Understanding HIV Stages: Symptoms & What to Expect

Stage 1: Acute HIV infection

* Fever

* Chills

* Night sweats

* Muscle aches

* Joint pain

* Fatigue

* Headache

* Sore throat

* Swollen lymph nodes

* Rash

Stage 2: Chronic HIV infection

* Asymptomatic (no symptoms)

* Mild symptoms, such as:

* Fatigue

* Weight loss

* Diarrhea

* Night sweats

* Oral thrush

* Cold sores

* Genital herpes

* Skin rashes

Stage 3: AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)

* Severe symptoms, such as:

* Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP)

* Kaposi's sarcoma

* Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

* Cryptococcal meningitis

* Toxoplasmosis

* Wasting syndrome (severe weight loss)

* Dementia

Other symptoms that may occur at any stage of HIV infection

* Opportunistic infections (infections that take advantage of a weakened immune system)

* Cancers

* Neurological problems

* Cardiovascular disease

* Kidney disease

* Liver disease

* Anemia

* Diabetes