Primary infection (acute HIV) Most HIV-positive people will become sick within a month or two after the transmission of the influenza virus. This condition, called primary or acute HIV infection, can last for several weeks. Possible symptoms are: Fever A headache Muscle pain and joint pain Eruption Pain in the throat and in the mouth Swollen lymph nodes, mainly on the neck These symptoms may be so mild that you may not even notice them. However, the amount of virus in the blood (viral) is quite high so far. As a result, the infection spreads more easily during primary infection than in the next phase. Symptomatic HIV infection As the virus continues to multiply and destroy the cells of the immune system - the cells in your body that act against germs - you can develop mild infections or chronic signs and symptoms, such as: Fever Fatigue Diarrhea weight loss Oral yeast infection (yeast infection) Zoster (herpes zoster) Progress towards AIDS When AIDS occurs, your immune system is seriously damaged. It is more likely that opportunistic infections or opportunistic cancers occur - diseases that normally do not bother people with a healthy immune system. Signs and symptoms of some of these infections can be: Soak the night Repeated fever Chronic diarrhea Persistent white spots or unusual changes in the tongue or mouth Persistent and inexplicable tiredness weight loss Rashes or tumors