Symptoms of HIV and AIDS at every stage you should know

HIV and AIDS are sexually transmitted diseases that weaken the human immune system. Before HIV infection finally really eats away at the body, most sufferers initially "only" show initial symptoms in the form of a common cold that can be cured at any time. When diagnosed and treated late, the symptoms of HIV / AIDS are very likely to get worse to the point of being fatal.

HIV signs and symptoms by stage

HIV and AIDS are not the same condition. HIV is the name of the virus which stands for human immunodeficiency virus.

The HIV virus can enter the body through the exchange of body fluids, for example transmission through semen, vaginal fluids from unprotected sex, and blood transfusions.

While AIDS (aQuired immune deficiency syndrome) is a collection of chronic symptoms that appear as the last stage of advanced HIV symptoms.

So, a person can get AIDS if he has already been infected with the HIV virus.

In many cases, AIDS can also occur because a person has more than one infectious disease as a complication of HIV.

A person living with HIV / AIDS, called ODHA (People With HIV and AIDS), may not realize they have the disease for years.

This is because the person is not aware of the symptoms or signs of HIV / AIDS.

Therefore, it is important to know the signs and symptoms of HIV early on before it's too late. Especially if someone is at high risk of contracting HIV.

HIV characteristics generally do not appear immediately after the first exposure to the virus so it is possible to be detected too late.

Early signs of HIV

The CDC has divided the progression of HIV infection to AIDS based on clinical symptoms and a number of diagnostic tests performed by doctors.

Early HIV symptoms can start to occur within 3-6 weeks or as long as 3 months after the virus enters the body.

When the virus has infected the body, a person can experience a number of HIV symptoms that are similar to flu symptoms, namely:

1. Fever

Fever as a symptom of HIV occurs due to inflammation from the body.

A fever with a temperature of approximately 38 degrees Celsius can also be the first symptom of HIV to watch out for.

These can be caused and are signs that your body is fighting an infection

These early HIV symptoms can last for 1-2 weeks. When you have a fever, the HIV virus begins to enter the bloodstream and multiply.

Your body's immune system will then fight the HIV virus.

After that, the signs of an inflammatory reaction will be present in the form of fever or an elevated body temperature.

2. Enlarged lymph nodes

The next symptom of HIV that often appears is swelling of the lymph nodes.

Lymph nodes are generally located in the neck, armpits, and groin.

These lymph nodes are in charge of producing immune cells to fight infection.

When attacked by HIV, the lymph nodes will work hard to release the body's immune cells to fight the HIV virus.

As a result, the lymph nodes, especially in the neck, will become swollen and inflamed.

3. Body feels weak

One of the signs of HIV and AIDS is the body feeling tired constantly.

People with HIV often feel tired easily for about 1 week after first becoming infected with HIV.

These HIV symptoms are caused because your body is fighting the developing HIV virus.

This condition certainly causes the immune system to work harder to kill the HIV virus.

As a result, the body gets tired easily even though you don't do strenuous activities.

4. Sore throat

When the body experiences HIV symptoms, sometimes it is often marked by a sore throat.

Sore throat is also often accompanied by complaints of pain when swallowing.

Symptoms of HIV are the effects of a virus that weakens your immune system.

As a result, the HIV virus easily enters through the mouth and creates inflammation in the throat.

5. Diarrhea

Diarrhea can be one of the symptoms of HIV and AIDS to watch out for.

The reason is, when you start getting infected with HIV, bacteria like Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) or Cryptosporidium, can easily enter the body.

The bacteria then attack the weak immune system.

This is what causes HIV sufferers to experience diarrhea easily.

These HIV symptoms can last several days, then resolve spontaneously even without treatment.

When experiencing this one HIV symptom, sufferers have started to be able to transmit the virus to other people who have close contact.

6. Yeast infection

In fact, the symptoms of HIV in women are very similar to the symptoms of HIV in men.

The only symptom of HIV that is typical in women is that the body is more susceptible to fungal infections.

Yeast or yeast infections are conditions that people with early HIV symptoms can experience.

Yeast or fungus are microorganisms that naturally live in the mouth and vagina.

In normal and healthy body conditions, mushrooms can grow in balance and do not cause any health problems.

However, when the body is exposed to the HIV virus, the immune system that regulates the balance of the fungus is weakened.

As a result, mold can spread and cause health problems.

Immediately consult a doctor if you experience symptoms of HIV in the form of a vaginal yeast infection.

This yeast infection can be an early sign that your body has been infected and is experiencing HIV symptoms.

7. Red rash

In some people who experience HIV symptoms, it is likely that their body will have 1-2 red rashes on their skin.

Symptoms of HIV in the form of a red rash can be found all over the body, for example on the arms, chest and legs.

The red rash that is symptomatic of HIV is usually not lumpy and does not itch.

This rash usually appears along with a fever due to your body's natural inflammatory reaction when it fights an infection.

Signs of stage I HIV

Stage 1 is the phase when the initial HIV symptoms begin to disappear or is known as asymptomatic HIV infection.

Even so, this phase is not categorized as AIDS. At this stage, the patient does not show symptoms.

If there are symptoms, usually only enlarged lymph nodes in various parts of the body, such as the neck, armpits, and groin.

Periods without symptoms can occur for about 5-10 years depending on the patient's immune system.

On average, HIV sufferers (PLWHA) will be in stage I for 7 years.

PLWHA also often looks normal like healthy people in general.

As a result, many do not realize that they have been infected with the HIV virus and can transmit HIV to other people.

