Many people do not develop any symptoms when they first become infected with HIV. Some people, however, get a flu-like illness within three to six weeks after exposure to the virus. This illness, called Acute HIV Syndrome, may include fever, headache, tiredness, nausea, diarrhoea and enlarged lymph nodes (organs of the immune system that can be felt in the neck, armpits and groin). These symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for another viral infection.
During this period, the quantity of the virus in the body will be high and it spreads to different parts, particularly the lymphoid tissue. At this stage, the infected person is more likely to pass on the infection to others. The viral quantity then drops as the body's immune system launches an orchestrated fight.
More persistent or severe symptoms may not surface for several years, even a decade or more, after HIV first enters the body in adults, or within two years in children born with the virus. This period of "asymptomatic" infection varies from individual to individual. Some people may begin to have symptoms as soon as a few months, while others may be symptom-free for more than 10 years. However, during the "asymptomatic" period, the virus will be actively multiplying, infecting, and killing cells of the immune system.
What are the later symptoms of HIV/AIDS ?
- Lack of energy
- Weight loss
- Frequent fevers and sweats
- A thick, whitish coating of the tongue or mouth (thrush) that is caused by a yeast infection and sometimes accompanied by a sore throat
- Severe or recurring vaginal yeast infections
- Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease or severe and frequent infections like herpes zoster
- Periods of extreme and unexplained fatigue that may be combined with headaches, lightheadedness, and/or dizziness
- Rapid loss of more than 10 pounds of weight that is not due to increased physical exercise or dieting
- Bruising more easily than normal
- Long-lasting bouts of diarrhoea
- Swelling or hardening of glands located in the throat, armpit, or groin
- Periods of continued, deep, dry coughing
- Increasing shortness of breath
- The appearance of discoloured or purplish growths on the skin or inside the mouth
- Unexplained bleeding from growths on the skin, from mucous membranes, or from any opening in the body
- Recurring or unusual skin rashes
- Severe numbness or pain in the hands or feet, the loss of muscle control and reflex, paralysis or loss of muscular strength
- An altered state of consciousness, personality change, or mental deterioration
- Children may grow slowly or fall sick frequently. HIV positive persons are also found to be more vulnerable to some cancers.
The above information thankfully comes from the youandaids.org at the following link.
