What are the symptoms of HIV/AIDS in women?
Symptoms that could serve as warning signals of HIV infection may go ignored because many women do not perceive themselves at risk. Symptoms include recurrent yeast infections (vaginal candidiasis), pelvic inflammatory disease, abnormal changes or dysplasia (growth and presence of precancerous cells) in cervical tissue, genital ulcers, genital warts, and severe mucosal herpes infections may also accompany HIV infection in women. It is possible for a person infected with HIV to show no signs of infection. For women, the most common symptoms of exposure to the HIV virus are frequent or severe vaginal infections, abnormal PAP smears, or pelvic infections (PID) that are difficult to treat. Within a few weeks of having been infected, many people have flu-like symptoms. However, in some cases, symptoms do not show for many years. As the infection progresses, some symptoms can include 1) swollen lymph glands in the neck, underarm, or groin area, 2) recurrent fever including “night sweats,” 3)
