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HIV/AIDS Symptoms, Stages, And Early Warning Signs - WebMD
HIV infection happens in three stages. Without treatment, it gets worse over time and eventually overpowers your immune system. Your symptoms will depend on your stage.
Symptoms of HIV can look a lot like those of other viral illnesses. If you have HIV, your symptoms could look different from those of someone else. Your symptoms will depend on how long you've had HIV and other factors.
What is usually the first sign of HIV?
The only way you can know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. Although the virus can cause symptoms, these are not a reliable way to tell if you're infected. In fact, some people won't have any symptoms at all. So even if you don't have any of the typical signs of an infection, you should always get tested if you think you are at risk.
You shouldn't expect to know if you have HIV or not based on symptoms alone. Even if you do have symptoms related to HIV, it will be hard to tell. That's because early symptoms of HIV look a lot like the flu or many other infections you might have.
The early symptoms of HIV can look like the flu or lots of other illnesses. You also could have HIV without any symptoms. The only way to know for sure is to take an HIV test. (Photo Credit: Moment RF/Getty Images)
How long does it take to get HIV symptoms?
Some people notice flu-like symptoms 1-4 weeks after they're first infected. These often only last a week or two. This first stage is called acute or primary HIV infection. Then, you may go for 10 years or more without any more symptoms. This is called asymptomatic HIV infection. Even though you feel fine, the virus is still active in your body. And you can still give it to someone else.
Once HIV has seriously harmed your immune system, you're at risk for diseases that a healthy body could fight off. In this stage, symptomatic HIV infection, you start to notice problems caused by these "opportunistic" infections. This means that you may have symptoms, but they are being caused by other infections or illnesses you are more prone to getting when you have HIV.
You probably won't know right away when you've been infected with HIV. But you may have symptoms within weeks after getting the virus. This is when your body's immune system puts up a fight. It's called acute retroviral syndrome or primary HIV infection.
These symptoms may come up sooner as your body tries to fight off the virus. These early or acute symptoms may go away in a week or a month.
Flu-like symptoms
The symptoms are similar to those of other viral illnesses, and they're often compared to the flu. They typically last a week or two and then go away. Early signs of HIV include:
HIV fatigue
When you have HIV, it can be very normal to feel extremely tired or fatigued. In the acute phase, the virus itself may leave you tired. Later on, you could have fatigue for many different reasons, including:
If you have HIV or think you might have HIV and are feeling fatigued, let your doctor know. It's important to figure out the cause of your fatigue so that you can get help.
HIV rash
You may get a rash when you have HIV. The rash could be caused by the HIV itself early on in the infection. But other things may also be causing you to have a rash. These include:
When you have HIV, you will have a weakened immune system. As a result, you may be more likely to get other illnesses as well, which can come with common symptoms including a rash. If your rash is caused by medicine, you may need to see your doctor to find out if you should try a different one.
Most of the time a rash is not serious. But in some cases, a rash from HIV medicines can be serious or even life threatening. Some HIV medicines can cause a hypersensitivity reaction known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Signs of this condition include:
If you have HIV and a rash, let your doctor know.
Mouth symptoms and HIV infection
When you have HIV, it may affect your mouth first. Most people with HIV will have some signs in their mouths. Some signs and symptoms of HIV in your mouth include:
When to see a doctor about acute HIV infection symptoms
If you have symptoms like these and might have come into contact with someone with HIV in the past 2 to 6 weeks, go to a doctor and get an HIV test. If you don't have symptoms but still think you might have come into contact with the virus, get tested.
Early testing is important for two reasons. First, at this stage, levels of HIV in your blood and bodily fluids are very high. This makes it especially contagious. Second, starting treatment as soon as possible will help boost your immune system and ease your symptoms.
A combination of medications (called HIV drugs, antiretroviral therapy, or ART) can help fight HIV, keep your immune system healthy, and keep you from spreading the virus. If you take these medications and have healthy habits, your HIV infection probably won't get worse.
