Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Let's Talk Sex
August 30, 2011

What are the symptoms of HIV?

CLINICAL FEATURES: By clinical features, I mean how does an individual know that he or she has contracted the HIV virus after exposure? Obviously, most people are not aware that they have been exposed to the virus when they become infected.{{more}} Most believe that their sexual partners are not infected, or are low risk for the infection. The problem with the HIV virus is that it is a virus and, as such, produces nonspecific viral symptoms. As many as 10 -20% of patients will have no symptoms; by this we mean that they will not even have an idea that they have caught the virus, based on how they feel. The other 80-90% will have classic or common features. Classic features are the feeling or features that were documented long ago, when the virus was first discovered. Not all persons have the classic features, as different persons will experience different things. Common features are the feelings that most people experience.

Common feelings occur about 2-4 weeks after exposure, when the virus has already lodged itself into the immune cells (CD4+ T-helper cells and macrophages). The virus then begins to produce more viral particles and to make itself known (before which it is ‘hiding’ in these cells). The brother to these immune cells, the killer CD8+ cells then destroy these infected immune cells, releasing massive amounts of these viral particles in the blood stream, causing a “viremia”. Patients with a viremia experience the common viral “flu like” illness, like joint and muscle aches and pains, headaches, fever, disorientation, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, skin rash and swollen glans. These are the common symptoms that, unfortunately, are all too common and can be diagnosed as the common flu and hence missed. This is the reason why doctors should enquire of the sexual history of their patients! Unfortunately, too many people, especially men, think that their sexual history is “their business”. Besides, these “feelings” do not occur until 2-3 weeks after the exposure.

The classic feelings are like the common ones, except that they also include swollen liver and spleen, weight loss and a fungal sore throat (thrush). Most persons who experience these other classic symptoms will not know, because all they will have is just some “belly pain” or a bad sore throat. The weight loss is more common during the chronic or late (AIDS) stage of the disease. The above feelings occur during the acute or early stage of the infection, just after the person has caught the virus. The other symptoms that the person has depend on whether he is diagnosed at this stage or not. If he is not diagnosed (the common scenario), then he or she progresses to chronic features. The difference between these acute viral symptoms and the HIV viremia is duration. A “flu” normally lasts 5-7 days not 2-6 weeks. So, the duration should alert the doctor that something else is taking place.

Chronic or long-term features of HIV infection include mainly persistently swollen glands and weight loss. This is the stage at which most patients present, as they usually have “weight loss”. If the patient is given treatment at this stage, they can get better; if not, they may progress over weeks to months to the AIDS complex. Patients who get diagnosed early and are treated then do much better in terms of survival and complications, compared to patients who are diagnosed and treated during the chronic or AIDS stage. The acute symptoms can last for up to 6 weeks, but may resolve in as early as 2 weeks, while the chronic symptoms or feelings may last from months to years before progressing to AIDS. Next week, we will discuss the symptoms of AIDS.

For comments or question contact:

Dr. Rohan Deshong

Tel: (784) 456-2785

email: deshong@vincysurf.com

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Villa woman in  hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Front Page
    Villa woman in hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Police are said to be carrying out investigations into the stabbing of Rafia Sardine, a 20-year-old female of Villa. Reports are that Sardine, a FLOW ...
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Front Page
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    In St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), an analysis has found that the most hacked government entity was the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Polic...
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Front Page
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Leaders of Governments and institutions from countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the continent of Africa, gathered at the weekend for ...
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Front Page
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is proud of the persons in his constituency who continue to aim for higher education. Dr Gonsalves is the parliame...
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Front Page
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A van conductor, who beat his five- months pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to get back with him, has been remanded pending sentencing. Onez J...
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    From the Courts, News
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A Lowman’s Hill man who struck another villager in his head with a piece of steel will know his fate tomorrow, September 10, 2025. Kevin Roberts, 25, ...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok