Symptoms of fever may occur in the early stages of AIDS. The early stage of AIDS, also known as the acute stage, is usually 2-4 weeks after the occurrence of the initial HIV infection, and some infected patients develop symptoms resulting from HIV toxemia and acute damage to the immune system; most patients have mild clinical symptoms that last 1-3 weeks and can be relieved. Fever is the most common symptom at this time, and can be accompanied by sore throat, night sweats, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, joint pain, lymph node enlargement, and neurological symptoms. Rapidly progressing patients can develop severe infections, central nervous system symptoms, signs, and related disorders during this period. Patients may move from the acute phase to the asymptomatic phase, or directly into the asymptomatic phase without a significant acute phase, which typically lasts 6-8 years.