BENGALURU: As Karnataka expands HIV awareness initiatives across universities and workplaces, doctors have cautioned that HIV can remain undetected for years, particularly among young adults, allowing the virus to spread silently while delaying treatment.
Experts say the growing focus on awareness is an opportunity to address one of the biggest challenges in HIV prevention, not getting tested. This could because they either do not consider themselves at risk or fear the stigma associated with the disease.
Doctors said, “People infected with HIV between the ages 18 and 25 do not show symptoms in the early stages. They generally have good immunity, which means HIV can remain asymptomatic for years. By the time symptoms develop, the disease may have already progressed. Early diagnosis is critical not only to initiate treatment but also to prevent further transmission,” said Dr Supriya Yadav BN, consultant in Internal Medicine at Manipal Hospital.
She said individuals with a history of unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, sexually transmitted infections, needle sharing or exposure to infected blood should not delay testing.
Explaining the procedure, she said HIV screening usually begins with a rapid test, followed by confirmatory tests when required. “A negative result immediately after exposure does not always rule out infection because there is a window period. Those with recent exposure may need repeat testing after medical advice,” she added.
Dr Nirmala Chandrashekar, consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology at Fortis Hospital, said that HIV testing should be viewed as an essential component of preventive healthcare rather than as something associated with fear or shame.
While maintaining that testing cannot be made compulsory and must always be based on informed consent, she said wider voluntary screening would help detect infections before irreversible damage occurs.
“HIV today is treatable. When diagnosed early and managed with anti-retroviral therapy, people living with HIV can study, work, marry, have children and lead long, healthy lives,” she said. She added that timely treatment suppresses the viral load, preserves immunity and significantly reduces the likelihood of transmitting the virus to others.
Padma Basavanthappa, project director of Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society, said the State’s awareness campaign is aimed at encouraging informed, voluntary testing while ensuring complete privacy. “No one can be forced to undergo an HIV test. We counsel individuals about their risk, obtain informed consent and conduct the screening in a private setting. If the screening test is reactive, they are referred for confirmatory testing and immediately linked to treatment and counselling,” she said.
