HIV / AIDS

HIV is an infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. HIV interferes with your body's ability to effectively fight off viruses, bacteria and fungi that cause disease, and it can lead to AIDS, a chronic, life-threatening disease.

When first infected with HIV, you may have no symptoms at all. Some people develop a flu-like illness, usually two to six weeks after being infected.

Early signs and symptoms

Early HIV signs and symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Swollen lymph glands
• Rash
• Fatigue

These early signs and symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for those of another viral infection. During this period, you are very infectious. More-persistent or -severe symptoms of HIV infection may not appear for 10 years or more after the initial infection.

As the virus continues to multiply and destroy immune cells, you may develop mild infections or chronic signs and symptoms such as:

• Swollen lymph nodes — often one of the first signs of HIV infection
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Cough and shortness of breath

Later stage HIV infection

Signs and symptoms of later stage HIV infection include:

• Persistent, unexplained fatigue
• Soaking night sweats
• Shaking chills or fever higher than 100.4 F (38 C) for several weeks
• Swelling of lymph nodes for more than three months
• Chronic diarrhea
• Persistent headaches
• Unusual, opportunistic infections