AIDS, an Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome, is a chronic disease that is potentially caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).
HIV is known to invade human metabolism’s machinery and destroys the immune system.
Thus, making our body more prone to foreign particles can destroy our body and cause several diseases. This article explains everything you need to know about AIDs and HIV, its causative virus.
What is HIV?
Human Immunodeficiency Virus is one of the sexually transmitted infections. It can also be spread due to several other reasons. Some of the reasons are:
⦁ Due to contact with infected needles, syringes, or other hospital equipment
⦁ From mother to child during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or childbirth.
HIV can destroy your immunity cells, such as T lymphocytes, and weaken your body. HIV takes a lot of time to make the infection turn into AIDS.
There is no significant treatment for AIDS/HIV; however, different medication and safety measures can control and protect it from spreading.
In the past, the number of deaths due to AIDs increased to a great extent; however, medication and antiviral treatments decreased the death ratio.
Several health organizations are still working to protect humans from the deadly effects of HIV/AIDs.
Symptoms for HIV/AIDs
The symptoms of AIDs vary, depending upon the type and phase of viral infection.
⦁ Acute HIV (Primary infection)
The initial stage of HIV/AIDs only develops flu-like illness in the person after two to four weeks of the virus entering the human machinery.
This initial illness is known as the Primary Infection of HIV and may last for a few weeks.
The symptoms of active infection are so few that you can hardly notice them. However, by the time you start observing its signs, the infection will have already spread severely.
Its symptoms are as follows:
• Fever
• Headaches
• Body pain
• Muscle ache
• Cough
• Weight loss
⦁ Chronic HIV ( Clinical latent infection)
At this stage of HIV/AIDs, the virus is present in the body, but it is hard to notice. It may also have entered white blood cells and started affecting their work.
Chronic HIV does not have any prominent infections or symptoms. It becomes hard to diagnose it.
It can last from a few months to a year, and the chronic infection can develop into a more serious health condition. So, it is crucial to start its treatment in the beginning.
⦁ Symptomatic HIV
As the virus continues, it multiplies into several copies and gets stronger. At this stage, it starts acting upon its immune system and making it weak.
Some of its very common symptoms are as follows:
• fever
• fatigue
• rash
• diarrhea
• sudden weight loss
• swollen lymph node
• Pneumonia
Progression to AIDs
The use and development of several anti-viral treatments have decreased the death ratio. It is the result of these treatments that most people in the U.S. today do not develop any AIDs.
Untreated HIV can take almost 8-10 years to completely develop into AIDs. When this happens, your immune system has damaged severely.
AIDs cause several other diseases to occur in the body due to a weak immune system. These diseases are known as opportunistic cancers.
The signs of such diseases are:
• sweating
• chronic diarrhea
• chills and cold
• weakness
• skin rash
Why does HIV convert into AIDs?
You can endure HIV and its effects in the initial stages. It does not have any significant signs or symptoms other than chill, fever, and cough.
However, HIV causes a severe reduction in CD4 T cells. When the CD4 cell count falls below 200 you can fall prey to AIDS, thus leading to severe diseases such as cancer.
Treatments for HIV
If you start feeling that you have developed HIV must see a doctor as soon as possible.
There is no significant treatment or therapy to treat AIDs. however, several antiviral treatments and vaccines are u der develop. This treatment can control the progression of AIDs.
In this way, you can stop your immune system from getting weaker. In addition to medical treatments, you should avoid physical contact with the patient.
Conclusion
HIV/AIDs is a drastic sexually transmitted disease that is known to affect our immune system. HIV at the initial stage just feels like a normal fever, so it becomes difficult to diagnose it.
However, proper checkups and regular doctor visits can prevent HIV from spreading and converting into AIDs.