HIV symptoms in females can be similar to those in males, but there are some differences. Many people have no symptoms when they first become infected with HIV, and some people may have a flu-like illness within a month or two after exposure to the virus. These symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for those of another viral infection. More severe symptoms may not appear for 10 years or more. Even during the asymptomatic period, the virus is active inside a person’s body and can be passed to another person. For many people, the first signs of infection are large lymph nodes or “swollen glands” that may be enlarged for more than three months. Other symptoms often experienced months to years before the onset of AIDS include:

• Lack of energy or fatigue
• Weight loss
• Frequent low-grade fevers and night sweats
• Frequent yeast infections
• Changes in menstrual cycle
• Lower belly pain
• Unusual vaginal discharge
• Pain during sex
• Pain in the upper belly
• Vaginal yeast infections

It is important to note that many of these symptoms can be caused by other health conditions, and experiencing them does not necessarily mean that a person has HIV. An HIV antibody test, either from a blood sample or an oral sample, can tell if a person has been infected with HIV. Women in their 30s are the most likely to be living with HIV/AIDS, and almost all Illinois women living with HIV are between the ages of 20 and 50. The majority of new HIV cases in women are the result of sexual behaviors; roughly two out of every three new infections in women are the result of unprotected sexual intercourse.