Friday, January 13, 2023

How Long Could You Have Hiv Without Knowing

What Are The Factors That Affect Disease Progression

how long can a person live with hiv without treatment (max hiv years)

The most important factor affecting HIV progression is the ability to achieve viral suppression. Taking antiretroviral therapy regularly helps many people slow the progression of HIV and reach viral suppression.

However, a variety of factors affect HIV progression, and some people progress through the phases of HIV more quickly than others.

Factors that affect HIV progression can include:

  • Ability to achieve viral suppression. Whether someone can take their antiretroviral medications and achieve viral suppression is the most important factor by far.
  • Age when symptoms start. Being older can result in faster progression of HIV.
  • Health before treatment. If a person had other diseases, such as tuberculosis, hepatitis C, or other sexually transmitted diseases , it can affect their overall health.
  • Timing of diagnosis. Another important factor is how soon a person was diagnosed after they contracted HIV. The longer between their diagnosis and treatment, the more time the disease has to progress unchecked.
  • Lifestyle. Practicing an unhealthy lifestyle, such as having a poor diet and experiencing severe stress, can cause HIV to progress more quickly.
  • Genetic history. Some people seem to progress more quickly through their disease given their genetic makeup.

Some factors can delay or slow the progression of HIV. These include:

Living a healthy lifestyle and seeing a healthcare provider regularly can make a big difference in a persons overall health.

Can One Live With Hiv For 30 Years Without Showing Signs

  • We found out recently that my brother who is 30 years old is HIV-positive. He is now sick and weak. Our father died 15 y …

  • Vision Reporter

    We found out recently that my brother who is 30 years old is HIV-positive. He is now sick and weak. Our father died 15 years ago and he too had AIDS, I am not sure of my mothers status since we never talk about HIV at home and she lives out of the country.

    You Cant Get Hiv From Just Any Kind Of Contact

    Myths still abound about HIV/AIDS. For example, you cant get HIV from insect bites or stings, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing toilets or dishes, according to the CDC. You also cant get infected from a closed-mouth kiss or contact with an infected persons sweat or tears. You cant get it by simply working or hanging out with someone who has AIDS or is HIV positive, either. HIV transmission from one woman to another woman through sexual contact is also rare, the CDC says.

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    Some Hiv Facts You Must Know

    How long can HIV go undetected? It is a common question, but people have other concern and questions regarding HIV and AIDs. For instance:

    1. Is it possible for tops to get HIV?

    The term ‘tops’ refers to the insertive partner in anal sex. Some people believe that male tops are at a lowered risk of getting HIV. A study has confirmed it, stating that tops have 86% reduction in their risk of contracting the infection.

    2. Do you have AIDS when you are tested HIV positive?

    No, you do not. Millions of people infected with HIV never develop AIDS, which is the last stage of HIV disease. You can avoid having AIDS through regular medical care and proper treatment to strengthen your immune system.

    3. Will you die because of HIV?

    No, you will not at least not anytime soon. Yes, there will be complications, but that is true for any chronic condition. With modern-day medications and resources, people with HIV can hope to live a near-normal lifespan. You may be at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis and other age-related conditions early, but you can certainly improve the quality of your life through proper medical care.

    4. How you can and cannot get HIV?

    Can You Still Live A Healthy Life With Hiv

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    Thanks to advances in research and medicine, medication is available that allows you to manage an HIV diagnosis on a daily basis.

    “Antiretroviral medicines come in the form of daily tablets that work by stopping the virus from replicating inside your body. This allows your immune system to repair itself and prevent further damage. That said, HIV can easily become resistant to a single form of medication, which is why most HIV-positive people take a combination of medications,” says Dr Dutt.

    Without treatment, your immune system can become extremely damaged. This makes you more susceptible to life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer and other severe infections.

    “However, someone with HIV who is taking effective treatment can definitely live a healthy life,” Dr Dutt says.

    “The goal of medication is to get the level of the virus in your body so low that it’s undetectable by a test. With effective treatment, you will also significantly reduce your risk of passing HIV on to others.”

    In fact, if your virus levels are undetectable on treatment, there is no risk of passing on the virus through sex – as the undetectable = untransmittable campaign has sought to highlight.

    HIV is a long-term illness and it can affect your life. Dr Dutt explains how those with HIV cannot donate blood or organs, join the armed forces, or visit certain countries. You may also struggle getting life insurance to cover a mortgage loan .

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    How Many People Have Hiv But Dont Know It

    The US is home to more than 2 million people living with HIV. About 240,000) people are unaware they are infected with HIV/AIDS. HIV testing can help you stay healthy for longer by providing you with the medical care you need. Those who do not know they have HIV are at greater risk for serious medical problems and early death than those who do.

