Acute HIV Infection: Signs and Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

How to Recognize Symptoms of Acute HIV Infection and Understand Them

Acute HIV infection is very soon after a person has become infected with the virus. This is a phase of high levels of viral replication. Unlike most viruses, the human body cannot clear the virus from the body. In fact, the virus stays in the body and slowly degrades the body's immune system, making an individual highly prone to develop certain infections which may debilitate his or her body.

An important understanding is that the acute infection of HIV is contagious in nature and may be transmitted to another individual. This may happen even if the infected individual does not show symptoms. Typically, the infection at this stage is diagnosed to be a different disease due to the development of flu-like symptoms because at this stage, the antibodies of the body are too weak to fight back effectively against the virus.

Symptoms of Acute HIV Infection

Some individuals with acute HIV infection have few or no symptoms at all. In others, the symptoms may be similar to those of the flu or other viral infections and they may incorrectly assume they don't have HIV.

The CDC reports that more than 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and approximately 15% of them are unaware of their infection. The possible symptoms of acute HIV infection may include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Skin rash
• Chills
• Sweating at night
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Inflammation of lymph nodes
• Muscle aches
• Sores in the mouth, vagina, or on the esophagus

Factors Contributing to Acute HIV Infection

There are a number of activities that can lead to acute HIV infection. Following are the risk factors:

• Sharing needles or sharp tools with an HIV-positive person or people of unknown HIV status.
• Sucking from an HIV-positive mother.
• Having unprotected sex with an HIV-positive person.
• Infected blood through blood transfusion—this hardly happens now due to the progress taking place in medical sciences.

To dispel some of the myths surrounding how HIV is contracted, it needs to be established that HIV cannot be contracted through the following: casual physical contact, kissing, holding hands, sharing utensils while eating, or hugging.

No particular group has proprietary rights over acute HIV infection. The virus has no distinction between races, age groups, skin colors, or religious affiliations. All are vulnerable when exposed to the virus. However, the highest risk comes from men who engage in unprotected sex with other men and those sharing needles.

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Prevention Measures for Acute HIV Infection

There are several prevention measures that can be put in place to prevent acute HIV infection:

• Not sharing needles and other sharp objects used for administering medication and tattooing.
• In case you are a health worker, always wear latex gloves while handling blood.
• Take PrEP and PEP.
• Get yourself tested regularly for STDs and HIV to start the treatment process as early as possible.

Treatment for Acute HIV Infection

Though a final cure of HIV is yet to be discovered, antiretroviral drugs are given to manage the infection and keep the body healthy. These drugs minimize the associated side effects of HIV infection in the patient's body and allow the patients to live a healthy and normal life.

Physicians may also recommend certain lifestyle modifications for managing acute HIV infection. These include the following:

• Healthy nutritional diet to improve immunity
• Sharing of syringes and sharp instruments must be avoided
• Safe sex with a single partner
• Regular STD testing and treatment
• Exercise regularly and keep up with hobbies
• Avoid or decrease use of hard drugs and alcohol

Many of the fears about HIV are gone since knowledge about the disease and its treatment has improved. People can lead healthy lives so long as the disease is well controlled with antiretroviral drugs. Seek immediate medical attention if you have any of the acute HIV infection symptoms to diagnose.