HIV & AIDS TIME LINE

The progress of HIV-disease can be seen along a predictable time-line, with a total of four different groups of symptoms for infection in adults. However, it is important to remember that these are only averages and that there is no way to know how any one individual will progress through HIV-disease. The disease also progresses differently in children, with serious symptoms often developing much earlier.
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0-1 Months

• During the first month after infection with HIV, many (though not all) people develop a flu-like illness. This time is known as acute HIV infection and these symptoms are known as seroconversion illness or HIV acute retroviral syndrome. Symptoms of this stage are caused by the immune system as it launches its first defense against HIV by developing antibodies. (Developing a detectable level of antibodies is a process known as seroconversion.)
  Symptoms of this stage of HIV include fever, headache, aches and pains, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, fatigue, skin rash and digestive troubles, according to HIV-Symptoms.info. These symptoms are similar to those caused by any other viral infections. This means that HIV cannot be diagnosed on the basis of these symptoms alone, and individuals who believe they have been exposed to HIV should seek out testing.
  HIV testing will be accurate only after seroconversion has taken place. This generally takes one month, but may take up to six. HIVTest.org can help individuals learn more about different types of HIV tests and locate testing centers; please see Resources section of this article.
  

0 Months-10 Years

• After the symptoms of seroconversion illness clear, HIV-disease enters its asymptomatic stage. This is the longest stage of HIV, lasting for an average of 10 years. During this time, no symptoms are present.
  Because of the mild nature of seroconversion illness symptoms and the long absence of symptoms in asymptomatic HIV-disease, many people unknowingly expose others to the virus during this time through unprotected sex or through sharing hypodermic needles. The correct and consistent use of condoms and using clean needles greatly reduces one's chances of contracting or transmitting HIV.
  
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11-13 Years

• Third-stage HIV-disease, symptomatic HIV appears after asymptomatic HIV and lasts between one and three years. During this time, a chronic flu-like illness develops. Other symptoms, according to HIV-Symptoms.info, include night sweats, major weight loss, fungal infections as well as skin and breathing problems.
  

Following

• As HIV attacks the cells of the immune system, the immune system's ability to fight off infection is continually weakened. When the ability of the immune-system to fight off infection on its own (a capacity called cell-mediated immunity) is lost, AIDS is diagnosed in HIV-positive people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this occurs when CD4 (a type of cell targeted by HIV) cell count falls below 200 per cubic mL of blood or when these cells account for fewer than 14 percent of all immune cells.
  AIDS is a syndrome, meaning that it is a group of conditions. These include opportunistic infections (OIs), continued severe weight loss (called wasting), cancers and neurological conditions.
  Opportunistic infections, as their name suggests, take advantage of the weakened state of the immune system; they do not cause disease in people with healthy immune systems or cause worse symptoms in the immunocompromised (people with weakened immune systems). Common OIs include tuberculosis, herpesviruses, Pneumocystis pneumonia, thrush (an oral fungus) and toxoplasmosis (a brain disease caused by parasites).
  Cancers found in AIDS include lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma. Kaposi's sarcoma is caused by opportunistic infection with human herpesvirus-8 and causes purple lesions on the skin. Lymphomas are cancers of lymphocytes, the same group of cells targeted by HIV.
  There are many neurological conditions found in those living with AIDS, but the most significant of these is AIDS dementia complex (ADC), which, according to HIV InSite, can affect thinking, motion and behavior.
  

Children

• HIV-disease progresses differently in children than it does in adults. Some children become sick very early in life, while others do not experience symptoms until they are of school age. According to the Mayo Clinic, common HIV symptoms in children include problems with gaining weight and growing, difficulty in walking, mental impairment and becoming unusually sick with common childhood illnesses.
  

HIV Early Symptoms & Rashes

HIV is the acronym for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus--the virus that causes AIDS. While AIDS and HIV are related, they are separate diseases with different sets of symptoms. With HIV, early symptoms usually develop within two to four weeks of exposure to the virus. HIV has a long incubation period, and people can be infected with HIV for years before developing full-blown AIDS.



Symptoms

Early symptoms of HIV tend to mimic those of other viruses. For this reason, it is often easily ignored. The most common early symptoms are a persistent low-grade fever, swollen glands, sore throat, and rashes.



Persistent Low-Grade Fever

When a viral pathogen enters the body, one of the responses is to raise body temperature in order to weaken the virus, making it easier to kill. With HIV, the body is unable to kill the virus so the fever persists.



Swollen Glands

The HIV virus reproduces in the lymph nodes. This causes the nodes to swell as the viral load increases.



Sore Throat

The sore throat may be due to the swelling in the lymph nodes or from general inflammation of the mucous membranes in the throat.



Rash

The HIV rash can appear anywhere on the body (including the palms of the hands and soles of the feet). It usually appears as raised or flat lesions.

COMMON SYMPTOMS

There a three main ways the HIV can be spread:

1. Sexual intercourse

2. Intravenous drugs

3. Blood transfusions (which are very rare now because all blood is tested)

HIV is spreading like wild fire among adolescents because they don't believe it can happen to them.

A small percentage of people who use condoms still get HIV because:

Misuse of condom

Use of drugs or alcohol which can impair judgment or proper use

Using a defective condom. (Always check first)




Since HIV only shows symptoms that could be confused with other minor viruses, it is crucial that you recognize how the virus is spread. Needles and sexual contact are the primary, though not only means of spreading the disease. If you are sexually active with a partner who has been sexually active with others, or have sex with more than one partner you are at greater risk. Sexual precautions are of course a must. Sharing needles places you at high risk for infection. You should be especially cognizant of the symptoms of HIV if these things are true.

Watch for flu like symptoms.





In the first month of HIV infection flu like symptoms such as fevers, aches, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, skin rashes, or other flu like symptoms may occur. Clearly these can be related to a common cold or flu. However, if you believe you may have a chance of being exposed get tested immediately.

Expect to be without symptoms.

HIV is often asymptomatic. Even the first stage mentioned in step one is not easily recognizes and cannot be diagnosed from symptoms. The second stage of HIV is named Asymptomatic HIV since you will not likely recognize any symptoms for years. This makes the disease especially dangerous and tragic as you have a high likelihood of infecting others if you are unaware.

Notice signs of third stage HIV.

Third stage HIV, or Symptomatic HIV occurs just before full blown AIDS. You will experience ongoing flu symptoms like the ones mentioned in step two. You will likely also experience significant weight loss, loss of appetite, skin infections, and difficulty breathing. AIDS itself increases these symptoms and often leads to infections a normal immune system would repel or specific types of cancers.

How to Recognize HIV Symptoms

HIV symptoms last for only a short time at initial infection if they occur at all. In this first stage of the HIV virus the symptoms could also be caused by many other conditions. In the next phase of the HIV virus a victim can be without recognizable symptoms for ten years. In the third phase patients are symptomatic before entering full-blown AIDS. Follow these steps to be aware of HIV symptoms and recognize HIV symptoms early.