HIV and aids (hiv / aids): symptoms, causes, drugs, etc.

Definition of HIV / AIDS

The definition of HIV or stands for human immunodeficiency virus is a viral infection that attacks the human immune system.

This virus specifically attacks CD4 cells which are an important part of infection resistance.

The loss of CD4 cells will drastically weaken the function of the human body's immune system.

As a result, HIV will make your body susceptible to various infectious diseases from bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and other harmful pathogens.

Often thought of as one, HIV and AIDS are different conditions. Even so, the two are indeed related.

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a collection of symptoms that appear when the stage of HIV infection is very severe.

Usually, this condition is characterized by the appearance of other chronic diseases, such as cancer and various opportunistic infections that appear along with the weakening of the immune system.

Simply put, HIV infection is a condition that can cause AIDS.

If this viral infection is not treated properly in the long term, you will have a higher risk of developing AIDS.

How common is HIV and AIDS?

According to the UN AIDS report, at the end of 2019 there were around 38 million people in the world living with HIV / AIDS aka PLWHA.

As many as 4% of cases experienced by children.

In the same year, about 690,000 people died from diseases that emerged as complications of AIDS.

Of the total population, 19% of people were previously unaware that they were infected.

Signs and symptoms of HIV / AIDS

Infection of this disease generally does not show a clear manifestation at the beginning of the infection.

Most people living with HIV / AIDS do not show any typical signs or symptoms of HIV / AIDS in the first few years of infection.

If you experience symptoms, you may not feel that the disturbance is so severe.

The symptoms that appear are often mistaken for other, more common diseases.

However, you should be vigilant if you experience symptoms related to a weakened immune system condition.

The initial symptoms of HIV disease are generally similar to other viral infections, namely:

HIV fever.
Headache.
Fatigue.
Muscle ache.
Lose weight slowly.
Swollen lymph nodes in the throat, armpits, or groin.

HIV infection generally takes about 2-15 years to cause symptoms.

This viral infection will not directly damage your organs.

The virus slowly attacks the immune system and weakens it gradually until then your body becomes susceptible to disease, especially infections.

If HIV infection is allowed to develop, this condition can turn worse into AIDS.

The following are various symptoms of AIDS that can appear:

Canker sores are characterized by a thick, whitish coating on the tongue or mouth.
Severe or recurring vaginal yeast infection.
Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease.
Severe infection and frequent unexplained extreme fatigue (may present with headaches and / or dizziness).
Losing weight of more than 5 kg which is not caused by exercise or diet.
It is easier to bruise.
Frequent diarrhea.
Frequent fever and night sweats.
Swelling or hardening of the lymph nodes located in the throat, armpit, or groin.
Continuous dry cough.
Often experience shortness of breath.
Bleeding on the skin, mouth, nose, anus, or vagina without a definite cause.
Frequent or unusual skin rash.
Severe numbness or pain in the hands or feet.
Loss of muscle control and reflexes, paralysis, or loss of muscle strength.
Confusion, personality changes, or decreased mental abilities.

There is also the possibility that you will experience various symptoms beyond the ones that have been mentioned.

When should I see a doctor?

If you show symptoms as mentioned above or are among those who are at risk of infection, consult a doctor immediately.

Each person's body condition is different. Each person may show different signs.

You may also be infected but still look healthy, fit, and can carry out normal activities like other healthy people.

Even so, you can still transmit the HIV virus to other people.

You cannot know for sure whether you have HIV / AIDS until you have a thorough medical examination.

Causes of HIV / AIDS

HIV is an infectious disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus.

As for AIDS is a condition that consists of a collection of symptoms related to a weakened immune system.

ADIS occurs when HIV infection has progressed badly and is not treated properly.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), transmission of the HIV virus from an infected person can only be mediated by body fluids such as:

Blood
Semen
Pre-ejaculate fluids
Rectal (anus) fluid
Vaginal discharge
Breastmilk comes into direct contact with open sores on the mucous membranes, soft tissues, or open wounds on the outer skin of a healthy person.

1. Sexual intercourse

The most common route of transmission to the virus is from unprotected sex (vaginal penetration, oral sex, and anal sex).

Remember, transmission can only occur if you, as a healthy person, have open sores or abrasions on your sexual organs, mouth, or skin.

Usually, adolescent women are more likely to be infected with HIV because the vaginal membrane is thin, making it prone to abrasions and cuts than adult women.

Transmission through anal sex is also more vulnerable because anal tissue does not have a protective layer like the vagina so it is easier to tear due to friction.

2. Use of non-sterile needles

Apart from exposure between fluids and wounds through sexual activity, HIV transmission can also occur if the infected fluid is injected directly into a vein, for example from:

Use of syringes alternately with people who are contaminated with human immunodeficiency virus.
Using tattoo equipment (including ink) and piercing (body piercing) that have not been sterilized and have been used by people with this condition.
Having other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. The HIV virus will very easily enter when the immune system is weak.
Pregnant women living with HIV / AIDS can transmit the active virus to their babies (before or during birth) and while breastfeeding.

However, don't get me wrong. You NOT can be infected with the HIV virus through daily contacts such as:

Touching
Shake hands
Hand in hand
Hug
Cipika-cipiki
Cough and sneeze
Donating blood to an infected person through safe channels
Use the same swimming pool or toilet seat
Sharing bed linen
Sharing the same eating or food utensils
From animals, mosquitoes, or other insects

Risk factors for HIV / AIDS

Everyone, regardless of age, sex, and sexual orientation can be infected with HIV.

