A few days to a few weeks after infection with a sufficient number of HI viruses (=incubation period), there is an explosive proliferation of HIV, especially in cells of the mucous membranes, but also in the blood. The risk of transmitting the virus itself is particularly high due to the high viral load (number of HI viruses in the blood), which reaches its peak during this phase. Do you have an HIV infection?
Test this quite simply – also possible at home – with the HIV quick test. The number of important immune cells, T-cells, decreases sharply. Due to this rapid deterioration of the immune system, in many, though not all cases, a clinical picture similar to that of other viral diseases, such as glandular fever.
Fever, aching limbs, swelling of the lymph nodes and other relatively unspecific symptoms can occur. For this reason, an inquiry about possible risks for HIV should not be omitted, even if a banal infection seems obvious at first. Following this acute infection, the body creates an immune response that suppresses HIV but is unable to remove it.
Antibodies against the virus are formed. This phase, in which no symptoms appear, can last for several years. During this period, the number of T cells decreases slowly but continuously.
If it has fallen below the critical limit of 200 cells per mycroliter, the typical symptoms appear, which are caused by a too weak immune system. From this point on, one speaks of AIDS. Nevertheless, the first signs of AIDS can already appear at higher cell counts.
Classification of the symptoms of HIV infection
There are certain typical infections that do not usually occur in people with an intact immune system, but are conspicuously common in HIV and AIDS patients. Due to the absence of important T cells, the immune system is no longer sufficiently able to take targeted action against pathogens, which are easily and quickly eliminated in healthy individuals. These include, for example, yeast infections in the mouth and throat area or certain pneumonia pathogens.
The type of pathogen is just as specific and meaningful in terms of the progress of the disease as the number of diminishing T cells. For this reason, a system of classification of AIDS disease has become established that takes both into account. The so-called laboratory category, i.e. the T-cell count, is divided into three levels.
In addition, certain pathogens enter the so-called clinical category. Category A means that no HIV-specific symptoms are observed. Category C includes pathogens that define AIDS, as they only occur in patients with a severely weakened immune system.
This includes many fungal and worm diseases. But certain types of cancer are also common. Category B, on the other hand, stands for diseases that can provide a first indication of an incipient AIDS disease, but which are not defining, i.e. are not proving.
This includes shingles, for example. In order to be able to assess the course and prognosis of an HIV patient, a combination of laboratory and clinical category is therefore necessary.
- Level 1: >500/μl (microlitres)
- Level 2: 200-500/μl
- Level 3: <200/μl
