The Human Immunodeficiency Virus also known as HIV is a virus that causes HIV infection and over time Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
AIDS is a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. Without treatment, average survival time after infection with HIV is estimated to be 9 to 11 years, depending on the HIV subtype.
Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, pre-ejaculate, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk. Within these bodily fluids, HIV is present as both free virus particles and virus within infected immune cells.
These are the symptoms of HIV infection, thus if in case you notice couple of them and previously had unprotected sex you have to visit a doctor immediately.
Fever
After the infection you may experience symptoms that resemble flu, including low grade fever which does not respond to medication. As a response to the fever you may experience night sweats. This is actually an inflammatory reaction to the virus that enters the blood stream.
Fatigue
This is the most under reported symptom and a lot of people who suffer from it do not realize that it is a medical condition (chronic tiredness which cannot be alleviated with rest). This condition is first reported in the flu like symptoms which accompany HIV’s early stages. When this phase is completed, fatigue may not appear until AIDS develops.
Weight loss
It is common thing as the disease progresses. Once the person is infected, there appear flu like symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, which can cause temporary loss weight. Once the illness progresses it can be caused by a condition named “AIDS wasting” and this is categorized in people who have lost 10% or more of their body weight and also experienced weight loss symptoms for a period longer than 30 days.
Sore throat
This is an early indicator, an early symptom because the body reacts to the viral infection. Once the immune system becomes compromised, sore throat can also occur later in the disease. This condition can appear due to thrush in the mouth or esophagus, and ulcers. If in case you have a chronic sore throat, immediately visit a doctor.
Yeast infection
When the infection gets into the body the immune system is compromised and a symptom of a falling immune system is body infection, especially yeast infection. The fungus named Candida causes it and can affect the body in different ways like vaginal yeast infections, thrush, intestinal infections, and more. Until HIV medication is in place, getting rid of these infections may prove futile.
Body pain
This symptom occurs in the early stages. Pain in the body can also be caused by swollen lymph nodes, or due to rheumatic disease (it affects the muscles and joints, causing inflammation, and may lead to arthritis, vasculitis, and fibromyalgia). There are some HIV medications which can cause this symptom.
Cold sores
They are caused by Herpes Simplex virus that appears in the rectal, genital, or oral areas. Regardless of the HIV status, everyone can be infected with herpes, while those that are infected with HIV and have cold sores can suffer from recurrent outbreaks of the herpes virus.
Skin rash
In HIV it is called “HIV rash” which can be seen in up to 85% of the cases. It develops into blisters at the warm moist areas, including the genitals and facial regions. Most of the rashes appear on the body trunk. They manifest through red bumps which may peel and itch.
Headaches
Unrelenting headache is one of the first symptoms of flu that are related to HIV symptoms and it may develop into chronic debilitating migraines after affecting a person for 15 or more days a month. This symptom is experienced by 50% of the infected people, and 27% experience chronic migraines.
Cough
A long term of this infection can be dry and persistent cough which cannot be cured with antibiotics and cough suppressants. This may be an early sign as the body reacts to the new virus, but is also a long term symptom which can be caused by damaged immune system.
Night sweats
The sufferer may go to bed having normal temperature, and wake up at night experiencing widely ranging body temperatures which go from cold to very hot quickly. The patients may find themselves soaking wet and have to change their sheets and clothing.
Swollen lymph nodes
This symptom is experienced by 67% of the HIV sufferers which is a starting sign of the infection and it occurs in the groin region, neck, and under the arms. Any abnormal swelling may also be a symptom because the lymph nodes are distributed throughout the body. They swell when the immune system activates and the body starts fighting off infection.
None
Having no symptoms at all is the most dangerous HIV “symptom” as many who are infected don’t even know about that and can be very dangerous as that person may go on having unprotected sex, spreading the disease potentially.
For that reason, get tested immediately if you think that you are at risk for HIV.
Source: Healthy Tips World
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