Treatments Your Provider May Prescribe
Your doctor will base the diagnosis on your symptoms and signs as well as the likelihood that you may be in a high-risk group, such as people who are sexually promiscuous, use illicit intravenous drugs, or engage in unprotected or unsafe sex, especially men who have sex with men.
Primary HIV infection occurs before an individual develops sufficient HIV antibodies needed to test positive on a blood test. These antibodies can take 2–4 months to develop. Therefore, repeated HIV-antibody blood tests over time are recommended when an individual is very likely to be infected.
Any person with primary HIV infection should notify sexual partner(s) immediately. In most states, doctors are required by law to report HIV infections to the public health department.
A number of drugs have been developed to treat HIV and infections. Although a cure is not possible, people with HIV infection live longer now and enjoy a much better quality of life than those in the early years of HIV awareness. Treatment is tailored for each person to make it as simple, effective, and with as few side effects as possible, and this often involves taking a mixture of medications, carefully overseen by your doctor.
Self-Care Guidelines
