Stages of HIV Infection

HIV infection leads to develop AIDS. This process takes many years. The process can be divided into four stages primary, asymptomatic, symptomatic, and AIDS. These stages of HIV infection lead to develop AIDS. It is essential to know that in what stage a person is in as it helps the physicians to design treatment plans. The World Health Organization decided criteria in order to diagnose an individual as being in a specific stage of HIV. These criteria can be used worldwide. It depends on symptoms instead of viral load test as many developing courtiers do not have the facilities to carry out these complicated tests.

Let us see the Stages of HIV infection that are given below

Primary HIV Infection -

Primary infection is the first stage of HIV infection. Primary infection commences soon after a person gets infected with HIV. This stage continues for few weeks. During this stage an individual experiences the symptoms that are similar to flu i.e. flu like illness. Many people do not take treatment in this period as the symptoms resemblance to other diseases like fever. Those who go through treatment always misdiagnose it with a viral infection. If the HIV test is performed in this period, the result comes as negative. The reason behind it is that the antibodies are not produced by the immune system of an individual. However those who think that they might be infected with HIV should repeat the tests after six months.

Asymptomatic HIV -

The second stage of HIV infection is Asymptomatic HIV. In this stage an individual is free from the symptoms of HIV. HIV levels in the blood are very low but are detectable. If the HIV test is performed in this stage the results will come back as positive. Though there are no symptoms of HIV which can be seen but HIV continuously reproduces in the blood. The duration of this period is till ten years from the infection. It can be shorter or longer depending on a person.

Symptomatic HIV -

The third stage is Symptomatic HIV. In this stage the immune system is destroyed by HIV and as a result of this the symptoms of HIV start to appear. These symptoms are mild at the beginning but later on become severe. Opportunistic infection can be seen during this period or stage. These infections take advantage of weakened immune system and create health problems. They affect the overall system of the body and contain both infections and cancers. There are some common opportunistic infections like cytomegalovirus, tuberculosis and shingles that attack on the immune system.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome -

This one is a last stage where a person has been diagnosed with AIDS. For being diagnosed with AIDS, an individual has to show certain opportunistic infections like pneumocystis pneumonia, or Kaposi sarcoma and HIV wasting syndrome. Once a person is diagnosed with AIDS he/she can not return to a stage of HIV infection, even though he/she gets better.

There are four stages of HIV infection that lead to develop AIDS. These stages take certain time to develop.