Identifying Emergency Room Patients Who Have Recently Been Infected With HIV

The purpose of this study is to identify patients who have early HIV infection. Patients who have been infected with HIV recently may develop flu-like symptoms within 3 to 8 weeks. Those who go to the hospital emergency room for these symptoms and who may have been exposed to HIV recently will be given a questionnaire and the opportunity to be tested for HIV. Most people develop flu-like symptoms shortly after becoming infected with HIV, and many of these people go to a hospital emergency room for treatment. However, most doctors do not think of testing people with flu-like symptoms for HIV. This study will look at a plan to change this because it is very important to identify patients who have early HIV infection. Viral load (level of HIV in the blood) is very high during early HIV infection, and it is easy to spread HIV to others during this period. Patients who learn they are HIV-positive can stop risky behavior that might spread HIV to other people. Also, patients who find out early that they are HIV positive are able to begin anti-HIV treatment sooner, slowing the disease.