Expert: Kristen Brannock, MPH - 2/15/2004

Question
     Hello,

  I have few more questions about symptoms.

  First, I would like to know is it sure that symptoms which
may be warning signs for HIV will occur before symptoms which indicate
AIDS stadium of disease (which occur from 7 to 10 or more years after
infection)?

  Also, I would like to know after what time this symptoms can show?
Is there any specific minimum time, or it is indivudal?

  Thank you very much.    

Answer
Some people develop symptoms in response to being infected with HIV which include swollen glands, fatigue, fever, body aches, loss of appetite etc. This only lasts a short while and not all people will develop this. Some people do not develop any symptoms until they have progressed to an AIDS diagnosis and are experiencing symptoms associated with an opportunistic infection. The time it takes for a body to get opportunistic infections differs from person to person. It depends on how their body reacts to HIV, how healthy they were prior to infection etc.