HIV, AIDS
HIV, AIDS
Acquire immune deficiency syndrome is a disorder of immune system which is cause by human immunodeficiency virus. It is a chronic life threating condition in which your immune system weaken so you are prone to severe infection.
It is transmitted by body fluid like blood semen etc. Vertical transmission also occurs. AIDS may occur after a many year of infection with HIV.
Symptoms
Symptoms appeared according to the stage of infection.
Primary infection (Acute HIV)
In primary infection flu like symptoms first appear which increases gradually within 4-5 weeks after virus enters the body. This is called primary infection which is last long for a few weeks.
Signs and symptoms of primary infection:
Clinical latent infection (Chronic HIV)
This is clinically silent stage in which virus present in your body and in your immune cells but does not produce any signs and symptoms this stage may long up to many years but some people produce severe disease earlier.
Symptomatic HIV infection
In symptomatic stage virus start to replicate themselves in the immune cells of your body and destroy them then you will start to show the signs and symptom related to weak immune systems like infections, flu, fever, fatigue, diarrhea etc.
Progression to AIDS
HIV proceed to AIDS which is more severe damaged to immune system due to which you gain infections more readily and opportunistic infection and cancer occurs more often. But due to the generation of antiviral therapy most people in western world generally do not develop AIDS after infected with HIV
Following are the signs and symptoms of AIDS.
- Chronic diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Night sweats
- Chills
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- Skin rashes
Causes
It is cause by HIV virus which is transmitted through sexual intercourse, during birth, blood transfusion, using each other’s personal things, needle prick, semen, breast feeding etc.
Complications
Main target of HIV virus is our immune system so complications are related to defected immune system.
Following are the common infections which are occur in HIV patient.
- Toxoplasmosis
- Cytomegalovirus infection
- Candidiasis
- Tuberculosis
- Pneumocystis pneumonia
- Cryptococcal meningitis
Prevention
Vaccine for HIV is still not generated so you can protect yourself by following mention precautions:
- Using antiviral drugs and treatment.
- Use new condom every time you have sexual intercourse.
- Use pre-exposure prophylaxis if you have any chance to exposure.
- Use post-exposure prophylaxis if you have been exposed to virus.
- Use a personal and clean needle.
- Consider male circumcision.
Diagnosis
There are many tests available to diagnosis HIV. Which is done through saliva, blood and semen.
Test included:
- Antigen/antibody tests.
- Antibody tests.
- Nucleic acid tests
- Viral load check
- CD4 count
Treatment
There is no proper drug and vaccine available for HIV. Once you get it your body has no any mechanism to remove it. If you get the virus then immediately start the antiretroviral therapy (ART).
There are many classes of this drug. Every class perform in different way to block the virus replication.
Following are the classes of antiviral therapy:
- Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
- Protease inhibitors.
- Integrase inhibitors.
- Nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
- Fusion inhibitors.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
During treatment this is necessary to maintain the good and healthy life style for the better response from the drugs. Following tips help you to maintain healthy life:
- Eat healthy foods.
- Avoid meat, eggs, and fruits.
- Get the antiviral vaccinations.
- Avoid the interactions with pets