HIV AIDS stage symptoms. Early signs of HIV that everyone should know. Latent stage of HIV

The rate of development of any disease depends on the number of infectious agents entering the body, the type of pathogen and the general health of the person at the time of infection.

HIV infection is most often diagnosed when clinical manifestations become apparent. Until manifestation, the disease is asymptomatic, and the viral presence in the blood is not detected.

There are 4 clinical stages of the disease:

  • incubation period;
  • stage of primary manifestations;
  • stage of secondary diseases;
  • end stage (or AIDS).

Let's look at the main symptoms and signs of each stage of HIV infection.

After infection with the immunodeficiency virus, changes in the human body begin to occur irreversibly. The number of viral particles in the blood gradually increases; they attach to the surface of immune cells and destroy them. The main feature of the period is that there are no clinical symptoms of the disease.

They begin to appear after an average of 12 weeks. However, this period can be much shorter - from 14 days, or can stretch for years.

During the incubation stage of HIV, there are no indicators of the presence of the virus in the blood. Antibodies to it have not yet been determined. As a result, the incubation period is usually called the “serological window.”

Can an HIV-infected person be externally different from a healthy person? No, he looks no different from other people. The problem is that minor signs indicating infection are not perceived by a person as a disease. Only if there are factors predisposing to infection (contact with an HIV-infected person, working in a medical clinic with contaminated biological material), symptoms can raise suspicion of HIV.

These include:

  • subfebrile body temperature not exceeding 37.5°C;
  • slight increase in different groups of lymph nodes;
  • moderate muscle pain;
  • weakness, apathy.

Such signs, when the cause of their occurrence is unclear, are an indication for diagnostic testing for HIV infection.

Despite the absence of hematological and clinical manifestations, the patient is dangerous to others during the incubation period. An infected person is already a source of infection, capable of transmitting the disease to other people.

Signs and symptoms in the stage of primary manifestations of HIV infection

The transition of the disease to the second stage is marked by the development of seroconversion. The process in which specific antibodies begin to be detected in the patient’s blood. From this point on, HIV infection can be diagnosed using serological methods for studying biological materials.

The stage of primary manifestations of HIV can occur in three forms independent of each other.

Asymptomatic phase

The period is characterized by a complete absence of clinical symptoms. The person considers himself absolutely healthy. The phase can last up to several years, but a rapid course is also possible, lasting no more than a month. Statistics show that if a person has an asymptomatic infection for a long time, then after 5 years, symptoms of immune deficiency (AIDS) begin to develop in only 30% of those infected.

Acute HIV infection

The manifestation of primary symptoms develops in 30% of infected people. The first obvious signs appear 1-3 months after the virus enters the human body.

Reminds the manifestations of infectious mononucleosis:

  • increased body temperature to 37°C or higher, without visible signs of disease;
  • hyperthermia is not eliminated by taking antipyretic drugs;
  • signs of HIV infection appear in the oral cavity - sore throat, inflammation and enlargement of the tonsils (like a sore throat);
  • taking antibacterial drugs does not bring success;
  • enlargement and tenderness of the lymph nodes in the neck;
  • an increase in the size of the liver and spleen;
  • the appearance of diarrhea;
  • insomnia, increased sweating at night;
  • small spots of pale pink color may form on the skin - maculopapular rash;
  • apathy, loss of appetite, headaches and weakness.

The stage occurs in the form of inflammation of the brain and its membranes (meningitis or encephalitis). Characteristic symptoms develop: severe headache, rise in body temperature to 40°C, nausea and vomiting.

Another option for the course of the acute phase is esophagitis - inflammation of the esophagus. The disease is accompanied by pain when swallowing and causeless pain in the chest.

In any of the listed cases, leukocytosis, lymphocytosis is detected in the patient’s blood, and atypical cells—mononuclear cells—appear.

Generalized lymphadenopathy

swollen lymph nodes

This phase is characterized by enlargement of the lymph nodes. Lymphadenopathy is considered to be damage to more than two groups of lymph nodes, the exception of which is the inguinal ones. Most often, enlargement of the cervical and supraclavicular nodes occurs. They reach a diameter of up to 5 cm and become painful. It is noteworthy that the skin over them does not change, and they do not fuse with the subcutaneous tissue. These symptoms are often the first to appear in an HIV-infected person.

