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Stages of Infection
This infection can be categorized into 4 stages ranging from transmission to advanced stage in an untreated person. The progress of the HIV virus varies from person to person, so each individual will exhibit the stages at different times. In an infected individual who is not undergoing treatment, the average timeframe from infection to death is estimated to be 10 to 11 years. The four main stages from transmission to full-fledged disease in an untreated person are:
- Stage 1: Primary HIV Infection
- Stage 2: Asymptomatic chronic infection
- Stage 3: Symptomatic HIV infection
- Stage 4: Advanced HIV Infection
The initial stage, Primary HIV Infection, brings about the steady, gradual decline of a person's CD4 cell count. This stage has characteristic flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, and swollen glands. Many infected individuals are not diagnosed during this stage because of its flu-like characteristics. The HIV antibodies are produced during this stage because of the immune system's response to the HIV virus. Seroconversion is the technical term for the formation of these antibodies. Seroconversion typically occurs around 20 to 90 days following infection, although there have been cases (a very few) where seroconversion had been delayed for 6 months. An HIV diagnosis involves the detection of these antibodies in a blood sample. Because of the time lapse between infection and seroconversion, a test may bear negative results if performed too soon after the suspected transmission time. Details on testing can be found here.
The next stage, Asymptomatic Chronic Infection, typically lasts several years. People do not look or feel sick during this stage. Despite an outward appearance of good health, the virus continues to ravage the immune system. The infection becomes harder to treat as time passes. If treatment is begun during this stage, the stage can be prolonged, helping people to live longer, healthier lives.
The following stages are called Symptomatic Infection and Advanced Stage. During these stages, the body's immune system has been plundered to such an extent that the body is too weak to fight infections that would not normally cause any issues. The infected person becomes very sick and other health problems arise. In the Advanced stage, the body gives up its fight to opportunistic infections, tumors, wasting, and neurological complications. Opportunistic infections are very common in the advanced stage, as the immune system is weakened and cannot fight them.
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