Acute HIV Infection

Also known as primary HIV infection or acute retroviral syndrome (ARS). The period of rapid HIV replication that occurs 2 to 4 weeks after infection by HIV. Acute HIV infection is characterized by a drop in CD4 cell counts and an increase in HIV levels in the blood. Some, but not all, individuals experience flu-like symptoms during this period of infection. These symptoms can include fever, inflamed lymph nodes, sore throat, and rash. These symptoms may last from a few days to 4 weeks and then go away.
  

The 4- to 7-week period of rapid viral replication immediately following exposure. The number of virions<!-- (see) --> produced during primary infection is similar to that produced during several subsequent years of established, asymptomatic infection. An estimated 30 to 60 percent of individuals with primary HIV<!-- (see) --> infection develop an acute syndrome characterized by fever, malaise, lymphadenopathy, pharyngitis, headache, myalgia, and sometimes rash. Following primary infection, seroconversion<!-- (see) --> and a broad HIV-1 specific immune response occur, usually within 30 to 50 days. It was previously thought that HIV was relatively dormant during this phase. However, it is now known that during the time of primary infection, high levels of plasma HIV RNA can be documented.