HIV means-Human Immunodeficiency Virus. AIDS- means- Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome. HIV is a virus and AIDS is a disease. Once the HIV virus enters into the human body, after 2-3 weeks, it causes ‘’ Acute Retroviral Syndrome’’.
Symptoms and Signs of AIDS:
Fever
Pain in the muscles (Myalgia)
Pain in the throat
Swelling of the lymph glands
Rashes on the skin
Diarrhea and headache
Vomiting
The above symptoms subside within 2-3 weeks and antibodies are produced.
After again 2-4 weeks of time, the patient becomes positive for HIV tests.
Once the patient is positive for HIV, there after the patient will be free from any symptoms for 8 years (on average), then he or she develops HIV infection or AIDS. After the development of AIDS, patient may live for 1-3 years only. This is the normal history of the disease if the patient did not take any treatment for this infection.
After the virus enters the body, the CD4 count increases and the viral count increases.
CD4 count and related diseases:
Normal count is 700-12000.
1. When CD4 count is 500 or slightly more: Disease that are present are,
1. Acute retroviral syndrome
2. Candidial vaginitis
3. Enlargement of lymph nodes.
2. CD4 count is 200-500:
1. Pneumonia
2. T.B
3. Herpes zoster
4. Candidiasis in the mouth
5. Kaposi sarcoma.
3. When CD4 count is 200 or less:
1. Pneumocystis carini pneumonia
2. Tuberculosis
3. Other opportunistic diseases develop in the body and also neurological changes takes place and patient loses mental balance.
4. CD4 count 100 or less: diseases present are
1. Herpes Simplex in severe stage
2. Candidial Oesophagitis.
HIV is of two types- HIV1 (more common) and HIV2 (less common).
Tests to diagnose HIV:
1. First of all test (screening) be done with Enzyme Immune Assays (serological Assay). If it becomes positive, then confirm this with Western blot test. This is the standard procedure. It is better to do any positive tests, two times, to confirm the diagnosis.
Window period: First 3-6 months, usually, the routine tests show negative results.
During this period, the recommended test to be done is PCR (Polymerized Chain Reaction test). It is a very costly test.
Management of the HIV/AIDS cases:
There is no permanent cure in AIDS cases and also no vaccine is available at present.
Now, Highly Active Retroviral Therapy (HART) is available, in this, certain drugs are given to the patient, depending upon the patient’s condition and the nutritional status.
The life span of the patient is prolonged up to 25 years or more, after the attack of the infection.
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