HIV is a viral infection that can be transmitted to women via unprotected sex or due to exposure to contaminated blood. As the viral infection progresses, the immune system is gradually weakened until the patients develops Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, also known as AIDS. The signs of HIV and AIDS can be caused by a depleted immune system or by the virus itself.
Acute HIV Infection
The earliest symptoms of an HIV infection, according to Medline, occur one to four weeks after the patient has been infected with the virus. These acute symptoms of an HIV infection typically resemble the flu. Common symptoms that women experience include a fever, fatigue and a headache, as well as a sore throat and swollen lymph nodes. Some women also experience a rash and develop sores on their mouth and esophagus.
Opportunistic Infections
As an HIV infection progresses it can severely impair the immune systems of infected women. This can lead to opportunistic infections, which are diseases that rarely affect women with healthy immune systems. These infections are especially common in women not receiving anti-retroviral treatment, the Mayo Clinic explains. These opportunistic infections include Candida infections, which is a fungal infection of the mouth and cryptococcal meningittis, which is a fungal infection of the lining of the central nervous system. Women are also susceptible to toxoplasmosis, which can cause a deadly brain infection and severe diarrhea caused by cryptosporidia. Patients are also susceptible to complications from the herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, JC virus and the human papillomavirus.
Late-Stage HIV Symptoms
Aside from increasing a patient's susceptibility to opportunistic infections, HIV can also cause many symptoms as it progresses into AIDS. Patients may develop a chronic fever, diarrhea and swollen lymph nodes for several months at a time, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases explains. Some women also experience severe fatigue and rapid weight loss. AIDS can also lead to blurred vision, memory loss, depression and other neurological problems. As the disease progresses women may also experience brown, red, purple or pink blotches on their skin as well as on the inside of the nose, eyelids and mouth.
