AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN) Certification Practice Exam

The most commonly associated symptom with acute HIV infection is the presentation of flu-like symptoms, which includes fever, sore throat, and fatigue. During the acute stage of HIV infection, also known as primary HIV infection, many individuals exhibit signs that are similar to viral illnesses, which often lead to an early and misdiagnosed stage that some may attribute to the common cold or influenza. This is due to the body's immune response as it begins to react to the HIV virus.

Fever is a hallmark sign indicating an infection, sore throat represents a common upper respiratory symptom, and fatigue is often experienced as the body reallocates energy to mount an immune response. These symptoms can appear between 2 to 4 weeks after exposure to the virus and can last for several days to weeks. Awareness of this symptomatology is essential for timely diagnosis and intervention, especially since many patients may not recognize these early signs as indicative of HIV.

Choices like severe weight loss, persistent cough, and night sweats may occur in later stages of HIV or as symptoms of opportunistic infections but are not characteristic of the acute phase. Understanding the acute symptoms can significantly impact the clinical approach and patient management in a healthcare setting.