DAILLY,WEEKLY-ARTICLE: How Do You Get HIV or AIDS?

How Do You Get HIV or AIDS?

How Do You Get HIV or AIDS?

Signs & Symptoms

Many people who are HIV+ do not have symptoms. Often people only begin to feel sick when they progress toward AIDS

As early as 2-4 weeks after exposure to HIV People can experience ARS, often described as 'The Worst Flu Ever.'

After the Initial infection the virus becomes less active in the body. This period can last up to 10+ years

HIV-Positive without Symptoms

Many people who are HIV-positive do not have symptoms of HIV infection. Often people only begin to feel sick when they progress toward AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). Sometimes people living with HIV go through periods of being sick and then feel fine.

While the virus itself can sometimes cause people to feel sick, most of the severe symptoms and illnesses of HIV disease come from the opportunistic infections that attack a damaged immune system. It is important to remember that some symptoms of HIV infection are similar to symptoms of many other common illnesses, such as the flu, or respiratory or gastrointestinal infections.

Early Stages of HIV: Signs and Symptoms

As early as 2-4 weeks after exposure to HIV (but up to 3 months later), people can experience an acute illness, often described as “the worst flu ever.” This is called acute retroviral syndrome (ARS), or primary HIV infection, and it’s the body’s natural response to HIV infection. During primary HIV infection, there are higher levels of virus circulating in the blood, which means that people can more easily transmit the virus to others.

Symptoms can include:

Fever
Chills
Rash
Night sweats
Muscle aches
Sore throat
Fatigue
Swollen lymph nodes
Ulcers in the mouth

It is important to remember, however, that not everyone gets ARS when they become infected with HIV. For more information, see NIH’s Acute HIV Infection.

Chronic Phase or Latency: Signs and Symptoms

After the initial infection and seroconversion, the virus becomes less active in the body, although it is still present. During this period, many people do not have any symptoms of HIV infection. This period is called the “chronic” or “latency” phase. This period can last up to 10 years—sometimes longer.

AIDS: Signs and Symptoms

When HIV infection progresses to AIDS, many people begin to suffer from fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, night sweats, and even wasting syndrome at late stages. Many of the signs and symptoms of AIDS come from opportunistic infections which occur in patients with a damaged immune system. For more information, see NIH’s AIDS.

HIV/AIDS 101

What Is HIV/AIDS? How Do You Get HIV or AIDS? Signs & Symptoms U.S. Statistics Global Statistics A Timeline of AIDS

HIV can be transmitted through: Sexual Contact, pregnancy, childbirth, and breast feeding.

HIV can be transmitted through: Injection, drug use, occupational exposure

HIV can be transmitted through: Blood Transfusion/Organ Transplant

How Do You Get HIV?

HIV is found in specific human body fluids. If any of those fluids enter your body, you can become infected with HIV.

Which Body Fluids Contain HIV?

HIV lives and reproduces in blood and other body fluids. We know that the following fluids can contain high levels of HIV:

Blood
Semen (cum)
Pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum)
Breast milk
Vaginal fluids
Rectal (anal) mucous

Other body fluids and waste products—like feces, nasal fluid, saliva, sweat, tears, urine, or vomit—don’t contain enough HIV to infect you, unless they have blood mixed in them and you have significant and direct contact with them.

For more information, see CDC’s HIV Transmission: Which Body Fluids Transmit HIV?

Healthcare workers may be exposed to some other body fluids with high concentrations of HIV, including: