The symptoms of HIV most often appear about 2 to 4 weeks after exposure to the virus. These early symptoms can feel like a bad case of the flu and may include fever, chills, headache, tiredness, swollen lymph nodes, rash, sore joints or muscles, sore throat, and weight loss. This stage is called acute retroviral syndrome or acute HIV infection. However, some people may not have any symptoms for months or even years after infection. The early symptoms typically last for a week to a month, and the risk of spreading the virus is very high during this time. In summary, initial HIV symptoms generally begin within 2 to 4 weeks after infection but can sometimes take longer or may not appear at all in some people for extended periods.
