day or 2 after someone is infected, they can pass the virus on to other people. This is long before symptoms would appear, and before they would test positive.

Also, HIV is not transmitted 100% of the time. Someone may be exposed to HIV several times and not get infected. However, it is also possible for someone to get infected by just ONE exposure.  (+ info)

What are the possibilities to transmit hiv thru the masturbation from message parlors?

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Five days ago, I visited a massage parlor,The female massager , give me oil message all over my body and finally end up with a masturbation , I am worried if she had any HIV infection , I need to go for hiv checking or and any std check up . What are the possibilities to transmit HIV thru the masturbation from message parlors
If neither one of you had open sores anywhere, and she wasnt performing oral on you or anything like that, you should be safe. However, if you go to massage parlors, and worry about STD's from them, you probably should quit going to them. Go have yourself checked anyway just to be safe, and use a little better judgement on where you get your kicks from  (+ info)

How long after initial infection is HIV contagious but test results still show negative?

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So the person might not even know they're HIV positive and able to spread it which sounds like a bad situation.
The window period is 3 months, until if the person has HIV, the test turns out positive. Therefore it's crucial to practice save sex during this period and always in any case. Re testing at 3 months is the final determinant  (+ info)

What is the chance of contracting hiv from protected anal sex and unprotected oral sex?

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Last week, I had protected anal sex with another man. I also had unprotected oral sex. I am really worried about Hiv. Should i be concerned?
Obviously if the man in question is HIV negative, the chance of him giving you HIV is zero.

Both the activities you list are relatively low risk for transmission. There have been a couple rare cases of people acquiring HIV through only oral sex. In general unprotected oral sex is pretty safe as far as HIV goes. Current thinking is you'd almost have to have an open cut or sore in your mouth, since the mouth and stomach are extremely hostile places for invading viruses.

Protected anal sex is much safer than unprotected anal sex. If the man giving was HIV positive, there is still some risk, mostly with condom slippage or breakage. Assuming the condom remained intact, you shouldn't worry too much.

HIV testing is pretty cheap these days and less painful that giving blood. There's certainly no harm in you going in for testing just for peace of mind.  (+ info)

hiv in australia What is the window period for hiv to be fully detected in the body?

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For how long after exposure does someone needs to wait before hiv tests are done.Does it take too long for hiv to resides and detected in the body.From the date of exposure when can the tests be done?
average person shows up in 25 days. 98% of people will show up in 3 months. get tested after 6 just to be 100% sure. source cdc control  (+ info)

What happens to HIV when all of your white blood cells are destroyed?

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When you are being affected by AIDS and the last of your white blood cells are destroyed because of HIV, what happens to the HIV in your blood stream? Does it die out because there is nothing left for it to feed on, or does it keep living?
HIV turns into AIDS when your cells reach a certain number. HIV does not die out. Once you have it you got it for life. Death of your normal fighter cells and then of course you get all kinds of infections that body can't fight off that a normal person could, like pneumonia or other respiratory diseases which usually kills the person.  (+ info)

How hard is it to contract HIV from a person getting treatment and they are at undetectable levels?

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We discovered my wife has HIV 6 months and we were having unprotected sex for a year. I got tested several times and still came up negative. She had a count of around 80,000 copies per ml of blood. She is now at undetectable levels meaning she might be less than 100 copies per ml of blood. What are my chances of contacting from her if we start having unprotected sex again?
We can't even try to guess at the risk. Having a low viral load means that the blood that was tested showed low levels.

Be mindful that semen levels are never measured in routine follow up.

Measuring viral load in blood is common, semen-not so. If you're getting information that semen levels and blood levels translate exactly, I'd be wary. As a health care professional who's worked in the HIV field for years-I KNOW THAT SEMEN LEVELS ARE NOT ROUTINELY TESTED, therefore, comparing the levels is not possible.

When a HIV positive person is ill, say for instance from the FLU and viral load is tested-more virus is detected in the blood at that time. That some may be the FLU virus is not determined-only viruses are counted.

This is all to say that the viral load is a good diagnostic test-to place where one may be in the progression of the disease. It's not to determine the risk of exposure-especially repeated exposure.

There is no way to determine WHEN the H I Viruses migrate to certain parts of the body. We do know that HIV is harbored and may replicate in body organs.

Unfortunately, unprotected sex should not be an option in even a loving relationship. There's already risk there, decrease it rather than increase it.  (+ info)

How long can HIV stay in your system before being detected?

