###Human: How to confirm HIV? ###Assistant: Hi. Thanks for providing the clinical pictures (attachment removed to protect patient identity). I would try to provide you with the best possible answers to your questions. The symptoms you have mentioned for example fever, general feeling of not being well, vague body aches may be a hint of acute HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) syndrome. They may also, in reality, be hypochondriacal that is due to stress and you are giving a lot of importance to them. The skin eruption that you mentioned and the pictures are suggestive of urticaria or hives. This may also see even as a response to mild fever or medicines that you may have taken or may even erupt in absolutely healthy people. Itchiness without any lesions in the groin area may be due to sweat, exacerbated by stress levels. The prominence of tongue swelling is nothing abnormal. They are the normal lingual papillae which mean that normal texture of the tongue present in all. When a person is psychologically stressed, often these normal tongue markings are interpreted as being abnormal. So, do not worry about this. Genital discharge you mentioned may or may not be normal. You must attend an STD (sexually transmitted disease) or STI (sexually transmitted infection) specialist to get yourself checked for the discharge, which may be a sign of urethritis - infection of the urethra. For this, a urethral swab or swab dipped in the discharge will be taken to rule out. Having said that, the possibility of acute HIV syndrome cannot be ruled out with 100% certainty based on these symptoms, although apparently, the chances are too low. Yes, you can contract HIV even from a single exposure. The risk is moderate, from being the passive partner and allowing unprotected intercourse and passage of your partner's seminal fluid into your anorectal mucosa. Further, your partner agreed to have been promiscuous himself. A rapid HIV test is just a modification of the standard ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test. The only difference between rapid and standard HIV test is that the results are given out within 20-30 minutes of having given the blood sample in rapid test module whereas have to wait for a period of a week for the results in the standard test protocol. The more confirmatory test would be a western blot or p24 antigen assay or HIV RNA PCR. These tests can confirm or rule out HIV within a maximum of 12 days of the last suspected exposure. So, get them done to put your mind at peace. My final advice does not panic. Visit an STD-HIV specialist as soon as possible for evaluation of the genital discharge and request to get the fourth generation test done. Also, the additional blood tests mentioned below. Get back to us with the report of these tests and take treatment for urethritis, if it is confirmed. No need to panic even if your fourth generation test comes out positive for HIV. It takes an average of 10 years for HIV positivity to convert into AIDS syndrome. And with a healthy lifestyle, positive thinking and available anti-HIV drugs, most patients who have full-blown AIDS, are also able to live healthy in the present medical era. Have you been vaccinated for hepatitis B? You must get tested for hep B and C and VDRL (venereal disease research laboratory) syphilis. If you have not been vaccinated for hep B, get vaccinated as soon as possible. Maintain good oral hygiene. Your tongue seems to be coated due to lack of oral hygiene. Use a mild cleansing mouth wash and also get your tongue swab tested for fungus. 1. Fourth generation HIV testing assay. 2. Western blot test. 3. Urethral discharge or urethral swab evaluation for gonococcal and non-gonococcal infections. 4. Additional blood tests - serology for hepatitis B (HBsAg -hepatitis B surface antigen test) and hepatitis C (Anti-HCV - hepatitis C virus antibodies), VDRL. 5. Tongue swab for fungus. Always use protection in the form of condom for any sexual activity. Never trust any sexual partner about his/her promiscuous nature or HIV status.