The average duration of this stage is 3 months. Towards the end, the patient develops cachexia (sharp causeless weight loss).

Signs and symptoms of the stage of secondary diseases of HIV infection

The third stage of the disease is characterized by persistent suppression of the human immune system. Features of the course of the disease in HIV-infected people during this period are changes in the blood: a decrease in the level of leukocytes, in particular, the number of T-lymphocytes significantly decreases.

At the third stage, symptoms characteristic of various visceral diseases (affecting internal organs) appear.

Kaposi's sarcoma

The disease is characterized by the formation of many cherry-colored spots and bumps up to 10 cm in diameter. They are localized on any part of the body: head, limbs, mucous membranes. In fact, these formations are tumors originating from the tissues of the lymphatic vessels.

The prognosis for life with this disease depends on the form of its course. In the acute course of the disease, people live an average of 2 years; in the chronic form, life expectancy reaches 10 years.

Pneumocystis pneumonia

With this type of pneumonia, the symptoms of the disease develop quickly. First, a high body temperature appears, which is not brought down by antipyretics. Then chest pain, cough (first dry, then with sputum), shortness of breath. The patient's condition rapidly deteriorates. Treatment with antibacterial drugs is ineffective.

Generalized infection

This form of secondary manifestations of HIV is most typical for women. Various infections in patients infected with a retrovirus acquire a generalized course, affecting the entire body as a whole.

Such diseases include:

  • tuberculous lesions of various organs;
  • fungal diseases – often candidiasis;
  • cytomegalovirus infection, etc.

The course of the disease is extremely severe, affecting the respiratory system, digestive system, and brain. Characteristic for them is the development of sepsis.

Neurological symptoms of HIV infection

With this variant of the course, the brain is affected with depression of cognitive functions. Symptoms will be: memory loss, decreased concentration, absent-mindedness. An extreme manifestation of brain dysfunction is the development of progressive dementia.

The above diseases do not always develop with HIV, but their presence helps doctors identify the period of development of the disease.

Signs and symptoms of end-stage HIV infection

The last stage of HIV infection is called acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The symptoms of AIDS are the same in men and women.

Patients with AIDS have pronounced cachexia (emaciation), and even the simplest infectious and inflammatory diseases have a long and severe course. A characteristic feature is a significant increase in the size of the inguinal lymph nodes.

The last period, when HIV infection turns into AIDS, can be characterized by the following forms:

  1. Pulmonary - develops and has a severe course.
  2. Intestinal – associated with disturbances in the processes of digestion and absorption of nutrients. Characteristic features: diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss.
  3. Neurological – severe meningitis and encephalitis, development of malignant neoplasms in the brain and spinal cord. It may manifest itself as epileptic seizures, the duration and frequency of which increase over time.
  4. Mucocutaneous – symptoms appear on the skin, in the genital area. They look like ulcers, erosions, rashes. Often, ulcerations can grow into underlying tissues (muscles, bones). Small wounds, cuts, and scratches do not heal for a long time, which is an unfavorable prognostic sign.
  5. Common – the most severe form of AIDS, in which all organs and systems are affected simultaneously. Death, as a rule, occurs in the first six months from severe renal failure.

AIDS progresses and develops very quickly. with the terminal stage of HIV infection does not exceed 2-3 years. However, timely antiretroviral therapy can sometimes delay death for a long period of time.


HIV infection/Acute HIV infection

Mononucleosis-like rash
ICD-10 B23.0
Pathogen HIV-1, HIV-2

Acute HIV infection(acute retroviral syndrome) is an early stage (2B according to V.I. Pokrovsky’s classification) of HIV infection, which is characterized by a high level of HIV viral load in the blood plasma with a negative test result for antibodies to HIV using ELISA and/or negative or indeterminate ( questionable) immunoblot result.

The stage develops against the background of active HIV replication after recent infection.

Clinic

After an incubation period that lasts from several days to several weeks after HIV infection, against the background of a high level of HIV viral load and rapid loss of CD4 lymphocytes, nonspecific clinical symptoms appear, which disappear over time on their own or with treatment (symptomatic, etiotropic or pathogenetic) .

