Are Bumps on My Stomach Symptoms of HIV?

Bumps on the skin are not a symptom of recent HIV infection.

Much later, if a person has had HIV for several years and not received antiretroviral treatment, their immune system may be so weakened that they could be vulnerable to a skin infection known as molluscum contagiosum.

But there are many, many other possible causes of bumps on the skin, including insect bites and allergic reactions to medication.

More on the Symptoms of HIV/AIDS at TheBody.com

To find out more about the symptoms of HIV and AIDS, we recommend the following articles:

• HIV Symptoms
• What Are the Symptoms of HIV and AIDS?
• Frequently Asked Questions About HIV/AIDS

In addition, our Q&A experts sometimes address questions about skin problems in our "Ask the Experts" forums. Here are some of those questions and our experts' responses:

• What are these itchy, red bumps?
  I'm 17. I have bad breakouts under my armpits; small, itchy red bumps on my stomach, and an odor and bad itchiness in my vaginal area.
• Molluscum: HIV symptom?
  Is molluscum a sign of HIV? How common is it in HIV-negative people? If it's located on my stomach, not my genitals, how did I contract it?

Elsewhere on the Web

For additional, reliable information on these topics, we recommend the following pages on other websites:

• Skin Rashes and Other Changes (on FamilyDoctor.org)
• Molluscum (on AIDS InfoNet)