AIDS-HIV Basic Facts
Basic Facts about HIV
Symptoms of HIV
Most people infected with HIV do not know that they have become infected, because
they do not feel ill immediately after infection. Some people however develop
an Acute retroviral syndrome which is a fever-like
illness with fever, rash, joint pains and enlarged lymph nodes.
Seroconversion
refers to the development of antibodies to HIV and usually takes place
between 1 and 6 weeks after HIV infection has happened.
Even if HIV infection do not causes initial symptoms, an HIV-infected person is highly
infectious during this initial period and can transmit the virus.
The only
way to determine whether HIV is present is the testing for HIV
antibodies or for HIV itself.
Stages of HIV infection
- Primary HIV infection - may be asymptomatic or experienced as Acute retroviral syndrome
- Clinical stage 1 - asymptomatic or generalized swelling of the lymph nodes
- Clinical stage 2 - includes minor mucocutaneous manifestations, recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, and minor weight loss.
- Clinical stage 3 - includes chronic diarrhoea, persistent
fever, oral leukoplakia or candidiasis, severe bacterial infections, pulmonary
tuberculosis (TBC), and acute necrotizing inflammation in the mouth.
Some persons with with this stage have AIDS. - Clinical stage 4 - includes more than 20
opportunistic infections
or cancers related to HIV infection.
All persons with this stage have AIDS.
Opportunistic infections
Immunodeficient people are more susceptible to a wide range of infections, most of which are rare among healthy people. Infections associated with severe immunodeficiency are known as opportunistic infections.
How quickly is AIDS developed after an HIV infection?
The time can very vary. The most people infected with HIV develop (without antiretroviral treatment) signs of an HIV-related illness within 5-10 years, but the time between infection and being diagnosed with AIDS can be more than 10-15 years.
Antiretroviral therapy can slow down progression to AIDS by decreasing the infected person’s viral load. World Health Organisation recommends initiation of antiretroviral therapy for all HIV-infected adolescents and adults who are at clinical stage 4 or have a CD4 positive T cell count below 200.000 per ml, and for some persons who are at clinical stage 3.