What Are Early Symptoms and Signs of HIV? 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.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV destroys the body's immune system and leads to AIDS. The Western blot and ELISA are the two types of tests most commonly used to detect HIV infection. There are also at-home HIV tests.

HIV disease is not curable, because the virus infects a person's cells throughout the body. HIV prefers to target immune defense cells, and it is this progressive destruction of immune cells that leads to HIV disease and death. It can be controlled with anti-retroviral (anti-HIV) medications. Typically, the treatment regimen involves two to four drugs used together. Treatment is started as soon as HIV infection is diagnosed. Early control of HIV means the drugs will be effective for longer.