Roughly two weeks after infection with HIV virus, many people break out with a rash, have pounding headaches, spike a fever, feel their lymph nodes enlarging and lose weight. Most shrug off this early illness as being a nondescript viral illness. It does not last.
People recover rapidly.
An average of eight to 10 years after infection, the signs of AIDS appear. The virus can weaken lung defenses, making breathing difficult and pneumonia a frequent consequence. Body temperature skyrockets. Purple patches can appear on the skin. Weight melts off the body.