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Symptoms
In
its early stages, HIV infection either has no
symptoms or causes only a flu-like illness with
the following symptoms: fever, nausea and vomiting,
diarrhea, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, muscle
aches, headaches and joint pain. Although 80 percent
to 90 percent of people experience symptoms within
the first few weeks of contracting HIV infection,
most patients and physicians dismiss the illness
as a routine cold or flu. In a small number of
cases, this early stage of infection may progress
to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or
meningitis (inflammation of membranes covering
the brain).
Next, as CD4 levels drop below normal (normal
is 800 to 1,200 cells), the patient may begin
to have night sweats, fever, weight loss, diarrhea,
weakness, swollen lymph nodes or easy bruising.
However, most patients have absolutely no symptoms
for up to 8 to 10 years until the immune system
sufficiently weakens.
Finally, as CD4 cell levels continue to drop,
the patient develops AIDS. In an HIV-infected
person, some signs that AIDS has developed are:
> The CD4 count
has decreased to 200 cells or below. An opportunistic
infection has developed, such as pneumonia, diarrhea
or meningitis. Some of the germs that can cause
these opportunistic infections include Candida
fungus, coccidioidomycosis, cryptococcosis, cytomegalovirus,
herpes simplex virus, histoplasmosis, tuberculosis,
Pneumocystis carinii and others.
>
A tumor has developed, including cervical cancer,
Kaposi's sarcoma (an aggressive cancer that is
most common in men who practice homosexual sex),
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (certain types) or brain
lymphoma.
>
An AIDS-related brain illness has developed, including
HIV encephalopathy ("AIDS dementia") or progressive
multifocal leukoencephalopathy caused by to the
JC virus.
>There
is severe body wasting (HIV wasting syndrome).
>
There is an AIDS-related lung illness, such as
pulmonary lymphoid hyperplasia or lymphoid interstitial
pneumonia (usually seen only in children).
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