Eventually as the immune system responds the spike in the viral load drops to a relatively stable level for the duration of the asymptomatic period of the disease. The fact that the virus replicates intensively for a period of time before the body produces an immune response means that standard HIV antibody tests will yield a negative result at the very time the virus is replicating most furiously - and when the person is likely to be highly infectious. However, there are symptoms of Primary HIV that can perhaps alert one to suspect infection. The most common symptoms are fever, rash, sore throat, sweats, headache, and lymph node swelling - but not a runny nose or sneezing. As with the spike in viral load, these symptoms clear as the body mounts its immune response.
Some people have no symptoms after infection.
While antibody tests remain negative during Primary HIV, viral load tests and p24 antigen tests can identify infection very early, and there are compelling reasons for finding out during primary HIV that infection has occurred. Since the level of virus in the blood is high and infectiousness is high as well, just knowing that you are infectious could affect your sexual decision making and thereby curb the spread of the virus. Also, treatment with antivirals at this time may be particularly effective. Despite the fact that HIV replicates virtually unchecked early on, the virus hasn't had a chance to mutate a great deal and thereby to develop strains that are resistant to various antivirals. The strongest component of the argument for early intervention involves the set point, the level the viral load drops to after the initial spike.