- Judith Akatugba
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The majority of people—roughly two-thirds—experience a range of flu-like symptoms in the first few weeks after contracting HIV, which is a sign that their body is responding to the virus. Your immune system launches an immediate attack to eradicate the virus from your body as soon as it is exposed.
Acute retroviral syndrome, also referred to as acute HIV infection, is the early stage of infection that can be so mild that some people may not even realize they are ill. Many times, people confuse the symptoms—like a fever or headache—for tonsillitis, mononucleosis, or the flu.
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These early symptoms usually go away after a week or two. Since the initial HIV viral load is so high, it essentially feels like a flu reaction, according to Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco.
These are some of the most contagious weeks, whether or not you feel ill. Being aware of these signs can help you get tested and take action to lessen the potential short- and long-term health effects of HIV, particularly if you have recently engaged in sexual activity with one or more partners.
If you suspect that you may have been exposed to HIV, keep an eye out for the following:
Fever
Fevers, typically measuring 100.4ºF or higher, are the most prevalent early warning indicator. A study examining acute HIV symptoms in 155 patients discovered that 66% of them had a fever.
The virus multiplies and spreads quickly throughout your bloodstream after infection. Gandhi says that during seroconversion (getting HIV), the body tries to fight the virus by raising a fever, which results in a very high viral load.
According to Gandhi, “the typical response to a pathogen is to mount a fever in an attempt to recruit immune cells to kill the pathogen.”
Fatigue
Experiencing a generalized feeling of weariness or exhaustion is a typical side effect of many illnesses, including HIV. Even though the fatigue may only be slight, studies have shown that it can occasionally be so severe as to negatively affect a person’s well-being, degree of physical activity, social connections, quality of life, and health-seeking activities.
“A lot of chemicals called cytokines are released when one’s body is fighting infections,” according to Stanford Medicine infectious diseases specialist Dr. Philip Grant. Although these substances aid in the fight against infections, he noted that the process can be taxing.
Headache
It’s possible for your head to hurt after seroconversion. According to one study, more than half of HIV-positive patients who saw a doctor had a headache. It is the most prevalent neurological ailment linked to HIV.
According to Grant, the virus can infect cerebral-spinal fluid and produce meningitis or inflammation in the meninges in certain individuals with acute HIV. According to Grant, that might result in a headache, but it could also just be the body’s normal reaction to all the cytokines circling around.
Swollen Lymph Nodes
It’s also possible for your lymph nodes, which are found in your neck, groin, and armpit, to grow. The lymph nodes contain a portion of the immune system, and during the initial stages of an infection, your body produces more immune cells.
According to Grant, this explains why there are more cells there and why the lymph nodes are swollen.
According to Grant, many people become aware of their swollen neck glands. He continued by saying that most patients will have a cluster of swollen lymph nodes rather than just one enlarged node. Even though lymph nodes can enlarge in other places, such as the armpits and groin, many individuals are less aware of them than those in their necks.
Sore Throat
Tonsillitis or a painful throat are common early signs of HIV. Grant claims that the tonsils at the back of your throat are made of lymphatic tissue, which means that the body is actively battling infection there. The Cleveland Clinic claims that they aid in guarding your body against damage and helping to filter out infections.
Swallowing could be uncomfortable or even painful if your tonsils are inflamed. According to Grant, he has seen patients who thought they had strep throat or tonsillitis when they actually had HIV.
Rash
Some people experience an abrupt onset of a rash, which makes a certain area of their skin feel uncomfortable, red, and itchy. About 50% of HIV-positive individuals have a rash, which typically emerges three days following the fever.
HIV-related rashes can appear anywhere on the body, although research indicates that the chest and face are common places for them to appear. Once more, according to Grant, the rash is frequently associated with many illnesses such as chicken pox, measles, and hand, foot, and mouth disease, so its connection to HIV may not be immediately apparent.
Joint and Muscle Pain
According to the National Institutes of Health, muscle aches affect about half of individuals with acute HIV infection. They again feel like the aches brought on by influenza and usually appear a week after HIV infection.
Inflammation is encouraged by cytokines throughout the body. Gandhi explained, “The body can feel extremely tired and experience muscle and joint aches when cytokines are released, which causes the body to’slow down’ as it tries to fight an infection.”
The key lesson, according to Grant, is that it’s nearly identical to the flu. It’s crucial to visit a medical provider and be tested if you exhibit any of these early HIV symptoms and have recently engaged in many sexual relationships or have had sex with someone whose past sexual history you are unaware of or your partner is aware of.
You can obtain an HIV test at an HIV testing site, at a health clinic, through your local health department, or at the office of your primary care physician.
If necessary, treatment can begin earlier the sooner you are tested. Antiretrovirals can prevent virus replication, lessen symptoms, and ultimately enhance long-term health outcomes when administered during the initial weeks of infection. Even though these early symptoms might not be immediately apparent, you can safeguard your health and stop the virus from spreading to others by being aware of them and acting quickly to treat it.
