HIV seroconversion illness is the illness that may occur if your body acquires HIV. Even though symptoms aren’t guaranteed, knowing about it could encourage you or a mate to get tested, access early treatment and maintain a healthy life.
Talking to a doctor about HIV symptoms
Doctors who specialise in the health of gay, bi+ and trans men are often knowledgeable about HIV. However, not all doctors have in-depth experience with HIV testing or communicating what an HIV diagnosis means. In some instances, doctors may overlook testing for HIV, especially if guys aren’t aren’t open about their sexual activities and partners.
“…what’s important here is making sure you’re equipped with enough knowledge to help your doctor help you manage your sexual health and wellbeing.”
Not all men who enjoy sex with other men identify as gay or bisexual. This can lead doctors to make incorrect assumptions about a person’s sexual behaviours and their associated risk of HIV when gathering a sexual history.
No matter what identity labels resonate with you and even if you’re not comfortable discussing the kind of sex you enjoy, what’s important here is making sure you’re equipped with enough knowledge to help your doctor help you manage your sexual health and wellbeing.
Having an affirming experience with a healthcare professional can make a huge difference for someone being diagnosed with HIV. Feeling confident and feeling supported to start treatment immediately after diagnosis has been shown to have long-term health benefits.
Does everyone with HIV get symptoms?
Just being exposed to HIV doesn’t always mean someone will acquire the virus and become HIV positive. And it’s not possible for all people living with HIV to transmit the virus — people who know they are HIV positive and use regular HIV treatment to maintain an undetectable viral load cannot sexually transmit the virus. This means there is no risk of acquiring HIV from them, even when not using condoms.
“…not everyone is guaranteed to experience all seroconversion illness symptoms or even any at all.”
However, after someone has been exposed to HIV and the virus has been able to take hold in their body, seroconversion is the period of time during which the body’s immune system starts to respond. HIV antibodies are produced in an attempt to defend against the virus.
Seroconversion usually takes place within a few weeks of someone acquiring HIV. For some people, it may be accompanied by symptoms of illness, though these are not always a reliable way to diagnose HIV, especially as not everyone is guaranteed to experience all of the symptoms or even any at all.
What are the signs and symptoms of HIV?
Knowing about the symptoms and symptoms of HIV can be useful to help you or a mate stay healthy in the long term. Recognising the signs and going for an HIV test means someone has the chance to know their status and, if appropriate, start treatment straight away.
In 2015, over a quarter of new HIV diagnoses were in people with highly compromised immune systems, meaning it’s likely they had been living with untreated HIV for at least four years before their diagnosis, increasing the possibility of onward transmission as well as compromising their own health.
This short video produced by Thorne Harbour Health provides an overview of the potential symptoms to be aware of.
Thorne Harbour Health | Could it be HIV?
It’s possible to easily confuse symptoms of HIV seroconversion illness with other illnesses, or even just a bad cold, though seroconversion illness doesn’t come with a runny nose. Sometimes described as ‘flu-like’ in nature, if symptoms are present, they may typically include one or more of the following:
- Fever
- Non-itchy rash (reddish, small, flat blemishes)
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Muscle aches
- Joint pains
- Tiredness
If any symptoms do occur, they often begin between one and four weeks after acquiring HIV and nearly always go away within two to three weeks. Symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes or tiredness can last for longer.
How do I know if my symptoms are HIV?
Most of these signs aren’t unique to HIV seroconversion illness. If you do happen to experience these symptoms, it doesn’t mean you’ve necessarily acquired HIV. Going for an HIV test is the only way to be sure. If you are worried about getting a test, read our article to put your mind at ease. Rapid testing services can make the process quick, easy and comfortable, and some are even offered for free. Discover where you can go for an HIV test using Emen8’s interactive map.
As well as going for regular sexual health tests, you can also take other actions to help reduce your risk of acquiring HIV. Using a condom every time you have sex is a good strategy that’s been helping to protect millions of people since the start of the HIV epidemic.
“If you do happen to experience these symptoms, it doesn’t mean you’ve necessarily acquired HIV. Going for an HIV test is the only way to be sure.”
Nowadays, there are even more options available, including biomedical HIV prevention strategies that are fully compatible with condoms. If you’re HIV negative, PrEP is a highly effective way to protect yourself against HIV. It involves taking a pill once a day and seeing a doctor once every three months for routine sexual health tests.
We also now know that taking regular treatment for HIV not only keeps someone healthy, but also eliminates the possibility to transmit HIV — continuously maintaining an undetectable viral load means there is no risk of HIV transmission. So you can feel confident in discussing this as a safe sex strategy with your partner(s) if they’re using treatment.
Biomedical strategies used without condoms are highly effective at preventing HIV, but they don’t protect against other STIs. While condoms can help to reduce the risk of acquiring an STI, they don’t eliminate it completely. Going for regular sexual health tests covering HIV and other STIs is a key foundation for managing your own health, as well as that of your sexual partner(s).
Where can I get support?
Some clinics in metro areas are well-versed in offering healthcare services for men who have sex with men. While you can request an HIV test from any doctor, only certain doctors (known as S100 prescribers) are qualified to prescribe HIV treatments. You can find one of these HIV specialist doctors using our interactive map.
Talking to a healthcare professional is a good place to start, but if you feel like you could benefit from additional support, there are other organisations you can speak to, including some which offer counselling services or resources for people newly diagnosed with HIV. Contact your local AIDS Council or HIV organisation for more information.
Additionally, peer-run community group The Institute of Many (TIM) provides resources online, and via the TIM Facebook group for people living with HIV.