  • Fever with an increase in body temperature to 38–40°C.
  • Lymphadenopathy.
  • Generalized rash. The rash usually appears 48 to 72 hours after the onset of fever and persists for 5 to 8 days. The rashes are localized mostly on the face, in the collar area and in the upper chest and appear as clearly defined red spots or maculopapular elements.
  • Painful ulcers on the mucous membrane of the mouth, vagina, anus and penis.
  • Arthralgia, pharyngitis, malaise, weight loss, aseptic meningitis and myalgia.

In most cases, HIV infection in the acute stage is not diagnosed, since its manifestations are usually mistaken for some other viral infection (for example, mononucleosis or influenza), and specific antibodies to HIV are not yet detected at this early stage.

Diagnostics

The most reasonable diagnosis of acute HIV infection will be when HIV replication is detected in the absence of antibodies to HIV.

During the acute stage of HIV infection, there is often a marked decrease in the number of CD4 lymphocytes, which subsequently increases, but, as a rule, does not reach the initial level.

On the contrary, the CD8 lymphocyte count increases during the initial stage of infection, so the CD4/CD8 lymphocyte count ratio may become<1.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis should be made primarily with infectious mononucleosis. In addition, it is necessary to exclude cytomegalovirus infection, rubella, viral hepatitis and other viral infections, toxoplasmosis, syphilis, disseminated gonococcal infection and side effects of medications.

The human immunodeficiency virus, which is commonly called simply HIV, is a very insidious microorganism, since it can stay in the patient’s body for a long time and gradually destroy it. Moreover, the person does not even realize that he is sick.

The clinical course of HIV infection, especially in the early stages, is not characterized by pronounced symptoms, which makes diagnosing the disease difficult. Patients attribute the first signs to fatigue or do not notice them at all for a long time. But at the same time, it has been proven that the first symptoms of HIV in women are more pronounced than in men, which makes diagnosis a little easier.

In this topic we want to tell you what HIV infection is, how to fight it and what are the methods of its prevention. We will also look in detail at the symptoms of HIV in women in the early and late stages.

HIV, as we said earlier, is a virus that enters the human body, multiplies in it and blocks the functioning of the immune system. As a result, the human body cannot resist not only pathogenic microbes, but even opportunistic microorganisms.

When a person becomes infected with HIV, he is called HIV-infected, but not sick. The disease is spoken of when symptoms of AIDS appear. It has been proven that there is a fairly long period of time between the moment of infection and the development of the disease.

The term AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

AIDS is the final stage of development of HIV infection, which is characterized by a combination of diseases and their symptoms that appear as a result of a decrease in the body’s protective properties.

HIV: characteristics and routes of transmission

HIV belongs to the retrovirus family. There are two types of HIV – 1 and 2. Let’s look at the features of HIV.

  • The genome of the virus, represented by double-stranded RNA. The pathogen also has a number of antigens to which the human body produces corresponding antibodies.
  • This virus differs from other viruses in that it has a special enzyme – reverse transcriptase, the main purpose of which is to introduce the information encoded in the RNA of the virus into the patient’s DNA.
  • HIV, tropic to human cells that have CD4 receptors.
  • Almost all disinfectant solutions and high temperatures have a detrimental effect on HIV.
  • The source of this infection is an HIV-infected person or a person with AIDS.
  • HIV circulates in all biological fluids, namely: tears, saliva, blood, semen, breast milk, vaginal secretions and others.

The largest amount of the virus is concentrated in blood, semen and vaginal secretions, as well as breast milk. That's why the disease can be transmitted in the following ways:

  • sexual: during sexual intercourse;
  • vertical: from mother to child during pregnancy, passage through the birth canal, when breastfeeding through breast milk;
  • blood transfusion: transfusion of infected blood;
  • blood-contact: through medical instruments and needles that contain remains of blood contaminated with HIV;
  • transplantation: during transplantation of organs and tissues from an HIV-infected donor.

HIV is not transmitted through a kiss, air, handshake, insects, clothing or shared utensils. But there is a low risk of contracting this infection through razors and manicure accessories used by a sick or HIV-infected person if there are blood residues on them after cuts.

HIV: risk groups

Given the various routes of HIV transmission, The following high-risk groups can be formed:

  • injection drug addicts;
  • sexual partners of drug addicts;
  • persons with a disordered intimate life who prefer sexual intercourse without the use of barrier contraceptives;
  • patients who received blood transfusions without prior HIV testing;
  • medical workers (nurses, surgeons, dentists, obstetricians-gynecologists and others);
  • men and women who provide sexual services for money, as well as persons who use such services.

