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PrEP Facts: HIV and STI testing

Jun 1, 2021

PrEP Facts: Pruebas del VIH y ETS [Spanish]

HIV transmission is extremely unlikely to happen if you take PrEP as instructed. It’s important to understand the common symptoms of early HIV infection in case of a rare transmission in between PrEP care visits.

Most people who are recently infected with HIV (about 2 out of 3) will have a flu-like illness. If symptoms are present, they usually appear 2 to 4 weeks after infection. They may continue for a few days to a few weeks.

If some of these symptoms occur while you’re on PrEP, check with your provider. It may be due to a cold or the flu, but it may mean an HIV test should be done.

  • Fever
  • Tiredness
  • Swollen glands
  • Skin rash
  • Muscle aches
  • Joint pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Night sweats
  • Chills
  • Mouth ulcers