The human immunodeficiency virus is a pathology that destroys the body's natural defenses. Its danger is that it reduces the body's resistance to various infections, contributing to the development of serious diseases and their complications.

It is completely impossible to cure the disease, since its structure is constantly changing, which does not allow pharmacists to create substances that can destroy it. Treatment for HIV infection is aimed at strengthening the immune system and blocking the activity of the virus.

The disease has four stages, the last of which – AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) – is terminal.

HIV infection has a very long incubation period. After entering the body, the virus does not manifest itself for a long time, but continues to destroy the immune system. A person begins to get sick more severely and for a longer period of time, since the immune system is unable to cope even with “harmless” infections, which give complications, worsening health conditions more and more.

At the terminal stage, the immune system is completely destroyed, which gives impetus to the development of oncological tumors, severe damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, respiratory system, etc. The result is the death of the patient from one of the diseases of these organs.

HIV has four types, of which the first two are diagnosed in 95% of cases of infection, the third and fourth are extremely rare.

The virus is not resistant to environmental influences, antiseptics, alcohol solutions, and acetone. It also does not tolerate high temperatures and dies already at 56 degrees within half an hour, and when boiled it is destroyed instantly.

At the same time, its cells remain viable when frozen (they are able to “live” 5-6 days at a temperature of 22 degrees); in solutions of narcotic substances they remain active for about three weeks.

For a long time, HIV was considered a disease of drug addicts, homosexuals and women of easy virtue. Today, among the carriers of the virus there are people with high social status and heterosexual orientation. Neither adults nor children are immune from infection. The main route of transmission is biological body fluids. Pathogenic cells are found in:

• blood;
• lymph;
• sperm;
• cerebrospinal fluid;
• vaginal secretion;
• breast milk.

The risk of infection increases in proportion to the number of pathogenic cells in these fluids, and at least ten thousand viral particles are required to transmit infection.

Methods of infection

The main routes of transmission of the virus are considered to be

• Unprotected sexual intercourse.

According to statistics, infection through this route is diagnosed in 75% of patients, but the risk of transmitting pathogenic cells is the lowest: about 30% of sexual partners become infected during the first vaginal contact, about 50% during anal contact, and less than 5% during oral contact.

The risk of genitourinary pathologies (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, fungi), trauma and microdamage to the mucous membranes of intimate organs (scratches, ulcers, erosions, anal fissures, etc.), and frequent sexual contact with an infected person increases the risk.

Women are more likely to accept the virus than men, since the area of ​​the vagina and direct contact with pathogenic cells is larger.

• Intravenous injections.

The second most popular way, since more than half of drug addicts suffer from it. The reasons are the use of one syringe or utensils to prepare the solution, as well as unprotected intimate contacts with dubious partners while intoxicated.

• Intrauterine path.

During pregnancy, the risk of the virus entering the placenta does not exceed 25%; natural childbirth and breastfeeding increase it by another 10%.

• Penetrating wounds from non-sterile instruments: infection occurs during surgical operations in dubious clinics, tattooing, manicure procedures, etc.

• Direct blood transfusion, untested organ transplantation.

If the donor is HIV positive, transmission is 100%.

The possibility of infection depends on the strength of the recipient's immunity. If the natural defense is strong, the course of the disease will be weaker and the incubation period itself will be longer.

Manifestations of pathology

Symptoms of HIV infection are a manifestation of treatable diseases caused by a weakened immune system, which makes diagnosis very difficult, since a person takes only the necessary tests, treats the consequences of the disease, without even knowing about his true status. There are slight differences depending on the stages of infection.

There are no symptoms characteristic of the virus: the manifestations of the disease are individual and depend on the general health of the patient and the diseases caused by it.

The first stage is the incubation period. This is the initial stage, developing from the moment pathogenic cells enter the body until one year. In some patients, the first symptoms appear within a couple of weeks, in others - no earlier than several months.

The average incubation period is one and a half to three months. During this period, symptoms are completely absent; even tests do not show the presence of the virus. A dangerous disease can be detected at an early stage only if a person has encountered one of the possible routes of infection.

The second stage is the stage of primary manifestations. They arise as a reaction of the immune system to the active proliferation of harmful cells. Usually occurs 2-3 months after infection, lasting from two weeks to several months.

It can happen in different ways

• Asymptomatic when the body produces antibodies and there are no signs of infection.
• Spicy.

The stage is typical for 15-30% of patients, the manifestations are similar to those of acute infectious pathologies:

• temperature increase;
• fever;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• skin rashes;
• bowel disorders;
• inflammatory processes of the upper respiratory tract;
• increase in the size of the liver and spleen.

