REVEALED: 7 Early Warning Signs Of An HIV Infection You Should Know
These subtle red flags can be confused with other health issues. Here’s what to know so you can protect yourself and others.
During the first few weeks of being infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), most people – roughly two-thirds – experience a mix of flu-like symptoms that indicate their body is reacting to the virus. After being exposed to the virus, your immune system jumps into action to get control of the infection and clear it from your body.
This early phase of infection, known as acute retroviral syndrome or acute HIV infection, can be so mild that certain individuals may not even notice they’re sick. People often mistake the symptoms, such as a fever or headache, for the flu, mononucleosis or tonsillitis.
In most cases, these early signs only last a week or two. “It basically feels like a flu reaction since the initial HIV viral load is very high,” said Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco.
Insurance Regardless of whether you feel sick, these first few weeks are some of the most infectious.
Being aware of these symptoms, especially if you recently had sexual contact with a new partner or multiple partners, can help you get tested and take steps to reduce the impact HIV can have on your health ― in the short and long term.
Here’s what to look for if you think you might have been exposed to HIV: Fever The most common early warning sign is a fever, usually at 100.4ºF or higher. One report investigating acute HIV symptoms in 155 patients found that 66% reported a fever.
Soon after infection, the virus swims throughout your bloodstream and replicates. The viral load is very high after seroconversion (becoming infected with HIV), and a fever is the body’s way of trying to fight the virus, explains Gandhi.
Many people notice the swollen glands in their neck, Grant said. He added that people usually won’t have a single swollen node but a cluster of swollen lymph nodes. While lymph nodes can swell up in other areas, like the groin and armpits, many people don’t notice them as readily as the ones in their neck.
Sore Throat Another common early symptom of HIV is a sore throat or tonsillitis. According to Grant, tonsils in the back of your throat are lymphatic tissue, meaning it’s an area where the body is actively fighting infection. They help filter out germs and protect your body from harm, according to the Cleveland
Grant says he’s had patients go to the emergency room assuming they had tonsillitis or a strep infection only to learn they have HIV.
Rash Some people will suddenly develop a rash, which will cause a patch of your skin to feel itchy, red and painful.
A rash occurs in about 50% of people infected with HIV, usually three or so days after the fever appears. HIV-related rashes can occur anywhere on the body, but they’re often located on the torso and face, evidence suggests. Again, the rash is a common symptom of many infections, including chicken pox, measles, and hand-foot-and-mouth disease, so it may not be initially obvious it’s related to HIV, Grant said. Muscle And Joint Pain Roughly half of people with an acute HIV infection experience muscle aches, according to the National Institutes of Health. They typically set in a week after contracting HIV and, again, feel similar to the aches triggered by influenza.
Cytokines promote inflammation throughout your body. “When cytokines are released, the body can feel very tired with muscle and joint aches, which makes the body ‘slow down’ as it tries to fight an infection,” Gandhi said.
The main takeaway: “It’s a lot like the flu, it’s almost indistinguishable,” Grant explained.
If you have any of these early HIV symptoms and recently had sex with more than one partner or have had sex with someone whose sexual history you don’t know about (or your partner has), it’s important to check in with a healthier provider and get tested.
You can do so at your primary care doctor’s office, through your local health department, a health clinic, or at an HIV testing site (here’s a nationwide directory).
The sooner you get tested, the earlier you can start treatment, if need be. When given in the first few weeks of infection, antiretrovirals can inhibit viral replication, reduce symptoms, and, ultimately, improve long-term health outcomes.
These early signs may not be obvious, but being aware of them and taking action as soon as possible can help you protect your health and avoid transmitting the infection to others.
