how long does it take to show symptoms of hiv

2 hours ago 10
Nature

The symptoms of HIV typically begin to show within about 2 to 4 weeks after exposure to the virus. This early stage, called acute HIV infection or acute retroviral syndrome, often presents flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, rash, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and sometimes nausea or diarrhea. These symptoms may last for a few days to several weeks. However, it's possible for some people to have no symptoms for a long time, even years, after infection. The initial flu-like symptoms occur as the virus rapidly multiplies and the immune system responds. This early symptomatic phase corresponds to the window period when the virus is highly infectious, but antibody tests may not yet detect the infection. The time for antibodies to become detectable usually ranges from 3 weeks to 3 months, with most people developing antibodies within 2 to 12 weeks. In summary, symptoms generally show within 2 to 4 weeks after HIV exposure, but some infected individuals may remain asymptomatic for much longer.