IRIS: A concern for people
starting HIV therapy

April 2008     View PDF     En español

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of IRIS can be dangerous. They usually appear within 2–6 weeks of starting HIV therapy. For some, the symptoms may improve and resolve on their own. For others, the symptoms may persist or get worse and become life-threatening. In any of these cases, these symptoms should be brought to the attention of your health provider.

Common symptoms of IRIS include fever, swollen lymph nodes, skin lesions and rashes, changes in breathing, pneumonia, hepatitis, abscesses and eye inflammation. Although less common, some people can experience short-term cognitive or mental changes, including memory problems and personality shifts. Though IRIS can react to a specific infection like TB, IRIS symptoms may not appear like the symptoms originally did for the TB. This can hold true for other infections.

IRIS symptoms are mostly different than and should not be confused with the possible side effects from starting HIV drugs, like fever or skin rash. If side effects do occur, they usually appear soon after starting your meds. Within a few weeks your body usually adjusts to them and they go away. However, there may be some overlap of time between drug side effects and IRIS symptoms, which is one reason it’s challenging to diagnose IRIS. It’s wise to pay close attention to and report any and all symptoms to your health provider.