The Stages Of HIV/AIDs And What Happens To The Body At Each Stage

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HIV is one of the most dreaded viruses people suffer from in this world. It is dreaded majorly because there is yet to be a discovered cure for the virus and as such, anybody who tests positive for HIV can’t be cured completely though there has been a notable advances in terms of managing the disease.

But in all, it is a lifelong disease and as such, when a person contracts the disease, such a person will forever have to deal with managing the virus to be able to live a normal life like every one else. In this article, we are going to have a look at the stages of the virus and what happens to the body in each stage. Just sit tight and enjoy this article while learning something new.

What Are The Stages Of HIV/AIDs?

The Acute Stage; this is the initial stages after a person contracts the virus either through intimacy, blood transfusion or whichever way. In this stage, the virus attacks the CD4 cells and immediately starts replicating the copies of the virus in the body. At this stage, a person may or may not have symptoms and even if he or she does, its often flu symptoms. The flu symptoms you will notice at this stage are;

i. Fever

Ii. Swollen lymph nodes

III. Sore throat

Iv. Muscle Pain

v. Rash

These are some of the symptoms a person may notice some weeks after contracting the virus especially in the acute stage. Before the CD4 kicks in again and literally sends the virus into a form of remission but the remission doesn’t last too long.

The Chronic Stage; at this stage of the virus, it has been kicked into remission. In this situation, a person may not experience symptoms anymore but can still transmit the virus to others and it remains detectable in the blood. This is the most deceptive stage as a person can stay for years without knowing he or she is positive for HIV until the virus progresses into the last stage which is referred to as AIDs.

At this stage, the immune system has been completely destroyed. The body will no longer be able to fight off infections as it used to, instead such a person would start dealing with many opportunistic infections that even treatment and medications won’t kick out of the body. It is the fear of this stage, that professionals often advise young people to go for HIV test to know their status because if it gets to AIDs anti-retroviral drugs may not be able to maintain it again.