An infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus.
Symptoms of HIV
The following features are indicative of HIV:
fever
headache
rash
muscle or joint pain
sore throat
swollen lymph glands
fever
fatigue
diarrhea
weight loss
night sweat
yeast infection
It is possible that HIV shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.
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Common Causes of HIV
The following are the most common causes of HIV:
human immunodeficiency virus
fall in CD4 count
sexual contact
blood transfusion
sharing needles
pregnancy
breastfeeding
Risk Factors for HIV
The following factors may increase the likelihood of HIV:
unprotected sex
other sexually transmitted infections
by sharing needles
Prevention of HIV
Yes, it may be possible to prevent HIV. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
use condoms
HIV test before sex
be monogamous
limit sexual partners
do not douche
do not abuse drugs or alcohol
preventing mother to child transmission
avoid breast feeding
Occurrence of HIV
Number of Cases
The following are the number of HIV cases seen each year worldwide:
Very common > 10 Million cases
Common Age Group
HIV can occur at any age.
Common Gender
HIV can occur in any gender.
Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of HIV
The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect HIV:
Screening test: To check the presence of HIV antibody and antigen in blood sample
CD4 count: To check CD4 (white blood cells) count
Viral load: To measure the amount of virus in blood
Drug resistance: To check the resistance of the HIV strain to anti-HIV medications
Other lab tests: To test other infections like tuberculosis, hepatitis, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infections
Doctor for Diagnosis of HIV
Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of HIV:
HIV specialist
Complications of HIV if untreated
Yes, HIV causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if HIV is left untreated:
tuberculosis
cytomegalovirus
candidiasis
cryptococcal meningitis
toxoplasmosis
cryptosporidiosis
kaposi's sarcoma
lymphomas
wasting syndrome
neurological complications
kidney disease
Procedures for Treatment of HIV
The following procedures are used to treat HIV:
Antiretroviral therapy: Raises the CD4 cell count
Self-care for HIV
The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of HIV:
Eat healthy food
Maintaining hygiene
Get regular immunizations
Patient Support for Treatment of HIV
The following actions may help HIV patients:
Communicate with your partner: Keeps you healthy
Join support group: Helps in managing HIV
Time for Treatment of HIV
While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for HIV to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
Disease cannot be treated but only maintained or effects reduced
Is HIV Infectious?
Yes, HIV is known to be infectious. It can spread across people via the following means:
