Stages and Symptoms of a HIV Infection
The potency of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) should never be underestimated. If untreated, it possesses the ability to completely weaken the immune system to the point where patients are left almost defenceless to infections. If you have had possible exposure and experience these symptoms, going down to a HIV clinic in Singapore will be the best course of action.
Viruses, parasites or infections our body should handle and dispatch without any difficulty instead take hold and cause us further problems. This is when Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) will be diagnosed, where our immune systems are heavily compromised.
How does a HIV infection progress from initial infection to this? What are its symptoms? This article will give a brief overview of each stage of the infection and its characteristics.
There are 3 stages of HIV infections as it progresses.
Stage 1: Acute Primary Infection
Upon entering the body, HIV immediately sets about infecting cells and multiplying. The first symptoms of a HIV infection typically appear 1-4 weeks after infection. This is the bodies’ first response to the presence of the virus within it, trying to fight the virus after it has multiplied. It builds a latent reservoir, cells infected by HIV but not actively producing more virus cells.
Symptoms will vary from individual to individual. In most cases, patients will feel like they have the flu. Fevers, non-itchy rash, a sore throat, headache, diarrhoea and swollen lymph nodes are all indicative of a HIV infection. Fevers and swollen lymph nodes show the immune system trying its best to handle the HIV infection.
At this point, a patient’s body is releasing antibodies to fight the virus. Rapid HIV tests in Singapore check for the presence of HIV antibodies rather than the virus itself in our blood.
Stage 2: Chronic HIV infection, or the Clinical Latent Period
Once the immune system reacts to HIV, it initially gets a handle on the virus. CD4 cells, the policeman of our immune system, stabilises in number and viral levels drop. This causes the symptoms of the previous stage to go away. Patients will feel little to no symptoms of an infection. This period is also known as the asymptomatic period.
While the patient may be feeling fine, the body is still suffering from the HIV virus. HIV works by infecting cells in our immune system and using them to multiply before eventually killing them off. During this period, the virus is working away by killing off cells and damaging the immune system. CD4 levels, if untreated, slowly but continually drop.
Treatment in the form of anti-retroviral medication can hinder the virus from multiplying but will be unable to fully eradicate the virus from the body. This will be accessible at HIV clinics across Singapore.
To get an idea on the CD4 cell count, patients will undergo blood tests. If CD4 levels continually drop, the patient is more prone to viruses and infections, leading to the last stage of HIV infection.
Stage 3: AIDS or Symptomatic HIV Infection
At this stage, the immune system of a patient will be heavily compromised. Symptoms include an extremely low CD4 count, a number near to or below 200. Normally, CD4 counts will be between 500 to 1,500.
Patient may experience severe and unexplained weight loss, regular infections, severe and long-lasting diarrhoea, constant fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, persistent purplish spots on their skin and yeast infections. These are due to the numerous infections the body is now incapable of fighting off.