During HIV infection, the following stages are distinguished:

Early Symptoms of HIV in women may include:

Early symptoms of HIV infection in a woman manifest on average after one month with a flu-like syndrome, so most patients rarely seek medical help and treat their “cold” on their own at home. Literally after two weeks, the above symptoms subside.

In the photo you can see what the skin manifestations of HIV infection and AIDS look like.

Symptoms of the latent stage

The latent stage of HIV infection in women is characterized by an asymptomatic latent course. Patients lead normal lives, not even suspecting that they are infected, while the virus actively multiplies and gradually destroys the immune system.

In addition, despite the fact that the disease does not manifest itself in any way, a woman can be a source of infection, especially for her sexual partner.

Stage of secondary diseases

This stage of the course of HIV is characterized by the addition of opportunistic infections, such as:

  • mycoses of various localizations;
  • skin lesions (condylomas, papillomas, pink rash, urticaria, aphthae, seborrhea, lichen psoriasis, rubrophytia, molluscum contagiosum and others);
  • diseases of a viral nature;
  • bacterial infections;
  • shingles;
  • inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
  • inflammation of the pharynx;
  • chronic diarrhea;
  • increased body temperature;
  • pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis;
  • hairy leukoplakia
  • CNS lesions;
  • cancer tumors of various locations;
  • Kaposi's sarcoma and others.

Symptoms of AIDS in women

Symptoms of AIDS in women appear if HIV infection is not treated.

Signs of the transition of HIV infection to AIDS are the following manifestations:

If you have been experiencing fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, excessive sweating and other symptoms characteristic of HIV infection for more than a month, especially if you are in a high-risk group, we strongly recommend that you undergo free anonymous HIV testing at your nearest clinic , an anonymous HIV/AIDS diagnostic room or a center for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

  • All pregnant women undergo HIV testing in the first and second trimester. In case of a positive HIV test, the woman is sent for consultation to the AIDS center, where the test is repeated and a consultation with an infectious disease specialist is held.
  • A child can become infected with HIV from the mother in several ways: in late pregnancy, during passage through the birth canal, or during breastfeeding.
  • Modern antiretroviral drugs that a woman takes during pregnancy minimize the risk of transmitting the virus to the child. All medications prescribed by a specialist at the center are dispensed at the pharmacy free of charge with a prescription.
  • Without treatment, every second child is born with HIV.
  • All children born to HIV-positive mothers or fathers are examined three times using PCR.

HIV diagnosis

What are the most accurate tests for detecting HIV? Today there are only two tests to detect HIV, namely:

  • immunofluorescence test (ELISA) of blood, which is carried out to detect antibodies to HIV. It takes several weeks for the formation of antibodies to the pathogen, so ELISA is recommended to be carried out 2-3 weeks after the suspected infection. Performing this test before the specified time will be uninformative;
  • immunoblotting reaction, which is carried out in the presence of a positive ELISA. The method is based on the detection of antibodies to HIV. The reliability of this test is close to 100%.

Also, polymerase chain reaction and rapid methods that detect the presence of the virus itself can be used to diagnose HIV.

HIV treatment

Treatment of HIV consists of systematically taking antiretroviral drugs, symptomatic therapy and prevention of concomitant diseases.

The most effective drugs against HIV today are Zidovudine, Nevirapine and Didanosine.

All antiretroviral drugs are issued free of charge at the pharmacy of the HIV/AIDS Center upon presentation of a prescription from the attending infectious disease specialist.

Unfortunately, despite the high level of development of world medicine, it has not yet been possible to find an effective medicine that could completely cure HIV. But early detection of HIV significantly affects the prognosis of the disease, since modern antiretroviral drugs, when prescribed in a timely manner, can stop the progression of the disease.

Complex of symptoms manifested in adults infected with HIV

(according to Galkin Yu.N. et al., 1990)

I. Long-term (more than 1 month) presence in the patient of 2 or more of the following signs:

1. Unexplained progressive weight loss (loss of body weight by more than 10%).

2. Feverish state with an increase in body temperature to 38

C and above of unknown origin.

