Let's Recognize the Symptoms of HIV

After one or two months of the HIV virus enters the body, 40-90 percent of people infected experience symptoms similar to flu symptoms called acute retroviral syndrome (ARS). Even so, the symptoms of HIV infection can go undetected until many years later.

"In the early stages of HIV infection is usually just there are no symptoms. Therefore, if we enter into risk groups, then better check yourself," said Michael Horberg, director of HIV / AIDS Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California.

Here are the symptoms that are often experienced by people infected with HIV-positive.


Fever ARS is one of the symptoms of mild fever with body temperature reached 38 degrees celsius. Symptoms of fever is often accompanied by other mild symptoms, like fatigue, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes.

"In this phase the virus moves into the bloodstream and begin to replicate in large quantities. Therefore, there was an inflammatory reaction by the body's immune system," said Carlos Malvestutto, infectious diseases and immunology instructor from New York School of Medicine.

Fatigue Inflammatory response in the body can also lead to feeling tired and drained of energy. These symptoms can occur in early or a few years later.

Muscle pain
ARS symptoms are often diagnosed as viral infection, influenza, mononucleosis, hepatitis and syphilis even. This is not surprising because many similar symptoms, including pain in muscles and joints.

Swollen lymph glands are also common because it is part of the immune system will become inflamed when an infection occurs. Lymph nodes numerous in the armpits, groin, neck as well.

Skin rash
A rash of reddish spots on the skin can occur in early or late stage of HIV / AIDS. When the appearance of the rash can not be explained and you are a high risk of contracting HIV, immediately do the test.

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
According to Dr. Malvestutto, 30-60 percent of people experience brief symptoms of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea at the onset of HIV infection. However, these symptoms can also arise due to antiretroviral therapy and advanced stage of infection.

Weight loss
Decrease in body weight (BW) is a sign of worsening disease and also because of severe diarrhea. "If weight loss has occurred, meaning the immune system was exhausted. However, thanks to antiretroviral therapy, these symptoms are rare," said Malvestutto.

A person who has AIDS wasting syndrome typically lose 10 percent or more of their body weight, and suffered from diarrhea or fatigue and fever of more than 30 days.

Hacking cough
Some HIV positive people also experience a dry cough that lasts for weeks and continued to deteriorate.

Pneumonia
Cough and body care may also be due to a serious infection caused by germs. When our immune system in good condition, then these germs do not cause problems.

"There are many opportunistic infections different in people with HIV. One of them AIDS pneumonia, toxoplasmosis, herpes, and fungal infections," he said.

Sweating at night  
Most people in the early stages of HIV infection sweating at night, which is not associated with room temperature. These symptoms worsened in the advanced stage of infection.

Changes in nails
Patients with impaired immune systems, such as AIDS, are more susceptible to fungal infections. These infections also cause changes in the nails, such as easily broken, fragile, and also change the color.

Fungal infections
Fungal infections are often experienced in the advanced stages of HIV infection is a kind of thrush in the mouth caused by the fungus candida. Patients who experience severe canker sores are difficult to swallow and difficult to cure.

Numbness and tingling
At an advanced stage of HIV infection can cause numbness and tingling sensation in hands and feet. This phenomenon is also called peripheral neuropathy, which also appear in patients with uncontrolled diabetes. These symptoms occur because the nerve is damaged.

Irregular menstruation
HIV infection also can cause menstrual cycle is interrupted, such as menstruation or less irregular. This disorder is caused more weight loss than HIV infection itself.

 Sources: Health