You can also download materials to share or watch videos on basic information about HIV. The only way to know for sure whether you have HIV is to get tested. Some people have flu-like symptoms within 2 to 4 weeks after infection called acute HIV infection. These symptoms may last for a few days or several weeks. Possible symptoms include. But some people may not feel sick during acute HIV infection.
Other illnesses can cause these same symptoms. Types of mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium kansasii are naturally present and tend to cause few problems. However, in a person with HIV, especially if it is in the later stages, these infections can spread throughout the body and cause life threatening health issues.
Many different pathogens can cause pneumonia, but a type of bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae can be one of the most dangerous for people with HIV. A vaccine for this bacterium is available, and everyone with HIV should receive it.
Meanwhile, infection with a fungus called Pneumocystis jirovecii can cause breathlessness, a dry cough, and a high fever in people with suppressed immune systems, including some people with HIV. Chronic intestinal isosporiasis occurs when the parasite Isospora belli enters the body through contaminated food and water, causing diarrhea, fever, vomiting, weight loss, headaches , and abdominal pain.
When Salmonella bacteria enter the body — also usually via contaminated food or water — they can circulate and overpower the immune system, causing nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
In this case, a doctor may diagnose recurrent Salmonella septicemia. Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that inhabits warm-blooded animals, including cats and rodents, and it is present in their feces. Humans contract the resulting infection, called toxoplasmosis, by inhaling contaminated dust or eating contaminated food, including commercial meats.
Toxoplasmosis can cause severe symptoms involving the lungs, retina, heart, liver, pancreas, brain, testes, and colon. To reduce the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis, wear gloves while changing cat litter, and thoroughly wash the hands afterward. A person with advanced HIV or an opportunistic infection may experience complications, including:. HIV can trigger encephalopathy, or inflammation in the brain. Doctors do not fully understand the underlying mechanisms. PML stems from infection with the John Cunningham virus.
This virus is present in many people, and it usually lies dormant in the kidneys. If a person has a weakened immune system — possibly due to HIV or medications such as those for multiple sclerosis — the John Cunningham virus attacks the brain, leading to PML, which can be life threatening and cause paralysis and cognitive difficulties. Part of the weight loss may also involve fat loss.
A person with HIV may have a higher risk of various types of cancer, including lymphoma. These can develop anywhere in the body. On the skin, a doctor may recognize characteristic solid, purple or pink spots, which may be flat or raised.
These affect the lymph nodes and lymphoid tissues. Also, a female with HIV should recieve regular checks for cervical cancer. Read more about possible complications of HIV here. It is important to manage the viral load with HIV medications and take additional precautions, such as:. Antibiotic , antifungal, and antiparasitic drugs can help treat opportunistic infections. Data suggest that 1 in every 7 HIV-positive people in the U. They will retest the blood before confirming a positive result.
Home testing kits are also available. People with known risk factors should undergo testing more often. Anyone at risk of an infection can have a rapid test. If this is negative, the test provider usually recommends having another test within a few weeks. If a person may have been exposed to HIV within the last 72 hours , they should talk to a healthcare professional about post-exposure prophylaxis PEP , a preventive treatment.
Receiving these treatments, called antiretrovirals, can reduce the risk of transmission. Many people who take HIV treatments live long, healthy lives. These medications are becoming increasingly effective and well-tolerated. A person may need to take just one pill per day. Anyone who may have been exposed to the virus within the last 72 hours should speak with a healthcare provider about PEP. This medication may be able to stop the infection, especially if a person takes it as soon as possible after the potential exposure.
Treating HIV involves taking antiretroviral medications, which fight the infection and slow the spread of the virus. People generally take a combination of medications, called highly active antiretroviral therapy or combination antiretroviral therapy. Protease is an enzyme that HIV needs in order to replicate.
These medications bind to the enzyme and inhibit its action, preventing HIV from making copies of itself. HIV needs integrase, another enzyme, to infect T cells, and these drugs block the enzyme.
Due to their effectiveness and limited side effects, these are often the first line of treatment. During the active stage, which can also last for years, cats are more prone to illnesses because the virus interferes with the immune system. They may have frequent respiratory, skin, or urinary tract infections, but veterinary care can allow these cats to recover completely.
As of now, there is no cure for feline AIDS, but cats with FIV can have a good quality of life if they live indoors and have good veterinary care. And this really slows down the spread of the HIV virus and allows patients who take these drugs to have a relatively normal life. Now, there are few side effects with the liver and things, but I think these drugs will do until we come up with a better way to get rid of the HIV virus.
David M. Bodine, Ph. Featured Content.
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