3. Previously not observed severe sweating, especially at night.

4. Persistent cough of unknown origin.

5. Diarrhea of ​​unknown origin.

6. Previously not observed significant general weakness, fatigue.

II. A history of at least one of these factors.

1. Belonging to one of the “risk groups”:

a) homosexuals, prostitutes.

b) drug addicts who use drugs by injection.

c) persons who frequently receive blood transfusions.

d) patients with hemophilia.

2. Sexually transmitted diseases.

3. Recurrent infections.

4. Neoplasms.

5. Staying abroad in AIDS-endemic areas.

III. The patient has at least one of the listed pathological signs identified during an objective examination.

1. Changes in the skin and mucous membranes (herpetic rash, leukoplakia, mycoses, papillomas, etc.).

2. Polyadenopathy, lymphoma.

3. Repeated pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis.

4. Encephalopathy (under 50 years of age).

5. Kaposi's sarcoma.

The presence of 2 or more complaints in a patient or 1 or more signs identified during a medical examination serves as the basis for further examination and monitoring of him with the mandatory exclusion of HIV infection using laboratory tests.

The clinical picture of the disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is becoming more and more complex. In addition to the symptoms characteristic of AIDS, manifestations of infections caused by opportunistic microorganisms are observed. According to preliminary estimates, AIDS develops annually in 2-8% of infected individuals, and so far this figure has not decreased. The disease caused by HIV occurs in 5 stages, which are not observed in all infected people: the acute stage of the disease, the latent period, persistent generalized lymphadenopathy, the symptom complex associated with AIDS (pre-AIDS) and AIDS itself.

In its acute form, the disease can develop a week after infection with the virus, which usually precedes the appearance of antibodies in the blood (seroconversion). The body begins to produce antibodies 6-8 weeks, and sometimes 8 months after infection. Clinical manifestations include fever, lymphadenopathy, night sweats, headache, and cough. A third or half of people who have antibodies to HIV have at least one of these symptoms. Cases of acute encephalopathy have been reported.



Clinical picture:

There are four stages of HIV infection:

I. Asymptomatic carriage.

II. The disease is a type of generalized lymphadenopathy.

III. AIDS-associated complex.

IV. AIDS itself, which ends in death.

The latent period is characterized by the absence of manifestations of the disease. In fact, it is an asymptomatic carrier. The duration of the incubation period ranges from several months to several (5-15) years. Children have a shorter incubation period and clinical manifestations of the disease appear much earlier (weeks, months). Specific serological reactions using special diagnostic tests made it possible to identify a group of clinically healthy individuals with antibodies to HIV. These people are in the stage of asymptomatic carriage or incubation and can be a source of infection to other people who have sexual contact with them.

At the end of the incubation period, a phase begins that is characterized as generalized lymphadenopathy (persistent generalized lymphadenopathy, lymphadenopathy syndrome, prolonged unmotivated lymphadenopathy syndrome). It is believed that this stage is transitional in the development of the infectious process. In patients, lymph nodes are enlarged in several areas of the body (at least two groups of lymph nodes outside the groin area). Lymph nodes are moderately painful or painless on palpation, are not connected to the surrounding tissue, their mobility is preserved, their size is up to 1-3 cm in diameter. The symptom complex persists for at least 3 months.

Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy in people infected with HIV is diagnosed when patients have enlarged lymph glands in 2-3 places (except the groin area) (the size in diameter exceeds 1 cm) and when this condition, not caused by another disease or medications, persists for at least 3 months . In 1/3 of those infected, this period is asymptomatic.

The AIDS-associated complex is characterized by the same symptoms, signs and immunological disorders as those of people with AIDS, but they are less pronounced. Such patients do not have infections caused by opportunistic microorganisms and malignant neoplasms, body weight may decrease, malaise, fatigue and drowsiness, loss of appetite, discomfort in the abdomen, diarrhea for no apparent reason, fever, bouts of night sweats, and headache are noted. pain, itching, amenorrhea, lymphadenopathy and enlarged spleen.

Lesions of the skin and mucous membranes are often the first signs of the process transitioning to the AIDS-associated complex or AIDS.

That. a continuation of the above condition is the presence of signs of pre-AIDS: unmotivated fever (temperature reaction of a recurrent type) with frequent night sweats. A pronounced decrease in performance develops, and general weakness increases. One of the characteristic signs is a fairly rapid (within weeks or months) decrease in body weight, a sharp weight loss of patients by 10% or more. Almost all patients have chronic diarrhea that cannot be explained by other reasons. Less permanent

signs may be exanthema, seborrheic dermatitis, baldness, mycotic pathology.

