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When Do HIV Infection Symptoms Start Manifesting?

Posted on Mon, 14 Apr 2014

Question: Hi, Would it be common for someone who have carried the HIV virus for 6 to 12 months to get sick more often than a healthy person? When I say sick I just mean common colds and maybe stomach bugs etc

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (53 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Symptoms during 6-12 months not likely due to HIV Detailed Answer: Hi, Welcome to HCM. Thanks for posting your query. About 40 to 50% (not all) of the HIV infected individual manifest their earliest symptoms after 4-6 weeks of the possible infection, just as ordinary FLU like picture with fever, body pain, cold or sore throat etc. Then after 3- 5 years, sometimes more than 10 years remains symptom free and likely to have manifestations after immune deficiency occurs markedly. So symptoms after 6-12 months are unlikely to be due to HIV. Dr S XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (6 hours later)

Thanks So what would the first symptoms generally be after 3-10 years? Would it be regular head colds or the first signs more severe.

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (3 hours later)

Brief Answer: Persistent fever,skin infection,recurrent diarrhea Detailed Answer: Hi, Welcome back to HCM. The symptoms are mild to severe according to how his immunity had affected (decrease in CD4 count). The first symptoms after an asymptomatic period will be 1.Fever persistent for more than a month, 2.Recurrent spells of loose motions more than a month 3. Loss of weight within a month 4. Recurrent skin infections like Herpes Zoster, oral thrush, pruritic papules, and Herpes simplex infection lasts for more than a month etc, are the early lesion followed by Tuberculosis, lung infection, brain involvement, chronic diarrhea etc, followed by eye involvement etc.as advanced disease. I hope that you got the information what you want. If you have any more doubts feel free to ask. DR S XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (41 minutes later)

Thanks very much for your answers. I have a couple more questions. In your experience could any of the following be associated with hiv at the 3-10 stage - achy muscles, frequent urination, prolonged tiredness, sore stomach which is irritated by certain foods?

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (5 hours later)

Brief Answer: Musclepain,tiredness,sorestomach can occur to all Detailed Answer: Hi, Welcome once again. Muscle pain, frequency of urination, tiredness and sore stomach are very common symptoms for anybody. It can occur with HIV patients also during asymptomatic period by which HIV can not be suspected or diagnosed. They are no way AIDS defining symptoms or indicating symptoms. Instead of worrying unnecessarily it is better for anybody to have a test for HIV disease in case of any doubt and rule out the same. Then only that individual will get relieved from mental torture. Dr S.Murugan

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar