Hi, The signs and symptoms of many infectious diseases, caused by viruses, have many similarities. Please do not get carried away by such overlapping manifestations. There are specific tests that are available to confirm or rule out each of these conditions. In your case, I understand your doctor has tested for infectious mononucleosis, which is a syndrome of sore throat, fever and lymphadenopathy, with atypical lymphocytosis. 80-90% of such cases are caused by Ebstein Barr virus, which is generally associated with a positive heterophile antibody test. Your doctor is right when he said that he would have noticed other red flags if HIV was co-existent, or worse, HIV is the primary condition. For example, the blood picture in infectious mononucleosis is that of a peripheral lymphocytosis representing activated T cells responding to virus-induced B-cell proliferation. In HIV, this will be the exact opposite, wherein the lymphocyte count drops. I assume your doctor must have also ordered ‘Liver Function Tests’ which are markedly abnormal in infectious mononucleosis. Most importantly, your doctor must have probably seen a positive heterophile antibody test, which is characteristic of Ebsetin Barr virus. This test will be negative if the cause was HIV. I conclude that you do not have to worry about HIV at all.