Early diagnosis and primary infection

Early HIV is when you test HIV positive within six months of infection.

A special HIV test called STARHS or RITA can help check this. This test is recommended for all new diagnoses, but you still might need to ask your clinic to do this.

The results only give a rough guide, so need to be interpreted with your recent risks.

Even though everyone is recommended to start ART after diagnosis, there might be potential benefit is this is soon after infection,

• To reduce damage to your immune system. See: What about a cure?
• To have a smaller reservoir of infected resting cells.
• To reduce the risk of transmission.
• To be able to join some cure-related studies.

If you are starting ART during primary infection, the earlier you start the better. Every week earlier might be important.

This includes the option to start on the first day that you see your HIV doctor.

Last updated: 1 November 2024.