What Is Hiv And How Does It Affect The Body – HIV progresses in three stages. The first symptoms can appear in a few weeks after exposure to the virus. But in some cases, there may be no symptoms for years.
HIV is a virus that destroys the body’s immune system. Currently there is no cure for HIV, but since the late 1980s, treatment in the form of antiretroviral drugs has been available to reduce the impact of any symptoms.
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What Is Hiv And How Does It Affect The Body
In most cases, once a person is infected with HIV, the virus remains in the body for life. However, HIV symptoms are unlike other viral infections because they occur in stages.
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If left untreated, the disease has three stages that lead to infection. Each has different properties and complications.
But regular antiretroviral treatment can reduce HIV to undetectable levels in the blood. This means that the virus will not progress to the next stage of HIV infection or be transmitted to a partner during sex.
The first stage is caused by primary HIV infection. This stage is also known as acute retroviral syndrome (ARS), or acute HIV infection.
It usually causes flu-like symptoms, so people at this stage may think they have a severe flu or some other viral illness other than HIV. Fever is the most common symptom.
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, primary HIV symptoms may appear 2 to 4 weeks after initial exposure. They can last for several weeks. However, people may have some symptoms for a few days.
ARS is common when people have HIV. But this is not for everyone because, according to HIV.gov, symptoms may not appear for ten years or more.
Although the virus replicates rapidly in the weeks after being contracted, the early symptoms of HIV only appear when the level of cell damage is high.
This does not mean that asymptomatic HIV cases are less serious or that asymptomatic people cannot transmit the virus to others.
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HIV has different stages of infection. Shortly after exposure, symptoms may include flu or cold symptoms. This can be done spontaneously while HIV is still active in the body. It will then progress to a chronic infection, where symptoms can vary but include weight loss, fatigue, and unexplained fever. The chronic phase can occur anytime after the acute phase, but not immediately after. If left untreated, HIV can progress to AIDS, which is diagnosed based on the number of types of white blood cells circulating in the blood.
After initial exposure and possible primary infection, HIV can move into a latent infection stage. Because of the lack of symptoms in some people, it is also known as asymptomatic HIV infection.
According to HIV.gov, latent HIV infection can last for 10 or 15 years. This means that the virus replicates more slowly than before. But that doesn’t mean HIV is gone, and it doesn’t mean the virus can’t be passed on to other people.
Symptoms of chronic HIV can vary, from minimal to more severe. People may experience the following episodes, especially in advanced stages:
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Clinically latent infection can progress to the third and final stage of HIV, known as AIDS. The likelihood of progression is higher if people with HIV do not receive or do not receive treatment, such as antiretroviral therapy.
) blood is one of the signs that HIV has progressed to the final stage. The normal range is 500 to 1,600 cells/mm
Sometimes AIDS is only determined by the overall health of the person – it develops when HIV greatly weakens the immune system and can lead to AIDS-defining conditions, such as certain infections and cancer, which are rare in people who do not have HIV.
People who may be infected with HIV are more often advised to get tested at least once a year. This may include people who:
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, and each has a different window period – the time between potential exposure to HIV and when the test can detect the virus. If you have been exposed to HIV in the past 72 hours, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can help prevent transmission.
Nucleic acid tests can usually detect HIV infection between 10 and 33 days after exposure.
Antigen/antibody tests using venous blood have a typical window period of 18 to 45 days, while fingerprint antigen/antibody tests can be used 23 to 90 days after potential exposure.
A positive result will also be checked with a follow-up test (aka “confirmatory test”). If the second test comes back positive, you will be diagnosed with HIV.
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Few people can tell if you have HIV. But there are health professionals who can help – both physically and emotionally.
Your regular doctor can help you directly or refer you to someone with HIV experience. Alternatively, you can find your local HIV clinic here.
It is important to start treatment as soon as HIV is diagnosed. Contact your doctor or other healthcare professional if you develop new or worsening symptoms.
These infections can be treated with antiretroviral drugs. This should be done during all stages of HIV – even if there are no visible symptoms.
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Inside the body by stopping replication, and can lower the level until the virus becomes undetectable.
Therefore, drugs help prevent the development of the disease, maintain the quality of life, and can prevent the transmission of the virus to others through sex.
You may be given a combination of drugs to prevent resistant viruses. Most people have an undetectable viral load for 6 months.
If that doesn’t work, any sexual partner can be protected by taking a drug called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Condoms should also be used to prevent transmission during sex.
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The amount of HIV in the blood with a viral load test and checking the number of CD4 cells in the blood – this helps fight infection.
If HIV develops into AIDS, other medical interventions are usually needed to treat AIDS-related illnesses or life-threatening complications.
The only 100 percent effective way to prevent HIV is to share injecting equipment and avoid sexual abstinence.
The first symptoms often appear within a few weeks of exposure. However, some people have no symptoms until years later.
How Does Hiv Affect The Body
Regular testing is important if you have a higher chance of contracting HIV. With prompt and appropriate treatment, these infections and symptoms can be treated, helping you and your sexual partner stay healthy.
Lauren Sharkey is a UK-based journalist and author focusing on women’s issues. When he’s not trying to find a way to get rid of migraines, he can be found uncovering answers to your health problems. She has also written a book that profiles young women activists around the globe and is currently building a community of these activists. Catch him on Twitter.
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HIV attacks certain types of immune system cells in the body. These are called CD4 helper cells or T cells. When HIV destroys these cells, it becomes harder for the body to fight other infections.
When HIV is left untreated, even minor infections like the common cold can become more severe. This is because the body has a hard time responding to new infections.
HIV not only attacks CD4 cells, but also uses the cells to make more viruses. HIV destroys CD4 cells by using their replication machinery to make new copies of the virus. This eventually causes the CD4 cells to divide and rupture.
When the virus destroys some CD4 cells and the CD4 count drops below 200, a person develops AIDS.
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However, it is important to note that many people living with HIV are living longer and healthier lives thanks to advances in HIV treatment.
HIV is transmitted through contact with the following body fluids, the most likely to transmit HIV:
Sex without a condom and sharing needles – even tattoos or piercings – can cause HIV transmission. However, if an HIV-positive person can achieve viral suppression, they will not be able to transmit HIV to others through sexual contact.
, people have achieved viral suppression when they have less than 200 copies of HIV RNA per milliliter of blood.
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HIV does not always spread quickly. If left untreated, it can take years before your immune system is affected enough to show signs of immune dysfunction and other infections. See a timeline of HIV symptoms.
Even without symptoms, HIV can still be present in the body and can still be transmitted. If you receive adequate treatment that leads to the death of the virus, it stops the progression of immune dysfunction and
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