Can an HIV-positive couple have unprotected sex without medical consequences?
It is not yet clear how often reinfection with a second strain of HIV after primary infection occurs and what problems can result. Several studies are currently underway, but until they are completed, it has been suggested that HIV-positive persons protect themselves from possible reinfection and STDs that can further strain the immune system.

Are there any symptoms related to HIV infection?
The only way to know whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV. You cannot rely on symptoms alone because many people who are infected with HIV do not have symptoms for many years. Someone can look and feel healthy but can still be infected. In fact, one quarter of the HIV-infected persons in the United States do not know that they are infected.

Where can I get tested?
Many places offer HIV testing: health departments, doctors' offices, hospitals and sites specifically set up to provide HIV testing.

You can locate a testing site by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV testing database or by calling CDC-INFO (formerly the CDC National AIDS Hotline) at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) 24 hours a day. You do not have to give any personal information about yourself to use these services to find a testing site.

Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

Click here to read the courageous story of a 23-year-old woman living with HIV.