The development of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in humans can be divided into 3 stages.
After HIV infection, if left untreated, it can worsen over time and eventually destroy the body's immune system.
Stage 1: Acute HIV infection
When infected with HIV, most infected people are not immediately aware of it, but they gradually develop symptoms after a short period of time.
Symptoms indicate that the body's immune system is battling the virus, and symptoms usually begin to appear 2 to 6 weeks after infection with the virus.
These symptoms are called acute retroviral syndrome, or acute HIV infection.
These symptoms are similar to those caused by other viruses and are often mistaken for an outbreak of the flu.
Symptoms usually last 1 to 2 weeks and then disappear completely, including:
Headache;
diarrhea;
Nausea, vomiting;
Fatigue;
Muscle pain;
Sore throat;
Lymphadenopathy;
Red rash, common on the trunk, without itching;
fever.
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treat
At current levels of treatment, if doctors move fast enough, hiv can stop the immune system from completely destroying.
For example, healthy people who have unprotected sex with an HIV-positive person may take anti-HIV medications to protect themselves, i.e., post-exposure blockade.
However, this prevention is best started within 2 hours of exposure, preferably no more than 24 hours, and the side effects of the drug will be more pronounced.
Stage 2: Chronic HIV infection
After an infected person's immune system is defeated by HIV, flu-like symptoms disappear.
Doctors call this period asymptomatic or clinical incubation, when most infected people have no perception or see symptoms.
Patients may be completely unaware that they are infected and inadvertently transmit HIV to others for a period of 10 years or more.
diagnosis
During this time, uncontrolled HIV continues to kill CD4T cells and destroy the body's immune system.
Doctors usually perform blood tests on infected people to find out the number of CD4 cells (normal values are 450 to 1400 per microliter).
If this number is lower, the body becomes susceptible to other infections.
Fortunately, combination medications, or "cocktail therapy," can help fight HIV, rebuild the body's immune system, and stop the spread of the virus.
If an infected person can take medication on time and maintain healthy lifestyle habits, the development of HIV infection can even stop.
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Stage 3: AIDS
AIDS is an advanced stage of HIV infection. Advanced stages occur when the number of CD4T cells is less than 200.
AIDS can also be diagnosed when a patient has an "AIDS-defining disorder" such as Kaposi's sarcoma (a type of skin cancer) or pneumocystis pneumonia (a type of lung disease).
Symptoms of HIV infection:
Feeling of exhaustion that cannot be eliminated;
enlargement of lymph nodes in the neck or groin;
Fever lasting more than 10 days;
Night sweats;
Unexplained weight loss;
Purple spots appear on the skin and do not subside;
Shortness of breath;
Persistent severe diarrhea;
Yeast infections in the mouth, throat or vagina;
Appearance of unexplained bruises or bleeding on the skin;
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HIV survival rate
People with AIDS who are not treated with medication can generally survive for about 3 years after diagnosis, and shorter if accompanied by severe infection.
And if the right treatment is combined with a healthy lifestyle, patients are still expected to survive for a long time.
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