During the early stages of HIV infection, known as acute retroviral syndrome (ARS), the viral load can be quite high while antibodies are still developing or undetectable. The window period between infection and antibody detection can last up to 3 months. Symptoms of ARS may include fever, rash, oral lesions, lymphadenopathy, and gastrointestinal or neurological issues. While viral RNA can be detected as early as 8 days, diagnosis is challenging during this period as serology may be negative. Treatment focuses on counseling, and antiretroviral therapy is generally not recommended according to Indian guidelines unless the CD4 count drops below 200.