Within two to four weeks of HIV entering the body, 40% to 90% of people experience flu-like symptoms known as Acute Retroviral Syndrome (ARS). The flu-like symptoms are a sore throat, fever and body rash.

But sometimes HIV symptoms don’t appear for years—sometimes even a decade—after infection. Most HIV infections do not have any symptoms. A person infected with HIV can remain healthy and symptom-free for many years.

A person is diagnosed with AIDS when they have developed an AIDS-related condition or symptom, called an opportunistic infection or AIDS-related cancer. The diseases are called ‘opportunistic’ because they exploit a weakened immune system’s opportunity.
Someone can be diagnosed with AIDS even if they have not developed an opportunistic infection. AIDS can be diagnosed when the number of immune system cells (CD 4 cells) in an HIV-positive person’s blood drops below a certain level.

A person who infects their sexual partner with HIV while knowing his/her HIV status could be charged with murder, attempted murder or assault under South African law. The Draft Sexual Offences Bill makes the intentional non-disclosure of HIV/AIDS by a person to their sexual partner a criminal offence.

List of symptoms

Picture: Pixabay

Fever

One of the initial symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) can be a mild fever of about 102 degrees F. If present, this fever is often accompanied by other typically mild symptoms, such as fatigue, swollen lymph glands, and a sore throat. At this stage, the virus enters the bloodstream and replicates in large numbers. As this occurs, the immune system responds to inflammation.

Fatigue

Feeling tired and lethargic can signal the body’s response to an infection. It can happen early on or later with HIV.

Achy muscles, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes

When you have ARS (acute retroviral syndrome), it can be confused with the flu, mononucleosis, or another viral infection, as well as syphilis or hepatitis. That’s unsurprising because many symptoms, such as joint and muscle pain and swollen lymph glands, are the same. Lymph nodes are part of your body’s immune system and tend to swell after an infection. Many of them are located in your armpit, groin, and neck.

Sore throat and headache

If you recently engaged in high-risk behaviour, it’s essential to get tested for HIV, as symptoms like sore throat and headache could be due to acute retroviral syndrome (ARS). Remember that HIV may not show up on an antibody test immediately, so consider other testing options, like viral RNA detection within nine days of infection.

Skin rash

Skin rashes can occur early or late in the course of HIV/AIDS. If any rashes aren’t easily explained or treated, consider getting an HIV test.

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea

Between 30% and 60% of individuals experience short-term nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea in the early stages of HIV. These symptoms may also arise from antiretroviral therapy and, later on, due to an opportunistic infection. Persistent diarrhoea that does not respond to standard treatment may indicate an underlying issue, possibly caused by an organism uncommon in those with healthy immune systems.

Weight loss

Weight loss in advanced illness could be due to severe diarrhoea and depleted immune system. If someone loses 10% or more of their body weight and experiences diarrhea or, weakness and fever for more than 30 days, they might have wasting syndrome.

Dry cough

This symptom, an insidious cough that may persist for weeks without resolution, is typical in severely ill HIV patients.

Pneumonia

The cough and weight loss could be signs of a severe infection caused by a germ that wouldn’t affect you if your immune system functioned properly. There are numerous opportunistic infections, each with distinct symptoms. For example, Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), also known as “AIDS pneumonia,” can eventually require hospitalization.

Other opportunistic infections include:

• Toxoplasmosis (a parasitic disease that affects the brain).
• A herpes virus called Cytomegalovirus.
• Yeast infections such as thrush.

Night sweats

Half of people experience night sweats in the early stages of HIV infection, which can become even more common later in the disease. They are not related to exercise or room temperature and are similar to hot flashes experienced by menopausal women.

Nail changes

Late HIV infection may cause nail changes like clubbing, splitting, or discolouration due to fungal infections, especially in patients with weakened immune systems.

Yeast infections

Another common fungal infection in the later stages is thrush, a mouth infection caused by Candida, a type of yeast. Thrush is a prevalent fungus that causes yeast infections in women. The fungus tends to appear in the mouth or oesophagus, making it difficult to swallow.

Confusion or difficulty concentrating.

Cognitive problems could be a sign of HIV-related dementia, which usually occurs late in the disease course. In addition to confusion and difficulty concentrating, AIDS-related dementia might also involve memory problems and behavioural issues. It can also include motor changes such as clumsiness and lack of coordination. If HIV leads to AIDS, severe symptoms can develop and can ultimately lead to death.

Kaposi’s sarcoma

Kaposi’s sarcoma is a type of cancer that affects the connective tissue and is often linked to AIDS. The cancer can also impact the skin, lungs, digestive system, and other organs. Tumours typically appear as bluish-red or purple bumps on the skin due to a high concentration of blood vessels. These lesions can first appear on the feet, ankles, thighs, arms, hands, face, or other body parts and may also appear internally. KS is considered an “AIDS-defining” illness, meaning that when it occurs in someone with HIV, that person is officially classified as having AIDS, not just being HIV-positive.

Note:   You should not assume you have HIV just because you have any of these symptoms. Other illnesses can cause each of these symptoms. And some people who have HIV do not show any signs at all for ten years or more.

References:

Watch Out You may have Signs and Symptoms of Contracted HIV | Pnoys.com. https://pnoys.com/watch-out-you-may-have-signs-and-symptoms-of-contracted-hiv/

Human Immunodeficiency Virus | Us Helping Us, People Into Living Inc.. https://www.ushelpingus.org/hiv

HIV / AIDS | HSA. https://www.hsa.ky/public-health/hiv-aids