World AIDS Day: Major signs and early symptoms of HIV infection

There are no early signs of the HIV infection and those who engage in unprotected sex with several partners should get tested for HIV.

The early signs of HIV may show after a month or may appear after 10 years. These are some of the major signs and symptoms experienced by HIV infected patients.

Fever: One of the earliest symptoms is fever known as Acute Retroviral Syndrome (ARS). Fever is normally accompanied with other symptoms like tiredness and body pain.

Fatigue: When the virus enters the blood, the immune system is hit. Also, inflammation due to poor immunity causes fatigue.

Joint pain and muscle pain: Lymph nodes form part of the immune system, when it is infected by HIV virus, the lymph nodes get inflamed.

Sore throat and headaches are early signs of HIV.

Skin rash: This HIV symptom can appear at an early stage or later stage. If the skin rash is not easily treated then it could be due to the HIV virus.

Nausea and vomiting: This queasy feeling which is not easily treated could imply HIV infection.

Weight loss: Those with HIV generally lose weight rapidly due to the above symptoms.

Dry cough and pneumonia: If you cannot treat dry cough with common treatments and this persistent coughing can lead to pneumonia, then it is a sign of the HIV virus.

Night sweats: Similar to menopausal women, HIV infected individuals also experience night sweats.