Laboratory testing in such individuals reveals lymphopenia, a change in the ratio of T-helpers to T-suppressors in favor of the latter, a decreased response to mitogens, and impaired delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. Compensatory hypergammaglobulinemia occurs.

AIDS itself is the most severe form of the disease caused by HIV. It is characterized by the presence of infections caused by opportunistic microorganisms and malignant tumors (Kaposi's sarcoma), which develop due to severe cellular immunodeficiency. The types of infections depend largely on what microbial agents the person is exposed to. This may explain the difference in the frequency of opportunistic infections in AIDS patients in African, American and European countries. Thus, pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinii is more common among American and European patients, and is quite rare in African patients. Gastrointestinal tract infections are more common in Africa, probably due to greater exposure to intestinal microbial agents. For this stage of the disease, the same signs and symptoms are typical as for the AIDS-associated complex, but they are more pronounced.

The clinical picture of AIDS itself as a whole is a combination of causal and co-causal factors that create a difficult clinical situation, the nature of which is determined by opportunistic infections. Early symptoms of AIDS are aggravated signs of the previous phase - the pre-AIDS period (i.e., unmotivated fever, lymphadenopathy, increasing general weakness, loss of appetite, diarrhea, progressive weight loss). Patients have hepatosplenomegaly, cough, and leukopenia. Later, visual disturbances associated with retinitis appear.

HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus caused by a retrovirus.

This condition is characterized by suppression of immune defense, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) develops, as a rule, these are the first symptoms of HIV infection.

There are the following stages of HIV infection:

  • incubation period;
    • acute;
    • without symptoms;
    • lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes);
    • damage to the skin and mucous membrane (secondary symptoms);
    • damage to internal organs;
    • terminal stage.

In most cases, HIV is detected already during secondary manifestations, when the symptoms are already clearly visible.

In the initial stages, the first symptoms of HIV are almost not pronounced and go away quite quickly. The immunodeficiency virus at the initial stage manifests itself equally in both men and women.

Symptoms

HIV infection has main symptoms : psychological and physical. If we take the psychological ones, then they include depression, which often appears against the background of the disease. Sleep disturbances and frequent anxiety may also be observed. Physical manifestations include: bowel disorders, nausea, vomiting. Additionally, fever, skin rashes and gynecological diseases may occur.

Incubation period

After infection, the virus does not make itself known in any way for some time. This period is the incubation period. It can last from 4 months to 5 years, sometimes more. It should be noted that the tests will not yet show any abnormalities and outwardly the person looks completely healthy. However, he is already a carrier. After the incubation period, the acute stage begins.

Acute period

At this stage of the disease, you can observe symptoms reminiscent of infectious mononucleosis, in principle, this is what it isearly symptoms of HIV. The temperature may suddenly rise,lymph nodes in HIVincrease in size, sore throat begins. At the same time, the patient may feel constant weakness and headaches. The liver and spleen may enlarge, which is accompanied by aching pain.

After some time, a pink rash can be detected on the skin. A complete blood count often shows an elevated level of white blood cells. This is a milder course of the infection and is observed in approximately 25-30% of patients. In other cases, the disease occurs in a more acute form. This is expressed by frequent nausea and vomiting, inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, and general malaise.

Asymptomatic stage

Passes without pronounced symptoms. But, antibodies to HIV are already present in the blood. In cases where the immune system is slightly affected, this stage can last quite a long time. Only within 5-6 years can some symptoms be detected.

Lymphadenopathy

This disease is very often one of the main signs of HIV infection. It is characterized by inflammation and enlargement of the lymph nodes, especially in the neck. You can observe an enlargement of the lymph node from 2 to 6 cm. Such symptoms last up to 3-4 months, after which the patient’s body weight actively decreases.

Secondary manifestations

Most often, the secondary stage is accompanied by pneumonia. A cough, fever appears, and shortness of breath may occur when walking. During this period, the throat with HIV may be inflamed. Medicines for HIV infection - antibiotics and antivirals - are ineffective.

The second manifestation may be a tumor of the lymphatic vessels. Small burgundy tumors can be seen on the head or parts of the body.

Women are more likely to experience candidiasis, genital herpes and tuberculosis. There may be a decrease in memory and mental activity.