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I have a 3 year old and a 14 month old. Both pregnancies I was routinely tested for HIV. Test results were negative both times, but now I am having low blood counts which suggest an autoimmune disorder and my Doctor referred me to a Hematologist. I've been with the same man for 5 years. Is it possible that a person could still have HIV when testing came up negative in the past?
For your first child your negative test are accurate. The 14 month old is a different story. Is that the last time you got tested for HIV? Also, was it 3 months after the intercourse? Remember if you got tested to soon, Before the 3 month mark. You may be at risk for HIV. I understand that your boyfriend is the only sex partner you have had for the past 5 years. But Men do stray. Just be tested to be sure. Also, You can not go be symptoms to diagnose HIV Infection. There are many many other things that can bring down your blood counts. Best of Luck!  (+ info)

How long can a person be HIV Positive without having any physical symptoms/signs?

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If a person has not had sex in over a years time, but was not tested, what is the chances that the person is HIV positive? Would this person become physically ill with sore throats, colds, the flu? What would be tell tale signs of this? Are there any or is a test the only way to tell?
It is possible to carry the HIV virus for decades before tell-tale symptoms begin to show. Some people become infected and develop full blown AIDS within a 2-3 years. Other take 20 years. Early signs of HIV are very vague (if any appear at all). Driving yourself crazy every time you get a cough is no way to live.

The only sure way to know if you are infected is to get tested. And here's the good news: The FDA has approved a testing kit that you can do in the privacy of your own home. It's called "Home Access" test kit and can be purchased for around $60 at most pharmacies. You prick your finger, and let a few drops of blood fall onto a small piece of litmus-type paper. You then seal this in a special envelope, and it is sent for testing via Fed-Ex overnight. The following night after 7pm, you call and give them your test ID# and get results over the phone.

There are also HIV outreach centers near most colleges where they perform what's called a rapid test. You get results in 20-30 minutes.

Both of these tests have been proven by the FDA to be just as effective as going to the doctor and having blood drawn. Just go and get it over with. You'll sleep much better at night.

I'm sure you are fine.

Love & Blessings  (+ info)

What are the odds of aquiring HIV from a caucasian man to a caucasian woman?

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Both around 19 and only through unprotected vaginal sex (she is not a prostitute btw). I am really ignorant when it comes to HIV/AIDS and I know it affects blacks more often but what are the odds? Thanks a bunch.
Im ignorant not stupid. Blacks make up 30% of the population yet 74% of cases.
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/feb/07/blacks_more_likely_get_hiv_aids29858/
The colour of skin has no effect on transmission of HIV. It's an epidemic in Africa so obviously most victims will be black there. In N. America, higher than average infection in pockets of black populations may coincided with heavier intravenous drug use or prostitution that comes from bad economic conditions. That's a whole different chicken and egg discussion about economics of disadvantaged and discriminated-against populations. The conditions encouraging higher transmission are related to the social conditions, not pigment of skin.

So, the odds of white to white transmission? Zero if neither have the virus. High if one of them does and no preventative steps are taken (which are not fool-proof but improve the odds).

The odds of black to white or black to black transmission? Zero if neither have the virus. High if one of them does and no preventative steps are taken (which are not fool-proof but improve the odds).

Tibbs accidentally posted a declaration under a different question, that he is neither stupid or racist. He posted a link to the http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/feb/07/blacks_more_likely_get_hiv_aids29858/

I have pasted in an anonymous comment under that article that I think covers things better than I could, as far as the possible racism angle:
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SCdeacinNYC (anonymous) says...

What Magic Johnson "took" was the more than half a billion dollars he is worth. Quite simply, if you are wealthy the better medical treatment you receive and the less likely you will be of ever contracting full blown AIDS.

This is a very complex discussion and I sort of read it and sighed because I don't even want to get involved with this today. But, it is an issue that is near to me because I work in the HIV/AIDS section at a large international organization. So, I'll prevent myself from starting a long-winded soap box lecture.

There are many factors at play here, mostly the lack of valuable sex education, poverty and yes the down-low factor plays out in the black community. Esepcially in the south, where being homosexual is not accepted AT ALL. So, people keep their relationships secret and un-monogamous. There was a good Primetime special on HIV/AIDS in the black community, especially in the South a few months back. I suggest you all check it out before mouthing off with blanket statements like "blacks are more promiscious" (sic) sounds like that statement came out of some 1912 Eugenics journal or "Birth of a Nation" give me a break.

Also please check out the facts and causes of the HIV/AIDS epidemic to understand the issue better. I'll send some sites later on "know your epidemic"

February 7, 2008 at 12:48 p.m.
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That's one post- if anyone here wants to read more, there are some interesting posts there. I just hope that Tibbs understands that being black does not affect transmission of HIV. O  (+ info)

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