Author: Zhang Wei (Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University)
What should I do right away if I suspect I may have HIV?
First of all, we must firmly believe that AIDS is currently a preventable and treatable disease, and if suspected, a diagnosis should be sought immediately;
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, antiviral therapy should be received immediately to achieve the purpose of controlling the development of the disease.
Early detection of AIDS provides the possibility of early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment.
I. Under what circumstances should HIV testing be considered?
If the following conditions are met, it is recommended to go to a professional health care institution for HIV-related testing.
1. People who are more active in sexual life, do not have a fixed sexual partner, intravenous drugs or gay men who are prone to HIV infection.
2. Have a history of high-risk behaviors or exposure to the virus, such as unclean sexual behavior.
3. It is recommended that all pregnant women should be tested for HIV.
4. For people who have never had HIV testing, doctors generally recommend screening for AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and syphilis during physical examination.
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People may be reluctant to do HIV-related testing because they are afraid or embarrassed, or they may have a history of suspicious exposure but feel lucky because they don't have any discomfort.
It is important to note that not all people with HIV develop obvious symptoms early on, and even if they have obvious early symptoms, they are lost because these symptoms are not unique to AIDS, but can easily be mistaken for influenza, or infectious mononucleosis, etc., and the opportunity for diagnosis is lost.
Therefore, the doctor repeatedly emphasizes that if there is a high-risk contact, you should go to a professional medical institution for examination, which is the practice of being responsible for yourself, otherwise you miss the best treatment time and increase the chance of transmission to sexual partners.
Second, the timing of HIV testing after a history of high-risk exposure
Window period: the period from hiv-infected humans to before markers of infection such as HIV antibodies, antigens, or nucleic acids can be detected in the serum of an infected person.
The window period for the detection of HIV antibodies, antigens, and nucleic acids by existing diagnostic techniques is approximately 3 weeks, 2 weeks, and 1 week after infection, respectively.
During the window period, the patient has been infected with the virus, but the diagnosis cannot be confirmed by testing.
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3. What should I do after testing positive for HIV?
If tests indicate HIV infection, aggressive measures are needed to prevent transmission of the virus in sexual partners.
First seek the help of a doctor, ask the doctor to evaluate the condition, and receive standardized antiviral treatment. It is important to understand that AIDS is currently a disease that can achieve long-term remission and stability through treatment.
Early treatment inhibits viral amplification, reduces the amount of virus in the blood, and maintains normal immunity for as long as possible.
Antiviral therapy not only avoids or delays the progression of the disease into the AIDS phase, but also reduces the risk of transmission to sexual partners and, if the patient is pregnant, reduces the chance of fetal infection.
In addition to actively receiving antiviral treatment, strict protective measures should be taken to avoid others from contacting their own blood, semen and other body fluids containing the virus and causing transmission.
4. What should spouses, family members, close friends, and colleagues of AIDS patients pay attention to?
First, go to a healthcare professional for HIV testing, and if the test result is positive, you should follow the above recommendations.
If the test results are negative, then there is no need to have excessive fear during subsequent contact with AIDS patients. In fact, the daily contact between friends, colleagues and family members does not cause AIDS transmission.
If it is a spouse, you need to pay special attention to the possibility of spreading HIV during sex, avoid sex without taking safety measures, and must take protective measures in the process of sex, such as scientific and wearing condoms throughout the process.
*The content of this article is a popularization of health knowledge and cannot be used as a specific diagnosis and treatment recommendation, nor is it a substitute for face-to-face consultation by a practicing physician, for reference only.
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