What Are The Signs Of Hiv And Aids

What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Hiv And Aids

When first infected with HIV, a person may have:

• fever

• increased number of infections
• infections that are more severe than is typical

Without treatment, HIV can lead to a very weakened immune system and progress to AIDS. Illnesses that happen in AIDS are called “AIDS-defining conditions.”

AIDS-defining conditions include:

• very fast and severe weight loss
• a lung infection called pneumocystis pneumonia
• Kaposi sarcoma
• lymphoma

Do I Need To Disclose That I Have Hiv

Basically, you must inform individuals who could also be impacted by your HIV standing about your sickness. Your physician ought to know to optimize your care. You might need to inform shut family and friends about your situation. You might need to disclose that youve HIV to others whove it, equivalent to these in a help group. Intercourse companions and folks you share needles with must know in case you are HIV constructive. Theyre susceptible to contracting the virus from you. Some states have legal guidelines that make it a criminal offense to not disclose your HIV-positive standing to intercourse companions or needle-sharing companions earlier than you might have intercourse or inject medication. Test HIV disclosure legal guidelines by state. Employers will not be allowed to discriminate primarily based on HIV standing.

When Should You Call The Doctor If You Have Hiv Or You Think You Have Been Exposed To Hiv

There is also post-exposure prophylaxis , which is used in emergencies and should be started within 72 hours after the possible exposure. This involves taking antiretroviral therapy after this exposure. ART may be prescribed after sexual assault, or if you think you have been exposed during consensual sex or drug-taking.

If you already know you have HIV, you should follow your healthcare providers instructions on when to call. It is important to treat any type of infection, so call if you have new symptoms or things like a fever, sweating episodes, diarrhea, and so on. Its better to check with your doctor if you have any kind of symptom that worries you.

The main feature of managing AIDS is to continue to take your medicines and to fight back at opportunistic infections at the first sign of them.

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Hiv Prevention For Excessive

Within the Nineties, HIV an infection was the #1 reason for loss of life for these between the ages of 25 to 44. In 2014, HIV was the eighth main reason for loss of life in these aged 25 to 34 years outdated and the ninth main reason for loss of life in these 35 to 44 years of age. Higher prognosis and therapy and elevated public consciousness are answerable for lowered loss of life charges. There are even newer medicines designed to lower the chance of contracting HIV in those that are uncovered. For people who find themselves at excessive danger of HIV, taking a medicine combo referred to as PrEP decreases the chance of an infection. Individuals who have been uncovered to HIV can take antiretroviral remedy, or post-exposure prophylaxis , to lower the chance of an infection. HIV PrEP effectiveness is elevated when these medicines are began inside 72 hours of the suspected publicity they usually should be taken for 28 days. The medicines dont assure youll not develop into contaminated with HIV, however they scale back the chance.

Second Phase: The Latent Phase Of Hiv

In this phase, people with HIV / AIDS do not show signs and symptoms that are typical, and even feel healthy as not infected with a virus. But actually, the HIV virus secretly breeds and attacks white blood cells that play a role in fighting infection.

Signs of HIV / AIDS in this phase are not visible, but patients can still transmit it to others. At the end of the second phase, the white blood cells decrease so drastically that even more severe symptoms begin to appear.

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Third Stage: Aids Symptoms

AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV infection. This is usually when your CD4 T-cell number drops below 200 and your immune system is badly damaged. You might get an opportunistic infection, an illness that happens more often and is worse in people who have weakened immune systems. Some of these, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma and pneumocystis pneumonia , are also considered âAIDS-defining illnesses.â

If you didn’t know earlier that you were infected with HIV, you may realize it after you have some of these symptoms:

• Being tired all the time
• Swollen lymph nodes in your neck or groin
• Fever that lasts more than 10 days

How Hiv Affects The Body

HIV attacks the immune system. It specifically attacks the CD4 cells, which are a subtype of a group of cells called T cells. T cells help the body fight off infections.

Without treatment, HIV reduces the number of CD4 cells in the body, increasing a persons risk of getting infections. If HIV develops to stage 3, the person will also have a higher chance of developing cancer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide information on where people can find their nearest HIV testing center.

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Polymerase Chain Reaction Test

If a person had a recent exposure to HIV, or is experiencing symptoms of acute HIV infection such as fever, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes, a doctor may order a polymerase chain reaction test. Unlike antibody and antigen tests that look for the bodys response to HIV, the PCR test detects HIV itself. This test is typically used three days to one month after an exposure. An early diagnosis allows people to begin treatment immediately and helps them take extra precautions to prevent spreading HIV to others.

