HIV progresses in three stages. The first symptoms can appear within a few weeks of contracting the virus. In some cases, however, there may be no symptoms for years.

HIV is a virus that compromises the immune system. There is currently no cure for HIV, but since the late 1980s, antiretroviral drugs have been available as treatment to help reduce the effects of HIV symptoms.

In the majority of cases, once a person contracts HIV, the virus stays in the body for life. However, HIV symptoms are unlike the symptoms of other viral infections. The symptoms appear in stages.

If left untreated, the infection causes the disease. It consists of three phases. Each has different potential symptoms and complications.

But regular antiretroviral treatment can reduce HIV to undetectable levels in the blood. This means the virus won’t progress to the later stages of HIV infection or be transmitted to a partner during sex.

The first noticeable stage is primary HIV infection. This stage is also called acute retroviral syndrome (ARS), or acute HIV infection.

It usually causes flu-like symptoms, so it’s possible for someone in this stage to think they have severe flu or another viral illness rather than HIV. Fever is the most common symptom.

Other symptoms include:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), primary HIV symptoms may show up 2 to 4 weeks after initial exposure. They can last for several weeks. However, some people may only have symptoms for a few days.

ARS is common once a person develops HIV. But this isn’t the case for everyone. According to HIV.gov, symptoms may not appear for a decade or longer.

Although the virus replicates quickly in the weeks after contracting it, symptoms in early HIV only tend to show up if the rate of cell destruction is high.

This doesn’t mean that cases of HIV without symptoms are less serious or that an asymptomatic person can’t transmit the virus to other people.

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HIV has multiple stages of infection. In the early stage after an exposure, symptoms may include flu or cold symptoms. These can resolve spontaneously while HIV is still active in the body. It will then progress to a chronic infection, where the symptoms can vary greatly but include weight loss, fatigue, and unexplained fevers. The chronic stage can happen at any time after the acute stage, but it may not be immediately after. If untreated, HIV can progress to stage 3 HIV, also known as AIDS, which is diagnosed based on the number of a white blood cell type circulating in the blood.

After initial exposure and possible primary infection, HIV may transition to the clinically latent infection stage. Since in some people no noticeable symptoms appear, it is referred to as asymptomatic or chronic HIV infection.

According to HIV.gov, latency in HIV infection can last up to 10 or 15 years. This means that the virus is replicating much slowly than before. But it doesn’t mean that HIV is gone, nor does it mean that the virus can’t be transmitted to others.

Although many people are asymptomatic during this stage, some may still have symptoms after the acute infection.

Symptoms of chronic HIV can vary, ranging from minimal to more severe. People may experience episodes of the following, particularly in advanced stages:

Clinically latent infection may progress to stage 3 HIV, known as AIDS. The chance of progression is higher if a person with HIV isn’t receiving or adhering to treatment, such as antiretroviral therapy.

A CD4 level below 200 cells per cubic millimeter (mm3) of blood is one indication that HIV has progressed to its final stage. A normal range is 500 to 1,600 cells/mm3.

Sometimes, stage 3 HIV is determined simply by a person’s overall health — it develops when HIV has significantly weakened the immune system. This can lead to AIDS-defining conditions, such as the occurrence of certain infections and cancers, that typically don’t occur in people without an HIV infection.

Symptoms of stage 3 HIV include:

The CDC recommends that anyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested at least once for HIV.

Individuals who might contract HIV more frequently are advised to test at least once every year. This may include people:

  • assigned male at birth (AMAB) who have sex with other AMAB people
  • who have had anal or vaginal sex with someone who is HIV-positive or whose status is unknown
  • who share needles or syringes
  • who have recently received a diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
  • who have had a new sexual partner since their last HIV test

You can find a local testing site here.

A few different types of tests are available, and each has a different window period— the time between potential exposure to HIV and when a test can detect the virus. If you could have contracted HIV in the past 72 hours, taking postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) can help prevent its transmission.

Nucleic acid tests are usually able to detect an HIV infection between 10 and 33 days after exposure.

Antigen/antibody tests using blood from a vein have a typical window period of 18 to 45 days, while finger-prick antigen/antibody tests can be used 18 to 90 days after potential exposure. A finger-prick rapid self-test antibody test can be used 23 to 90 days after potential exposure.

You should double-check a negative result with a second test after the window period.

You must check a positive result with a follow-up test (“confirmatory testing”). If the second test comes back positive, you will receive the diagnosis that you have contracted the HIV infection.

Finding out that you’re HIV-positive can be difficult. However, healthcare professionals can help you understand the physical and emotional changes you are about to experience and how to manage them.

Multiple healthcare professionals will decide the course of treatment for HIV infection. If one professional can’t help, they may give a referral to another professional who is more experienced with HIV treatment or in an area of HIV care. You can also find a local clinician experienced with HIV here.

It’s important to start treatment as soon as you receive an HIV diagnosis. Consult a healthcare professional about any new or worsening symptoms.

Antiretroviral drugs can help manage the infection. You will need to take these during all stages of HIV, even if there aren’t any noticeable symptoms.

They reduce the amount of virus inside the body by stopping the virus from replicating. This can lower levels so significantly that the virus becomes undetectable.

Medications help:

  • prevent progression of the disease
  • maintain quality of life
  • can stop the transmission of the virus to other people via sex

Healthcare professionals may prescribe a combination of drugs to stop the virus from becoming resistant. The majority of people have an undetectable viral load within 6 months.

If this isn’t achievable, any sexual partners can get protected by taking a medication called preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Condoms should also be used to help prevent transmission during sex.

A healthcare team will continue to monitor the amount of HIV in your blood with viral load tests and check the number of CD4 cells in your blood — these help fight infections.

If HIV progresses to stage 3 HIV, other medical interventions are usually necessary to treat related illnesses or complications that can be fatal.

Without treatment, the CDC estimates the average survival rate to be 3 years once a person receives an AIDS diagnosis.

The only 100% effective method of preventing HIV is to avoid sharing injection equipment when using injectable drugs and abstaining from sex.

However, there are ways to reduce the chance of contracting HIV.

HIV has three stages — each with its own set of symptoms.

The first symptoms often appear within a few weeks of exposure. However, some people experience no symptoms until years later.

Regular testing is crucial for those who have a higher chance of contracting HIV. People with HIV can manage the infection and its symptoms with immediate and accurate treatment. This will help them and their sexual partners to stay as healthy as possible.

Lauren Sharkey is a U.K. based journalist and author specializing in women’s issues. When she isn’t trying to discover a way to banish migraine, she can be found uncovering the answers to your lurking health questions. She has also written a book profiling young female activists across the globe and is currently building a community of such resisters. Catch her on Twitter.