HIV Symptoms: Initial Stages

HIV Symptoms: Initial Stages
The initial or the early stages of HIV infection show no signs and symptoms. The symptoms may develop two to four weeks after the individual has been infected. The individual may complain of severe and persistent headache accompanied by fever, swelling in the lymph glands, sore throat and HIV symptoms rash, where the skin appears to be dry, itchy and flaky. These symptoms can be controlled with the help of a few AIDS vaccines that are not yet completely preventive though. More on early symptoms of HIV infection.

HIV Symptoms: Later Stages
These symptoms develop after eight or nine years of the first attack of the virus. The virus continues to attack and destroy the lymphocytes thus hampering the production of new white blood cells, which may lead to mild or chronic infections like unexplained weight loss, loose stools, cough accompanied by shortness of breath etc.

HIV Symptoms: Latest Stages
The latest stages of infection occur only after ten years of the first symptoms. The symptoms in this stage can be defined as AIDS, where there is a decline in the lymphocyte count and the immunity system is completely destroyed. In this stage the affected individual may experience chills with a very high fever upto 102 ºF, night sweats, blurred vision, chronic headache and diarrhea, eruption of lesions and white spots on the tongue and mouth. The individual may also look completely fatigued and the signs of weight loss become evident. This stage can also lead to the development of cancers like cervical cancer, lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma. The survival rates of this stage is very rare as it mostly leads to the death of the affected individual.