Is a sore throat an early symptom of HIV? The Mayo Clinic explains if it's related to initial viral load.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) damages the immune system, rendering the body unable to fight off infections and diseases. If left untreated, it can lead to AIDS , according to the Mayo Clinic.
It is transmitted through sexual contact, blood transfusions, or by sharing needles or syringes. Furthermore, an untreated person with HIV can transmit the virus to their child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
Although there is no cure for this disease, medications help control the infection and prevent it from getting worse, according to the Mayo Clinic.
One of the most common questions people ask is whether a sore throat and HIV can be related, as symptoms vary from person to person.
Is a sore throat a symptom or early sign of HIV? According to the Mayo Clinic, some people infected with this disease may experience flu-like symptoms for two to four weeks after the virus enters the body.
Sometimes, there are people who do not show any signs during the first stage of the virus.
“Between 40 percent and 90 percent of people with HIV experience flu-like symptoms , which can last from a few days to several weeks. The actual percentage of people who experience symptoms may be even lower, due to limitations in available estimates. Symptoms typically appear two to four weeks after infection and are the result of the body's initial reaction to the virus. Keep in mind that in some cases, the virus can take up to 10 months to cause the first symptoms,” explained Dr. Elizabeth Cueto.
Some people experience flu-like symptoms. Photo: iStock
The acute stage of HIV can last several weeks. During this time, the immune system reacts to the virus, causing various symptoms.
“During this time, the immune system reacts to the virus, which can cause flu-like symptoms in some people. After this initial stage, HIV enters a chronic phase called latency. In this phase, the virus remains active in the body, but many people don't experience symptoms for several years ,” Cueto said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, other symptoms that people may experience include:
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Muscle and joint pain.
- Rash.
- Sore throat and painful mouth sores.
- Swollen lymph nodes or nodules, mainly in the neck.
- Diarrhea.
- Weight loss.
- Cough.
- Night sweats.
Some medications help control the infection. Photo: iStock
“These symptoms may be so mild that you may not even notice them. However, the amount of virus in your bloodstream, known as viral load, is quite high at this point. As a result, the infection spreads to others more easily during the initial infection than during the subsequent stage,” the Mayo Clinic explained.
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