You cannot tell just by looking at a person if he or she has AIDS or has been infected with the HIV virus. The only way to tell if a person has HIV to get a blood test for the HIV virus. You can only tell if a person has AIDS by finding HIV in their blood and discovering that the person has one of the AIDS diseases. There are several HIV tests now. The most common one is the HIV antibody test.
Antibodies are a part of the immune system that the body produces to help fight off diseases.
When a person is infected with HIV, their body produces antibodies to fight the virus. HIV antibodies usually develop within 2 - 6 months after infection. A positive test means that the person has been infected with the HIV virus. Testing positive does NOT mean that you have AIDS and it is not the end of your life. AIDS usually begins several years after infection.