Question

The nurse is assessing a client who is suspected being in the early symptomatic stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Which of the following signs and symptoms of infection should the nurse detect during this stage?

Answer 1

In the early stages of HIV infection, a patient may show flu-like symptoms such as fever, weight loss, sores, and swollen lymph glands. Nurses play a crucial role in detecting these acute symptoms for early diagnosis. The stage is typically confirmed through specific blood tests.

Step-by-step explanation:

The early symptomatic stages of HIV infection can manifest a range of non-specific symptoms. During what is known as the acute infection stage, patients may experience flu-like symptoms that include fever, weight loss, sores, malaise, lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph glands), rash, nausea, thrush, myalgia (muscle aches), and spleen enlargement. These symptoms are not always easily associated with HIV due to their common nature. However, it is during this time that HIV is highly contagious, characterized by a high viral load and a CD4 T-cell count of more than 500 cells/μL. As the virus progresses, if untreated, it could lead to AIDS, where symptoms become more severe, and opportunistic infections are more likely due to a weakened immune system.

For the nurse assessing a client suspected of early HIV infection, detecting these acute symptoms is crucial for early diagnosis and management. This stage is often confirmed by a fourth-generation antibody-antigen test or a nucleic acid test (NAT).