In the United States, about two out of every three new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in women are due to unprotected s*xual intercourse with an infected partner, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Sharing infected needles for drug use is another leading cause.

Early symptoms of HIV infection may be mild and easily unnoticed and dismissed. Unfortunately, even without noticeable symptoms, an infected person can still pass the virus on to others. Read on to learn some common symptoms of HIV in women.

Early Symptoms Can Be FleetingIn the early weeks after becoming infected with HIV, it is not uncommon for women to be a symptomatic. Some may have mild flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, and lack of energy. Often, these symptoms go away within a few weeks.

In some cases, it may take as many as ten years for more severe symptoms to appear. During this time, the virus can still be transmitted from one person to another.

1. Infections
HIV makes it harder for the immune system to fight off germs, so it’s easier for opportunistic infections to take hold. Some of these include pneumonia, tuberculosis, and hepatitis C. People with HIV are more prone to infections of the skin, eyes, lungs, kidneys, digestive tract, and brain. It may also be more difficult to treat common ailments like the flu.

Taking extra precautions, including frequent hand washing and taking HIV medications, can help prevent some of these illnesses and their complications.

2. Fever and night sweats
People infected with HIV may experience long periods of low-grade fever.

A temperature between 99.8°F and 100.8°F (37.6°C and 38.2°C) is considered to be a low-grade fever. Your body develops a fever when something is wrong, but the cause isn’t always obvious.

Because it’s a low-grade fever, those who are unaware of their HIV-positive status may ignore the symptom. Sometimes, night sweats that can interfere with sleep may accompany fever.

3. Reproductive health
Women with HIV tend to have problems related to reproductive health, including changes to their menstrual cycle or absence of periods. Bacterial and yeast infections may be more common in women who are HIV-positive.

There’s also an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, including:

• chlamydia
• trichomoniasis
• gonorrheahuman papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to genital warts or even cervical cancer HIV-positive women are also more prone to pelvic inflammatory diseases that may be resistant to treatment.

4. Advanced symptoms of HIV and AIDS
As HIV progresses, there may be bouts of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss.

Other symptoms include severe headache, joint pain, and muscle aches. Shortness of breath, chronic cough, and difficulty swallowing are not uncommon.

In the later stages, HIV can lead to short-term memory loss, mental confusion, and coma. The most advanced stage of HIV is called acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

At this stage, the immune system is severely compromised and infections become increasingly difficult to fight off. Women with AIDS are at greater risk of aggressive cancers that are difficult to treat.

5. Reducing the risk of HIV
HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids. This can happen when drug users share needles or through sexual intercourse. To reduce the risk of HIV infection, don’t share needles. Unless you have a single sexual partner who is HIV-negative (and as long as you are their only partner), always use a condom and use it properly.

Women should not douche after sex. It provides no protection against transmission of HIV. Also, douching can alter the natural bacterial balance of yeast in the vagina, increasing the risk of HIV and STDs, or making an existing infection worse.