HIV, also known as human immunodeficiency virus, is a viral infection that attacks the immune system for the remainder of the infected person's life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are about 1 million Americans living with HIV and about 56,000 new infections each year. After being exposed, a primary infection occurs within 2 to 4 weeks, known as acute retroviral syndrome. During this time, CD4 cells decrease while HIV multiplies dramatically. During the early stage of HIV, infected persons may experience few or no symptoms, while others may become very ill and require short-term hospitalization.
Cold and Flu Symptoms
During the early stage of HIV, infected persons often experience cold and flulike symptoms. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the most common symptoms of early infection include decreased appetite, fatigue, muscle aches, headache and fever. Infected persons may also experience night sweats and insomnia. The symptoms usually go away within 10 to 14 days, after the body has started to produce enough HIV antibodies to fight off the acute infection. Of course, many people experience cold and flulike symptoms and are not infected with HIV. The only way to confirm an infection is with a positive blood test.
Skin Infections
During the early stages of HIV, infected persons may also experience an infection of the skin. As the body's immune system undergoes a temporary drop in protective abilities, opportunistic bacteria and fungi can move in. The National Institutes of Health states that some of these infections can include fungal infections of the skin and nails, molluscum contagiosum and seborrheic dermatitis. Oral infections also occur, including gingivitis, oral hairy leukoplakia and oral thrush. Women may also experience a vaginal yeast infection.
Swollen Lymph Nodes
Persons recently infected with HIV often experience enlarged, swollen and painful lymph nodes. The lymph nodes in the body are located under the neck, the underarms, groin area, elbows and other areas in the body. The lymph nodes are the primary organ system in the body for regulating the immune system and fighting off infections. According to AIDS.gov, lymph fluid that bathes body tissues is filtered through the lymph nodes, and it carries white blood cells to and from the blood. As the body works to fight off the new infection, the lymph nodes become overwhelmed with new copies of the HIV virus to destroy, causing an inflammation. According to AIDS Map, an online resource, even if a person feels no early symptoms, HIV destroys billions of CD4 cells each day and billions more CD4 cells are produced to replace them.