After your immune system loses the battle with HIV, the flu-like symptoms will go away. But there's a lot going on inside your body. Doctors call this the asymptomatic period or chronic HIV infection.
HIV and your immune system
In your body, cells called CD4 T cells coordinate your immune system's response. During this stage, untreated HIV will kill CD4 cells and destroy your immune system. Your doctor can check how many of these cells you have with blood tests. Without treatment, the number of CD4 cells will drop, and you'll be more likely to get other infections.
HIV asymptomatic period
Most people don't have symptoms they can see or feel at this stage. You may not realize you're infected and can pass HIV on to others. If you're taking ART, you might stay in this phase for decades. You can pass the virus on to other people, but it's extremely rare if you take your medicines.
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It's the most advanced stage of HIV infection. This is usually when your CD4 T-cell count drops below 200 and your immune system is badly damaged. You might get an opportunistic infection, an illness that happens more often and is worse in people who have weakened immune systems. Some of these, such as Kaposi's sarcoma (a form of skin cancer) and pneumocystis pneumonia (a lung disease), are also considered "AIDS-defining illnesses."
If you didn't know earlier that you were infected with HIV, you may realize it after you have some of these symptoms:
People with AIDS who don't take medication live for about 3 years, or less if they get another infection. But HIV can still be treated at this stage. You can live for a long time if you start on HIV drugs, stay on them, follow your doctor's advice, and keep healthy habits.
There's no way to cure HIV. But most people today who know they have HIV and get treatment never get AIDS. That's because medicines can stop the virus from damaging your immune system. This is why it's so important to get tested if you think you are at risk of HIV whether you have any symptoms or not.
When you have HIV and are in treatment, some symptoms you have could be from the medicine you're taking. HIV medicines can help you stay healthy with the virus and make sure you don't pass it on to anyone else. But you may have side effects, too.
Any side effects you have may depend on what medicine you're taking. Some side effects may go away after a few days or weeks. Side effects that may come up and then go away include:
Some other possible side effects could come up later. For instance, you may be more likely to get high cholesterol from certain HIV medicines. If you're taking medicine for HIV or other conditions, talk to your doctor about what side effects you should watch out for.
In the beginning, HIV symptoms can look like other viral illnesses. You also could have no symptoms at all and have HIV. More severe symptoms tend to come up later if your immune system is damaged from untreated HIV. When you have HIV and are in treatment, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor about any symptoms you're having to figure out the cause.
How long can one live with HIV without knowing?
Early on, HIV can cause symptoms. But they usually look like many other viral illnesses. Your symptoms also will likely go away after a week or month. Symptoms of advanced HIV usually don't show up for many years. The only way to know if you have HIV and could pass it on to other people without knowing is to get tested.
How can you know if someone has HIV?
An HIV test is the only way to know if you or anyone else has HIV or not. If you're worried you could get exposed to HIV or are at risk of an infection, take steps to protect yourself. Use condoms the right way. Don't inject drugs or use sterile needles if you do. Ask your doctor if you should think about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which means you'd take HIV medicine to prevent an infection.
How does HIV make you feel?
People with HIV can feel different ways. Many symptoms can look similar to those of many other conditions. You shouldn't rely on symptoms to figure out if you have HIV or not.
Can HIV be cured at an early stage?
You can't cure HIV. But there's a lot you can do to protect yourself from getting it in the first place. If you think you may have HIV or are at risk, get tested to find out. Taking medicines early can help limit damage to your immune system to keep you healthy. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) also can keep the virus at an undetectable level so that you can avoid passing the virus on to anyone else.
Early Signs Of An HIV Infection: What You Need To Know And Do
HIV is a virus that weakens your immune system. It's transferred through bodily fluids like semen, vaginal fluids, and blood.
When it comes to HIV transmission, it's important to know what early symptoms to look for. Early detection of HIV can help ensure prompt treatment to control the virus and prevent progression into stage 3 HIV. Stage 3 HIV is more commonly known as AIDS.
Early treatment using antiretroviral drugs makes the virus undetectable, which can prevent transmission to other people.
