HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS
Overview:
HIV
(human immunodeficiency virus) infection has now spread
to every country in the world. Approximately 40 million
people are currently living with HIV infection, and
an estimated 25 million have died from this disease.
The scourge of HIV has been particularly devastating
in sub-Saharan Africa, but infection rates in other
countries remain high. In the United States, approximately
1 million people are currently infected. Here are
a few key points about the disease:
HIV/AIDS Symptoms:
Many people with
HIV do not know they are infected.
Many people do not develop symptoms
after they first get infected with HIV. Others have
a flu-like illness within several days to weeks after
exposure to the virus. They complain of fever, headache,
tiredness, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. These
symptoms usually disappear on their own within a few
weeks. After that, the person feels normal and has
no symptoms. This asymptomatic phase often lasts for
years.
● The progression of disease varies widely among
individuals. This state may last from a few months
to more than 10 years.
● During this period, the virus continues to
multiply actively and infects and kills the cells
of the immune system.
● The virus destroys the cells that are the
primary infection fighters, called CD4 cells.
● Even though the person has no symptoms, he
or she is contagious and can pass HIV to others through
the routes listed above.
● AIDS is the later stage of HIV infection,
when the body begins losing its ability to fight infections.
Once the CD4 cell count falls low enough, an infected
person is said to have AIDS. Sometimes, the diagnosis
of AIDS is made because the person has unusual infections
or cancers that show how weak the immune system is:
● The
infections that happen with AIDS are called opportunistic
infections because they take advantage of the opportunity
to infect a weakened host. The infections include
(but are not limited to)
● Pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis,
which causes wheezing,
● Brain infection with toxoplasmosis which can
cause trouble thinking or symptoms that mimic a stroke,
● Widespread infection with a bacteria called
MAC (mycobacterium avium complex) which can cause
fever and weight loss,
● Yeast infection of the swallowing tube (esophagus)
which causes pain with swallowing, and
● Widespread diseases with certain fungi like
histoplasmosis, which can cause fever, cough, anemia,
and other problems.
● A weakened immune system can also lead to
other unusual conditions:
● Lymphoma in the brain, which can cause fever
and trouble thinking; or
● A cancer of the tissues called Kaposi's sarcoma,
which causes brown, reddish, or purple spots that
develop on the skin or in the mouth.
How
To Protect Form HIV / ADIS:
Despite significant efforts,
there is no effective vaccine against HIV. The only
way to prevent infection by the virus is to avoid
behaviors that put you at risk, such as sharing needles
or having unprotected sex. In this context, unprotected
sex means sex without a barrier, such as a condom.
Because condoms break, even they are not perfect protection.
Many people infected with HIV don't have any symptoms.
There is no way to know with certainty whether a sexual
partner is infected. Here are some prevention strategies:
● Abstain from sex. This obviously has limited
appeal, but it absolutely protects against HIV transmission
by this route.
● Have sex with a single partner who is uninfected.
Mutual monogamy between uninfected partners eliminates
the risk of sexual transmission of HIV.
● Use a condom in other situations. Condoms
offer some protection if used properly and consistently.
Occasionally, they may break or leak. Only condoms
made of latex should be used. Only water-based lubricants
should be used with latex condoms.
● Do not share needles or inject illicit drugs.
● If you work in a health-care field, follow
national guidelines for protecting yourself against
needle sticks and exposure to contaminated fluids.
● If you have engaged in risky behaviors, get
tested to see if you have HIV.
● The risk of HIV transmission from a pregnant
woman to her baby is significantly reduced if the
mother takes medications during pregnancy, labor,
and delivery and her baby takes medications for the
first six weeks of life. Even shorter courses of treatment
are effective, though not as optimal. The key is to
get tested for HIV as early as possible in pregnancy.
In consultation with their physician, many women opt
to avoid breastfeeding to minimize
the risk of transmission after the baby is born.
When to Seek Medical Care:
If you have
engaged in unprotected sex outside of a mutually monogamous
relationship or shared needles while using drugs,
you should have an HIV test. Early detection and treatment
of the infection can slow the growth of HIV.
● If you are pregnant and infected with HIV,
you may be able to reduce the risk to your unborn
child by getting treatment early.
● You can also avoid infecting others if you
know that you have the disease. Testing is available
anonymously and confidentially. You can even test
yourself at home.
People known to
have HIV infection or AIDS should go to the hospital
any time they develop high fever, shortness of breath,
cough up blood, severe diarrhea, severe chest or abdominal
pain, generalized weakness, severe headache, seizures,
confusion, or a change in mental status. These may
be the indication of a life-threatening condition
for which an urgent evaluation in the hospital's emergency
department is recommended. All infected people should
be under the regular care of a physician skilled in
the treatment of HIV and AIDS.
