HIV symptoms

HIV symptoms are clinical manifestations that occur during the development of HIV infection. The immunodeficiency virus is very insidious, as it can not manifest itself for a long time. During the asymptomatic period, the number of viral particles and, consequently, the affected cells of the immune system progressively increases in the body. The disease progresses imperceptibly, and individual symptoms are perceived by patients as a manifestation of various diseases.

When the first signs appear

When infected, as well as during the intensive development of infection, a person does not have obvious signs. After the pathogen enters the bloodstream, the immune system tries to protect the body. In the period from the first three weeks to three months, nonspecific symptoms may appear: chills, fever, cough, swollen lymph nodes. Rarely, a skin rash is added to these symptoms. Such manifestations are very similar to a respiratory disease or an allergy, so those infected often do not attach importance to these symptoms.

Often the virus does not manifest itself at all for many years. On average, the first signs occur in the range from 3 months to 5 years after infection. And antibodies to the pathogen are determined 6-12 months after infection. Therefore, the main way to detect the presence of the virus is testing, which can be done for free.

Main symptoms

Typical signs of HIV infection are a set of symptoms of secondary diseases, that is, those diseases that a weakened immune system is not able to fight. The classic manifestations include symptoms of fungal lesions of the mucous membranes, aphthous stomatitis, polylymphadenopathy, various manifestations of herpes virus infection, pneumocystis pneumonia, infiltrative tuberculosis, indigestion, rashes, CNS damage, and others. Along with them, symptoms of infection appear that resemble a respiratory disease. The main sign by which HIV can be suspected is generalized lymphadenopathy and pancytopenia.

Should alert the appearance of episodes of fever, diarrhea, lesions of the mucous membranes. The further the infection progresses, the greater the set of symptoms may be.

Signs at different stages

The infection develops in stages. With an increase in the number of viral particles, more and more cells of the immune system are involved in the process, an adequate immune response is blocked, inflammatory, autoimmune, and oncological changes develop. The use of antiretroviral therapy slows down the development of the disease, prolonging the life of patients. The HIV clinic at different stages is characterized by its own characteristics. Symptoms are varied and gradually increase with a decrease in the number of active immune cells.

The incubation period

According to the classification of V.V. Pokrovsky, the first stage of infection is called incubation. This is the length of time from the entry of a pathogen into the body until the appearance of antibodies in the blood or primary signs. On average, this stage lasts 3-12 weeks. There are usually no obvious symptoms. The person looks healthy and feels good. In rare cases, SARS symptoms are possible. Tests for HIV infection during this period are negative, so you need to repeat the examination after 3 and 6 months. From the moment the antibodies appear, symptoms may also not be observed for many years. When antibodies are already present in the blood, and there are no manifestations of infection, the next stage begins – latent.

Asymptomatic period

This is the longest phase of the disease; a person can be a carrier of the pathogen for 5-15 years. If the patient leads a healthy lifestyle, the asymptomatic period may last even longer. In patients with bad habits and a low standard of living, the latent course quickly passes into the acute phase.

Also, the duration of incubation and asymptomatic course depends on:

• the age of the patient;
• infectious dose;
• the immune status of the patient;
• ways of infection.

For example, with blood transfusion, the incubation and asymptomatic periods pass faster than with sexual transmission. The virus continues to multiply during the latent phase, but the immune system is still able to suppress infections. Clinically, the virus does not manifest itself in any way, it is determined only in a laboratory study.

Primary symptoms

The third stage is divided into three distinct phases: acute, asymptomatic, and generalized lymphadenopathy. In the first phase, there are clear signs of the disease. Most often, it is during this period that the patient may suspect an infection and undergo a study.

Phases of primary symptoms:

1. acute phase. After a latent period, a sharp release of viruses into the bloodstream occurs. The spread of the pathogen throughout the body causes a number of symptoms. During this period, several bacterial and fungal diseases usually appear at once. The main signs of which are: temperature, pain in muscles and joints, diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes, rash. The most specific and frequent manifestations during this period are thrush in the mouth, weight loss, weakness. The acute phase in some patients proceeds in a mild form, in others a severe course develops. With a complicated form, patients are hospitalized. However, even without therapy, this phase passes within 2-4 weeks. After it comes again asymptomatic period.
2. Asymptomatic phase. After a sharp attack on the immune system, a balance occurs between viral agents and the body’s defenses. There is a containment of multiple replication of the virus. The pathogen at this time is still multiplying, and the number of T-helpers is slowly decreasing. This stage can last from 1 month to 10 years, depending on many factors. The patient at this time feels well, there are no external signs of the disease. But it can transmit the pathogen sexually, through blood, or from a woman to a child during pregnancy.