    Having An Undetectable Viral Load

    The goal of HIV treatment is to have an undetectable viral load. This means the level of the virus in your body has dropped so low that is can no longer be detected in a test.

    HIV treatment clinics commonly use two tests to measure how effective treatment is:

    If you have been taking effective HIV treatment and your viral load tests have come back undetectable for more than 6 months, it means you cannot pass the virus on through sex. This is called undetectable& equals untransmittable .

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    A Timeline Of Hiv Symptoms

    What is HIV?

    HIV is a virus that compromises the immune system. Theres currently no cure for it, but there are treatments available to reduce its effects on peoples lives.

    In the majority of cases, once HIV infection takes hold, the virus stays in the body for life. However, unlike what may occur with infections by other types of viruses, HIV symptoms dont suddenly appear and peak overnight.

    If left untreated, the disease progresses over time through three stages, each with its own set of possible symptoms and complications some severe.

    Regular antiretroviral treatment can reduce HIV to undetectable levels in the blood. At undetectable levels, the virus wont progress to the later stages of HIV infection. In addition, the virus cant be transmitted to a partner during sex.

    How Is Life Expectancy Calculated

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    Life expectancy is the average number of years that a person can expect to live.

    More precisely, it is the average number of years an individual of a given age is expected to live if current mortality rates continue to apply. It is an estimate that is calculated by looking at the current situation of a group of people and projecting that into the future.

    However, HIV is a relatively new disease and HIV treatment is a rapidly changing area of medicine. It is therefore hard to know whether our current experience will be an accurate guide to the future.

    At the moment, there are large numbers of people living with HIV in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties and sixties. Current death rates are very low, resulting in encouraging figures for future life expectancy. But we have very little experience of people living with HIV in their seventies or eighties, so we know less about the impact HIV may have later in life.

    Also, health care for people with HIV is likely to get better in the future. People living with HIV will benefit from improved anti-HIV medications that have fewer side effects, are easier to take and are more effective in suppressing HIV. Doctors understanding of how best to prevent and treat heart disease, diabetes, cancers and other conditions in people with HIV is improving. This could mean that people actually live longer than our current estimates suggest.

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    Everyone Should Know Their Hiv Status

    Thats why its so important for everyone to know their HIV status. The only way to know for sure whether you have HIV is to get tested.

    CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. If your behavior puts you at risk after you are tested, you should think about being tested again. Some people who remain at higher risk should get tested more often.

    What To Expect Next

    If you find out you are HIV-positive, its important to keep in mind the condition is treatable. Antiretroviral therapy is recommended for all people with HIV, regardless of how long theyve had the virus or how healthy they are. It works by lowering the amount of virus in the body to very low levels. This treatment can also slow the progression of the infection and protect the immune system.

    Taking ART medications is vital to slowing the progression of HIV. Left untreated, HIV will progress to the second stage. During this stage, people may experience no symptoms at all. If no treatment is administered, an individual can stay in this stage for 10 to 15 years.

    For people who have no symptoms of an acute HIV infection, it takes an average of seven years to proceed to AIDS.

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    Can Gonorrhea Go Undetected For Years

    If gonorrhea remains undetected and undiagnosed for a long period of time, the infection is likely to spread and affect other parts of the body. Patients who have carried the infection for a long time are at risk of complications and may begin to experience gonorrhea symptoms months or even years after infection.

    What To Do If You Have A Maculopapular Rash

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    Use medications as prescribed, including antihistamines and skin creams. Follow the doctors instructions for recovery, and take care not to infect others if the cause of your rash is infectious.

    Use insect repellant and take measures to eradicate mosquitoes in and around your neighborhood. Always follow up with your doctor if your rash is interfering with your day-to-day life.

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    If I Am Pregnant And Have Hiv Will My Baby Also Have Hiv

    Most women with HIV can protect their baby from becoming infected during pregnancy. Proper pre-natal treatment can reduce the risk that an HIV-positive mother will pass the virus to her child to less than 1 percent. The only way these special treatments can be provided is if the health care professionals know the mother is living with HIV. Treatment is most effective when started early in pregnancy. HIV-positive moms should not breastfeed their babies because HIV is sometimes passed this way.

    What Is Usually The First Sign Of Hiv

    The initial presentation of an HIV infection is a flu-like illness which includes:

    • Rash
    • Swollen lymph nodes: Lymph nodes are a part of the bodys immune system that helps get rid of bacteria and viruses. An HIV infection, like many other infections, can cause the inflammation of lymph nodes, which can be felt as round or nodular swellings in the armpit, groin, and neck. The swelling is often associated with aches and pains in these areas.

