Human immunodeficiency virus diagnoses

• Acute (early) stage: Flu-like symptoms such as fever, rash, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue (may be mild or absent).
• Clinical latency stage: Often few to no symptoms for many years.
• AIDS (advanced stage): Severe weight loss, chronic diarrhea, night sweats, persistent fatigue, recurring infections, certain cancers.

HIV is primarily transmitted through specific body fluids: blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk. Main transmission routes include unprotected sexual contact (vaginal or anal), sharing contaminated needles for injecting drugs, and from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.

• Practice safe sex; use condoms consistently and correctly.
• Get tested regularly for HIV and encourage partners to do the same.
• Avoid sharing needles or drug injection equipment.
• Consider PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) if at high risk.
• Use PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) after potential exposure.
• For pregnant individuals with HIV, antiretroviral treatment prevents mother-to-child transmission.