AIDS, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is the potentially terminal disease caused by HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus. MedlinePlus reports that AIDS is the sixth leading cause of death among people ages 25 to 44 in the U.S. People infected with HIV can remain symptom free for years. Symptoms associated with this disease tend to develop in the late stages of HIV and early stages of AIDS.
Signs of Late Stage HIV/Early AIDS
As the HIV multiplies and damages the immune system, the disease may start to cause chronic symptoms through out the body. Specific symptoms present during the late HIV/Early AIDS stage include persistent diarrhea, night sweats, weight loss, and swollen lymph nodes. Conditions such as persistent shingles, joint pain, and fungal infections of the skin and nails are also common during this stage of the disease.
Early Signs of AIDS
HIV becomes AIDS when the white blood cell known as CD4 falls below a count of 200 cells/mm. People in the early stages of AIDS have already experienced significant damage to their ability to fend of illness. Common symptoms at this stage of infection include white spots or unusual lesions in the mouth, headaches, unexplained fatigue, distorted vision, weight loss and rashes. When AIDS has developed, people with the condition tend to be more susceptible to opportunistic infections.
Opportunistic Infections
Opportunistic infections are caused by bacteria, protozoa, fungi and viruses normally fended off by a healthy immune system. Opportunistic infections are often considered early signs of AIDS, and include thrush, herpes simplex viruses, pneumocystis pneumonia, and tuberculosis. Two cancers associated with early symptoms of AIDS, and considered to be opportunistic infections are Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma.