However, some people are more at risk for contracting this disease if they have factors such as:

Having sex that risks exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, such as unprotected sex or anal sex.
Having more than one or multiple sexual partners.
Using illegal drugs through needles that are shared with other people.
Perform the STI procedure, which is an examination of the intimate organs.

Complications of HIV / AIDS

Complications from viral infection human immunodeficiency virus is AIDS.

This means that AIDS is an advanced condition of HIV infection.

This viral infection can weaken the immune system so that it can cause various other infections.

If you also have AIDS, you may have some serious complications, such as:

1. Cancer

People who have AIDS can also get cancer easily.

Types of cancer that usually appear are lung, kidney, lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma.

2.Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common infection that occurs when a person has HIV.

The reason is, people with HIV / AIDS are very vulnerable to the virus.

Therefore, tuberculosis is the leading cause of death among people with HIV / AIDS.

3. Cytomegalovirus

Cytomegalovirus is a herpes virus which is usually transmitted in the form of body fluids such as saliva, blood, urine, semen and breast milk.

A healthy immune system will keep the virus inactive.

However, if your immune system is weakened because you have HIV and AIDS, the virus can easily become active.

Cytomegalovirus can cause damage to the eyes, digestive tract, lungs, or other organs.

4. Candidiasis

Candidiasis is an infection that also often occurs due to HIV / AIDS.

This condition causes inflammation and causes a thick, white coating on the mucous membranes of the mouth, tongue, esophagus, or vagina.

5. Cryptococcal meningitis

Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes and fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord (meninges).

Cryptococcal meningitis is an infection of the central general nervous system that can be acquired by people with HIV / AIDS.

Cryptococcus caused by fungi in the soil.

6. Toxoplasmosis

This deadly infection is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that is spread mainly via cats.

Infected cats usually have parasites in their stool.

Without realizing it, these parasites can then spread to other animals and humans.

If a person with HIV / AIDS develops toxoplasmosis and is not treated promptly, it can lead to serious brain infections such as encephalitis.

7. Cryptosporidiosis

This infection occurs due to intestinal parasites commonly found in animals.

Usually, a person can catch this parasite cryptosporidiosis when you swallow contaminated food or water.

Later, the parasites will grow in your intestines and bile ducts, causing chronic severe diarrhea in people with AIDS.

Apart from infections, you are also at risk for neurological problems and kidney problems if you have AIDS.

Diagnosis of HIV / AIDS

Diagnosing this disease will usually be done with a blood test.

This is the most likely way for your doctor to check and determine whether you have HIV or not.

The accuracy of the test depends on the time of last exposure to HIV, for example when you last had unprotected sex or shared needles with an infected person.

If you have taken various risky actions, you could be infected.

Even so, it took about 3 months after the first exposure to antibodies human immunodeficiency virus can be detected in the examination.

Therefore, it is better to do an HIV test to find out your exact health condition.

If you test positive (reactive), this is a sign that you have HIV antibodies and have infection with the disease.

Even though you are HIV positive, that doesn't mean you also have AIDS.

No one knows for sure when someone infected with the HIV virus will experience AIDS.

If the HIV test is negative, it means that your body does not have antibodies human immunodeficiency virus.

HIV / AIDS treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

Until now, there is no drug that can completely eliminate HIV infection from the body.

However, the symptoms of the disease can be controlled and the immune system can be improved by administering antiretoviral therapy (ARV).

ARV therapy cannot completely eradicate the virus, but it can help people with HIV live longer and healthier lives.

Every person with HIV can live a healthy life and carry out normal activities while undergoing antiretroviral treatment.

In addition, following treatment also helps reduce the risk of transmission, especially to those closest to you.

ARV therapy consists of using a set of antiviral drugs that can reduce the amount of HIV virus in the body by preventing the virus from reproducing.

The reduction in the virus provides an opportunity for the immune system to fight off viruses that cause damage to body tissues.

That way, the amount of virus in the body can be controlled and the infection will not cause symptoms.

In addition, a low number of viruses means that the risk of transmission to other people is reduced.

You are usually asked to take ARV treatment as soon as possible after becoming infected with HIV, especially if you have the following conditions:

Pregnant
Have an opportunistic infection (infection with other diseases along with HIV)
Have severe symptoms
CD4 cell count below 350 cells / mm 3
Have kidney disease due to HIV
Currently being treated for hepatitis B or C

In ART therapy, there are many drugs for HIV that are usually combined according to their use. Several types of antiretroviral drugs are:

Lopinavir
Ritonavir
Zidovudine
Lamivudine

The choice of treatment will be different for each person because it needs to be adjusted to the patient's health condition.

It is your doctor who will determine the right regimen for you.

Home remedies

In addition to antiretroviral therapy, the following are healthy lifestyles that people living with HIV need to do to maintain health:

Eat a well-balanced diet and get plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and lean protein.
Get enough rest.
Exercise regularly.
Avoiding illegal drugs including alcohol.
Quit smoking.
Do a variety of ways to manage stress such as meditation or yoga.
Wash your hands with clean water and soap after handling pets.
Avoid raw meat, raw eggs, unpasteurized milk, and raw seafood.
Get the right vaccines to prevent infections such as pneumonia and flu.