Following exposure to the virus, HIV enters the bloodstream and slowly but surely works to destroy the body's T cells. These T cells are critical to helping it fight infection. There are specific symptoms characteristic of each stage of the virus, which are indicative of the immune system's steady decline.
Infection & Seroconversion
The primary or acute infection stage typically only lasts for a week or two. During this time, the body works to develop antibodies that will soon be detectable by an HIV test. When antibodies are developed, the seroconversion process is complete and a person will see a positive result on an HIV test. According to The Body website, approximately 70 percent of people will feel flu-like symptoms, which can include fevers, chills, sweats and rash. These symptoms usually disappear after a few days, and the infected person will return to feeling normal. According to the International AIDS charity website AVERT, as many as 20 percent of people experience flu-like symptoms severe enough to warrant a doctor's visit.
Asymptomatic Stage
The asymptomatic stage can last for 10 years on average, according to AVERT, however some people develop swollen lymph glands. Despite a positive HIV test, the Centers for Disease Control write that most people do not feel any notable side effects.
Symptomatic HIV Infection
As T cells continue to decline and the immune system begins to fail, many people with HIV will begin to experience mild HIV disease symptoms. The CDC and AVERT state that these can include skin rashes, night sweats, slight weight loss, genital and oral herpes blisters and fungal infections that target the skin, mouth and nails.
AIDS
The AIDS label comes about when the T-cell count has dropped below 200 or a person has experienced several opportunistic infections or cancers. Opportunistic infections are those caused by viruses or organisms that someone with a healthy immune system could fight off. The Body website states that Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, Mycobacterium avium complex disease, candidiasis, toxoplasmosis, and cytomegalovirus are all examples of opportunistic infections. Cytomegalovirus in particular is quite common and is the cause of Kaposi's Sarcoma, a deadly form of AIDS-related cancer.
