Very recent infection

By Roger Pebody
25 July 2025
1 minutes

This illustrated leaflet gives basic information on very recent HIV infection.

During the first few weeks after becoming infected with HIV, your body's immune system is working out what HIV is and how to get it under control.

You may feel unwell for a short time (this is called seroconversion illness). Even if you don't take HIV treatment, after a few months, your immune system will be better at keeping HIV under control.

It’s recommended to start HIV treatment as soon as you feel ready. Treatment will protect your health and prevent transmission (passing HIV on).

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Very recent infection

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Roger Pebody

Commissioning Editor

Roger joined aidsmap in 2008 and was Managing Editor from 2018 to 2024. As a freelancer, he now edits aidsmap’s news and conference coverage, as well as working on updates to About HIV pages. He is also a contributing science editor for TheBodyPro, a freelance journalist for The Lancet HIV, and a medical writer helping researchers prepare articles for peer-reviewed journals. He began working on HIV at Gay Men Fighting AIDS in the mid-1990s.