HIV / AIDS
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. AIDS is acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It is caused by HIV. The virus destroys the body’s immune system. This leaves a person unable to fight off diseases. The virus also attacks the central nervous system causing mental problems.
Signs & Symptoms
Many people have no symptoms when first infected with HIV. The only way to know if a person has HIV is to get tested. Within a month or two, some people have flu-like symptoms. These symptoms usually go away within a week to a month. They are often mistaken for other infections.
In adults, if left untreated, HIV most often turns into AIDS in about 8 to 10 years. In children born with HIV, symptoms appear within 2 years.
Symptoms of HIV
- Swollen glands. Sore throat.
- Fatigue. Weight loss.
- Fever and sweating that occur often. Chills. Muscle aches.
- Skin rashes that persist. Flaky skin. Mouth ulcers.
- Infections. These include herpes, shingles, and yeast infection.
- Short-term memory loss
- Getting sick often. Slow growth in children.
AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV. With AIDS, a low level of cells in the blood called CD4 T cells occurs. Persons with AIDS get many illnesses. These include skin infections, pneumonia, and cancer.
Symptoms of AIDS
- Extreme fatigue. Weight loss.
- Severe and chronic diarrhea.
- Fever. Severe headaches.
- Swollen lymph glands
- Constant white spots or lesions on the tongue or in the mouth
- Skin rashes and bumps
- Shortness of breath. Coughing. A hard time swallowing.
- Abdominal cramps. Nausea. Vomiting.
- Lack of coordination. Vision loss.
- Mental status changes. Seizures. Coma.
Causes
HIV is spread when body fluids, such as semen, rectal and vaginal fluids, and blood, pass from an infected person to another. This includes having unprotected sexual contact and/or sharing drug needles.
Infected females can give HIV to their babies during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding. The risk of the baby getting HIV is lowered a great deal if the female takes antiviral medicines during the pregnancy and delivery. HIV is not spread from donating blood, touching, hugging, or kissing a person with HIV. A cough, a sneeze, tears, sweat, or using a hot tub, or public restroom does not spread HIV either.