HIV may not cause symptoms for many years. The first ones often feel like the flu. The virus is quickly reproducing during this time. The body’s immune system is mounting a defense. During this phase, a person can still pass HIV to others.

The first symptoms that appear are:

• Fever, night sweats
• Excess tiredness
• Swollen glands in armpits, neck, or groin
• Headache
• Dry cough
• Rash
• Sore throat
• Joint pain

After these go away, a person may not notice anything for months or many years. Despite this, the virus is growing and damaging the immune system. During this time, a person can pass HIV to others.

Over the next 1 to 3 years, symptoms may include:

• Swollen glands all over the body
• Tiredness
• Fungal infections of:
  • The mouth, fingernails, toes
  • The vagina (yeast infections)
• Warts
• Other health problems that get worse such as eczema, psoriasis, or genital herpes
• Shingles
• Fever, night sweats
• Weight loss
• Long lasting diarrhea
• Memory loss

Untreated HIV progresses to AIDS. The immune system is weak. This can lead to opportunistic infections. These infections happen in people who have a weak immune system. People with AIDS get them because their body cannot fight them off.

Common opportunistic infections are:

• Thrush—an overgrowth of yeast in the mouth
• Pneumocystis pneumonia
• Invasive fungal infections
• Toxoplasmosis infection
• Tuberculosis
• Certain cancers, such as:
  • Kaposi sarcoma
  • Lymphoma
  • Cervical cancer
• Uncommon intestinal infections
• Severe skin rashes

A weak immune system from AIDs can also lead to:

• Mental health problems such as depression and dementia
• Extreme weight loss and muscle wasting
• Problems that damage the kidneys or heart