Symptoms

Primary sign of HIV

HIV infection is the beginning of AIDS. There can be no symptom shown when initially infected with HIV virus. The time from initial HIV infection to the development of AIDS can differ from person to person. Some maybe develop symptoms within weeks while some may remain symptomless for years. Although the person infected with HIV virus can remain without symptoms but they can still transmit the infection to others during this “symptom free period”.

Most of  the people infected with HIV virus will develop into AIDS if not treated. There are certainly a small amount of people who will develop AIDS gradually or none at all. They are called the “nonprogressor” who seem to be genetically different that prevents the HIV virus from harming the immune system significantly.

The symptom of aids are the main result of infections that do not normally develop in people with healthy immune system. These are called the opportunistic infections.

Due to the deteriorating immune system caused by the aids, symptoms shown are not really the actual warning sign for aids. When the HIV invaded the body, it will begin to destroy the CD4+ T cells which are the immune system key infection fighters. Common symptoms are:

·         Chills

·         Fever

·         Headache

·         Sweats (particularly at night)

·         Swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin or neck

·         Weakness

·         Weight loss

·         Diarrhea (may last to a week or more)

·         Genital ulcers

·         Vision unclear

·         Memory loss, depression and neurological disorders

*Note: At first, infection with HIV may produce no symptoms. Some people, however, do experience flu-like symptoms with fever, rash, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes, usually 2 - 4 weeks after contracting the virus. Some people with HIV infection stay symptom-free for years between the time when they are exposed to the virus and when they develop AIDS.

Although the symptoms of primary HIV infection may be mild enough to go unnoticed, the amount of virus in the blood stream (viral load) is particularly high at this time. As a result, HIV infection spreads more efficiently during primary infection than during the next stage of infection.

Clinical latent infection
Persistent swelling of lymph nodes occurs during clinical latent HIV will happen in some people. There are no specific signs and symptoms if not for clinical latent HIV. The HIV virus will remain in the body free to infect white blood cells.

This clinical latent infection will typically lasts 8 to 10 years. Some people stay in this stage for a longer period but others would progress to a more severe disease much sooner.

The later sign of HIV

        ·         rapid weight loss

    ·         dry cough

    ·         recurring fever or profuse night sweats

    ·         profound and unexplained fatigue

    ·         swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck

    ·         diarrhea lasting more than a week

    ·         white spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth,   

          or in the throat

    ·         pneumonia

    ·         red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or   

          inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids

    ·         memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders

HIV destroys the white blood cells. These white blood cells are required to fight infection. As the white blood cells count drop to a dangerous level, numerous diseases and infection will emerge. At this point, a person is said to have AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

According to CDC, as with the initial of HIV infection, sign and symptoms shown cannot be rely to establish a diagnosis of AIDS. The symptoms of AIDS are similar to the symptoms of many other illnesses. AIDS is a medical diagnose made by a healthcare profession based on specific criteria established by the CDC.

    AIDS Symptom 

      CD4 cells are a type of T cell which are cells of the immune system. These cells are also called "helper cells."

      In the past, having AIDS was defined as having HIV infection and getting one of these other diseases. Today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person may also be diagnosed with AIDS if they are HIV-positive and have a CD4 cell count below 200 cells/mm³, even if they don't have an opportunistic infection.  

      AIDS can also be diagnosed if an individual develops one of the opportunistic infection and cancer that usually occur in HIV infected person. For individuals with healthy immune system, such infections are unusual. The immune system must be severely damaged for a person with HIV to be diagnosed with AIDS. 

     
      Below is a list of AIDS-related infections and cancers that people with AIDS may get when their CD4 count decreases.

       The following illnesses are common with a CD4 count below 350 cells/mm³:

•      Herpes simplex virus -- causes ulcers/small blisters in the mouth or genitals, happens more often and usually much more severely in an HIV-infected person than in someone without HIV infection
•      Herpes zoster (shingles) -- ulcers/small blisters over a patch of skin, caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox
•      Kaposi's sarcoma -- cancer of the skin, lungs, and bowel due to a herpes virus (HHV-8). It can happen at any CD4 count, but is more likely to happen at lower CD4 counts, and is more common in men than in women.
•      Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma -- cancer of the lymph nodes
•      Oral or vaginal thrush -- yeast (typically Candida albicans) infection of the mouth or vagina
•      Tuberculosis -- infection by tuberculosis bacteria mostly affects the lungs, but can also affect other organs such as the bowel, lining of the heart or lungs, brain, or lining of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)

       Common with CD4 count below 200 cells/mm³:

•      Bacillary angiomatosis -- skin sores caused by a bacteria called Bartonella, which may be caused by cat scratches
•      Candida esophagitis -- painful yeast infection of the esophagus
•      Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, "PCP pneumonia," previously called Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, caused by a fungus

       Common with CD4 count below 100 cells/mm³:

•      AIDS dementia -- worsening and slowing of mental function, caused by HIV
•      Cryptococcal meningitis -- fungal infection of the lining of the brain
•      Cryptosporidium diarrhea -- Extreme diarrhea caused by a parasite that affects the gastrointestinal tract
•      Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy -- a disease of the brain caused by a virus (called the JC virus) that results in a severe decline in mental and physical functions
•      Toxoplasma encephalitis -- infection of the brain by a parasite, called Toxoplasma gondii, which is often found in cat feces; causes lesions (sores) in the brain
•      Wasting syndrome -- extreme weight loss and loss of appetite, caused by HIV itself

       Common with CD4 count below 50/mm³:

•      Cytomegalovirus infection -- a viral infection that can affect almost any organ system, especially the large bowel and the eyes
•      Mycobacterium avium -- a blood infection by a bacterium related to tuberculosis

      In addition to the CD4 count, a test called HIV RNA level (or viral load) may be used to monitor patients. Basic screening lab tests and regular cervical Pap smears are important to monitor in HIV infection, due to the increased risk of cervical cancer in women with a compromised immune system. Anal Pap smears to detect potential cancers may also be important in both HIV-infected men and women.