Acute HIV Infection

Acute HIV infection is also known as HIV seroconversion, acute retroviral syndrome or primary HIV infection. It is caused by HIV that is described as Human Deficiency Virus. Acute HIV infection is the first stage of HIV infection. This stage begins soon after the HIV infection. In this stage, an individual experiences flu-like symptoms such as headache, weight loss etc. Most often, this stage is misdiagnosed with other viral infections. It occurs after 2-4 weeks of HIV infection. The other stages of HIV infections are asymptomatic, symptomatic, and AIDS. The period between HIV infections to the development of AIDS is described as the HIV infection stages. Primary stage of HIV infection shows early symptoms of HIV. If an individual goes through the HIV test, the result appears to be negative in spite of being infected with HIV. This stage is highly infectious and a person can transmits the virus to others if he/she does not know that he/she is infected. HIV virus exists in high quantity in the genital fluids. It is advisable to go through the testing after six months of HIV infections. The reason behind it is that in the initial stage, HIV takes some time to appear in the blood as well as the body, also takes some time for producing the antibodies. Antibodies are the response of the body to HIV.

HIV can be transmitted by the following ways

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Primary HIV infection occurs two to four weeks after the HIV infection. HIV spreads by the several ways, some of them are given below

• Sexual contact
• Contaminated blood transfusions and blood products
• Injection drug use with contaminated needles and syringes
• From a infected mother to her child
• Breastfeeding

HIV blood tests detect the existence of the virus. However, in the primary stage it is not possible for blood tests to identify the virus. The reason behind this is that the antibodies (response to HIV) are not created by the immune system. It takes some time to appear in the blood. Therefore, ELISA test is confirmed by a Western blot test. Western blot test is a confirmatory test that helps to detect the virus in the blood. If a person is in the window period, then some other tests have to be done for the confirmation of HIV.

After the first stage of HIV infection, there may not be any further evidence of sickness or illness for the next ten years. This stage is described as asymptomatic HIV infection. The process of developing AIDS takes certain time.

Symptoms that occur in primary HIV infection

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle stiffness or aching
• Rash
• Swollen lymph glands
• Ulcers of the mouth and esophagus
• Decreased appetite
• Fatigue
• Malaise
• Sore throat

Exams and Tests

An ELISA test appears as a negative in the acute infection and will be positive over the next three months. The other test like HIV RNA that is a viral load test appears to be positive in an individual during the acute infection. Lower count of the CD4 cells indicates that the virus has started to damage the immune system. However, the CD4 cells' count normally improves one to two months after HIV infection or acute infection.

TreatmentIt is essential that those who are infected with HIV should be educated about the disease and the treatment. There are some healthy practices given below that should be followed by a person in the acute or primary stage of HIV infection.

• Avoid contact with people with infectious illnesses
• Try to maintain positive social contacts, interests and hobbies as well as pets
• Avoid situations that would lead you to depression
• Do enough exercise
• Eat a nutritious diet that will provide you enough calories
• Follow safer sex policies so further consequences can be avoided i.e. use of condom etc

Keep in mind that HIV is highly infectious in the first month of the infection.

Primary or acute HIV is the first stage of HIV infection. So it is advisable that a person should be enough careful about it.