Can AIDS be detected by drawing blood during a routine physical examination?

The answer is no. The ordinary routine physical examination we usually talk about, even if three or four tubes of blood are drawn, will only check basic items such as blood routine, liver and kidney function, blood sugar and lipids, and common hepatitis B surface antigen. HIV antibody testing is a special screening and will not be included in the blood drawing items of routine physical examination by default. To put it bluntly, it's like when you order the braised chicken set meal, it only comes with rice and no ice cola by default. If you don't take the initiative to add an extra order, the merchant will not stuff it for you for no reason.

Not long ago, when I was on duty in the infectious disease department, I met a 26-year-old young man who had a low-grade fever for almost a week after engaging in high-risk behavior. He hurriedly pulled out the report of the company's routine physical examination last month and asked me, look at my blood test, everything is normal, it can't be AIDS, right? I looked through his physical examination items, and the so-called blood tests only included blood routine, liver and kidney function, and blood lipids. They didn't even check for hepatitis B, let alone HIV. Later, he was prescribed an antibody test, and the final result was negative. It was just a fever caused by ordinary influenza for a few days. When the young man left, he was still thinking about it. It turned out that the blood test every year was in vain and could not be detected.

Of course, there are exceptions, such as compulsory physical examinations for public examinations and military service, or some units proactively add four infectious diseases (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and AIDS) to the high-end physical examination packages customized for employees. In this case, blood will be drawn to check for HIV, but this is a specially customized physical examination, not a routine physical examination that costs a few hundred dollars per set according to public perception.

Over the years, there has been discussion in the industry about whether HIV screening should be included in routine physical examinations. Supporters believe that HIV has long since turned from a "terminal disease" to a controllable chronic disease. Early detection can enable antiviral treatment to be started as early as possible. The survival and quality of life of patients are no different from ordinary people, and the risk of infecting others around them can also be greatly reduced.； The opposition mainly focuses on privacy protection. If routine physical examinations are screened by default, many people may be tested without knowing it. Once the test results are leaked, it may cause problems such as workplace discrimination and family conflicts. Therefore, the country still follows the principle of voluntary testing and will not add this item to routine physical examinations casually.

If you really have exposure risks such as unprotected sex or unsafe tattoos and blood transfusions, don't wait for a regular physical examination to check you out. Go directly to the local CDC for free voluntary counseling and testing, or just find a public hospital to order an HIV test. The whole process is confidential and there is no psychological burden. Early detection and early peace of mind are really better than anything else.