The first symptoms of HIV usually appear a couple of weeks to a month after you’ve been infected, and they often resemble a bad flu. In many cases, the first signs and symptoms of HIV are:
· Fever
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· Headache
· Fatigue
swollen lymph nodes
· Acne
Pain in the joints or muscles
· Throat pain
These early symptoms of HIV are called «acute retroviral syndrome» or «primary HIV infection» and are the body’s natural response. If symptoms do occur, they usually go away within a week to a month and are often mistaken for another viral infection. During this period, the level of contagion is very high. The most persistent or severe symptoms of HIV infection may not manifest for several years after the initial infection.
Symptoms that indicate early HIV infection are extremely common. In general, they cannot be distinguished from the symptoms of another viral infection. If you’re concerned that you may have been exposed to HIV, talk to your doctor about screening options.
By Dr. Pritish K. Toshan infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.