HIV multiple indicators

[humphrey]

Hi There,
I'm not a doctor but am very interested to know for diagnosing HIV is there only one indicator in the blood?
There is something standard as HIV test in a routin blood test, which I know.
However, is it possible that some one who is HIV+ be completely OK on other tests of blood and urine?
Someone whose urin analysis shows negative bacteria, yeast, T.vaginalis, mucus cristals, protein, sugar, blood, Blirubin, urobilinogen, nitrit, keton.
Also has negative HBsAg in blood and all hormons readings are within the accepatable range (triiodothyronin [TS-RIA], tetraiodothyronin [T4-RIA], Resin T3 uptake [RT3up], T.S.H. [IRMA]). The differential counts are:
neutrophil    44
lymphocyte  56
monocyte  0
Eosinophil 0
Can such a person be a HIV positive? The guy hasn't had a HIV test just wanted to know if it's necessary regarding the readings above.
Thanks in advance,
Humphrey

[kkmalaysia]

In the initial stage of HIV infection, the person will be completely normal. The person might have some flu-like symptoms and then be completely normal. The even scarier part of HIV infection is that if you are just infected by HIV, your HIV blood test can be completely normal!! This period between infection by the virus and positive blood test result is known as window period. And the window period can sometimes last up to 6 months or even more depending on individual!! This is because our HIV blood test is actually testing for the antibody produced by our body against certain protein molecule on HIV. The body needs time to produce the antibody after the virus enters the body and the time differs in different individual.

Other parameters of the blood tests/other tests can be abnormal in later stage of the disease. The CD4 cell (a type of white cell in the blood) is being attacked by the virus and the count  can be low. This can be reflected by low lymphocyte count sometimes. As HIV weakens the body defend system, in advanced stage of HIV infection (AIDS), the person can have various opportunistic infections. And the corresponding tests will become abnormal.

I hope I answer your questions. 

[humphrey]

Thanks alot for your reply. It was very informative.
Suppose the person is well byonde the window periode.
He has swollen lymph nodes on the groin but not on the armpits and the neck and has A rasch on the chest.
If these are the symptomes of HIV then he should be beyond the window period.
Regarding this info. can the results of the urine and blood test mentioned above be considered as evidence to refute the hypothesis that the person is HIV+?
Put it another way, can he be HIV+ and beyond window period but being without any urine infections and normal readings as abve?
Thanks
Humphrey

[kkmalaysia]

Lymph node swelling is part of the disease progression of HIV infection. The answer of your question is YES! But again in later part of the disease when CD4 cell count reduce, we expect a drop in the lymphocyte count.

Feel free to ask.

[matthardy]

We compiled country-level indicators of mortalities, national net income
(the reduction of national income by the debt), infection rate of HIV/AIDS,
political instability, demography, education, sanitation and infrastructure,
from 1990 to 2000 of all African countries (n=53). To extract major factors
from indicators of the latter four categories, we carried out principal
component analysis. We used multiple regression analysis to examine
the associations between mortality indicators and national net income
per capita, infection rate of HIV/AIDS, and political instability by adjusting
the influence of other possible mortality determinants.

[sshealthcare]

That's very very useful information regarding HIV.
I know about AIDS but CD4 cell concept is new to me here.