HIV Infection Symptoms

HIV Infection Symptoms: HIV infection progresses in stages. These stages are based on your HIV infection symptoms and the amount of the virus in your blood. Most people go through the initial stage, chronic stage and the late stage after being infected with HIV. The first of HIV infection symptom can resemble symptoms of common cold or flu viruses. The symptoms of early infection can also be similar to the symptoms of other sexually transmitted diseases and other infections such as "mono" or hepatitis, which are much more commonly and more easily transmitted. Stress and anxiety can also produce symptoms in some people, even though they do not have HIV. These first symptoms can range from mild to severe and usually disappear on their own after 2 to 3 weeks. Some people who contract HIV experience very strong symptoms, but others experience none at all. Those who do have symptoms generally experience fever, fatigue, and, often, rash. Other common symptoms can include headache, swollen lymph nodes, and sore throat. These symptoms can occur within days or weeks of the initial exposure to the virus during a period called primary or acute HIV infection.

The nonspecific HIV infection symptom that is associated with primary or acute HIV infection, make it undependable way to diagnose HIV infection. Testing for HIV antibodies is the only way to know whether you have been infected. However, the HIV antibody test only works after the infected person's immune system develops antibodies to HIV. During the window period between the initial infection and the period in which antibodies are detectable,(which can be from 2 weeks to 6 months, but is usually 3 months) standard HIV testing is ineffective. If one is concerned whether one has recently acquired HIV and have HIV infection symptoms described above, consult a doctor. A medical practitioner can help determine whether one is infected with HIV or another infection. If HIV infection is suspected, he or she may perform a Polymerase Chain Reaction (commonly called "PCR") test to determine whether HIV is present in the blood. The PCR test will be positive even at the early stage of infection. One reason to take this approach is that it may be beneficial to treat HIV at this very early stage. A downside is that the PCR test may come up positive when in fact you are not infected. So if you do get a positive result, the test should be repeated and followed up later with a traditional HIV blood test. Once the primary or acute infection is over, most people do not experience any visible symptoms for another 8-10 years. Left untreated, the immune system becomes increasingly weaker and the disease progresses to AIDS. The next symptoms experienced by individuals infected with the virus are often associated with the "opportunistic infections" that target individuals with AIDS such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and toxoplasmosis. It may take years for HIV symptoms to develop. But even though no symptoms are present, the virus is multiplying (or making copies of itself) in the body during this time. HIV multiplies so quickly that the immune system cannot destroy the virus. After years of fighting HIV, the immune system starts to weaken. After your immune system starts to weaken, you are more likely to develop certain infections or illnesses, called opportunistic infections. Examples include some types of pneumonia or cancer that are more common when you have a weakened immune system. A small number of people who are infected with HIV are rapid progressors. They develop AIDS within about 3 years if they do not receive treatment. It is not known why the infection progresses faster in these people. AIDS occurs during the last stage of infection with HIV. If HIV goes untreated, AIDS develops in most people within 12 to 13 years after the initial infection. With treatment for HIV, the progression to AIDS may be delayed or prevented. There is no way to know for sure if someone else has HIV. Many people with HIV look perfectly healthy. Other people who are sick with HIV may have symptoms that are identical to other common illnesses. You cannot tell by looking whether someone is HIV positive. The only way to know for sure is if someone tells you. It is important to consider how well you know someone and how much you trust them when talking about sex and HIV.

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