Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, commonly known as AIDS, is the last stage of infection with the human immunodefiency virus, or HIV. AIDS is the sixth leading cause of death in people 25 to 44 years old in the United States, according to Medline Plus. The HIV virus infects and destroys the immune system, which normally protects the body from infection by other microorganisms. HIV infection may not cause any symptoms for up to 10 years, after which the symptoms of full-blown AIDS may begin to appear.
Flu-Like Symptoms
Flu-like symptoms may appear after the initial infection with HIV; however, in many cases, the initial infection causes no immediate symptoms. Recurring flu-like symptoms may also signal the onset of AIDS, which often occurs eight to 10 years after infection, but may not occur for up to 20 years in some cases. These symptoms include fever, headache, swollen lymph glands, sore throat and rash.
Early AIDS Symptoms
As the HIV virus slowly destroys the immune system, other chronic symptoms develop. These may include lymph nodes that are swollen for longer than three months, frequent fevers higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit with shaking chills and night sweats that soak the sheets. Chronic diarrhea, sudden weight loss, chronic cough, frequent flaky skin, skin rash with persistent white spots, sore muscles and fatigue are also symptoms that often occur as AIDS develops. People with AIDS may also develop recurring sores in the mouth and genitals or frequent oral or vaginal yeast infections. Pelvic inflammatory disease that does not disappear after treatment may be another indication of AIDS. The HIV virus itself may also cause so-called AIDS dementia, a progressive deterioration of mental function.
Opportunistic Infections
Without the immune system to fight off dangerous microorganisms, people with AIDS often develop infections that the bodies of healthy people easily fight off. Frequent infections with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia are often an early sign of AIDS. Other infections commonly associated with AIDS are cryptoccoccal menigitis, JC virus, herpes simplex virus, toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus. These infections can cause many additional symptoms, including extreme fatigue, coma, coughing and shortness of breath, painful or difficult swallowing, mental problems like confusion and memory loss, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, seizures, lack of coordination, severe headaches and vision loss.
Cancer
The immune system is also involved in fighting cancer, meaning that people with AIDS are at an increased risk for certain types of cancer. Kaposi's sarcoma, which is a cancer that occurs in the intestines, lungs and skin, commonly occurs in patients with AIDS. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph nodes that also frequently occurs during late-stage AIDS.
