Guides › Introduction to combination therapy

Early diagnosis and primary infection

If you think that you were infected within the last six months (‘primary infection’), you can ask for a special HIV test (called STARHS or RITA).

Knowing when you were infected can help you track how fast HIV progresses.

Your doctor can get this test free from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) HIV lab in Colindale (020 8200 4400).

The HPA want to use this test for all diagnoses in and after 2010.

Generally, unless you have symptoms, treatment in primary infection is only provided in clinical trials.

If you are interested in a trial, talk to your doctor, or contact the research units at St Mary’s Hospital (020 7886 6047) or the Royal Free Hospital (020 7472 6232) in London.

July 2010

Decisions relating to your treatment should always be taken in consultation with your doctor. Information in this guide is intended to support those discussions.

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