Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) represents the most advanced stage of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, specifically targeting CD4 cells, a type of white blood cell that helps fight off infections. AIDS is not the same as HIV; rather, it is a condition that develops when HIV infection has severely damaged the immune system, making the body unable to defend itself against illnesses.
The Progression to AIDS
AIDS symptoms do not appear immediately upon initial HIV infection; instead, the virus progresses through distinct stages. The first stage is acute HIV infection, occurring within 2 to 4 weeks after exposure. During this period, some individuals may experience flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, though some people have no symptoms at all. The virus multiplies rapidly during this acute stage, increasing the risk of transmission.
Following the acute phase, HIV infection enters a stage known as chronic HIV infection. In this phase, the virus continues to reproduce at lower levels, and individuals may not experience any symptoms for many years. Without treatment, this stage can last a decade or longer, but the virus steadily damages the immune system by destroying CD4 cells.
AIDS is diagnosed when the CD4 cell count drops below 200 cells, or when specific opportunistic infections or cancers appear. This decline in CD4 cells signifies a severely weakened immune system that can no longer effectively combat various pathogens. Without treatment, people diagnosed with AIDS survive for about three years.
General Signs of AIDS
As HIV progresses to AIDS, the severely compromised immune system can lead to a range of general, non-specific symptoms. These signs reflect the body’s diminished ability to fight off even mild illnesses. One common symptom is rapid weight loss, which can be unexplained.
Individuals may also experience recurring fevers or profuse night sweats. Tiredness or fatigue is another frequent complaint, making it difficult to perform daily activities. Prolonged swelling of lymph glands can occur in the armpits, groin, or neck. Chronic diarrhea, lasting for more than a week, is also a common general sign of AIDS due to the weakened digestive system’s susceptibility to infections.
Opportunistic Infections and Cancers
A severely weakened immune system in AIDS allows “opportunistic” infections and certain cancers to take hold. These illnesses are caused by pathogens that do not cause disease in people with healthy immune systems but infect a compromised body. One common opportunistic infection is Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a serious lung infection caused by the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii, leading to difficulty breathing, cough, and fever.
Another example is Kaposi’s sarcoma, a type of cancer that manifests as visible purple, red, or brown blotches on or under the skin, or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids. It can also affect internal organs like the lungs and digestive tract. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is a bacterial infection that can cause persistent fever, night sweats, fatigue, and weight loss, often affecting the intestines or lungs.
Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection, primarily affects the brain, causing symptoms such as headache, confusion, lethargy, muscle weakness, and seizures. Candidiasis is a fungal infection that can appear as white patches on the tongue and inside the mouth, or cause painful swallowing if it affects the esophagus. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus that can cause severe disease, leading to vision loss, fever, fatigue, and abdominal pain with diarrhea if it affects the eyes or intestinal tract.
Beyond infections, certain cancers are also linked to AIDS due to immune system dysfunction. These include non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which can cause fever, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, and swollen lymph nodes. Invasive cervical cancer in women is also considered an AIDS-defining condition, often caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).
When to Seek Medical Advice
Seeking medical advice promptly is important due to the serious nature of AIDS and HIV’s progressive damage. If there is any concern about potential HIV exposure, or if any of the aforementioned symptoms are experienced, getting tested for HIV is highly advisable. Early diagnosis of HIV allows for intervention before the virus severely weakens the immune system.
Timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) can improve health outcomes and prevent the progression to AIDS. ART can suppress the virus, reduce the amount of HIV in the blood to undetectable levels, and help individuals live long, healthy lives, also lowering the risk of transmitting the virus to others. Consulting a healthcare professional is the appropriate step for accurate diagnosis and personalized guidance, rather than attempting to self-diagnose based on symptoms alone.