What are the symptoms of HIV & AIDS?

Like many STDs, AIDS symptoms in women are quite similar to the symptoms of AIDS in all genders.

AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). People with HIV may have symptoms in the very beginning of their infection, like swollen glands, fever, headaches, and muscle soreness.

You may not have any symptoms at all for up to 10 years. At that point, HIV begins to make it hard for your body to fight off infections, so you can get infections that normally wouldn’t affect you.

When your immune system reaches a certain point of weakness, that’s when HIV becomes AIDs.

The symptoms of AIDS in women include:

• thrush — a thick, whitish coating of your tongue or mouth that’s caused by a yeast infection and sometimes accompanied by a sore throat

• severe or frequent vaginal yeast infections

• chronic pelvic inflammatory disease 

• severe and frequent infections

• extreme and unexplained tiredness that may be combined with headaches, lightheadedness, and/or dizziness

• quick loss of more than 10 pounds of weight that’s not from increased exercise or dieting

• bruising more easily than normal

• long periods of frequent diarrhea

• frequent fevers and/or night sweats

• swelling or hardening of glands located in your throat, armpit, or groin

• persistent, deep, dry coughing

• shortness of breath

• discolored or purplish growths on the skin or inside the mouth

• unexplained bleeding from growths on your skin, from your mouth, nose, anus, or vagina, or from any opening in the body

• frequent or unusual skin rashes

• severe numbness or pain in your hands or feet, the loss of muscle control and reflex, paralysis, or loss of muscular strength

• confusion, personality change, or decreased mental abilities

If you’ve had unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex, STD testing — including HIV testing — is essential. Early and consistent treatment of HIV can boost your immune system and help you stay healthy.

Like many STDs, AIDS symptoms in men are quite similar to the symptoms of AIDS in all genders.

AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). People with HIV may have symptoms in the very beginning of their infection, like swollen glands, fever, headaches, or muscle soreness.

You may not have any symptoms at all for up to 10 years. At that point, HIV begins to make it hard for your body to fight off infections, so you can get infections that normally wouldn’t affect you.

When your immune system reaches a certain point of weakness, that’s when HIV becomes AIDS.

The symptoms of AIDS in men include:

• thrush — a thick, whitish coating of the tongue or mouth that’s caused by a yeast infection and sometimes accompanied by a sore throat

• severe and frequent infections

• extreme and unexplained tiredness that may be combined with headaches, lightheadedness, and/or dizziness

• quick loss of more than 10 pounds of weight that’s not from increased exercise or dieting

• bruising more easily than normal

• long periods of frequent diarrhea

• frequent fevers and/or night sweats

• swelling or hardening of glands located in your throat, armpit, or groin

• persistent, deep, dry coughing

• shortness of breath

• discolored or purplish growths on your skin or inside your mouth

• unexplained bleeding from growths on your skin, from your mouth, nose, anus, or from any opening in your body

• frequent or unusual skin rashes

• severe numbness or pain in your hands or feet, loss of muscle control and reflex, paralysis, or loss of muscular strength

• confusion, personality change, or decreased mental abilities

If you’ve had unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex, STD testing — including HIV testing — is essential. Early and consistent treatment of HIV can boost your immune system and help you stay healthy.

HIV can be passed to your baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding if you have HIV. This is called perinatal transmission. Babies with HIV should be treated as soon as possible.  

Just like with adults, symptoms can be very different for every child, and they may not have noticeable symptoms at all for months or even longer. If there are symptoms, they may include:

• Swollen lymph nodes for more than 3 months

• Having 3 or more serious bacterial infections (like pneumonia or meningitis) within a year

• Fevers and sweats

• Lack of energy

• Weight loss

• Repeated yeast infections (oral or vaginal)

• Skin rashes or flaky skin

• Swollen belly (due to swelling of the liver and spleen)

• Diarrhea that may come and go

• Oral thrush (a fungal infection that causes white patches on the cheeks and tongue)

The risk of giving HIV to your baby during pregnancy or childbirth is 1% or less if you take your HIV medicine daily during your pregnancy, labor, and delivery and give your newborn HIV medicine for the first 4-6 weeks of life. Learn more about HIV.