In this article, we examine the early symptoms of HIV and symptoms that may develop as the disease progresses.
The early signs of HIV, also known as acute retroviral syndrome, may appear as symptoms similar to those caused by the flu. These can include:
Early HIV symptoms generally develop within 2 to 4 weeks of transmission. Some people may not experience any early symptoms after they've contracted HIV.
It's important to remember that these early HIV symptoms are also associated with common illnesses and health conditions. To be sure of your HIV status, consider speaking with a healthcare professional about testing options.
A lack of symptoms can last for as long as 10 to 15 years. But this doesn't mean that the virus is gone. HIV is a manageable health condition. But left untreated, HIV can progress to stage 3 even if no symptoms are present. That's why it's so important to get tested.
The first stage of HIV is known as acute or primary HIV infection. It's also called acute retroviral syndrome. During this stage, some people experience common flu-like symptoms that may be hard to distinguish from a gastrointestinal or respiratory infection.
The next phase is the clinical latency stage. The virus becomes less active, though it's still in the body. During this stage, people experience no symptoms while the viral infection progresses at very low levels. This period of latency can last a decade or longer. Many people show no symptoms of HIV during this entire 10- to 15-year period.
The final phase of HIV is stage 3. During this phase, the immune system is severely damaged and is vulnerable to opportunistic infections. Once HIV progresses into stage 3, symptoms associated with infections may become apparent. These symptoms can include:
Symptoms associated with HIV itself, like cognitive impairment, can also become apparent.
Early diagnosis is key. If you think you've been exposed to HIV or have an encounter that put you at risk for HIV, you should seek medical care right away with a primary care doctor, urgent or walk-in clinic, or, if those are not available to you, a local emergency room.
Doctors can give you a medication called post-exposure prophylaxis after exposure to reduce your chances of developing HIV. But this medication needs to be taken within 72 hours of exposure. Ideally, you'd start taking it within the first 24 hours.
If you think you were exposed to HIV in the past – for example, if a former sexual partner tells you they have HIV – it's critical to seek medical care as soon as possible. The sooner you find out you have HIV, the sooner you can start treatment.
HIV testing is important. Someone living with HIV who isn't getting treatment can still transmit the virus, even if they have no symptoms. Others may pass the virus to others through an exchange of bodily fluids. But today's treatment can effectively eliminate the risk of transmitting the virus to a person's HIV-negative sexual partners.
According to the CDC, antiretroviral therapy can lead to viral suppression. When someone with HIV can maintain an undetectable viral load, they can't transmit HIV to others. The CDC defines an undetectable viral load as fewer than 200 copies per milliliter (mL) of blood.
Taking an HIV test is the only way to determine whether the virus is in the body. There are known risk factors that increase a person's chance of contracting HIV. For example, people who've had sex without a condom or shared needles may want to consider seeing their healthcare professional about getting tested.
HIV Symptoms In Women - WebMD
The symptoms of HIV are mostly the same for both sexes. But there can be some differences, especially if the infection is untreated. Women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) are more likely to get yeast infections and changes to their menstrual periods. Men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) may have erection problems, lose their sex drive, and develop inflammation of their rectum called proctitis.
Untreated and advanced HIV symptoms in both sexes may include:
Fever
Headache
Muscle aches and joint pain
Swollen glands and lymph nodes
Night sweats
Weight loss
Diarrhea
Sore throat and mouth sores
Rash
There are a few symptoms that happen only in women, often in the later stages of infection:
Changes in your period. You may have lighter or heavier bleeding, skipped periods, or severe PMS. Stress or other STDs, which are common with HIV, can cause these issues. But they may also happen because of the virus's effects on your immune system, which may change your hormones.
Bacterial vaginosis. This is an infection that is sexually transmitted. Having HIV raises the risk of getting it. Symptoms include:
Symptoms related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Genital herpes, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis may show up more often and have more severe symptoms.
Vaginal yeast infections. Many women with HIV get these more often, sometimes several times a year. When you get a yeast infection, you can have:
About 2 to 4 weeks after you're infected, you may feel like you have the flu. It's a sign that your body is responding to the virus. This may last a few days to a few weeks.
Symptoms of a new HIV infection include:
Some people have no symptoms of early HIV infection. But you should get tested if you think you might have been exposed to HIV.
See your doctor or go to the emergency room right away if you think you could have been exposed to the virus in the past couple of days. Medications called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can keep you from getting HIV. But they work only if you take them within 72 hours of getting the virus. Your doctor can give you a prescription for PEP, and you'll take them once or twice a day for 28 days.
HIV and thrush
Men and women with HIV are at higher risk for a yeast infection of the mouth, called thrush or oral candidiasis. It causes swelling and a thick white coating over your mouth, tongue, and throat. Thrush is usually harmless and is treatable with the antifungal medicine, fluconazole (Diflucan).
Taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) to treat HIV should prevent thrush infections.
HIV skin changes
About 90% of people with HIV will notice skin changes at some point, including lesions, shingles, or a rash. The skin may look red and be covered in small bumps. Sores on your mouth or vagina are signs of a herpes infection. Other infections cause white spots on the tongue or cheeks. Red, purple, brown, or pink splotches can form on the skin inside your mouth, nose, or eyelids.
These symptoms happen because the virus weakens your immune system and leaves you at risk for infections like herpes. The skin changes could also be a reaction to some of the medicines that treat HIV infection.
HIV symptoms are the same, whether or not you're pregnant. Getting treated can protect your baby from HIV infection. Tell your doctor if you have symptoms of HIV, or if you think you were exposed to the virus during sex or drug use.
The earlier you get tested, the sooner you can start on treatment. If you didn't get tested in pregnancy, you can still get an HIV test during labor and delivery. Having a C-section can prevent HIV from spreading to your baby during labor. Your baby can also get treated after birth to reduce their risk of HIV infection.
HIV-positive pregnant women are more likely to have human papillomavirus (HPV) than pregnant women without HIV. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that causes genital warts and increases the risk for cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, throat, and anus.
Usually, HPV isn't dangerous to the growing baby. But genital warts may grow faster during pregnancy. Rarely, the HPV infection could pass to the baby during birth. During pregnancy, HPV might also increase the risk for early labor.
If you think you might have been exposed to HIV, your OB/GYN can test you for HPV.
After having flu-like symptoms in the first few weeks, you'll go into what doctors call the clinical latency stage. Other names for this stage are asymptomatic HIV infection or chronic HIV infection.
The virus will still make copies of itself in your body, but much more slowly. You'll start to feel better. Most people don't have any symptoms during this stage, which can last up to 15 years.
AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. HIV can progress to AIDS without treatment. In this stage, the immune system is badly damaged.
The number of CD4 cells, immune cells that protect your body from infections, drops below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood (200 cells/mm3). In contrast, a person with a healthy immune system has a CD4 count between 500 and 1,600 cells/mm3.
Symptoms of AIDS in women include:
These can be symptoms of many different conditions. It's important to see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis.
HIV symptoms are mostly the same in men and women. Some women may have changes to their periods or more yeast infections, plus more typical HIV symptoms like fever, tiredness, and night sweats. If you think you've been exposed to HIV, see your doctor for a test. It's especially important to get tested if you're pregnant or you plan to get pregnant because you can pass HIV to your baby.
How do you know if a female has HIV?
The typical symptoms of HIV in men and women include tiredness, rash, fever, and night sweats. Women or those assigned female at birth may also have symptoms like lighter or heavier periods, yeast infections, and lower belly pain.
How long can you have HIV without noticing?
Some people develop symptoms a month or two after an HIV infection. Others may not notice symptoms for 10 years or more. How soon symptoms appear depends on how quickly the virus damages the immune system.
How do HIV-positive nails look?
Nail changes are common in people with HIV. Often a fungus or other infection causes these changes. The nails may turn brown or black, develop white spots or lines, become brittle and split, or get wider and rounder (clubbing).
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