In rare cases, the development of autoimmune pathologies is possible.

• Acute with secondary pathologies – typical for most patients.

Weakened immunity allows existing representatives of opportunistic microflora to actively reproduce, which leads to exacerbation or the emergence of infectious diseases. At this stage, it is not difficult to cure them, but soon their relapses become more frequent.

The third stage is a deterioration in the functioning and condition of the lymphatic system. Lasts from two to 15 years, depending on how the immune system copes with viral cells. Enlargement of lymph nodes occurs in groups (except for the inguinal ones) that are not interconnected.

After three months, their size returns to a healthy state, pain on palpation disappears, elasticity and mobility return. Sometimes relapses occur.

The fourth stage is terminal – the development of AIDS. The immune system is practically destroyed, the virus itself multiplies unhindered. All remaining healthy cells are susceptible to destruction, many of them degenerate into malignant ones, and severe infectious pathologies develop.

AIDS also occurs in four stages

• The first occurs after 6-10 years. It is characterized by a decrease in body weight, rashes on the skin and mucous membranes containing purulent contents, fungal and viral infections, and diseases of the upper respiratory tract. It is possible to cope with infectious processes, but therapy is long-term.
• The second develops after another 2-3 years. Weight loss continues, body temperature rises to 38-39 degrees, weakness and drowsiness occur. Frequent diarrhea, lesions of the oral mucosa, fungal and viral lesions of the skin are observed, the manifestations of all previously diagnosed infectious pathologies intensify, and pulmonary tuberculosis develops.

Conventional medications are unable to cope with the disease; only antiretroviral therapy can alleviate the symptoms.

• The third stage occurs 10-12 years after infection. Symptoms: exhaustion, weakness, lack of appetite. Pneumonia develops, viral infections worsen, and healing of their manifestations does not occur. Pathogenic microflora covers all internal and external organs and their systems, diseases are acute and give new complications.

The duration of HIV infection from the moment of infection until the death of the patient varies from person to person. Some die after 2-3 years, others live 20 years or more. Cases have been recorded of people dying from the virus within a few months. The lifespan of a person depends on his general health and the type of virus that has entered the body.

Features of HIV in adults and children

The clinical picture of the disease in representatives of the stronger sex does not differ from the manifestations that develop when the immune system is weakened. Girls suffer the infection more severely, as they begin to experience menstrual irregularities.

Menstruation occurs with severe pain, becomes heavy, and bleeding is observed in the middle of the cycle. A frequent complication of the virus is malignant formations of the reproductive system. Cases of organ inflammation are increasing genitourinary system, they occur more severely and take longer.

In babies and newborns, the disease does not manifest itself for a long time; there are no external signs. The only symptom by which one can suspect the presence of pathology is a delay in the mental and physical development of the child.

Diagnosis of the disease

It is difficult to detect HIV at an early stage, since the symptoms are absent or similar to the manifestations of treatable pathologies: inflammatory processes, allergies, infectious diseases. The disease can be detected by chance, during a routine medical examination, admission to a hospital, or registration during pregnancy.

The main diagnostic method is a special test, which can be done both in the clinic and at home.

There are a lot of diagnostic methods. Every year, scientists develop new tests and improve old ones, reducing the number of false positive and false negative results.

The main material for research is human blood, but there are tests that can make a preliminary diagnosis by examining saliva or urine using scrapings from the surface of the oral cavity. They have not yet found widespread use, but are used for home preliminary diagnostics.

HIV testing in adults is carried out in three stages:

• screening test - gives a preliminary result, helps to identify people who have been infected;
• reference – carried out to persons whose screening results are positive;
• confirming – establishes the final diagnosis and duration of presence of the virus in the body.

This phased examination is associated with the high cost of research: each subsequent analysis is more complex and expensive, so it is not economically feasible to carry out a full complex for all citizens. During the study, antigens are identified - cells or particles of the virus, antibodies - leukocytes produced by the immune system to pathogenic cells.

The presence of harmful cells can be determined only after achieving seroconversion - a state when the number of antibodies is sufficient for their detection by test systems. From the moment of infection until the onset of seroconversion, a “window period” occurs: during this time, transmission of the virus is already possible, but no test can detect it. This period lasts from six to twelve weeks.

If the diagnostic results are positive, you should contact your doctor to prescribe antiretroviral therapy. Which doctor treats HIV infection? An infectious disease specialist who is usually present at the central clinic of a city or regional center.

Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus

Once the virus enters the body, it remains there forever. Although research into the infection has been going on for decades, scientists have not been able to invent drugs that can destroy pathogenic cells. Therefore, almost 100 years after the discovery of the virus, the answer to the question of whether HIV infection can be treated remains a sad “No.”

But medicine is constantly inventing drugs that can slow down the activity of HIV, reduce the risks of developing pathologies, help cope with them faster and prolong the life of the infected person, making it full. Treatment of HIV infection involves taking antiretroviral therapy drugs, prevention and treatment of concomitant inflammatory processes.

Therapy is taking medications, but immunodeficiency can be cured using methods traditional medicine impossible. Refusal of pharmaceutical products in favor of unconventional recipes is a direct path to the development of AIDS and the death of the patient.

The effectiveness of treatment depends on many factors, but the most important condition for therapy is the patient’s responsible attitude towards the prescribed treatment. In order for it to produce results, medications should be taken at a strictly defined time, their dosage should be observed, and interruptions in treatment should not be allowed. Diet and maintenance are also indicated healthy image life.

If these recommendations are followed, the number of protective cells increases dramatically, the virus is blocked, and even highly sensitive tests often cannot detect it. Otherwise, the disease continues to progress and leads to dysfunction of vital organs: heart, liver, lungs, endocrine system.

With HIV infection, the most effective treatment– antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Its main task is to prevent the development of complications and concomitant pathologies that can shorten the patient’s life. HAART also helps improve the patient’s quality of life and make it full.

If therapy is carried out correctly, the virus goes into remission and secondary pathologies do not develop. Such treatment also has a positive effect on the psychological state of the infected person: feeling supported and knowing that the disease can be “slowed down,” he returns to his usual way of life.

In our country, all antiretroviral drugs are provided to a person free of charge after he receives the status of an HIV-positive patient.

Features of antiretroviral therapy

HAART is prescribed on an individual basis, and the tablets included in it depend on the stage of development of the infection. At the initial stage, specialized treatment is not prescribed; it is recommended to take vitamins and special mineral complexes that help strengthen the body’s natural defenses.

Chemotherapy is indicated as a preventive method, but only for those individuals who have been in contact with an HIV-positive person or a potential carrier of the virus. Such prevention is effective only in the first 72 hours after possible infection.

In the second and subsequent stages, therapy is prescribed based on the results of clinical tests that determine the state of immunity. The terminal stage, that is, the presence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, requires mandatory medication. In pediatrics, HAART is always prescribed, regardless of the clinical stage of the child’s disease.

This approach to treatment is determined by the standards of the Ministry of Health. But new research shows that early initiation of antiretroviral therapy produces better treatment results and a more positive effect on the patient's condition and life expectancy.

HAART includes several types of drugs that are combined with each other. Since the virus gradually loses sensitivity to the active substances, the combinations are changed from time to time, which makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of treatment.

Several years ago, scientists presented synthetic drug Quad, which includes the main properties of prescribed drugs. A huge advantage of the medicine is taking only one tablet per day, which greatly facilitates treatment. This product has virtually no side effects, is easier to tolerate by the body, solves the problem of loss of sensitivity to active components.

Many patients are interested in whether it is possible to block the activity of the virus traditional methods and how to treat HIV infection at home? It should be remembered that such treatment is possible, but only if it is auxiliary and agreed with the treating doctor.

Folk recipes are shown to strengthen the body's defenses. These can be decoctions and infusions medicinal herbs, consumption of the gifts of nature, rich in vitamins, minerals and beneficial microelements.

Preventive actions

The immunodeficiency virus is a disease that can be prevented, but it cannot be cured. Today, developed countries have developed special programs aimed at preventing HIV and AIDS, which are monitored at the state level. Basics preventive measures Every person should know, since there is no guarantee that infection will not occur.

You can avoid serious pathology if you treat your own intimate life responsibly. You should avoid sexual contact with questionable people, and always use condoms when having sex with a new sexual partner about whose condition there is no reliable information.

It is important that the sex partner is one and permanent, and has medical reports confirming the absence of HIV.

One of the popular myths is that a condom is unable to protect against the virus, since the latex pores are larger than the virus cells. This is wrong. Today, barrier contraception is the only way to prevent infection during sexual intercourse.

If a person suffers from drug addiction and injects drugs, he should always use disposable medical instruments, give injections with sterile gloves, and have individual containers for preparing a narcotic solution. To avoid becoming a victim of direct transmission of the virus through the blood, you should refuse blood transfusions.

