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During this period (usually days to weeks post-exposure) fifty to ninety percent of infected individuals develop an influenza or mononucleosis-like illness called acute HIV infection (or HIV prodrome), [2] [3] the most common symptoms of which may include fever, lymphadenopathy, pharyngitis, rash, myalgia, malaise, mouth and esophageal sores ...
Likewise, if an individual suspects exposure for HIV, a lack of symptoms does not indicate that seroconversion has not occurred. 20–30% of people undergoing HIV seroconversion lack symptoms entirely or have mild symptoms. [25] The immune system mounts an acute effort to resolve the HIV infection during the seroconversion period.
The median duration of the eclipse period in one study was 11.5 days. The window period is the time between HIV exposure and when an antibody or antigen test can detect HIV. The median window period for antibody/antigen testing is 18 days. Nucleic acid testing (NAT) further reduces this period to 11.5 days. [2]
The window period for HIV may be up to three months, depending on the test method and other factors. RNA based HIV tests has the lowest window period. Modern and accurate testing abilities can cut this period to 25 days, 16 days, or even as low as 12 days, again, depending on the type of test and the quality of its administration and interpretation.
Main symptoms of acute HIV infection. The initial period following infection with HIV is called acute HIV, primary HIV or acute retroviral syndrome. [29] [30] Many individuals develop an illness like influenza, mononucleosis or glandular fever 2–4 weeks after exposure while others have no significant symptoms.
At this point, seroconversion, the development of antibodies, occurs and the CD4 T cell counts begin to recover as the immune system attempts to fight the virus, marking the HIV set point. The higher the viral load at the set point, the faster the virus will progress to AIDS ; the lower the viral load at the set point, the longer the patient ...
After the virus enters the body there is a period of rapid viral replication, leading to an abundance of virus in the peripheral blood. During primary infection, the level of HIV may reach several million virus particles per milliliter of blood. [2] This response is accompanied by a marked drop in the numbers of circulating CD4 + T cells.
In the case of HIV exposure, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a course of antiretroviral drugs which reduces the risk of seroconversion after events with high risk of exposure to HIV (e.g., unprotected anal or vaginal sex, needlestick injuries, or sharing needles). [25]