You do have a responsibility to let past and current needle-sharing and/or sexual partners that they were exposed to HIV as soon as possible since they should be tested. For many people, telling partners, friends and family is hard. Sometimes an HIV diagnosis brings secrets - about sexual partners, sexual activity or chemical dependency - out into the open.

A blood test can determine whether or not a person is infected with HIV. The most commonly used test detects antibodies (disease-fighting proteins) against HIV. It may take as long as three to six months for HIV antibodies to reach levels that are measurable in standard blood tests.

The only way to tell you have HIV is be tested for the virus. You cannot rely on symptoms to tell if you or someone you know is infected. The symptoms of HIV are similar to many other illnesses and many people have no symptoms at all. The symptoms of AIDS are also similar to other diseases. If a person is infected with HIV, the only way to tell if they have progressed to AIDS is to be diagnosed by a doctor using the CDC defined criteria.

Only with a blood test. A person can be HIV infected for many years while looking and feeling healthy, with no signs at all of being sick.

A person with HIV can live for many years without showing any outward signs of illness. The majority of persons infected with HIV do not know they have the virus. However, they can infect others. Persons who have been infected with HIV will eventually develop AIDS.

Yes, I'm extremely responsible about this. I typically disclose the fact that I am HIV positive before it even comes to a 'date' and or any chance of intimacy.

Most of time, there is no way of telling if someone has HIV by looking at them. However, if an infected person is not cared for and becomes sick, they may look small and thin and have skin diseases or other illnesses.

No there's not: you can't tell if someone has HIV by looking at them and even if you ask you may not learn the truth. Most people living with HIV don't even know they have the virus. And some people won't tell you they have it even if they do know their HIV status.

The only way to determine for sure whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected with HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for many years. However, no one should assume they are infected if they have any of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. Again, the only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection.

The only way to determine for sure whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected with HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for many years. However, no one should assume they are infected if they have any of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. Again, the only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection.

The only way to tell if you have HIV is to take an HIV test (usually an HIV antibody test). You cannot tell if someone has HIV or AIDS just by looking at them, and HIV cannot be diagnosed through symptoms. HIV and AIDS symptoms are not specific, and may be indicative of many other illnesses, which is why an HIV test is the only way to receive a definitive diagnosis.

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The only way to know for sure if you have this virus is by taking a blood test called the "HIV Antibody Test." Some people call it the "HIV Test" or the "AIDS Test," even though this test alone cannot tell you if you have AIDS. The HIV test can tell you if you have the virus and can pass it to others in the ways already described. The test is not a part of your regular blood tests ? you have to ask for it by name. It is a very accurate test.

The only way to determine for sure whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected with HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for many years. However, no one should assume he is infected if he has any of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. Again, the only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection.

The only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. You can't rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected with HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV don't have any symptoms at all for many years. Similarly, you can't rely on symptoms to establish that a person has AIDS. The symptoms associated with AIDS are similar to the symptoms of many other diseases.