Signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS
the signs and symptoms of Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
The signs and symptoms of HIV infection vary across the three stages of infection: acute infection, latency, and AIDS. Acute infection (also known as primary infection) begins soon after exposure and typically lasts 2–4 weeks and may include symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, inflammation of the throat, rash, muscle pain, malaise, and mouth and esophageal sores. This is followed by the latency stage, which involves few or no symptoms, and can last anywhere from two weeks to twenty years or more. The final stage, AIDS, is defined by low CD4+ T cell counts (fewer than 200 per μL), various opportunistic infections, cancers, and other conditions.
Acute infection
Acute HIV infection (also called primary HIV infection, HIV prodrome, or acute seroconversion syndrome) is the first stage of HIV infection. It presents in 50–90% of infected individuals in the immediate days and weeks post-exposure. The duration of symptoms varies; they normally last at least one week, but average between 14-28 days, and can last for several months.
During this period, individuals may develop an influenza or mononucleosis-like illness. The most common symptoms include fever, fatigue, lymphadenopathy, pharyngitis, rash, myalgia, malaise, mouth and esophageal sores, and may also include, but less commonly, headache, nausea and vomiting, ulcers in the mouth or on the genitals, enlarged liver/spleen, weight loss, thrush, night sweats and diarrhea and neurological symptoms. Infected individuals may experience all, some, or none of these symptoms.
Because of the nonspecific nature of these symptoms, they are often not recognized as signs of HIV infection.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS” is the signs and symptoms of Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Signs, symptoms and AIDS, not as a finished interpretation.
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