Receiving a HIV test is the only way to tell if you are infected with HIV. In fact, an estimated one-third of those who are HIV positive do not know it and many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for 10 years or more.

The following may be symptoms of HIV infection:

• rapid weight loss
• dry cough
• recurring fever or profuse night sweats
• profound and unexplained fatigue
• swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck
• diarrhea that lasts for more than a week
• white spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat
• pneumonia
• red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids
• memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders

No one should assume they are infected if they have any of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. The only way to know for sure is to get tested.

AIDS also cannot be diagnosed by its symptoms which are similar to other many other illnesses. AIDS is diagnosed through either a blood test or having one or more opportunistic infections common in people with AIDS. The infections may include various forms of cancer, recurrent pneumonia, or wasting syndrome.