Is There A Period When The Virus Isnt Transmittable
HIV is transmittable soon after its introduced into the body. During this phase, the bloodstream contains higher levels of HIV, which makes it easy to transmit it to others.
Since not everyone has early symptoms of HIV, getting tested is the only way to know if the virus has been contracted. An early diagnosis also allows an HIV-positive person to begin treatment. Proper treatment can eliminate their risk of transmitting the virus to their sexual partners.
General Misconceptions About Hiv Transmission
There are several myths regarding the spread of HIV that add to the sense of suspicion that shrouds this condition and contribute to the unjust and unwarranted alienation of its victims. People tend to make assumptions without educating themselves about the facts, and as a result, HIV patients are forced to become social pariahs.
Instead of operating out of the fear of a probable infection, one must get his/her facts straight. Unlike your run-of-the-mill viral infections, the HIV virus, contagious as it may be, does not spread through the following:
- Skin-to-skin contact
- Holding hands, hugging, or kissing an HIV patient
- Sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses with a patient
What Is Acute Hiv Infection
Acute HIV infection, also known as an early or primary retroviral infection, is a condition that develops within two to four weeks of contracting human immunodeficiency virus .
Symptoms of acute HIV infection are similar to other viral infections, such as the flu or mononucleosis . For this reason, many people do not realize they have been infected with HIV. A blood test is the best way to confirm an HIV infection.
There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is the more common form of HIV found in the United States. The term HIV in this resource refers to HIV-1, unless otherwise stated.
HIV attacks the body’s immune cells. Without treatment, a person with HIV becomes more likely to develop infections or infection-related cancers. The last stage of HIV infection is AIDS , when the immune system is severely damaged.
There is currently no effective cure for HIV infection but, with the right treatment and medical care, the outlook for people with HIV is good.
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Death Is Coming If You Notice These 28 Late Signs Of Hiv/aids Partly Or At Once
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People usually look and feel very healthy long after infection. It can take 10 years or more for HIV to show any symptoms or much longer than people taking HIV medications. Thats why its so important to get tested for HIV regularly, especially if youve had unprotected sex or shared injections. HIV treatment can help you stay healthy. Treatment can also reduce or even stop your chances of transmitting HIV to others through sex.
Fever, pain and vomiting may occur in the first 2-4 weeks after infection with HIV. These flu-like symptoms are your bodys first response to HIV infection. There are many viruses in your system during this time, so it is very easy to spread HIV to other people. Symptoms last only a few weeks and then usually have no symptoms for years. But HIV can spread to other people whether you have symptoms or not.
HIV destroys cells in your immune system called CD4 cells or T cells. Without CD4 cells, your body has a hard time fighting disease. This increases the chances that you actually get an infection that doesnt usually harm you. Over time, the damage that HIV does to your immune system causes AIDS.
The signs of AIDS are:
1. Cancer sores , Sore throat, bad yeast infection, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, frequent bad infections, tireness, headache, fast weight loss, Bruising easier than usual, diarrhea, fever or night sweats for a long time.
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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Getting Tested For Hiv
HIV testing is important. Someone living with HIV who isnt getting treatment can still transmit the virus, even if they have no symptoms. Others may pass the virus to others through an exchange of bodily fluids. But todays treatment can effectively eliminate the risk of transmitting the virus to a persons HIV-negative sexual partners.
According to the CDC , antiretroviral therapy can lead to viral suppression. When someone with HIV can maintain an undetectable viral load, they cant transmit HIV to others. The CDC defines an undetectable viral load as fewer than 200 copies per milliliter of blood.
Taking an HIV test is the only way to determine whether the virus is in the body. There are known risk factors that increase a persons chance of contracting HIV. For example, people whove had sex without a condom or shared needles may want to consider seeing their healthcare professional about getting tested.
Symptom : Night Sweats
Night sweats are repeated episodes of extreme sweating, causing bedding and any nightclothes to become soaked. Many people will get night sweats during the early stages of HIV. These can be even more common later in infection and arent related to exercise or the temperature of the room.Get tested if symptoms of HIV appear
With such a vast array of symptoms, HIV testing is vital to ensure a proper diagnosis. If you think youve been exposed to HIV, or have an active sex life with casual sex partners, regardless of whether you are showing symptoms of HIV or not, its important to get tested as soon as possible.
