Signs and symptoms

A generalized graph of the relationship between HIV copies (viral load) and CD4 counts over the average course of untreated HIV infection; any particular individual's disease course may vary considerably.
L) HIV RNA copies per mL of plasma
+

CD4+ T cell count (cells per

Infection with HIV-1 is associated with a progressive decrease of the CD4 T cell count and an increase in viral load, the level of HIV in the blood. The stage of infection can be determined by measuring the + patient's CD4 T cell count and viral load. The stages of HIV infection are acute infection (also known as primary infection), latency and AIDS. Acute infection lasts for several weeks and may include symptoms such as fever, lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes), pharyngitis (sore throat), rash, myalgia (muscle pain), malaise, and mouth and esophageal sores. The latency stage involves few or no symptoms and can last anywhere from two weeks to twenty years or more, depending on the individual. AIDS, the final stage of HIV infection, is defined by low CD4+ T cell counts (fewer than 200 per microliter), various opportunistic infections, cancers and other conditions. A small percentage of HIV-1 infected individuals retain high levels of CD4+ T-cells without antiretroviral therapy. However, most have detectable viral load and will eventually progress to AIDS without treatment, albeit more slowly than others. These individuals are classified as HIV controllers or long-term nonprogressors (LTNP). People who maintain CD4+ T cell counts and also have low or clinically undetectable viral load without anti-retroviral treatment are known as elite controllers or elite suppressors [22][23] (ES).

Acute infection

HIV viral load - It appears that HIV viral load has the greatest prognostic value. HIV viral load in serum may be measured by assays which detect HIV-RNA e.g. RT-PCR, NASBA, or bDNA. HIV viral load has now been established as having good prognostic value, and in monitoring response to antiviral chemotherapy. Patients with a low viral load during the incubation period had a better prognosis than those with a high viral load. Patients whose viral load decreased significantly following the commencement of antiviral therapy had a better prognosis than those who did not respond.Among patients who responded to antiviral therapy, those who had a low pretreatment viral load had a better prognosis than those who had a high pre-treatment viral load. b. CD4 counts - despite the increasing use of HIV-RNA assays, measurement of CD4 still has important value in monitoring disease progression and response to antiviral chemotherapy. whereas CD4 count gives an indication of the stage of disease. The measurement of HIV viral load tells us where the disease is going, whereas CD4 count tells us where the disease is at this moment

Over time, HIV usually goes from infection to AIDS in 4 stages:

Acute or primary infection some people get sick with flu-like symptoms Asymptomatic phase no signs of disease, but HIV test is positive Early symptomatic phase some health problems, mostly mild; HIV test is still positive Advanced HIV or AIDS serious infections and cancer; HIV test is still positive