Signs of stage II HIV

In the symptoms of stage II HIV, the immune system of PLWHA has generally started to fall.

Although the symptoms that appear are still diverse, the symptoms are still not specific or specific.

Usually, this occurs in patients who have a low-risk lifestyle and still do not know that they are infected.

As a result, they do not perform blood tests and automatically do not receive early treatment to prevent the next stage of HIV infection.

Signs and symptoms of stage II HIV include:

Drastic weight loss for no apparent reason.
Recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, such as sinusitis, bronchitis, inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media), sore throat (pharyngitis).
Shingles that recur in 5 years.
Recurrent inflammation of the mouth and stomatitis (thrush).
Itching skin (papular pruritic eruption).
Seborrheic dermatitis characterized by widespread dandruff that suddenly appears.
Fungal infection of the nails and fingers.

The weight loss of people with HIV can reach less than 10% of their previous body weight.

In fact, they are not on a diet or medication that causes weight loss.

Signs of stage III HIV

Stage III HIV is also called the symptomatic phase which is generally marked by the presence of primary infection symptoms.

Symptoms that arise in stage III are quite distinctive so that they can lead to a suspicion of a diagnosis of HIV / AIDS infection.

The HIV virus destroys CD4 cells (T cells), which are white blood cells that fight infection.

The fewer CD4 T cells you have, the weaker your immune system will be.

As a result, people with HIV will be more susceptible to various infectious diseases.

Sufferers will usually feel weak and spend 50% of the time in bed.

However, a blood test is needed to find a proper diagnosis.

The time span from HIV stage III symptoms to AIDS averaged 3 years.

Symptoms of HIV in stage III include:

The weight loss exceeds 10% of the previous body weight for no apparent reason.
Diarrhea (Chronic diarrhea) with no clear cause and has lasted more than 1 month.
Fever persists or occurs for more than 1 month without an obvious cause.
Yeast infection in the mouth (oral candidiasis).
Oral hairy leukoplakia, namely the appearance of white patches on the tongue that are rough, wavy, and hairy.
Pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed in the last 2 years.
Acute necrotic inflammation of the mouth, gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), and periodontitis that recurs and doesn't go away.
The results of blood tests show a decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Signs of stage IV HIV / AIDS

Stage IV HIV disease is also called end stage AIDS.

Usually, the symptoms of AIDS are characterized by low levels of CD4 cells in the body, which is below 200 cells / mm³.

In normal adults, CD4 cell counts should ideally range from 500-1600 cells / mm³.

The signs and symptoms of AIDS at this late stage of HIV are the appearance of enlarged lymph glands throughout the body.

The sufferer can also experience some opportunistic infections.

Opportunistic infections are infections of the weak immune system due to fungi, viruses, bacteria, and other parasites.

Symptoms of AIDS or advanced HIV symptoms can include:

HIV wasting syndrome, when the sufferer becomes emaciated and powerless.
Pneumocystis pneumonia is characterized by dry cough, progressive spasms, fever, and severe fatigue.
Severe bacterial infections such as lung infections (pneumonia, empyema, pyomyositis), joint and bone infections, and inflammation of the brain (meningitis).
Chronic herpes simplex infection (more than 1 month).
Tuberculosis outside the lungs, for example glandular tuberculosis.
Esophageal candidiasis, which is a yeast infection in the esophagus that makes it very difficult for sufferers to eat.
Sarcoma Kaposi, which is a type of cancer caused by infection with the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) virus.
Cerebral toxoplasmosis, which is a toxoplasma infection in the brain that can cause brain abscesses or ulcers.
Encephalopathy HIV, which is a condition in which the patient has experienced a decrease and a change in the level of consciousness.

Especially in women, the characteristics of HIV / AIDS can also take the form of:

Inflammation of the pelvis, which usually affects the reproductive parts of women such as the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
Changes to the menstrual cycle, becoming more frequent or even rarer, bleeding profusely, or experiencing amenorrhea, aka no menstruation for more than 90 days.

In addition to experiencing the various symptoms of AIDS above, in general the body of PLWHA is very weak, so most of their daily activities are carried out in bed.

Ensure the disorder experienced is HIV / AIDS

Since the signs and symptoms of HIV AIDS often do not appear early, the best way to diagnose the disease is to have an HIV test.

HIV testing is especially important for people who are sexually active and have had multiple sex partners.

In addition to diagnosing people who have recently been infected with the virus, an HIV test can also detect previously unknown infections.

Not only that, this medical procedure can also confirm the HIV status of people who are at high risk of infection.

If the test results are positive, especially if the infection has reached a more severe stage, the doctor can immediately prescribe a course of treatment.

This is done to prevent the symptoms of AIDS that you are experiencing from getting worse. Remember, anyone can get the HIV virus.

The sooner the HIV / AIDS features are identified and diagnosed, the sooner you will get treatment.

Treatment is of course useful so that your body condition remains healthy and reduces the possibility of transmitting HIV to your partner and offspring.

Well, referring to the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, HIV testing is usually recommended before experiencing AIDS symptoms in:

Pregnant women in the epidemic area are expanding and the epidemic is concentrated.
Newborn babies of mothers infected with HIV and have received precautionary measures from mother-to-child transmission.
Children whose family history is not clear.
Victims of sexual violence, whether children or adults.
A person who receives frequent repeated transfusions or is exposed to needles.
Sex workers.
Users of illegal drugs (NAPZA), especially in the form of injections.
Men who have sex with men (MSM), and waria.
PLWHA spouses.
People who have tuberculosis (TB).
People who have a history of venereal disease.
People who have a history of hepatitis.