If a person receives a positive HIV test result, a doctor schedules a follow-up appointment to discuss the results and the next steps for treatment. The doctor may order several additional blood tests to estimate how long the person has been infected and how far the condition has progressed.

A doctor may also use blood tests to screen for complications or other infections, such as other sexually transmitted infections, as well as toxoplasmosis, which is a parasitic infection, or hepatitis, a liver infection.

How Often Should A Man Get Tested

Sexually active men should get routine tests for HIV.

Men who are sexually active should get tested for HIV at least once in their lifetime as part of their routine health care.

The CDC recommend that everyone between the ages of should take an HIV test.

The CDC also recommend that people with specific risk factors should take a test at least once a year . This recommendation applies to gay and bisexual men, and men who have sex with men, and users of injectable drugs.

Besides these formal recommendations, everyone who may have been exposed to HIV or had sex without a condom should also take a test.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Hiv

No two people with HIV will have the same symptoms, and some may not have any at all. But the infection can cause some common changes over time.

In the first few weeks: These first, flu-like symptoms happen because your body is reacting to HIV. Your immune system is trying to fight it off. The symptoms at this stage can include:

• Rash
• Aches and pains in muscles and joints

Keep in mind that even if you have these symptoms, that doesnât automatically mean you are HIV-positive. Many different illnesses can cause these problems. Talk to a doctor or an HIV testing facility if you think you might be infected.

At this early stage of HIV infection, itâs important to know that you may not get accurate results from an HIV test. It can take 3-12 weeks for enough signs of the virus to show up on routine tests for the infection, which measure antibodies against HIV. A new kind of screening, called a nucleic acid test, can detect the virus itself during this early stage, but itâs expensive and not usually used for routine HIV testing.

Let the testing site or your doctor know if you think you might be recently infected. Also, be sure to use a condom every time you have sex, and take other steps to prevent spreading the virus.

After years with untreated HIV, youâre likely to get infections caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi that your body is no longer strong enough to fight off. They can be a sign that your infection has gone from HIV to AIDS. You might have:

• Weight loss

What Are The Symptoms Of Hiv/aids

The first signs of HIV infection may be flu-like symptoms:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Mouth ulcers

These symptoms may come and go within two to four weeks. This stage is called acute HIV infection.

If the infection is not treated, it becomes chronic HIV infection. Often, there are no symptoms during this stage. If it is not treated, eventually the virus will weaken your body’s immune system. Then the infection will progress to AIDS. This is the late stage of HIV infection. With AIDS, your immune system is badly damaged. You can get more and more severe infections. These are known as opportunistic infections .

Some people may not feel sick during the earlier stages of HIV infection. So the only way to know for sure whether you have HIV is to get tested.

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What Are The Treatments For Hiv/aids

There is no cure for HIV infection, but it can be treated with medicines. This is called antiretroviral therapy . ART can make HIV infection a manageable chronic condition. It also reduces the risk of spreading the virus to others.

Most people with HIV live long and healthy lives if they get and stay on ART. It’s also important to take care of yourself. Making sure that you have the support you need, living a healthy lifestyle, and getting regular medical care can help you enjoy a better quality of life.

What Does Hiv Do To The Immune System

With HIV, immune system despair happens. HIV assaults white blood cells, or T cells, within the immune system. It assaults a sure sort of white blood cell known as a CD4-positive T cell. The virus replicates, making copies of itself, and infects larger numbers of T cells. As extra T cells are broken by the virus, the degrees of wholesome T cells lower and an individual is inclined to infections and sure sorts of cancers. When sufficient T cells are contaminated by the virus, AIDS develops.>

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Are Women More Likely To Get Hiv

Yes. Biologically speaking, a woman is more vulnerable to heterosexual transmission of the disease because the genitalia are easily exposed to seminal fluids.

Gender inequality has great influence on the spread of HIV/AIDS among women. In some cultures, many women and girls are often put in situations where they engage in non-consensual sex or have sex for money.

In the U.S., minority communities have been hit the hardest by HIV. African American and Hispanic women together represent less than 25% of all U.S. women, yet they account for more than 78% of AIDS cases reported among women in the country.

How Long Does It Take To Show Symptoms Of Hiv

Some people notice flu-like symptoms 1-4 weeks after they’re first infected. They often only last a week or two. This stage is called acute or primary HIV infection.

Then, you may go for 10 years or more without further symptoms. This is called asymptomatic HIV infection. Even though you feel fine, the virus is still active in your body. And you can still give it to someone else.

Once HIV has seriously harmed your immune system, you’re at risk for diseases that a healthy body could fight off. In this stage, symptomatic HIV infection, you start to notice problems caused by those “opportunistic” infections.

