Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Stages and Sympthoms

Human Immunodeficiency Virus or as we know it is called HIV. This virus attacks a type of cell the white blood cell or another name for it is T cell and the virus makes multiple copies of itself inside these cells.

AIDS would stand for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS is not a virus but it is a type of symptom or syndrome which it is caused by the HIV virus. If a person has AIDS their immune system is too weak to fight off the infection, and they would develop a certain symptom and illnesses. The last stage of HIV, when the infection is worse, and if that person left it untreated this will lead to death.

AIDS was first recognized in 1981 due to an increase in the incidence of rare infections and cancers inactive men who pretend they were healthy. A few years late scientists suggest that the virus was transmitted to humans who killed and ate the infected animals.

AIDS is one of the advanced stages of an HIV infection. There are three stages of HIV and their stages. The first stage of HIV is when by 2 to 4 weeks after getting the virus, that person can experience flu-like symptoms including aching muscles, Chills, Fatigue, Fever, mouth ulcers, night sweats, Rashes, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes. Sometimes the person with HIV doesn’t experience all of these symptoms for 10 years or more. Then that means the next stage of symptoms called asymptomatic HIV infection or chronic HIV infection.

By stage 2, the virus is more active but reproduces at a low rate. The person at this stage can only experience mild symptoms, or sometimes none at all. HIV has a medication to help to slow down progress and keeping the virus at this stage for many years.

AIDS is the third and final stage of the virus. The symptoms at this stage are close to the infections that develop as a result of a compromised immune system. For this reason, symptoms can vary greatly. Some of the more common ones include: blotches under the skin or in the mouth and nose, blurred vision, chronic diarrhea, continuous swelling of the lymph glands, extreme fatigue, fever that keeps returning, neurological issues including memory loss, pneumonia, rapid weight loss, sores in the mouth, anus, or genitals. Due to the variety of symptoms associated with the various stages of HIV and AIDS, it is not possible to diagnose either the virus or the syndrome based on symptoms alone. A healthcare provider will need to carry out tests to make a formal diagnosis.