Fighting HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a global health and humanitarian concern as it is one of most fatal diseases known to exist. HIV is a disease that attacks the immune system. It begins by attacking the CD4 cells, also called T4 cells which are necessary to combat illnesses. Ultimately, the virus overwhelms CD4 cells and the body becomes vulnerable to a host of diseases and infections. HIV is a progressive disease. Once your body’s CD4 cell count falls below 200 per cubic millimeter of blood, you will be diagnosed with AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).
Initial Stage HIV Symptoms
Symptoms of HIV differ according to the stage of the infection you are in. In the initial stage of sickness, many patients develop flu-like symptoms within days of being infected or several takes after. These can include fever, rash, muscles aches along with swollen lymph nodes and glands. However, most people mistake them for common flu and the first symptoms of HIV will often be missed.
Even though the infection is slowly and steadily taking hold of your body, you may be asymptomatic. Only a HIV test will can confirm that you are indeed HIV positive. During this entire time, though completely oblivious, a patient is highly contagious. This is also how, a lot of times, infected mothers pass on HIV to their unborn babies or infants.
Chronic HIV/AIDS Symptoms
As the infection progresses, people with HIV become more and more vulnerable to several illnesses and infections that do not seem to affect healthy individuals around them. Their compromised immune system and its inability to ward off infections and illnesses also makes treatments for these normally curable infections or diseases fail.
In the later stages of HIV, before it progresses to full blown AIDS, signs of HIV infection can involve more severe symptoms. These include:
• Chronic fatigue
• Dry cough and shortness of breath
• Swollen lymph nodes in the armpits, groin and neck
• Mouth sores or yeast infection of the mouth
• Fever and/or night sweats
• Easy bruising
• Bouts of extreme exhaustion
• Unexplained body rashes
• Tingling, numbness and weakness in the limbs
• Appearance of purplish lesions on the skin or inside mouth
• Sudden unexplained weight loss
• Chronic diarrhea lasting for a month or more
• Delayed growth in children
• Enlarged spleen in children
People infected with HIV are observed to develop AIDS eight to ten years after HIV infection. However, with early diagnosis of HIV and access to medications, one can slow down the progression. In some individuals, it could take as long as ten to 15 years or more before they develop AIDS.
HIV/AIDS and Opportunistic Infections
In many instances, HIV patients are detected to have AIDS while receiving treatmet for contracting one of these opportunistic infections. There are more than 20 opportunistic illnesses. Some of them are:
• Severe bacterial infections
• Invasive cervical cancer
• Toxoplasmosis of the brain
• Kaposi’s Sarcoma
• Pulmonary tuberculosis
• Lymphoma
• Recurrent pneumonia
Other distressing conditions that develop with HIV/AIDS are loss of vision, nerve damage and brain impairment.
Since HIV/AIDS has no cure, following preventive measures such as safe sex practices, and using sterilized injection equipment at hospitals is the best protection.