Early symptomatic HIV infection is a stage of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus when symptoms are present but AIDS has not yet developed.

See also:

• Acute HIV infection
• Asymptomatic HIV infection
• HIV infection

AIDS-related complex - ARC; Chronic symptomatic HIV infection

Early symptomatic HIV infection has signs and symptoms typical of HIV infection but not full-blown AIDS. The onset of symptoms signals the transition from asymptomatic HIV infection to HIV disease.

At this early stage of HIV infection, the person does not have signs or symptoms of AIDS such as opportunistic infections, certain cancers, or a CD4 count of less than 200.

Risk factors for HIV infection are:

• Being born to an HIV-positive mother
• Receiving a blood transfusion or blood components
• Injection drug use
• Sexual contact with an infected partner in which there is an exchange of semen or vaginal fluids

Images

Mycobacterium marinum infection on the hand

Molluscum contagiosum on the face

Herpes zoster (shingles), disseminated

Molluscum on the chest

Primary HIV infection

Oral thrush

Dermatitis, seborrheic on the face

Dermatitis, seborrheic - close-up

Canker sore (aphthous ulcer)

Review Date: 12/01/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)