They may look and feel healthy for years after becoming infected. They may not know they are infected. Even if they don't look or feel sick they can infect others. When signs of illness do appear, they vary from person to person. When symptoms do appear, they can be like those of many common illnesses and may include swollen glands, fever, and diarrhea.
Symptoms vary from person to person.
None of the symptoms necessarily indicates HIV infection. When people develop AIDS, they may get illnesses that healthy people can usually resist. Most people with HIV or AIDS got the virus by having sex or sharing needles with someone who was already infected. From a woman with HIV to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth through breast feeding. HIV can be spread through an infected person's blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk.