How To Identify An HIV Rash?

Brief Answer:
Rash in the picture is in no way specific to HIV infection.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.

Many types of rashes can occur in the course of HIV disease as per the immune status of the individual ranging from exantheme, pruritic papules, seborrheic dermatitis, exacerbation of psoriasis, fungal infection, furunculosis, Herpes Zoster, Herpes Simplex etc. There is no specific type of rash exclusively occuring in HIV except a oral lesion called as Oral hairy leukoplakia.
What you had sent in the picture reveals a wheal indicative of either an urticaria or some allergic reaction. With this one can not tell that it could be due to HIV infection. Only the blood test for HIV is final either to confim or rule out HIV infection. Blood test for HIV after the window period is the conclusive one.
Dr S.Murugan

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Brief Answer:
You can have the test 4 weeks after the risk exposure.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
HIV DNA PCR or P24 Antigen test or a qualitative RNA PCR are some of the HIV tests which can detect HIV as early as 1 week after the exposure. and become conclusive by 3-4 weeks. So you can take up this test 4 weeks after the exposure. But these tests can confirm or rule out only HIV 1 infection which is 99% common throughout world except in certatin parts of XXXXXXX Both HIV 1 and HIV 2 infection can be ruled out by Antibody test (ELISA, Rapid, Western Blot), but they will become positive only after the window period (6-8 weeks) and becomes conclusive after 12 weeks. Prevalence of HIV 2 infection is lesser than 1%.
Dr S.Murugan

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