Infectious diseases specialists diagnose and treat infections from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, focusing on fevers, antibiotics, and vaccines.
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HIV can show up in many different ways, often in stages that match how the virus affects the immune system over time. The virus can be present for years without obvious symptoms, slowly causing damage. How HIV spreads is also complex, depending on certain body fluids and risky behaviors. At Liv Hospital, doctors pay attention to both the early signs that are easy to miss and the subtle symptoms that show up later as the immune system weakens.
The initial phase of infection, known as acute retroviral syndrome or seroconversion illness, typically occurs two to four weeks after exposure. During this period, the virus replicates exponentially, leading to a massive spike in viral load and a temporary drop in CD4 cells. The body mounts an aggressive immune response, resulting in flu-like symptoms. However, these symptoms are often nonspecific and can easily be mistaken for common viral illnesses such as influenza or mononucleosis.
This early phase is when a person is most likely to spread HIV because there is a lot of virus in their body fluids. However, it often goes undiagnosed because the symptoms go away on their own after a few weeks as the immune system starts to recover.
After the early phase, HIV enters a stage called clinical latency. This stage can last ten years or more without treatment. During this time, the virus keeps reproducing at low levels, and the person may not have any symptoms.
If left untreated, the immune system eventually deteriorates to a point where it can no longer control common pathogens. This leads to the development of symptomatic HIV infection and eventually AIDS.
Knowing how HIV spreads is important for prevention and understanding risk. HIV can only be passed on through certain body fluids: blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk. For infection to happen, these fluids must touch a mucous membrane (like in the rectum, vagina, mouth, or tip of the penis), damaged skin, or enter the bloodstream directly.
The risk of passing on HIV is not always the same. It depends on different biological factors.
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The earliest signs usually appear 2 to 4 weeks after exposure and resemble a severe case of the flu. Symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, and a rash. These symptoms are part of the body’s initial immune response, known as seroconversion. Still, they typically resolve on their own, leading to a period where the person feels healthy despite being infected.
No, HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva, sweat, tears, or urine. The virus does not survive well in these fluids and is not present in high enough quantities to cause infection. Transmission requires contact with specific fluids, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, or breast milk, which must enter the body through mucous membranes or the bloodstream.
Yes, having another STI significantly increases the risk of acquiring HIV. STIs like syphilis, herpes, or gonorrhea can cause sores, breaks in the skin, or inflammation in the genital area. These breaches in the body’s natural barriers make it much easier for HIV to enter the bloodstream during sexual contact.
Viral load refers to the amount of HIV present in the blood. A high viral load means there is a lot of virus, making the person highly infectious. Conversely, if a person takes HIV medication daily and achieves an “undetectable” viral load, the amount of virus is so low that it cannot be transmitted to sexual partners. This concept is known as Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).
A person can live with chronic HIV infection for 10 to 15 years or even longer without showing any symptoms. This phase is called clinical latency. During this time, the virus remains active and continues to damage the immune system, and it can still be transmitted to others. This highlights the importance of regular testing, as feeling healthy does not guarantee the absence of infection.
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