Signs of HIV

The initial symptoms and signs of HIV are imprecise and common to other diseases, so they are not helpful for the diagnosis of HIV infection. Generally, the first symptoms appear like the flu (fever, body aches and malaise), sometimes accompanied by signs such as red spots (rash) and increased the size of the nodes in different parts of the body (lymphadenopathy).

The time between the acquisition of the virus and the onset of signs and symptoms described is five to 30 days, averaging seven to 14 days. If the person has been exposed to the risk of acquiring HIV and presents these signs and symptoms, she or he can be tested for HIV detection considering the window period.

HIV infection is associated at all stages of intense viral replication in CD4 lymphocytes mainly. The immunological mechanisms to counteract virus replication and restoring immune cells are destroyed rapidly, achieving a balance between the amount of circulating virus (viral load) and the immune system usually measured as CD4 cell count.

In this way the person living with HIV remains asymptomatic (stage A), however after a variable period of time breaks this balance, the viral load begins to increase and decrease progressively CD4. This immune imbalance allows the emergence of various infections and tumors (stages B and C). Stage C defined from the clinical standpoint, diagnosis of AIDS.

The phase from the onset of infection and the onset of signs and diseases of AIDS or opportunistic marker is called the incubation period. At this stage, follow-up care is very important, because people, who have not developed the illness (AIDS), may also spread the virus. For this reason, at this stage is essential to implement prevention measures.

Signs of HIV It is very important to know the signs of HIV as soon as they are present so that treatment can be started immediately to improve your immune systems response to HIV as well as decrease your chances of spreading the virus to others. Before we dive into the early signs of HIV, lets first take a look at what the virus actually is and how it can be contracted. HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is the virus that causes AIDS, or Acquired Immuneiency Syndrome. HIV is a virus that slowly destroys and weakens the cells within your immune system causing a person to become sick more easily and more often.

HIV is commonly acquired through the exposure to infected bodily fluids and blood usually acquired through sexual intercourse or transmitted through direct contact with a person already infected with HIV through blood fluids or infected blood. A common misconception of many people is that you can acquire HIV through simple casual contact. However, this is not the case. You simply can't acquire HIV through casual contact, only through the transmission of infected blood or bodily fluids. Normally, a person with a history of sexually transmitted diseases and those who have sexual partners already infected with HIV have a much higher risk of acquiring the common signs of HIV. Additionally individuals who are victims of sexual assault, those whom have unprotected sex with several different partners, drug users whom share dirty needles also carry a high chance of obtaining the signs of HIV and contracting the virus.

Commonly signs of HIV will start to show up in 50-90% of infected people within the first several days or weeks from being exposed to HIV. However, some individuals can develop illnesses that exhibit flu-like symptoms that can last anywhere from 2-3 weeks. This is often labeled as an acute HIV infection. Some people that are already infected with HIV but do not display the signs of HIV initially can infect 7% to even 24% of partners within the first 2 months of the infection. This is why it is so important to know the initial signs of HIV at an early stage, so that the infected individual can be treated and lessen the risk of spreading the virus to other individuals.

So, what are the most common early signs of HIV? Most commonly a person that has recently become infected with HIV will display symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, fever, joint and muscle pain, headaches, sore throat, and fatigued. As you can see, a lot of the common early signs of HIV are much like the symptoms associated with the flu, which is why it can be so hard for a person to recognize that they are indeed suffering with signs of HIV. This is commonly the first stage of the HIV virus and a stage where a person is highly contagious and most likely to spread the infection to others.

The signs of HIV have almost an immediate onset that will initially start with a fever and most HIV patients will then develop the other advanced series of symptoms within the next 1-2 days. Normally, within the second week of becoming plagued with HIV, most patients will then experience almost painless swelling within their lymph nodes, generally in the neck and under arm region. However, some HIV patients can also exhibit an enlargement of the spleen, located in a patient's abdominal region on the left side of the stomach. Normally, these specific signs of HIV will last anywhere from 2-4 weeks, however additional signs of HIV such as depression, fatigue, and aching in the joints and muscles can last several weeks or even months.

Additionally, signs of HIV can also start to appear in a person's skin, mouth, and even genitals. A common symptom of acute HIV infection can include ulcers and open sores, which can involve the skin and mucous membranes in different areas of the body. These areas can include a person's throat, esophagus, mouth, penis, vagina, and anus. Many HIV patients also report symptoms of reddish inflammation or a rash on the skin after 2-3 days of the initial onset of HIV symptoms. Normally, the rash will be present on a patient's upper chest, face, and neck region, however, the rash may also appear on a patient's scalp, palms, soles, arms and legs. Most commonly the rash will appear to be pink to deep red spots and are generally swollen or inflamed.

After the first several weeks of becoming infected with HIV, a person's body will begin to mobilize its very own response to the HIV infection. Although you will still be contagious in these stages and the virus can still duplicate itself and completely destroy your T4 cells, it is very unlikely that you will display the signs of HIV. This particular stage can last for as little as 2 weeks or could even last as long as 20 years.

However, normally, it can take up to 10 years before signs and symptoms of the full blown HIV infection can begin to develop. In some instances a person will not show signs of HIV for several years, while still being able to spread the virus to others. During the entire span of the HIV infection a person can distribute many different symptoms throughout their body and can appear both on and off.

Once the HIV infection has reached it's top peak and manifests enough within your immune system to mark your T4 cells dramatically dropping, anywhere from 1000 cells/uL of blood to around 500 cells/uL of blood, a person can display a number of different symptoms and can include:

  • Unexplained Weight Loss
  • Diarrhea
  • Recurring Yeast Infections
  • Bruising Easily
  • Recurring Oral Ulcers
  • Recurrent and Unusual Rashes
  • Chronic Dry Cough
  • Oral Thrush
  • Bouts of Extreme Fatigue
  • Recurrent Respiratory Infections
  • Paralysis
  • Weakening Muscles and Joints
  • The Inability to Control Muscles and Reflexes
  • Bouts of Extreme Numbness in both Hands and Feet
  • Growths that can be found on a person's mouth or skin that appear discolored or having a purplish hue
  • Bleeding from skin growths, mucous membranes, or any bodily openings
  • A Change in a person's Personality or even state of Consciousness
  • Long Term Mental Deterioration

It is very important to know the specific signs of HIV at an early stage, so that treatment can start immediately and a person can stop the spread of the infection to others. As stated before, a person can display HIV symptoms and shrug them off as another type of common illness leaving them spreading the virus to others. The only sure way of knowing whether or not a person has contracted the HIV infection is through blood tests performed by a medical provider. A person should routinely be tested for the HIV infection as often as every year to 2 years.

However, for those who have multiple partners, individuals will need to be tested more often to ensure that they have not become infected with the HIV infection and to prevent the spread of the infection to others.Knowing the signs of HIV at an early stage is your biggest defense against the spread of this plaguing virus and to ensure that a person that has contracted HIV can live a longer and productive life altogether. If you haven't been tested for the HIV infection and you have displayed these specific signs of HIV, contact your medical provider as soon as possible for adequate treatment and ensured prevention against the spread of HIV today!