Course of HIV infection

The course of untreated HIV infection can be divided into three phases: the acute HIV disease, then the latency phase and finally the disease of Aids, ending in death.

The acute HIV disease lasts a few weeks. This period is also known as the window of vulnerability, and it is characterized by an explosive replication of the HIV. During this phase, the HIVs invade the organs of the defense system and other bodily organs and establish themselves there.

The latency phase lasts on average 10 years, during which the virus concentration is relatively low.

In the Aids phase the defense system is completely destroyed, as the result of which death occurs after 1-2 years.



Weakening and destruction of the immune system

The defense system (immune system) has two main jobs: as well as combating outside invaders such as bacteria, viruses, fungi etc., which give rise to so-called infectious diseases, it also prevents cancer by tracking down and destroying the body's own damaged or degenerate cells.

It takes several years before the human immune system is defeated by the HIV infection. A veritable war goes on between the immune system and the viruses, with many battles. We know now that as early as a few days after infection (during the acute infection stage) several thousand million (!) new viruses are formed and at the same time thousands of millions of helper cells are destroyed. Hence, 2-3 weeks following infection, the acute HIV infection (= primo-infection) can appear, which subsides again after about 6 weeks, when the human immune system has gained the upper hand in the first battle. Even during the symptom-free latency period, the viruses replicate with extraordinary vigour. The human immune system kills as many HIV as are produced, maintaining equilibrium year upon year. When AIDS itself occurs, the immune system becomes exhausted and the quantity of virus steadily increases. The weakening of the immune system through HIV infection makes people increasingly vulnerable, especially to infectious diseases and cancer.