To carry out procedures where there is access to blood, choose trusted establishments, ensure that their employees carry out all manipulations with gloves, and that instruments are disinfected in the presence of the client.

If HIV is present in a woman who is preparing to become a mother, the baby’s condition is monitored throughout the entire pregnancy. Caesarean section and refusal to breastfeeding. It will be possible to determine the baby’s HIV status no earlier than six months later, when the mother’s antibodies to the virus leave the baby’s body.

Methods of artificial insemination can prevent the occurrence of severe infection in a child.

An expectant HIV-positive mother should eliminate all factors that reduce the baby’s immunity: stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol, eat more vitamins, cure all infectious and inflammatory diseases, treat chronic ailments to prevent their recurrence during pregnancy.

By following these rules, you can prevent infection with a dangerous pathology and prevent its transmission to healthy people. Since there is no cure for the disease, the only way to rid the world of the virus is to block its spread.

IN last years HIV affects an increasing number of people belonging to different age and social groups.

To avoid infection, it is necessary to take preventive measures. In addition, you should have an idea about the nature of immunodeficiency and the reasons that provoke its occurrence and spread.

The cause of HIV infection is the penetration of the immunodeficiency virus into the human body. It was discovered by scientists in the early 80s. But there were already several thousand sick. After a short period of time, another variation of the disease was found. But due to the similar symptoms of the diseases, it is customary to call them the same - HIV infection. The researchers came to the conclusion that the disease lives in the body of mammals without manifesting itself. But at the end of the 19th century, the disease was identified in a person who became infected from a monkey in West Africa.

People don’t think about the fact that they can become infected with a dangerous disease. They think that this cannot happen to them. The spread of the disease occurs in several ways, which we will discuss in more detail.

Reason for the spread of the virus

Under the influence of viruses, a person weakens immune system, which does not allow us to fully combat various diseases. And even in the presence of a harmless cold, a serious pathological condition can develop, which, if ignored, can lead to dangerous consequences for human health and life. But even with a negative test, it’s worth knowing how you can get sick.

Injury to a person as a result of sexual intercourse

Most often, the disease enters the human body as a result of unprotected sexual intercourse. This route of spread of the disease has surpassed in frequency even the penetration of negative substances as a result of blood transfusion. The virus can infect a person after traditional, anal and oral sexual contact. It is possible to get sick as a result of oral sexual contact; this dangerous condition occurs when there are open wounds in the oral cavity.

The disease is highly likely to spread after anal sexual intercourse without the use of protective equipment. You should know that only a condom can fully prevent the spread of the virus, as well as help protect against a variety of sexually transmitted infections.

Many patients may find out about their illness by chance when they undergo a medical examination in a medical institution or when a person feels a general malaise and decides to be cured of other diseases. Infection through drug addiction.

Using the same syringe for drug addiction leads to the development of the disease, although drug addicts do not suspect this, so they do not visit medical institutions and do not undergo tests. Patients have no idea about their diagnosis, infecting strangers. The presence of a retrovirus inside a syringe allows you to get sick when it enters the blood of a healthy person.

If you do not notice the infection in a timely manner, and also refuse to take various medicines leading an immoral lifestyle, this becomes the cause of the development of a disease such as AIDS.

Infection after blood transfusion

The most common cause of opportunistic infections is the entry of contaminated substances into the human body that are found in donor material, that is, in the blood. It is constantly tested for the presence of viruses, but often after a false negative test the patient can get sick.

Infection of a child through a sick mother

The reasons for the appearance of HIV infection in a child are the penetration of viruses from the mother’s body. Infection through the mother is possible in three ways. A child, being inside the mother's body during her pregnancy, can get sick if she is a carrier of dangerous viruses. But sometimes an HIV-positive representative of the fair sex can carry and give birth to a healthy child.

The appearance of the disease also occurs during labor. Even if you avoid natural childbirth and have a caesarean section, you can still get sick. Infected breastfeeding women after childbirth can also infect the newborn baby if they feed it with breast milk. But if you follow a number of measures recommended by your attending physician, then the birth of an absolutely healthy baby is possible.

Rare cases of the disease

The cause of infection can be unsterile equipment used as a result of medical or cosmetic surgery. This type of disease, which is a rare manifestation, is still possible.

If you share personal hygiene items (for example, a razor), you can get HIV. But when using household items, the spread of the disease does not occur. Sharing dishes, towels or clothes does not lead to the development of the disease. Hugs, handshakes and kisses between HIV patients and healthy people are not dangerous. The content of a dangerous virus inside saliva is negligibly small to transmit a pathological condition, ignoring which leads to mortality.

