Shandong Zhanhua Yonghao pharmaceutical & Tech Co.,Ltd

HIV is a virus that affects the immune system. It can have many effects across the body, but modern treatments are effective in preventing HIV from progressing to an advanced stage.

How each stage of HIV affects the body

HIV is a viral infection. It targets and gradually weakens the body’s immune system by damaging cells called CD4 T cells. This damage means that, over time, the body becomes less able to fight off other infections.

If the immune system becomes impaired enough, infections that are typically mild can be life threatening. These are known as opportunistic infections.

When a person contracts HIV, if they do not receive treatment, the infection will typically progress through three stagesTrusted Source:

Acute infection: Soon after contracting the virus, the person has a large amount of HIV in their blood, and the risk of the virus transmitting to others is high. Some people may experience flu-like symptoms, but others will have no symptoms.

Chronic infection: Without treatment, this stage can last for a decade or longer. People may not have any symptoms, but the virus can still transmit to other people.

Stage 3 infection (also known as AIDS): At this stage, a person’s immune system is badly damaged, and their CD4 cell count drops below 200 cells per cubic millimeter (cells/mm3) of blood. They will become vulnerable to opportunistic infections, and the risk of viral transmission can be high.

However, HIV treatment, also known as antiretroviral therapy, is effective in slowing or preventing this progression. Antiretroviral therapy has been a treatment option since 1996.

The availability of effective treatment has meant that many people with HIV can have a typical life expectancy and never develop stage 3 HIV. The incidence of opportunistic infections is much lower than before.
Early effects of HIV on the body

When a person first comes into contact with HIV, they may develop flu-like symptoms. These symptoms usually appear within 2–4 weeksTrusted Source of exposure and may last for several days or weeks. Doctors refer to this as seroconversion illness.

Seroconversion is the stage when a person’s body is producing antibodies against HIV, which means that their immune system is fighting the infection.

Many people do not experience any symptoms at this stage, making it easy to have HIV without knowing it. In fact, an estimated 1 in 7 people do not know that they have HIV, which makes testingTrusted Source very important.

If symptoms do occur, the person may feel as though they have the flu. Symptoms of acute HIV infection can include:

fever and chills
a skin rash
sore throat
swollen glands
joint or muscle pain
night sweats
fatigue
mouth ulcers

After the seroconversion period, the person may not experience any symptoms for a decade or longer. This stage is known as chronic HIV infection.

Although people tend to feel well during this stage, the infection is still active. The virus continues to reproduce, attack new cells, and damage the immune system. It is also possible that the virus will spread to others.