Expert: Kristen Brannock, MPH - 3/27/2004

Question
 Hi,

1. What are the most common early HIV symptoms.
2. Is it possible to obtain HIV test kits from pharmacy (if yes, what kind?).
Thanks,
        Tim


Answer
1. The most common early symptoms of HIV infection are similar to those of the flu with fatigue, body aches, loss of appetite, swollen glands etc. These symptoms usually appear a few days after infection and then disappear. (Similar to how people will get sick when infected with any virus and then it goes away). Then most people will not have any symptoms until they have progressed to and AIDS diagnosis. That is why so many people are infected and do not know it-lack of symptoms.

2. The only home HIV test that has been approved by the FDA is the Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System. I do not know if you can get it at a pharmacy or not, but you can search for it online and find out that way. It is a bit pricey and you collect the sample at home, but still send it away to be checked in a lab. There is no lab analysis in the home.