Sometimes people who have AIDS deliberately want to spread the disease, considering it unfair that only they have it. They deliberately leave needles or blades contaminated with their blood so that they get as sick as possible. more people. But researchers state that the risk of getting sick in this way is negligible, since the virus dies in the open surrounding space.

How to prevent disease

In recent years, this dangerous pathology has affected an increasing number of people. A retroviral element can spread for various reasons. Some people find out about their illness too late, others do not use medications, what are the causes of death, the cause of death can also be ignoring the disease altogether, believing that it was invented by doctors.

Such people do not want to be treated, believing that this is a false diagnosis, and try to convince others not to use frequent therapeutic measures, saying that this will lead to death. Such patients infect others. They deny the very fact of the disease, so they do not inform others about the diagnosis and have sex without using protective measures (condoms).

After the results obtained, you should not lose your fortitude. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking medications if the test is positive can save the life of an infected person for many years without leading to disastrous consequences. If you refuse treatment, this leads to the development of a dangerous disease.

You cannot get sick after being bitten by blood-sucking insects, which include mosquitoes, bedbugs and ticks. They are carriers of dangerous diseases, but they do not transmit HIV.

To prevent death, you should go to a medical facility and get tested for HIV; with HIV, you cannot know about the presence of pathology for some time. The patient should pay attention to the appearance of symptoms:

• Temperature increase;
• The skin feels itchy;
• A rash appears on the skin or takes on a red tint;
• Diarrheal manifestations with the appearance of blood cells in them;
• Lymph nodes become inflamed;
• A person becomes drowsy and tired;
• Excessive sweat production.

Establishing the causes of the spread of the disease

The reason why a person got sick is often difficult to determine. A dangerous disease can remain in the human body for many years without showing itself at all. To prevent painful manifestations, it is worth going through a medical examination every turn. An HIV test should be taken at least once every 2-3 years.

The widespread spread and impossibility of curing acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome has given society a new problem, referred to as the plague of the 20th century. Its danger lies in the fact that the nature of the disease remains not fully understood. Only one thing is known for sure - AIDS is viral in nature.

Where did this misfortune come from? For the first time, an incomprehensible disease was discussed in the late 50s of the last century, when a resident of Congo, one of the countries of West Africa, died. In the process of analyzing his medical history scientists of that time was designated as the first recorded case of a disease of unknown nature and was considered a consequence of a rare form.

The primary form of AIDS is called onco-AIDS, and it manifests itself as Kaposi's sarcoma and brain lymphoma.

A couple of decades later, homosexuals in the USA and Sweden, as well as heterosexuals in Haiti and Tanzania, began to turn to specialists with signs of the same disease. American experts have identified over 400 carriers of the dangerous virus. Due to the fact that most of the patients were homosexuals, the new disease was called “homosexually transmitted immunodeficiency.”

How does AIDS get infected?

In a healthy person, AIDS can occur as a result of contact with the biological fluids of a patient - blood and sperm. The birth of AIDS patients is explained by their infection through the maternal placenta during. Infection of healthy babies can occur during breastfeeding.

In everyday life, infection conditions can be created by using one toothbrush, through razors and other personal items. The disease is not transmitted by airborne droplets or fecal-oral routes.

The artificial route of transmission of AIDS is as follows:
therapeutic and diagnostic manipulations;
endoscopic procedures;
organ and tissue transplantation operations;
artificial insemination;
administering injections with a non-sterile syringe;
tattooing in unsanitary conditions.

The risk group consists of the following categories of the population: drug addicts who inject themselves with one syringe, prostitutes and homosexuals who neglect to use a condom. In children, AIDS can occur after contact with a sick mother.

Why is AIDS dangerous?

The immunodeficiency virus gradually affects the human body over 10-12 years, without revealing itself in any way. In most cases, patients do not take even the initial signs seriously, considering them to be symptoms of another cold.

Significant symptoms of AIDS include prolonged pneumonia, unfounded weight loss, prolonged diarrhea and fever, and swollen lymph nodes.

Thus, treatment is not carried out in a timely manner, which is fraught with the onset of the final stage. The body affected by the virus turns into a base for the development of various infectious diseases.

AIDS is one of the most serious illnesses that can be diagnosed in humans. The disease, caused by the insidious immunodeficiency virus (HIV), over the years weakens the body's defenses so much that a person can die from a common cold. No wonder AIDS was called the “plague of the 20th century.” The disease fully lives up to its name today, because people still continue to die from this insidious disease.

