Early HIV symptoms usually occur within a month or two after infection. In many people, early HIV symptoms include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Swollen lymph glands
- Rash
These early HIV symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and
are often mistaken for those of another viral infection. During this
period, you are very infectious. More-persistent or more-severe symptoms
of HIV infection may not appear for several years after the initial
infection.
The symptoms that indicate an early HIV infection are extremely common.
Often, you can't tell them apart from symptoms of another viral
infection. And some people infected with HIV don't experience early
symptoms. If you're concerned that you might have been exposed to HIV,
talk to your doctor about your testing options.