There are no common symptoms for individuals diagnosed with AIDS. When immune system damage is more severe, people may experience opportunistic infections (called "opportunistic" because they are caused by organisms which cannot induce disease in people with normal immune systems, but take the "opportunity" to flourish in people with HIV). Most of these more severe infections, diseases and symptoms fall under the Centers for Disease Control's definition of full-blown "AIDS.

Testing & PreventionHIV 101The Biology of HIVHIV/AIDS FAQsSigns & SymptomsData & StatisticsLiving with HIV/AIDSMedication InformationIllnesses & InfectionsResearch & NewsSafer SexWomen s Resources HIV is a complex disease that generates many frequently asked questions. HIV FAQ can help you understand HIV and AIDS if you get the right answers for your questions. Knowledge is power. Understanding HIV and AIDS will allow you to take control of your life. See similar questions...

Once infected with HIV, a person may or may not experience any symptoms. People who do experience symptoms might have a flu-like illness within one or two months after infection. Symptoms can include fever, headache, tiredness and/or enlarged lymph nodes. These symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for the symptoms of more common viral infections, like a cold. See similar questions...

A diagnosis of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is made by a physician. An HIV-infected person may be diagnosed with AIDS if he or she meets certain clinical criteria. Criteria include becoming sick with an illness defined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as an AIDS-indicator illness (illnesses that take advantage of the body's weakened immune system) and/or by taking a blood test that shows that the person's immune system is severely damaged. See similar questions...

Many people do not develop any symptoms when they first become infected with HIV and often are unaware they have the virus. Those who do, however, may experience flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever, fatigue, sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes, or rash within two weeks to a month after exposure to the virus. These symptoms usually disappear after a few weeks and often are mistaken for those of another viral infection, such as infectious mononucleosis or the flu. See similar questions...

The initial symptoms of seroconversion (when a person initially becomes HIV+) are similar to mono. A person feels feverish, has swollen glands, sore throat, rash, fatigue, etc. Otherwise a person with AIDS can have multiple symptoms: difficulty swallowing, a coating on the tongue or throat, fevers, dementia, diarrhea, unusual skin lesions, shortness of breath, multiple vaginal yeast infections, cough, weight loss, etc. See similar questions...

If you have stress incontinence, you may leak a small to medium amount of urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or do similar things. If you have urge incontinence, you may feel a sudden urge to urinate and the need to urinate often. With this type of bladder control problem, you may leak a larger amount of urine that can soak your clothes or run down your legs. See similar questions...