Key takeaways
- Early HIV symptoms can be similar to the flu, including fever, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes, but many people may not experience any symptoms at all.
- Without treatment, HIV can progress to stage 3 HIV, also known as AIDS, which is when the immune system is severely damaged and vulnerable to opportunistic infections.
- Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to HIV should seek medical care right away to discuss testing and possible postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), which is most effective when started within 24 hours of exposure.
HIV is a virus that weakens your immune system. It spreads through bodily fluids like semen, vaginal fluids, and blood.
When it comes to HIV transmission, it’s important to know what early symptoms to look for. Early detection of the virus can help ensure prompt treatment to control it and prevent progression into stage 3 HIV, more commonly known as AIDS.
Early treatment using antiretroviral drugs makes the virus undetectable, which can prevent transmission to other people.
In this article, we examine the early symptoms of HIV and symptoms that may develop as the disease progresses.
The early signs of HIV, also known as acute retroviral syndrome, may appear as symptoms similar to those caused by the flu. These can include:
- headache
- fever
- tiredness or fatigue
- joint pain
- loss of appetite
- swollen lymph nodes
- sore throat
- rash
- muscle and joint pain
- ulcers in the mouth
- ulcers on the genitals
- night sweats
- diarrhea
- malaise
- muscle pain
- nausea
Early HIV symptoms generally develop within
It’s important to remember that these early HIV symptoms are also associated with common illnesses and health conditions. To be sure of your HIV status, consider speaking with a healthcare professional about testing options.
A lack of symptoms can last for as long as 10 to 15 years, but this doesn’t mean that the virus is gone. HIV is a manageable health condition. But left untreated, HIV can progress to stage 3 even if no symptoms are present. That’s why it’s so important to get tested.
Symptoms that indicate HIV may have progressed to stage 3 include:
- high fevers
- chills and night sweats
- rashes
- breathing problems and persistent coughing
- severe weight loss
- white spots in the mouth
- genital sores
- unexplained fatigue
- pneumonia
- memory problems
Depending on the phase of HIV, symptoms can vary.
The first stage of HIV is known as acute or primary HIV infection, or acute retroviral syndrome. During this stage, some people experience common flu-like symptoms that may be hard to distinguish from a gastrointestinal or respiratory infection.
The next phase is the clinical latency stage. The virus becomes less active, though it’s still in the body. During this stage, people experience no symptoms while the viral infection progresses at very low levels. This period of latency can last a decade or longer. Many people show no symptoms of HIV during this entire 10- to 15-year period.
The final phase of HIV is stage 3. During this phase, the immune system is severely damaged and is vulnerable to opportunistic infections. Once HIV progresses into stage 3, symptoms associated with infections may become apparent. These symptoms can include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- fatigue
- fever
- cough
- night sweats
- rashes
- weight loss
Symptoms associated with HIV itself, like cognitive (thinking ability) impairment, can also become apparent.
HIV is transmissible soon after it’s introduced into the body. During this phase, the bloodstream contains higher levels of HIV, which makes it easy to spread it to others.
Since not everyone has early symptoms of HIV, getting tested is the only way to know if the virus has been contracted. An early diagnosis also allows an HIV-positive person to begin treatment. Proper treatment can eliminate their risk of transmitting the virus to their sexual partners.
When it comes to HIV symptoms, remember that it’s not always HIV itself that makes people feel sick. Many HIV symptoms, particularly the most severe ones, arise from opportunistic infections.
The germs responsible for these infections are generally kept at bay in people who have an intact immune system. But when the immune system is impaired, these germs can attack the body and cause illness. Those who show no symptoms during early stage HIV may become symptomatic and begin to feel sick if the virus progresses.
Early diagnosis is key. If you think you’ve been exposed to HIV or have had an encounter that might put you at risk of the virus, seek immediate medical care with a primary care doctor, urgent care center, or walk-in clinic. If these are unavailable, visit a local emergency room.
Doctors can give you a medication called postexposure prophylaxis after exposure to reduce your risk of developing HIV. However, this medication needs to be taken within 72 hours of exposure. Ideally, you’d start taking it within the first 24 hours.
If you think you were exposed to HIV in the past — for example, if a former sexual partner tells you they have HIV — it’s critical to seek medical care as soon as possible. The sooner you find out you have HIV, the sooner you can start treatment.
It is recommended that everybody between the ages of 13 and 64 undergo HIV testing at least once.
Today’s treatment can effectively eliminate the risk of transmitting the virus to a person’s HIV-negative sexual partners.
Antiretroviral therapy can lead to viral suppression. When someone with HIV can maintain an undetectable viral load, they can’t transmit HIV to others. An undetectable viral load is often defined as having fewer than 200 copies per milliliter (mL) of blood.
Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can also help reduce the risk of transmission between mixed-status partners. Options include a daily pill, a bimonthly injection, and, most recently, a twice-yearly
According to the
Early signs of HIV can look similar to the flu, but it’s also possible to have no symptoms at all. If you think you’ve been exposed to HIV, you should get medical care. This way, you can get tested and possibly start postexposure prophylaxis (PEP, which can reduce your risk of contracting the virus.
To further reduce your risk of HIV, remember to use safe sex practices and get tested regularly. Medications like preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can also help reduce your risk of contracting HIV and transmitting the virus to your sexual partners.