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Swelling lymph nodes
This is one of the earliest manifestations of HIV when it affects the immune system. At first, it only takes a few lymph nodes, and it is easy to disregard the symptoms.
- Weight loss: Patients may start losing some weight, especially when another disease is also beginning to affect their health. Weight loss might not be noticeable until the onset of AIDS.
- Cough and diarrhea: The patient may start experiencing more frequent respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Catching flu more often is not particularly worrisome, and most patients disregard their problem in this initial stage.
Finally, when the immune system alteration is severe, patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) experience symptoms such as: