HIV
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is lentivirus that can lead to AIDS. The HIV virus is a condition that causes the immune system to fail and leads to life-threatening opportunistic infections. HIV is transmitted through the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or breast milk. The primary ways that HIV is transmitted is through unprotected sex, contaminated needles, breast milk, and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth. In the past blood transfusions used to be a common method of HIV transmission as well; however screening of blood has mostly eliminated the passing of HIV through blood transfusions in the developed world.
HIV Symptoms
It is quite difficult to spot HIV symptoms in the early stages in most people. However, some HIV symptoms are very similar to flu-like symptoms. This is the case because the earliest HIV symptoms will be a consequence to your body forming antibodies to the virus. HIV symptoms may include fever, rash, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes and glands. Before HIV progresses into full blown AIDS, there are several other more severe HIV symptoms such as chronic yeast infections or thrush, fever and or night sweats, easy bruising, bouts of extreme exhaustion, unexplained body rashes, appearance of purplish lesions on the skin or inside mouth, sudden unexplained weight loss, and chronic diarrhea lasting for over a month.
There is also a slight difference in HIV symptoms depending on gender or age. For instance, HIV symptoms in children include difficulty gaining weight, difficulty growing normally, problems walking, delayed mental development, and sever forms of childhood illnesses such as ear infections, pneumonia, and tonsillitis. 
HIV symptoms in women manifest themselves in the form of breast enlargement, abdominal fat redistribution, headaches, more fatigue, and, gynecological symptoms. Furthermore, there are also several psychological HIV symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia/sleep disturbances, and changes in body image. Males will typically have the same HIV symptoms as women with the exception of the particular type of fat distribution and breast enlargement.
While there are some certain tell tale HIV symptoms, they are not always easy to spot and may take a bit longer to manifest themselves. While HIV symptoms may not be visible, it does not mean that the HIV isn’t contagious. It is still extremely contagious, therefore the only way to be sure is to get tested. If you are sexually active, or feel other behaviors may put you at risk for HIV the importance of getting tested cannot be stressed enough.