What are the most obvious symptoms of AIDS?

Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
Updated on June 06, 2025
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People with HIV exhibit different symptoms at different stages of the infection. During the acute phase of AIDS, the most evident symptoms may include rashes, generalized swelling of lymph nodes, sore throat, fever, etc. There are no obvious symptoms during the latent phase, which may only manifest as some swollen lymph nodes. In the late stage of the disease, patients are prone to recurrent fevers, weight loss, cough, and oral leukoplakia among other signs. It is important to handle these based on the actual situation and start treatment for HIV as soon as possible.

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Dermatology
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When does AIDS occur?

About half a month after being initially infected with HIV, 50%-70% of people will experience symptoms similar to those of a cold, including headache, fever, sore throat, pain in muscles and joints, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, swelling of lymph nodes throughout the body, or the appearance of maculopapular rashes on the skin. These symptoms will all disappear within about a month, after which the individual will enter a latent period that generally lasts from 1 to 10 years, before progressing to the AIDS phase. Once in the AIDS phase, various symptoms can occur at any time throughout the body.

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Written by Yang Chun Guang
Gastroenterology
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Is dizziness and nausea a symptom of AIDS?

Symptoms such as dizziness and nausea are not directly related to AIDS, and AIDS is generally not considered in such cases. Instead, conditions like insufficient blood supply to the neck or brain, which might cause dizziness and nausea, are considered. The diagnosis of AIDS must rely on laboratory tests because AIDS is an autoimmune deficiency disease, and various symptoms may occur. The most common and likely symptoms of AIDS are prolonged fever and diarrhea, but these symptoms cannot be used as the basis for diagnosis; they are only auxiliary. Therefore, to confirm AIDS, one must undergo laboratory testing at an accredited hospital.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Watery stools in early stage of AIDS

The appearance of watery stools does not necessarily indicate the early stages of AIDS. It could be viral gastroenteritis or food intolerance. It is not feasible to diagnose AIDS based solely on the symptom of watery stools, as AIDS symptoms are not very typical or specific. To rule out or confirm an AIDS infection, one can undergo HIV antibody or nucleic acid testing. In the early stages of AIDS, HIV nucleic acid testing is often able to detect the infection.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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What temperature does AIDS fever reach?

People with AIDS, especially in the late stages of the disease, are indeed prone to fever, which can manifest as either high or low-grade fevers. The severity of the fever and its occurrence are greatly linked to various opportunistic infections. If there is a concurrent bacterial infection, it typically results in high fevers, whereas tuberculosis co-infections might cause low-grade fevers and night sweats. If there are other co-infections, such as viral infections, these can also lead to either high or low-grade fevers at times. It’s difficult to specify a definite temperature for fevers in AIDS patients, as it can vary.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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How much is the AIDS blocking drug?

If the initial HIV screening test performed at a general hospital is positive, doctors will recommend that you go to the local disease control center for further confirmatory testing, which is free of charge. If the confirmatory test is positive, the disease control center will register and create a file for you, and provide free antiviral treatment. This fully demonstrates the care and attention China provides to people with HIV.