The use of antiretroviral therapy at the asymptomatic stage prolongs the latent course for many decades. At the same time, the patient lives a full life, subject to the rules of a healthy lifestyle and treatment. In addition, the use of antiretroviral therapy makes transmission more difficult.

Secondary signs

Based on secondary manifestations of infection, doctors may suspect HIV. However, even these manifestations can initially be considered as an independent disease.

Mandatory testing for the immunodeficiency virus is carried out with the following secondary symptoms:

1. Pneumonia. The patient has a dry, prolonged cough, subfebrile temperature (an increase in body temperature is not higher than 38 ° for a long time). Over time, the cough becomes wet, there is a general malaise, weakness, sweating. The use of classical antibiotics does not give a positive result.
2. Generalized infections are a combination of bacterial, fungal and viral diseases. Most often, these include: tuberculosis, oral, genital and visceral candidiasis, infections caused by cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, common and herpes zoster, viral gastroenteritis. Against the background of immunodeficiency, these diseases are especially difficult.
3. Kaposi’s sarcoma is a tumor in the lymphatic system. It looks like a single tumor or a cluster of formations, it is localized more often on the trunk, neck, mouth and head. Sometimes the sarcoma is distinguished by a cherry skin tone, but it can be without discoloration.
4. Syndrome of intoxication. Approximately half of patients have the following symptoms: nausea, muscle and joint pain, diarrhea, sweating at night, severe weakness, headache, irritability.

In addition to these signs, the patient sometimes exacerbates chronic diseases. Secondary diseases and symptoms may occur one after the other or together. The moment of onset and duration depend on the adequacy of therapy, the age of the patient, bad habits and other factors. On average, each symptom lasts 1-2 weeks. Cough and diarrhea may not go away for 1-2 months.

Generalized lymphadenopathy

Generalized lymphadenopathy – an increase in all groups of lymph nodes. This symptom appears most often in the stage of acute infection. It can be in conjunction with other signs, or it can be on its own. Lymph nodes increase with various diseases, so a patient who does not know his HIV status often does not attach any importance to this.

A distinctive feature of generalized lymphadenopathy is a long course. The symptom persists for 1-3 months, painlessly, more often the lymph nodes increase to a diameter of 1,5-2 cm. They are localized in one or more mobile and soft formations on the neck, behind the ears, in the armpits and subclavian cavities, in the groin.

Together with lymphadenopathy, the patient may manifest:

• seborrhea;
• leukoplakia of the tongue;
• herpes simplex on mucous membranes and skin;
• polymorphic rashes;
• thrush of the oral cavity and genital organs.

Symptomatic treatment during this period gives a good result. Secondary diseases are treatable. The patient, with proper treatment, feels satisfactory, can work, play sports, and have safe sex. The duration of this phase ranges from six months to five years. Although, depending on the lifestyle of the patient and the availability of treatment, this period can either be reduced or extended.

CNS manifestations

Damage to the nervous system, mainly the brain, is one of the main problems of HIV. CNS disorders are observed in 50-80% of patients, in 10% of them the symptoms are pronounced. There are several ways of defeating the peripheral and central nervous system in HIV infection. The first is the penetration of infected lymphocytes into the central nervous system, the second is the effect of secondary infections. Also, in some cases, the development of neoplasms of the brain is possible.

The first signs of damage to the nervous system:

• headache;
• sleep disturbance (insomnia or drowsiness);
• tremor of extremities;
• difficulty concentrating;
• memory impairment;
• behavioral changes.

With the progression of the disease, signs of CNS damage become more pronounced. A person has a change in behavior, fever, convulsions. When the brain is damaged, there is also a deterioration in vision up to blindness. In the final stages of the progression of the disease, the patient may experience paralysis or paresis. Mental disorders can manifest themselves up to personality changes and dementia.

Some associated CNS diseases are treatable. However, the presence of such diseases complicates therapy in general and accelerates the onset of the terminal stage.

What does an HIV-infected person look like?

For a very long period after infection, a person is no different from HIV-negative people. It is impossible to distinguish carriers of the virus before the first signs appear. But even with the onset of primary manifestations, it is impossible to say for sure that a person has HIV. For example, enlarged lymph nodes are found in dozens of other diseases. A rash on the body in the form of psoriasis, lichen, herpes, etc. can be an independent infection.

In later stages, patients often experience:

• fungal infections;
• weight loss;
• weakness;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• shortness of breath and/or cough;
• violation of mental processes: forgetfulness, confusion, impaired coordination;
• herpetic rash.

By external signs, the doctor may assume the presence of an infection. But on one external signs the diagnosis is not made. It is also impossible to accurately single out an infected person from the crowd, since all manifestations can relate to other diseases. In many cases, an HIV-positive person does not have any features.

Symptoms in women

All stages characteristic of the development of HIV go through men and women. The first sign is an inexplicable temperature increase up to 40 degrees. Weakness, muscle pain, and lack of appetite may also be present, but not necessarily. After that, a latent course occurs without symptoms. The asymptomatic period is followed by the third stage.

In the acute phase, women are more likely to have fungal and bacterial lesions, especially thrush. Against the background of infection, genital candidiasis and candidal stomatitis are especially difficult.

At the beginning of the disease, the following features are characteristic:

• lower abdominal pain;
• white vaginal discharge with a characteristic odor;
• decrease in libido;
• lack of appetite;
• itching in the genital area;
• failure of the menstrual cycle;
• white patches in the mouth.

Also, for girls with HIV-positive status, herpes rashes on the face and mucous membranes are more common. The disease is recurrent, can be generalized and widespread, and is characterized by bacterial vaginitis.

Psycho-emotional disorders are also slightly more common in girls and women at different ages than in men. Possible mood swings, depression, prolonged anxiety, sleep disturbance. Over time, mental disorders lead to dementia, paralysis, coma.

HIV-positive pregnant women do not experience any additional discomfort. Like girls without HIV, patients face the classic difficulties of pregnancy. The only exceptions are breastfeeding mothers, HIV-positive mothers should not breastfeed their child. In addition to the symptoms characteristic of the infection, young mothers do not have to experience any additional signs.

Features of infection in men

In men, the same stages of the disease are noted as in women. The first symptoms and secondary diseases are identical for both sexes and children. Men are more likely to report hepatolienal syndrome, prolonged diarrhea. Lymphadenopathy takes place in a more pronounced form: the nodes greatly increase in size, often acquire a reddish tint. Herpetic eruptions are more often noted in the anus and on the face.

CNS lesions are less common. Men, just like women, lose weight, feel weak, and face bacterial infections. The development and manifestations of the disease are almost the same in both sexes.

Children with HIV

Babies can become infected during pregnancy and childbirth. Infection is also possible through breastfeeding or blood transfusion. The probability of transmission of the virus from an HIV-infected mother to a newborn is 30%. Of these, 11% are infected in utero, 15% during natural childbirth, 10% during breastfeeding.

HIV-positive babies are usually born prematurely. The infection most often appears in the first year of life. Of the symptoms stand out: delayed physical development, prolonged diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes, vomiting and nausea. Manifestations include skin rashes: pustules, vesicles, spots, atopic or seborrheic dermatitis, vasculitis, eczema.

If left untreated, HIV infection in children quickly progresses to AIDS. Life expectancy is 1-3 years. In the last stages, there is a syndrome of exhaustion, pneumonia, heart failure, and CNS damage. Therapy for children is prescribed from the first 4-6 months of life. The treatment regimen, as for adults, is periodically changed to avoid the development of virus resistance. The manifestations of HIV in adolescents are the same as in adults, with the exception of rarer cases of cancer.

How to determine the immunodeficiency virus at home

According to the general symptoms, failures in the body can be suspected. To establish the presence of a virus in the blood is absolutely possible only by laboratory confirmation. There are two ways to detect infection: detection of antibodies to the pathogen and RNA of the virus. You can do this with tests. Recently, tests for use at home have become widespread. For self-study, a scraping is taken from the oral mucosa using a spatula, which is then placed in the reagent.

This is one of the express tests that shows the result within 15-20 minutes. Tests for HIV infection, like any other, do not guarantee one hundred percent accuracy. For HIV, the guideline is to take the test twice. This means that in any case it is necessary to double-check whether the test result is indeed positive. If one of the doubtful symptoms appears, you should contact the nearest AIDS center. It is impossible to establish a diagnosis on your own. Get tested for HIV, even if there are no signs of infection. In each regional center, this can be done free of charge in 15 minutes.

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