How can I determine if someone has HIV?  What are the first symptoms of HIV infection?

The only way to ascertain if  you are infected with HIV is to get tested.

The symptoms of initial HIV infection are not very specific.  Initial symptoms include a dry cough, shortness of breath and a flu-like illness.

During this very early period of infection only a small minority of people experience symptoms, which are serious enough to require a doctor's attention.

During this stage, which is also called acute infection, the virus multiplies rapidly.  You might test negative for HIV antibodies during this stage, but you can still pass HIV on to someone else.  This is called the window period of roughly 3-6 months from the time of infection to the time when you will show anitbodies against HIV.  HIV antibodies begin to show in an infected person's blood when they seroconvert.

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