If youre in Sydney, you can get a rapid HIV test and STI check-up at a. If youre not in Sydney, you can still get a rapid HIV test and STI check-up using our where to get tested tool here.
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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.
Lifestyle Changes And Complementary Treatments
A healthy lifestyle can ease some of the effects of HIV or its treatment:
- Stick to a balanced diet. Energy and nutrients help your body fight HIV. A healthy diet may also let your medications work better and could ease side effects. But be careful to prevent foodborne illness by avoiding raw meat and eggs.
- Get regular exercise. It boosts strength and endurance, lowers your risk of depression, and helps your immune system work better.
- Donât smoke. Smoking can make you more likely to get a serious condition like cancer, pneumonia, heart disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease . People with HIV who smoke tend to have shorter lifespans than those who donât.
- Get your vaccinations. Ask your doctor about whether they recommend that you get vaccines against pneumonia, flu, hepatitis A or B, or HPV.
Some people say that complementary therapies — those done in addition to standard medical treatment — help them feel better and live fuller lives with HIV. These may include:
Always talk with your doctor before adding a traditional practice or nutritional supplement to your HIV treatment plan.
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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 Is Usually The First Sign Of Hiv
HIV, or the human immunodeficiency virus, exists within the bodies of more than 1.2 million Americans. Each year, more than 35,000 new infections emerge. If left untreated, the virus can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome .
Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, more than 700,000 Americans have died from complications stemming from this disease. Even though HIV is no longer in the news all that often, it is clear that the disease continues to make an impact in this country. This blog will help you understand HIV, the symptoms of the disease, and how you can get help.
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Who Should Get Tested And How Often
The CDC recommends that people within the age gap of 1364 years should make it a point to get tested at least once in their lifetime. Furthermore, people who are in high-risk populations should exercise greater precaution and get tested often, which is every 36 months.
To be more certain, you must speak with your healthcare provider to get a fair assessment of your risk factors and accordingly determine how often you should get tested for HIV.
How Can I Ensure I Get A Diagnosis Sooner Rather Than Later
All you need to determine whether or not you are infected is a simple blood test. This test checks for the presence of antibodies produced by the body in an attempt to fight HIV.
If you believe you have been exposed to HIV, contact your healthcare provider immediately and schedule an appointment to get tested. In addition to your own healthcare provider, your local health department, STD clinic, or family planning clinic can help you get tested. To find a testing clinic in your area, visit the CDC’s National HIV Testing Resources site.
While the average length of time from exposure to the presence of detectable HIV antibodies is 20 days, it can sometimes take as long as six to 12 months before antibodies are present. Because of this, your healthcare provider may recommend testing at one month, three months, six months, and one year after the initial exposure.
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Early Signs And Symptoms Of Hiv In Men
Early symptoms of HIV in men are often vague and unspecific.
In men, initial HIV symptoms are typically unspecific. Early symptoms are usually bearable and frequently mistaken for flu or another mild condition. People may easily underestimate them or mistake them for minor health conditions.
Men can experience flu-like symptoms some days to weeks after contracting the virus, which may include:
- pain in the joints
- swollen lymph nodes
Men may undervalue initial symptoms and put off seeing a doctor until the symptoms worsen, by which time the infection might have advanced.
The fact that some men do not seek timely treatment may be why the virus affects men more severely than women.
Although scientists and researchers have made significant progress in the prevention and treatment of HIV over the last decades, it remains a serious health problem in most countries around the world.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , in 2016, an estimated 39,782 people were diagnosed with HIV in the U.S.
Although the number of new diagnoses fell by 5 percent between 2011 and 2015, there were still around 1.1 million people in the U.S. living with HIV in 2015.
A higher number of men than women are living with the virus. By the end of 2010,
In 2016, 44 percent of new HIV diagnoses were among African Americans, compared with 26 percent among white people and 25 percent among Hispanics and Latinos.
Can Hiv Be Prevented Or Avoided
The best way to prevent HIV is to not have sex with a person who has HIV, or share a needle with a person who has HIV. However, there is also a medicine called PrEP that people can take before coming into contact with HIV that can prevent them from getting an HIV infection.
PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is for people who are at long-term risk of getting HIV either through sexual activity or by injecting drugs. If youre taking PrEP and come into contact with HIV, the medicine makes it difficult for HIV to develop inside your body.
Other ways to prevent HIV include:
- When you have sex, practice safer sex by using a condom. The best condom is a male latex condom. A female condom is not as effective but does offer some protection.
- Do not share needles and syringes.
- Never let someone elses blood, semen, urine, vaginal fluid, or feces get into your anus, vagina, or mouth.
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Hiv Exposure Through Sexual Behavior
- Engaging in intercourse with an HIV-infected person Anal intercourse is the first and vaginal intercourse is the second highest-risk sexual behaviors for HIV transmission.
- Engaging in unprotected intercourse with multiple partners This can lead to other sexually transmitted infections, making you more susceptible to contracting the HIV virus through intercourse.
- Engaging in transactional intercourse This typically involves multiple partners and high-risk sexual behavior.
What Are The Warning Signs Of Hiv
The first symptoms can resemble symptoms of other conditions, such as a cold or flu virus, other sexually transmitted diseases, other infections such as mononucleosis or hepatitis. Stress and anxiety can also produce symptoms that are similar to HIV in some individuals.The intensity of the symptoms can also vary from person to person. Some may experience very strong symptoms while others experience none at all.General symptoms can occur within days or weeks of initial exposure to the virus and may include:
- Fever
- Swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin or neck
- Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week
- White spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat
- Pneumonia
- Red, brown, pink or purple blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose or eyelids
- Memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders
No one should assume they are infected just because of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be related to other medical conditions. Because these symptoms are similar to other diseases, a person may not realize they are infected with HIV. The only way to determine if a person is infected is to be tested.
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Causes And Stages Of Acute Hiv Infection
HIV is caused by a retrovirus which attacks the bodyâs immune system, specifically CD4 blood cells which are responsible for fighting infections. During acute HIV infection, the HIV retrovirus destroys a lot of CD4 cells as it replicates. This can cause some people to fall ill with flu-like symptoms.
Acute HIV infection is the first stage of HIV infection. It is followed by two further stages:
Clinical latency, also known as asymptomatic HIV infection or chronic HIV infection. The HIV retrovirus continues to replicate within the body, but at low levels. The infected person may not experience any HIV-related symptoms, but can still transmit the virus to other people. Without treatment, this stage can last around 10 years. Towards the end of this phase, the personâs CD4 count starts to decrease and they may start to show symptoms.
AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. Without treatment, a person can expect to develop AIDS after approximately 10 years. During this stage, a personâs immune system is badly damaged and they are susceptible to severe illnesses such as chronic cryptosporidiosis, lymphoma and pneumonia. Without treatment, a person with AIDS will typically only live around three years.
Treatment can slow the progression of HIV infection, often by decades.
Progressing To Stage 3 Hiv
If a person with HIV does not receive treatment, the condition may eventually progress to stage 3 HIV, also known as AIDS. Thanks to modern medical advances, HIV infection rarely reaches stage 3 in the U.S. nowadays.
Stage 3 HIV is not a specific disease but a syndrome with a wide range of identifiable symptoms. The symptoms can also stem from other illnesses that occur because opportunistic infections take advantage of reduced immune activity.
Symptoms include:
Treatment will depend on the individual and any complications. The persons healthcare team will help them make a suitable plan.
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We Know That Men Who Have Sex With Men In Illinois Are At Higher Risk For Hiv What About Women Who Have Sex With Women
It is not a personâs gender, sexual orientation, race or class that puts them at risk for HIV. People are at risk for HIV when they practice risky behaviors. Women who identify as lesbian or gay can be at risk for HIV by practicing any of the behaviors that place women at risk. Lesbian women have become infected with HIV by using injection drugs or having unprotected sex with male or female partners who are already infected with HIV. Women who have sex with other women should follow guidelines in this fact sheet to protect themselves, and can call the Illinois AIDS/HIV/STD Hotline at 800-243-AIDS for specific information.