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HIV: symptoms for men and women, the first signs of

HIV – the human immunodeficiency virus. By itself, the virus is not a disease, but destroying the immune system, it weakens the body's defenses, resulting in the body loses the ability to protect themselves from various diseases. Over time, the HIV infected person becomes susceptible to microorganisms that a healthy person does not represent danger.

Methods of infection

Immunodeficiency is transmitted from person to person, so infection occurs only when the exchange of fluids. In the blood, semen, vaginal discharge, breast milk of someone with HIV is a huge number of virus cells. At the same time after infection manifestations are observed for quite a long time, and the person may not know he's infected.

In most cases, infection occurs through unprotected sexual intercourse, therefore, at risk always include prostitutes, homosexuals. In addition, a small number of infection occurs through the transmission of the blood through injection. Naturally, in this case at risk are drug addicts.

As such paths are transmitted venereal diseases such as trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, to distinguish between HIV and AIDS, say AIDS develops in 10-12 years after infection. While at first there are no signs of the virus. Only a few weeks may be feeling very similar to the flu when the temperature rises, there rashes, constantly tormented by diarrhea.

A few years occurs a latent form of the virus, at this time, the person feels completely healthy. In the body there are certain changes. To understand what is happening, recall that the body always responds to the penetration into the body of the disease production of certain antibodies which help to cope with illness. In the case of HIV, the immune system cannot produce antibodies, and those that are not able to fight the virus, and the virus inhibits all protective functions of the body, making the person weak any disease.

Symptoms and first signs of HIV in men

Symptoms always depends on in what condition was the body of men by the time of infection, and in what condition were the immune system. However, it is possible to represent some of the most obvious symptoms are:

  • A few days can be a rash that spreads all over the body;
  • Increased lymph nodes;
  • Loss of appetite, apathy, fatigue.

The first signs and symptoms of HIV in women

In the firstwhile the symptoms can be confused with influenza, and the increase in body temperature, cough, headaches. Against this background develops night sweats, diarrhea, enlarged lymph nodes. The main symptoms include:

  • Body temperature in the area of 39 degrees, which is not reduced within a few days;
  • Weakness throughout the body;
  • Urogenital ailments;
  • Painful menstruation;
  • Abundant mucus from the vagina.

HIV test

Developed a special blood test that identifies HIV through antibodies, which indicate the presence of the virus. It should be noted that the first antibody may appear in the blood only a few months, so the virus remains so for a long time is not revealed. Thus, even in the presence of the virus, the patient can donate blood for another six months, and the result will always negative.

AIDS

As we have already noted, the virus slowly destroys the immune system, which leads to a total weakening as a result of which, people can get sick is so rare that it was impossible to think about this option when healthy body. This type of diseases called "opportunistic" and called, including some kinds of parasites.

AIDS – acronym for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Accordingly, when immunodeficiency the body is subject to destruction by infections that he is no longer able to cope on their own.

HIV treatment

First and foremost we are talking about drugs that are able to support the immune system and to slow the spread of opportunistic infections and diseases. In treatment are used:

  • Antivirals, which are designed to have an impact on the virus, slowing its development;
  • Drugs against opportunistic infections.

Unfortunately, after a long time the use of a single antiviral drug becomes meaningless, as the virus just adapts to the drug and no longer responds to it. That is why therapy is always used several drugs, and this combined approach allows for a long time not to give HIV to acquire resistance to the drugs.

Must be carried out and preventive therapy, in which doctors try to prevent the development of opportunistic diseases. Therapy participate antimicrobials, and the need to clarify that AIDS is not affected.

justify;">Patients with HIV become available not only to opportunistic infections but also for fairly simple and not dangerous for a healthy person, diseases. And treat them is much more difficult in a situation of the virus, so as soon as it appears on the presence of HIV in the body, is necessary for special procedures such as vaccination. Effective immunization, when the immune system is still working. Of course, vaccination is indicated for use as early as possible after HIV diagnosis. The following is a list of diseases that require immunization:

  • Flu;
  • Pneumonia. In HIV, the pneumococcus can lead not only to pneumonia but also to an inflammatory process in the brain, in the middle ear.

In addition, the prevention pay attention to the warning:

  • Salmonellosis. For a healthy person, the bacteria is not as dangerous, but in patients with weakened immune systems, Salmonella grows very quickly in the digestive tract.
  • TB. The disease develops much easier on the background of HIV.

Forecast

The most common question and HIV is reduced to lifespan with this diagnosis. A definite answer cannot be given because it is necessary to consider the condition of the body in each case. However, it is possible to tell that modern medicine is doing to the patient with HIV were able to live longer.

If at the beginning of the study AIDS you can tell that the virus develops 7 years, and after the people live at best another 12 months. After you apply to the combined antiviral therapy, the survival of patients has increased manifold. Now instead of 12 months we can talk about more than 10 years.