However, modern medicine has made considerable progress in the fight against such a disease. Today, doctors can extend the life of carriers of this terrible virus by decades. True, this can only be achieved with early detection of the virus and timely treatment. In this regard, every person should know what HIV is and what the early signs of infection are.

Manifestations of HIV

First of all, let's say that the disease has four stages, each of which has its own symptoms. This:

1. Incubation period.
2. The period of primary manifestations.
3. Period of secondary manifestations.
4. Terminal stage (AIDS).

Incubation period

It must be said that once a terrible virus enters the body, it may not manifest itself in any way for a long time. At this time, the virus cells “settle” in the body, attaching to immune cells and gradually beginning to destroy them. This phase can be fleeting (3 months), or it can last for a long time (1–3 years). The insidiousness of this stage of the disease lies in the fact that the person does not even suspect what deadly virus has settled in his body. Even worse is the fact that those around them are unaware of the disease and are at risk of contracting HIV infection from a carrier.

To be fair, we will say that the earliest signs of pathology, the same for all infected people, are still present in such patients. However, they are so insignificant and so vague that people do not even think about seeing a doctor. As a rule, this is a slight enlargement of the lymph nodes, as well as a low-grade fever, which remains at 37.1–37.5°C for a long time. A person simply does not have any other reasons to suspect a severe infection and consult a doctor.

Primary manifestations of HIV

According to statistics, in 30% of patients, HIV infection is detected during the primary exacerbation of the disease. Signs of the disease at this time already begin to bother the patient, forcing him to seek help from a doctor. True, detection of HIV, even taking into account a visit to a specialist, is not guaranteed, because the insidious virus “disguises” itself as other common diseases. Let us list the main symptoms of the acute phase of the disease, characteristic of all HIV-infected people, regardless of gender and age.

IN classic version HIV development, the first symptoms of the disease can easily be confused with a common cold:

1. The patient’s body temperature rises, he often has a fever, he has problems sleeping, there is profuse sweating, a sore throat and swollen tonsils.
2. The patient feels constant weakness, which does not go away even after rest, he gets tired quickly and often complains of a headache.
3. From others early signs HIV infection should include chronic diarrhea, which does not go away with treatment with fastening drugs, as well as the appearance of small pinkish spots on the skin.

A blood test of an HIV-infected person reveals an increase in leukocytes, and after performing an ultrasound of the internal organs, doctors detect a significant enlargement of the liver and problems with the spleen. According to test data, such a patient is often diagnosed with mononucleosis.

In this case, the infection can manifest itself not only as symptoms of ARVI. In the case when the disease develops according to a different “scenario”, the infected person’s brain is affected. This manifests itself as nausea and vomiting, high temperature body and severe headaches. The examination usually reveals encephalitis or meningitis in such patients.

In rare cases, the first manifestation of HIV infection is inflammation of the stomach, It's a dull pain in the chest, as well as problems with swallowing food. In some cases, the patient’s symptoms of the virus are so subtle that he simply does not seek medical help. In any case, the first manifestations of HIV last no more than six months, after which an asymptomatic course of the disease sets in, which lasts several years. That is why it is important to listen to your body in order to identify the insidious virus as early as possible and begin treatment. Only then can we expect that the terminal stage of the disease (AIDS) will be pushed back as far as possible.

Period of secondary manifestations

It is worth saying that more than 60% of HIV-infected people learn about their serious illness during secondary manifestations, approximately five years from the moment of infection. Here, the symptoms of the disease in patients of different ages and genders may differ, and therefore we list the signs of the disease for each category of patients.

Signs of HIV infection in men

In men, the virus in question usually manifests itself as swelling of the lymph nodes, as well as fungal infections that cannot be treated with medications. One more characteristic feature HIV infection becomes a red-cherry-colored tumor that appears on the scalp, body, limbs of the patient and even in the mouth. Such tumors are called Kaposi's sarcoma.

In addition, the patient often complains of fatigue, hot flashes and excessive sweating, he suffers from shortness of breath even when walking for a short time and develops chronic diarrhea. This painful condition is complemented by frequent infectious diseases, replacing one another, severe weight loss, decreased visual acuity, memory problems and erectile dysfunction. Some HIV-infected people have problems with motor activity and the swallowing process is disrupted.

According to doctors, early detection of HIV infection is hampered by the habitual denial of the problem for most men. Representatives of the stronger sex are ready to find an excuse for any symptom that appears, just to avoid visiting a doctor, but go to the clinic, usually when the right moment for treatment has already been missed.

