HIV End-Stage Symptoms

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS. After acute HIV infection and a long latency phase, HIV disease enters its two final stages: symptomatic infection and AIDS. These are marked by specific symptoms that indicate that the immune system is becoming progressively weakened.

Symptomatic HIV Infection

• The third stage of HIV disease is symptomatic infection. Symptoms include persistent swollen lymph nodes, diarrhea, night sweats, fever, fatigue, skin conditions and respiratory problems.

Opportunistic Infection

• Opportunistic infections develop after the immune response has been depleted by HIV. These include thrush, pneumocystis pneumonia, toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus, among others.

Nervous System Conditions

• Another form of AIDS-defining illness is neurological conditions. The most common of these is AIDS Dementia Complex, which affects cognition, memory and motor skills.

Cancers

• A third form of AIDS-defining illness includes cancers. The most common are Kaposi's sarcoma, lymphomas and cervical cancer.

Wasting Syndrome

• The fourth type of AIDS-defining illness is wasting syndrome, wherein 10 percent of body is lost; this usually is accompanied by diarrhea, weakness and fever.