What are the complications of untreated HIV infections?
When the virus has done a lot of damage to the immune system, the end result is AIDS. This is when the immune system is so worn down it isn’t able to fight off common diseases and disorders. The T cell count will drop to below 200, the viral load will increase to over 50,000, and the person will start developing illnesses that are very hard to get rid of. They may get pneumonia, thrush (yeast infections of the mouth, throat, skin or vagina) or a severe flu. They may lose a lot of weight and become extremely tired. They may develop a persistent cough and shortness of breath. Stomach pain and severe diarrhea is also common for a person with AIDS. Old, untreated infections such as TB (tuberculosis), syphilis or herpes can take advantage of a weakened immune system and spread throughout the body, leading to severe illness and death.
