Author: Zhang Wei (Beijing Ditan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University)
As the main culprit of AIDS, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) will appear in three stages after it invades the human body, from the beginning of reproduction in the body to the process of causing people to suffer from AIDS. They are acute stage, asymptomatic stage and AIDS stage. The symptoms of each stage are different, and different patients will have different manifestations in each stage.
It is worth noting that these three stages are artificially divided into a long process that facilitates the description of the AIDS process.
The acute phase of AIDS, the early stage of AIDS, usually occurs 2 to 4 weeks after the first HIV infection. Some infected individuals have clinical manifestations resulting from HIV viremia and acute damage to the immune system.
Most patients have mild clinical symptoms that resolve after 1 to 3 weeks.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
1. What are the possible discomforts in the early stage of HIV infection?
Many symptoms of the acute phase are not unique to AIDS, and the common cold can cause similar symptoms:
1. Fever
One of the most common symptoms in the acute phase is a fever, which reaches around 39 degrees.
Fever is often accompanied by other mild symptoms such as fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and sore throat.
At this time, HIV has just invaded the human body, and HIV is multiplying rapidly. At the same time, the body’s immune system responds rapidly, beginning to experience local and systemic inflammatory responses.
These symptoms are related to inflammation. Many people also experience fatigue, fatigue, and lethargy. It is worth mentioning that fatigue symptoms may accompany the whole process of AIDS.
2. Muscle and joint pain, swollen lymph nodes
Because the symptoms are similar, they are often mistaken for influenza, infectious mononucleosis, or other viral infections, or even syphilis or hepatitis.
Many symptoms, such as swollen lymph nodes, joint and muscle pain, can be very confusing to professional doctors.
Lymph nodes are part of the body’s immune system. Most are located in the armpits, groin, and neck. They tend to become swollen and painful when an infection occurs.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
3. Sore throat and headache
A sore throat and headache are also common early symptoms.
4. Rash
Skin rashes can occur at various stages of AIDS development. And the rashes that appear early are just as hard to think of AIDS.
A doctor may recommend HIV screening if the rash is present on multiple parts of the body for which the cause cannot be identified, or if the rash is refractory, and if there is a specific history of high-risk HIV exposure.
5. Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea
30% to 60% of infected people may experience transient nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea in the early stages of infection.
Gastrointestinal symptoms may also occur due to adverse drug reactions after subsequent initiation of drug therapy, or in combination with other diseases later in the course of the disease.
6. Cold sore or genital herpes
Cold sores and genital herpes are both symptoms of the acute phase. Herpes can cause wounds and ulcers on the skin or mucous membranes, which create favorable conditions for HIV to invade the body during sex.
Because HIV weakens the body’s immune system, people are more likely to develop large, multiple herpes that can be life-threatening in severe cases.
imageSource: Zhanku Hailuo
Second, what should I do if the above situation occurs?
The symptoms caused by acute HIV infection are relatively mild and can easily be mistaken for other diseases and ignored.
It is therefore important to be able to remember if you have recently been exposed to HIV.
If you have recently had unprotected sex with an HIV-infected person, or have informally donated or transfused blood, and you have the above symptoms, you should be alert to the possibility of HIV infection.
At this time, you should go to a professional medical and health institution as soon as possible to seek professional help from a doctor.
*The content of this article is for the popularization of health knowledge. It cannot be used as a specific diagnosis and treatment recommendation, nor can it replace the face-to-face consultation of a licensed physician. It is for reference only.
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