Symptoms & Stages of HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus proceeds in stages, as follows.

Stage 1, Acute HIV Infection

Within a few weeks of exposure and infection, a person will experience a flu-like illness that can last several weeks. During stage 1, a person is contagious through the transmission of bodily fluids.

This stage can include the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Rash
• Night sweats
• Muscle aches
• Sore throat
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Mouth ulcers

Stage 2, Clinical Latency

During stage 2, HIV is active in the infected person's body but symptoms are not visible. If an infected person is on the proper treatment plan and is taking the prescribed medicine correctly every day, he or she can live for decades. If infected people do not know they have HIV or are not following proper medical protocol, they will live in this stage for a decade or less, depending on the progression of the virus. Towards the end of stage 2, their viral load increases dramatically, and they transition into stage 3.

Stage 3, AIDS

Stage 3 is the most severe stage of HIV. A person with AIDS has such a severely compromised immune system that he or she develops opportunistic illnesses that increase in number and severity. A person with AIDS is contagious through the transmission of bodily fluids.

This stage includes the following symptoms:

• Rapid weight loss
• Recurring fever or night sweats
• Lethargy
• Prolonged swelling of the lymph glands
• Mouth, genital, or anal sores
• Memory loss
• Pneumonia

To learn more about Body Art Bloodborne Pathogens visit our Bloodborne Pathogens Tattoo Artist & Body Piercers Online Training web page.