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What Is Hiv The Virus That Causes Aids

HIV is brief for human immunodeficiency virus. The virus assaults and suppresses the immune system, making those that have it extra inclined to infections and most cancers. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome . HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Whereas there is no such thing as a treatment for the illness, there are medicines that decelerate its development and deal with AIDS signs. Individuals who have HIV can take measures to lower the chance of transmitting the virus to others.

What Are Hiv/aids Therapies

HIV/AIDS was once a a lot deadlier an infection previous to the event of medicine that assist sluggish development of the illness. In case you are recognized with HIV, see your physician for therapy as quickly as attainable. HIV therapy contains antiretroviral remedy that entails taking two or extra medication from a number of drug lessons. These medicines cease HIV from replicating or forestall the virus from infecting new T cells. These drug cocktails are tailor-made to the person by the physician. People who find themselves contaminated with HIV and cling to their therapy plan have the identical life expectancy as those that will not be contaminated.

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What Behaviors Are The Most Risky For Getting Or Transmitting Hiv

Since there is a fairly high number of people who have HIV and dont know it, you should be tested for HIV so you know your status. Being intoxicated is risky because you are more likely to engage in risky sex if you are drunk or high. In terms of sex acts, anal sex and vaginal intercourse are the most risky behaviors.

How Do People Get Hiv

HIV spreads when infected blood or body fluids enter the body. This can happen:

• during sex
• through sharing needles for injecting drugs or tattooing

HIV also can pass from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.

HIV is NOT spread through:

• pee, poop, spit, throw-up, or sweat
• coughing or sneezing
• sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses

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To Determine The Stage Of Disease And To Provide Treatment Options Tests Are Performed

It is important to seek out a specialist who has been trained to diagnose and treat HIV if you have been diagnosed.

• Consider whether additional testing is necessary
• Find the HIV antiretroviral treatment that is best for you
• Keep track of your health and work with your doctor to improve your overall health.

If HIV/AIDS is diagnosed, there are several tests that can be done to help your doctor determine which stage you are in and what treatment will work best.

• CD4 T cells count. CD4 T cells, which are white blood cells that are targeted and destroyed by HIV, are known as CD4 T cells. Even if there are no symptoms, HIV infection can progress to AIDS if your CD4 T cells count drops below 200.
• Viral load . This test determines the level of virus in your blood. The goal of HIV treatment is to achieve an undetectable viral load. This will significantly lower your risk of getting opportunistic HIV infection or other HIV-related complications.
• Drug resistance. Some HIV strains are resistant to medication. This test allows your doctor to determine if you have resistance to the virus and guide treatment decisions.

Common Hiv Symptoms And Signs

• Fever .
• Tiredness, exhaustion or even sleepiness.
• A skin rash, generally on the back or even face instead of the arms and legs.
• Muscle soreness as well as discomfort.
• Headache.

Signs and symptoms as outlined by fewer individuals consist of:

• Painful neck.

• Light allergy
• Genital ulcers

HIV contamination occurs in 3 phases. Unattended, it will eventually become worse as time passes and also ultimately overpower your disease fighting capability.

Initial Stage: Severe HIV Contamination

Many people dont understand instantly while they have been affected with HIV, however a while later on, they might get warning signs. This is exactly when your bodys immunity mechanism sets up any resistance, usually within 2 to 6 weeks of time after you have acquired the virus. It is known as a severe retroviral syndrome or even Primary Level of HIV contamination.

The signs and symptoms are much like those of other bacterial sicknesses, and also they are generally in contrast to influenza. They usually last up to 2 weeks after which entirely go away. They consist of:

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Is There Any Treatment Of A Cure For Hiv/aids

Currently, there is no cure for HIV/AIDS. People living with HIV will need lifelong treatment. The best treatments right now are combinations of prescription drugs. These medications include antiviral treatment, protease inhibitors and other drugs that help people who are living with HIV stay healthy. People living with HIV also can stay healthy by doing things like eating properly, exercising and getting enough sleep.

Should I Get Vaccines If I Have Hiv/aids

Check with your healthcare provider. Certain vaccines are generally recommended, including:

• Influenza vaccine.
• Human papillomavirus vaccine if you are age 26 or younger.
• Meningococcal series of shots.
• Pneumonia vaccine.
• Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine, with a repeat every 10 years of the tetanus/diphtheria vaccine.

You should probably avoid live vaccines, such as the ones for chickenpox and measles, mumps and rubella . This is true especially if your CD4 numbers are 200 or lower. Make sure you discuss vaccine questions with your healthcare provider.

HIV can affect how well the vaccine works. It can also make your viral load increase for a time because your immune system is stimulated by the vaccine.

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