weeks after infection, most people experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, skin rash, tender lymph nodes and a vague feeling of discomfort which last about 1 to 2 weeks. During this phase, the acute retroviral syndrome phase, HIV reproduces very high concentrations into the blood, mutates frequently, circulates through the blood and establishes infections throughout the body, especially in the lymphoid organs. Following this phase, the person enters a asymptomatic phase (symptom free) with can last ten or more years. However, the virus is replicating and causing destruction of the immune system. Eventually, the immune system weakens and enters early symptomatic phase, which can last from a few months to several more years. The CD4 T-cells are now rapidly falling and infections may occur.After a persons CD4 T-cells fall under 200 per cub mm of blood, AIDS is defined. Excessive weight loss and debilitating fatigue occurs and the immune system is in a severe state of failure. Eventually, advanced AIDS sets in and the CD4 T-cell number falls below 50 per cubic mm of blood. Death due to severe life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers occurs within one to two years. ILLNESSESThe most common infections is Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) caused by a fungus. A bacterial pneumonia, such as, tuberculosis, and Mycobacterium avium causes fever, weight loss, anemia and diarrhea. Gastrointestinal tract infedtions commonly cause diarrhea, weight loss, anorexia, and fever. A disease caused by protozoal parasites, especially toxoplasmosis of the nervous system, are common. Thrush of the mouth by the fungus Candida albicans; Crytococcus which is a major cause of meningitis with 13% of people with AIDS get; Histoplasma capsulatum with 10% of people with AIDS causing weight loss, fever and respiratory complications or severe central nervous system complications if the infection reaches the brain. Viral infec...
