While the immune system is recovering, certain medications can help prevent any opportunistic infections from occurring in the first place. However, with diagnosis and hiv treatment, the immune system can improve. Then the risk of opportunistic infections goes down.
The syndrome is similar to the flu. The most common symptoms of HIV are fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes and a rash. The rash usually consists of small raised or flat lesions scattered all over the body, sometimes on the palms and soles. Ulcers can also develop – particularly in the mouth, but sometimes on the skin and genitals.
A small percentage of HIV-1 infected individuals retain high levels of CD4+ T-cells without antiretroviral therapy. However, most have detectable viral load and will eventually progress to AIDS without treatment, albeit more slowly than others.