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    What Can Effective Hiv Treatment Do

    HIV medication keeps you healthy so you can live a normal lifespan.

    Treatment can also reduce your viral load to undetectable levels so that you wont be able to pass on HIV to anyone else. It can take up to six months from starting treatment to become undetectable, so its important to test and start treatment on time.

    How To Prevent Hiv From Progressing

    how long does it take to show symptoms of hiv after hiv infection (Early hiv symptoms)

    The most effective way is to take antiretroviral medication as soon as possible and to do so consistently as prescribed.

    Antiretroviral therapy keeps the immune system healthy and reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to virtually zero.

    The sooner a person receives a diagnosis, the sooner they can begin treatment. Early treatment can improve the persons outlook and lower the risk of the virus passing on to others.

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    When Do Symptoms Occur

    Some people have flu-like symptoms within two to four weeks after infection, but others may not feel sick or not develop symptoms at all until later.

    See a healthcare provider if you have symptoms of HIV and think you may have been exposed to HIV. Getting tested for HIV is the only way to know for sure.

    In the United States, HIV is spread mainly through having anal or vaginal sex or sharing needles or syringes with an HIV-positive partner. Anal sex is the highest-risk behavior.

    You can prevent HIV by using condoms correctly every time you have sex pre-exposure prophylaxis, a prevention method in which the HIV-negative partner takes daily HIV medicine to prevent HIV and treatment as prevention, a method in which the HIV-positive partner takes daily HIV medicine to achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load.

    Only antigen/antibody tests or nucleic acid tests can diagnose acute HIV infection. NATs look for actual virus in the blood, and antigen/antibody tests look for HIV antibodies and antigens. Antibodies are produced by your immune system when youre exposed to viruses like HIV, and antigens are foreign substances that cause your immune system to activate.

    However, no test can detect HIV immediately after infection. NATs can usually tell if you have an HIV infection 10 to 33 days after exposure, while antigen/antibody tests can tell 18 to 45 days after exposure.

    • Swollen lymph nodes
    • Mouth ulcers or sores

    Hiv Has A Powerful Opponent

    Before 1996, contracting the HIV was basically a death sentence. But then, over the course of the next two decades, a regimen of drugs known as antiretroviral therapy evolved and came into use. This drug regimen helps prevent the virus from replicating and can help keep the infection from causing AIDS, transforming a fatal disease into a manageable one. These drugs have been an amazing scientific advancement, Dr. Santiago says. Most of the people who die nowadays are those who are unaware they have until symptoms become severe. Even people who think they may have been exposed to HIV have options if they act very quickly. The CDC advises you to alert your healthcare provider and start a regimen of ART medicines called post-exposure prophylaxis within 72 hours.

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    How Hiv Is Transmitted

    The first step in determining whether you are at risk of HIV is to better understand how the virus is transmitted.

    HIV thrives in certain body fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. Most people get infected when exposed to HIV through these fluids.

    HIV is transmitted through:

    HIV can also be passed from mother to child during childbirth, although this is less common in the developed world due to advances in prevention and treatment.

    It is important to note that HIV cannot penetrate intact skin. The virus can enter the body either through porous mucosal tissues , through breaks in vulnerable tissues , or directly through the bloodstream.

    HIV infection can occur with just one exposure, particularly in high-risk individuals.

    By contrast, HIV does not thrive in saliva, urine, tears, or feces and cannot survive in infectious quantities when exposed to air and environmental conditions.

    When And Who Should Get Tested

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    The CDC recommends that anyone between ages 13 and 64 should have them tested for the infection. It is important to undergo a repeat test if you have changed your sexual partner. In most cases, you should have your HIV test after 3 months of engaging in sexual activity with a new partner. Some people are at high risk for contracting the virus this is true for IV drug users, homosexual males, and those who change sex partners often. For them, it is important to go for HIV testing every 6-12 months.

    Your body may have enough antibodies after 3 months of becoming infected some people may have those antibodies within 20 days of becoming infected. Therefore, it is a good idea to go for testing every six months, especially if you have had unprotected oral, anal, or vaginal sex with a different partner during this time. To get tested, you can go to your local health department, doctor’s office, or hospital. Nowadays, special sites are set up to help you with HIV testing these testing sites keep your data private and share it only with medical experts authorized to see your record.

    Risk of HIV

    It is worth mentioning that certain factors put you at an increased risk of becoming infected. For instance, you are likely to contract the HIV virus if:

    You should talk to your healthcare provider to get more information regarding how long can HIV go undetected and how often you should go for HIV testing.

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