How long does it take for early symptoms of AIDS to appear?
Disease description:
Recently, I have been feeling that I might have contracted HIV/AIDS. I would like to ask the doctor, how long does it take for the initial symptoms of AIDS to appear?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Early symptoms of AIDS typically appear within 2 to 4 weeks after infection with the HIV virus; this stage is known as the acute HIV infection phase or seroconversion phase.
However, the exact timing may vary between individuals. Some patients may develop symptoms around two weeks after infection, while others may not experience symptoms until four weeks or longer. These initial symptoms are usually nonspecific and resemble those of the flu, including fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and rash. These symptoms may last for several days to weeks, after which they may temporarily subside, entering an asymptomatic infection phase. However, these symptoms alone cannot be used to diagnose AIDS. If you suspect you may have been infected with HIV, it is recommended to undergo HIV testing as soon as possible.
Furthermore, not all infected individuals will experience obvious early symptoms; some may have mild symptoms or remain completely asymptomatic. Therefore, individuals with a history of high-risk behavior should undergo HIV antibody testing for diagnosis, even in the absence of apparent symptoms.
