HIV Symptoms And Prevention At Early Stage

What are the symptoms of HIV?

HIV infection occurs in three stages. Without treatment, it worsens over time and eventually kills your immune system. Your symptoms will depend on your stage.

First stage: symptoms of acute HIV infection

When they have become infected with HIV, most people are not immediately aware. But they can have symptoms within 2 to 6 weeks after the virus arrives. This is when a body’s immune system enter to a fight. This is known acute retroviral syndrome or primary HIV infection.

The symptoms are similar to other viral diseases, and they are often compared to the flu. They usually last for a week or two and then go away. Early signs of HIV include:

• Head ache
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Sore throat
• Swollen lymph nodes
• A red rash that does not itch, usually on your torso
• Fever

If you have such symptoms and can come in contact with a person with HIV in the last 2 to 6 weeks, go to a doctor and ask that you have an HIV test. If you do not have symptoms, but still feel that you have been exposed to the virus, get the test done.

Initial testing is important for two reasons. First, at this stage, HIV levels are very high in your blood and bodily fluids. This makes it particularly contagious. Second, starting treatment as soon as possible can help boost your immune system and reduce your symptoms.

A combination of drugs (called HIV drugs, antiretroviral therapy or ART) can help fight HIV, keep your immune system healthy, and protect you from spreading the virus. If you take these medicines and have healthy habits, your HIV infection will probably not get worse.

Second stage: clinical latency symptoms

After your immune system loses the fight against HIV, the flu-like symptoms will go away. But a lot is going on inside your body. Doctors call it asymptomatic period or chronic HIV infection.

In your body, cells called CD4 T cells coordinate your immune system response. During this phase, untreated HIV will kill CD4 cells and destroy your immune system. Your doctor can check how many of these cells you have with a blood test. Without treatment, the number of CD4 cells will decrease, and you will be more likely to have other infections.

Most people do not have symptoms that they can see or feel. You may not feel that you are infected and can pass HIV on to others.

If you are taking ART, you can remain in this phase for decades. You can pass the virus to other people, but it is very rare if you take your medicines.

Third stage: symptoms of AIDS

AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV infection. This usually happens when your CD4 T-cell number goes below 200 and your immune system deteriorates. You may get an opportunistic infection, a disease that occurs more frequently and is worse in people who weaken the immune system. Some of these, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma (a form of skin cancer) and pneumocystis pneumonia (lung disease), are also considered “AIDS-defining diseases”.

If you did not know before that you are infected with HIV, you may find out after having some of these symptoms:

• Be tired all the time
• Swollen lymph nodes in your neck or groin
• Fever that lasts more than 10 days
• Night sweats
• Lose weight for no apparent reason
• Crusted spots on your skin that do not go away
• Shortness of breath
• Severe, prolonged diarrhea
• Yeast infection in your mouth, throat or vagina
• You Can’t Explain Brews or Bleeding

People with AIDS who do not take medication live around 3 years or less if they have a second infection. However, HIV can still be diagnosed at this level. If you start on HIV medicines, stay on them, follow your doctor’s advice, and keep healthy habits, you can live longer.