HIV Treatment, Prognosis, and Prevention Topic Guide

HIV has killed about 25 million individuals, and approximately 40 million people are currently living with the disease. Symptoms and signs of HIV include fever, headache, tiredness, and enlarged lymph nodes. Infections that happen with AIDS are called opportunistic infections. There is no cure for HIV/AIDS. Treatment usually involves a combination of at least three drugs to suppress the virus from replicating and boost the immune system.

During the first few weeks of HIV infection, mononucleosis-like or flu-like symptoms may occur that include fever, body aches, headache, and rarely a brief rash. Many people do not have any symptoms at all. Around seven or eight years after HIV infection on average, the person may begin to feel unwell. Signs of HIV infection in both men and women include swollen lymph glands, loss of energy, loss of appetite, and loss of weight. The person begins to develop frequent infections, progressing to more unusual infections, as the immune system begins to fail.

Kaposi sarcoma is a disease in which malignant tumors (cancer) can form in the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and other organs. Tests that examine the skin, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract are used to detect (find) and diagnose Kaposi sarcoma.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is an insidious infection in that early signs and symptoms of the disease mimic less serious illnesses like the flu. It may even cause no initial symptoms. When people first infected with HIV have any symptoms at all, they usually include low fever, body aches, sore throats and swollen glands.