Signs of HIV infection in women

The manifestations of this insidious disease in women, in principle, do not differ much from the male manifestations of HIV. True, there are some distinctive features that need to be mentioned. Thus, at an early stage of the disease, women more often develop tuberculosis, as well as vaginal candidiasis. As for the signs of the disease that appear after many years of calm, infected representatives of the fairer sex have their monthly cycle disrupted and pelvic pathologies may develop. Another sign of a deadly infection is severe weight loss. In addition, each phase of the development of the virus in women lasts an order of magnitude longer than in men.

But what is typical is that, unlike representatives of the stronger sex, women are more attentive to their health. This is why HIV treatment for them usually begins earlier, and the chances of delaying the onset of AIDS as much as possible are much greater.

Signs of HIV infection in children

As sad as it may be, this terrible virus can also be detected in newborn babies. It can be transmitted to the baby from an infected mother during pregnancy, or it can enter the body through breast milk. In infected children, signs of the disease first appear six months after birth, and the most common symptom in most cases is brain damage. Doctors diagnose such children with mental retardation, as well as intellectual disability. Moreover, the child’s appearance also suffers from the virus: the baby does not gain weight, begins to sit up late, often suffers from purulent infections and almost constantly faces intestinal disorders.

Terminal stage

This stage of the disease is more often called AIDS. With it, the patient’s all existing diseases become aggravated, but most often the disease occurs in one of four forms. The first form is pulmonary, in which the patient suffers from severe pneumonia.

In addition, the syndrome can occur in an intestinal form, which is accompanied by impaired absorption of important vitamins and minerals, problems with digestion of food and severe intestinal disorders.

Doctors call the third form neurological, since in it the patient is diagnosed with meningitis, abscesses, hemorrhages in the brain, as well as malignant neoplasms in this organ.

Finally, the fourth and most common form of AIDS is called advanced AIDS. With it, the patient may experience manifestations of a variety of serious ailments, and such a patient dies, as a rule, from acute renal failure.

Concluding the article, I would like to say that modern medicine has made significant progress in the fight against this terrible virus. Today, an HIV-infected person, with proper treatment and care for his own health, has every chance of living 30, 40 and even 60 years! And the key factor in the life expectancy of such patients is the early detection of this dangerous virus. Take care of your health!

The human immunodeficiency virus, which is commonly called simply HIV, is a very insidious microorganism, since it can stay in the patient’s body for a long time and gradually destroy it. Moreover, the person does not even realize that he is sick.

The clinical course of HIV infection, especially in the early stages, is not characterized by pronounced symptoms, which makes diagnosing the disease difficult. Patients attribute the first signs to fatigue or do not notice them at all for a long time. But at the same time, it has been proven that the first symptoms of HIV in women are more pronounced than in men, which makes diagnosis a little easier.

In this topic we want to tell you what HIV infection is, how to fight it and what are the methods of its prevention. We will also look in detail at the symptoms of HIV in women in the early and late stages.

HIV, as we said earlier, is a virus that enters the human body, multiplies in it and blocks the functioning of the immune system. As a result, the human body cannot resist not only pathogenic microbes, but even opportunistic microorganisms.

When a person becomes infected with HIV, he is called HIV-infected, but not sick. The disease is spoken of when symptoms of AIDS appear. It has been proven that there is a fairly long period of time between the moment of infection and the development of the disease.

The term AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

AIDS is the final stage of development of HIV infection, which is characterized by a combination of diseases and their symptoms that appear as a result of a decrease in the body’s protective properties.

HIV: characteristics and routes of transmission

HIV belongs to the retrovirus family. There are two types of HIV – 1 and 2. Let’s look at the features of HIV.

• The genome of the virus, represented by double-stranded RNA. The pathogen also has a number of antigens to which the human body produces corresponding antibodies.
• This virus differs from other viruses in that it has a special enzyme – reverse transcriptase, the main purpose of which is to introduce the information encoded in the RNA of the virus into the patient’s DNA.
• HIV, tropic to human cells that have CD4 receptors.
• Almost all disinfectant solutions and high temperatures have a detrimental effect on HIV.
• The source of this infection is an HIV-infected person or a person with AIDS.
• HIV circulates in all biological fluids, namely: tears, saliva, blood, semen, breast milk, vaginal secretions and others.

The largest amount of the virus is concentrated in blood, semen and vaginal secretions, as well as breast milk. That's why the disease can be transmitted in the following ways:

• sexual: during sexual intercourse;
• vertical: from mother to child during pregnancy, passage through the birth canal, when breastfeeding through breast milk;
• blood transfusion: transfusion of infected blood;
• blood-contact: through medical instruments and needles that contain remains of blood contaminated with HIV;
• transplantation: during transplantation of organs and tissues from an HIV-infected donor.

