Symptoms and phases of HIV infection

Read in what phases the HIV virus destroys people – all the way until death.

In the period without symptoms, people have no problems, even though their immune systems gradually give way. (jlp)

1. Acute HIV syndrome: develops about two to six weeks after the infection. This is a mild, short-lasting disease, which is similar to the flu or infectious mononucleosis.  Frequent clinical signs include an increase in body temperature with heavy sweating, increased lymphatic glands, inflammation of the throat, a maculopapular rash (watery bumps), muscle and joint aches, diarrhoea, headache.

 

2. Asymptomatic (no evident symptoms, signs) HIV infection: Acute HIV syndrome, or the period it exhibits itself in, is usually followed by a period without symptoms. Nowadays, the incubation period from the infection to the expressed stage of AIDS is about 10 years in the developed world. In the period without symptoms, people have no problems, even though their immune systems gradually give way.

 

3. Early symptomatic phase of the HIV infection: Some patients develop unspecific general signs, which last from a few weeks to one year. Among these symptoms are: tiredness, a subfebrile condition (state of constant low-grade fever), headache, night sweating, light recurring cases of diarrhoea, loss of appetite and weight.

The spread of HIV around the world in 2004 – about 39 million people. (jlp)

4. Progressive symptomatic phase of the HIV infection: The immune system is growing weaker rapidly, the number of T lymphocytes is below 200 per cubic millimetre, patients become very susceptible to opportunistic infections and AIDS dementia (dementia is a chronic progressive brain disease which affects the higher brain functions, like memory, thought, orientation, understanding, computing and learning skills and the ability to speak and make judgements). They can be accompanied by general symptoms, which are exhibited in a worse way – increased temperature, vomiting, losing your appetite, diarrhoea…).

 

5. Later phase of the HIV infection: The immune system is completely collapsed, the number of T lymphocytes is at its lowest level (below 100 lymphocytes per cubic millimetre). The patient is very susceptible to infections with the cytomegalovirus, Mycrobacterium-avium complex, terrible forms of dementia and consequently to a faster collapse of the system. Other frequent occurrences are: lymphomas of the brain, expanded Kaposi sarcoma, toxoplasmosis of the brain, cryptococcal meningitis…

 

6. Death: Death is usually the end product of an HIV infection. One of the patient’s vital organs fails. A person infected with HIV doesn’t usually die from HIV, but because of other infections which attack the body that’s been weakened by HIV. In this case, HIV is only the mediator of death.

 

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