Clinical signs of stage 3 of HIV disease in adults and adolescents are :

IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026

Medical & Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026

Explanation

This option correctly identifies the triad of symptoms that define WHO Clinical Stage 3 of HIV disease in adults and adolescents.
Unexplained severe weight loss (greater than 10% of body weight) is a key indicator of advanced disease.
Unexplained chronic diarrhoea (lasting longer than one month) and unexplained persistent fever (lasting longer than one month) are also hallmark signs of Stage 3, reflecting significant immune system compromise.

Option A: This option mixes signs from different stages. Generalized lymphadenopathy is a characteristic of Stage 1, while oral ulceration and fungal nail infections are signs of Stage 2.
Option B: All the conditions listed—Herpes zoster, angular cheilitis, and recurrent respiratory tract infections—are characteristic of WHO Clinical Stage 2, not Stage 3.
Option C: These conditions are indicative of the most severe stage of HIV. Oesophageal candidiasis and Kaposi sarcoma are AIDS-defining illnesses, placing the patient in WHO Clinical Stage 4.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing WHO Clinical Staging of HIV/AIDS helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses use the WHO staging system to assess HIV disease progression, which is crucial for planning patient care, initiating appropriate treatments like antiretroviral therapy (ART), and providing counseling.
Recognizing the stage of HIV helps in anticipating potential opportunistic infections and managing them proactively, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
What if? If a patient in Stage 2 develops pulmonary tuberculosis, their classification is immediately upgraded to Stage 3. This highlights that the presence of certain severe opportunistic infections automatically moves a patient to a more advanced stage, necessitating a change in management strategy.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it asks for the specific clinical signs of 'Stage 3' HIV disease according to the WHO classification.
This is a factual recall question. You need to access your knowledge of the different stages of HIV.
Systematically evaluate each option:
Option A lists signs from Stage 1 (lymphadenopathy) and Stage 2 (ulceration, fungal infections). Eliminate it.
Option B lists signs that are all characteristic of Stage 2. Eliminate it.
Option C lists AIDS-defining illnesses (oesophageal candidiasis, Kaposi sarcoma), which are characteristic of Stage 4. Eliminate it.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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