HIV is not transmitted through a kiss, air, handshake, insects, clothing or shared utensils. But there is a low risk of contracting this infection through razors and manicure accessories used by a sick or HIV-infected person if there are blood residues on them after cuts.

HIV: risk groups

Given the various routes of HIV transmission, The following high-risk groups can be formed:

• injection drug addicts;
• sexual partners of drug addicts;
• persons with a disordered intimate life who prefer sexual intercourse without the use of barrier contraceptives;
• patients who received blood transfusions without prior HIV testing;
• medical workers (nurses, surgeons, dentists, obstetricians-gynecologists and others);
• men and women who provide sexual services for money, as well as persons who use such services.

During HIV infection, the following stages are distinguished:

Early Symptoms of HIV in women may include:

Early symptoms of HIV infection in a woman manifest on average after one month with a flu-like syndrome, so most patients rarely seek medical help and treat their “cold” on their own at home. Literally after two weeks, the above symptoms subside.

In the photo you can see what the skin manifestations of HIV infection and AIDS look like.

Symptoms of the latent stage

The latent stage of HIV infection in women is characterized by an asymptomatic latent course. Patients lead normal lives, not even suspecting that they are infected, while the virus actively multiplies and gradually destroys the immune system.

In addition, despite the fact that the disease does not manifest itself in any way, a woman can be a source of infection, especially for her sexual partner.

Stage of secondary diseases

This stage of the course of HIV is characterized by the addition of opportunistic infections, such as:

• mycoses of various localizations;
• skin lesions (condylomas, papillomas, pink rash, urticaria, aphthae, seborrhea, lichen psoriasis, rubrophytia, molluscum contagiosum and others);
• diseases of a viral nature;
• bacterial infections;
• shingles;
• inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
• inflammation of the pharynx;
• chronic diarrhea;
• increased body temperature;
• pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis;
• hairy leukoplakia
• CNS lesions;
• cancer tumors of various locations;
• Kaposi's sarcoma and others.

Symptoms of AIDS in women

Symptoms of AIDS in women appear if HIV infection is not treated.

Signs of the transition of HIV infection to AIDS are the following manifestations:

If you have been experiencing fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, excessive sweating and other symptoms characteristic of HIV infection for more than a month, especially if you are in a high-risk group, we strongly recommend that you undergo free anonymous HIV testing at your nearest clinic , an anonymous HIV/AIDS diagnostic room or a center for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

• All pregnant women undergo HIV testing in the first and second trimester. In case of a positive HIV test, the woman is sent for consultation to the AIDS center, where the test is repeated and a consultation with an infectious disease specialist is held.
• A child can become infected with HIV from the mother in several ways: in late pregnancy, during passage through the birth canal, or during breastfeeding.
• Modern antiretroviral drugs that a woman takes during pregnancy minimize the risk of transmitting the virus to the child. All medications prescribed by a specialist at the center are dispensed at the pharmacy free of charge with a prescription.
• Without treatment, every second child is born with HIV.
• All children born to HIV-positive mothers or fathers are examined three times using PCR.

HIV diagnosis

What are the most accurate tests for detecting HIV? Today there are only two tests to detect HIV, namely:

• immunofluorescence test (ELISA) of blood, which is carried out to detect antibodies to HIV. It takes several weeks for the formation of antibodies to the pathogen, so ELISA is recommended to be carried out 2-3 weeks after the suspected infection. Performing this test before the specified time will be uninformative;
• immunoblotting reaction, which is carried out in the presence of a positive ELISA. The method is based on the detection of antibodies to HIV. The reliability of this test is close to 100%.

Also, polymerase chain reaction and rapid methods that detect the presence of the virus itself can be used to diagnose HIV.

HIV treatment

Treatment of HIV consists of systematically taking antiretroviral drugs, symptomatic therapy and prevention of concomitant diseases.

The most effective drugs against HIV today are Zidovudine, Nevirapine and Didanosine.

All antiretroviral drugs are issued free of charge at the pharmacy of the HIV/AIDS Center upon presentation of a prescription from the attending infectious disease specialist.

Unfortunately, despite the high level of development of world medicine, it has not yet been possible to find an effective medicine that could completely cure HIV. But early detection of HIV significantly affects the prognosis of the disease, since modern antiretroviral drugs, when prescribed in a timely manner, can stop the progression of the disease.