HIV Support
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that weakens your immune system and increases your risk of serious illness. There’s currently no cure, but with treatment most people with HIV can live a long and healthy life.
Symptoms of HIV infection
The symptoms of HIV are different for everyone.
Some people experience a short flu-like illness around 2 to 6 weeks after HIV infection.
This can include:
- a sore throat
- a high temperature
- swollen glands
- muscle aches and tiredness
- a skin rash
However, these symptoms can also be caused by lots of common conditions.
You may not have any other symptoms of HIV for years. This means many people with HIV do not know they have it.
If HIV is not treated, it damages your immune system and may eventually cause more serious illnesses, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia or cancer. This is known as advanced HIV, late-stage HIV or AIDS.