Despite this clinical quiescence, viral replication occurs at a rapid rate. The rate of disease progression varies from person to person and appears to depend on both viral and host factors. Patients who experience symptomatic primary infection have a significantly worse prognosis than those who undergo asymptomatic seroconversion. On any given day, about 10 billion viral particles are produced in an infected person. However, this distinction has little bearing on clinical management and is useful primarily for historical and epidemiologic reasons.
Death is usually the result of wasting or an opportunistic infection or neoplasm.