The first signs in women

During the incubation period, signs of infection with the immunodeficiency virus in men and women can appear in different organs and systems. However, the first sign of the disease will be a persistent increase in temperature, often up to 38 degrees. This increase in temperature appears for no reason and lasts about 10 days. Cough, migraine, worsening sleep and malaise gradually develop. You may notice the appearance of a rash. HIV spots can have different shades, from pink to dark red. These symptoms of HIV can be seen in the photo below.

Women often experience severe weight loss, which in some cases even leads to anorexia. At the same time, eating often ends with nausea and vomiting.

Due to the fact that HIV infection affects the immune system, women often experience diseases of the genitourinary system. Also, infected young women often complain of very painful menstruation and significant enlargement of the lymph nodes in the groin area. Naturally, such manifestations often do not relate to this infection, but can only be a sign of hypothermia or inflammation of the ovaries. But, if such symptoms are observed for a long time, then it is necessary to undergo an examination and conduct tests in order to exclude the disease.

Many experts believe that the first manifestation of HIV disease is enlarged lymph nodes. However, this phenomenon can be observed quite rarely in women.

There is an opinion that infection in the female body does not develop as quickly as in the male body. Although, there is no medical evidence for this.

Children who are infected in utero have an earlier onset of the disease, often in the first 12 months. And some children do not have clinical manifestations until they are 6-7 years old and even 15-16.

Newborns

Women with this disease often give birth to babies born prematurely or with developmental delays during pregnancy. Just like in adults, one of the first signs of the disease in children is enlargement of the lymph nodes, up to about 1 cm. Sometimes the lymph nodes in children with HIV are enlarged by more than 1 cm, see below in the photo. On palpation, the nodes do not hurt and have a normal color.

With an ultrasound, you will notice that the child's spleen and liver are enlarged. This symptom is observed frequently and is considered an early manifestation of infection. The disease provokes poor physical development. Such children experience decreased growth, frequent viral diseases such as acute respiratory infections, gastrointestinal disorders, and sometimes an unstable psycho-emotional state.

Skin diseases can often be observed in children. The cause of which is a fungal or bacterial infection. Manifests itself in the form of scabies, vasculitis and a macular rash.

In newborns, cardiovascular failure is often diagnosed due to the negative impact of infection on nerve cells and intestinal diseases. Later, central nervous system lesions occur (occur in approximately 60% of children).

It should be noted that children with HIV infection are most often susceptible to acute respiratory diseases, which, in turn, are severe and require long-term treatment.

In more rare cases, tumors may be found in children at the third stage of the disease.

Signs in men

The fact that the first signs of infection do not appear immediately was described above. Therefore, let's immediately move on to the description:

  • 7-12 days after infection, the first symptom can be seen - a rash that can cover the entire body. The first symptoms of HIV in men are in the form of a rash, see below in the photo.
  • the patient feels enlarged lymph nodes in the groin and neck;
  • After a while, fatigue and loss of appetite, drowsiness and reluctance to work appear.

However, every symptom listed should not be taken as a fact of HIV infection. To confirm concerns, it is necessary to undergo certain tests. Also, do not forget about precautionary measures to avoid such fears.

Facts about the infection

The ways of contracting the infection are as follows:

  • intimate relationship without appropriate protection;
  • after a blood transfusion;
  • intrauterine, from mother to child.

Statistics show that approximately 85% of infections occur after heterosexual intercourse. In second place is drug use (intravenously).

Unfortunately, the percentage of women infected is increasing every year. Now in the world more than 20% of women are diagnosed with HIV.

But there is also a positive trend - the manifestation of the disease among children has decreased significantly. First of all, this is due to the timely access of women to clinics before planning conception.

Considering that there is no single symptom that would be responsible for the manifestation of HIV infection, it is impossible to make a diagnosis based on the patient’s complaints.

Such a diagnosis is necessary due to the fact that the public views HIV disease as a disease that has no cure and leads to rapid death.

Today, there is only one method that allows the presence of infection to be determined as qualitatively as possible - this is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Using this analysis, it is possible to determine the presence of antibodies to the disease. The material for analysis is blood, taken from a vein.

During pregnancy, such an analysis is mandatory.

It should be noted that the analysis must be done some time after the suspected infection. This is due to the fact that antibodies can form approximately 4-12 weeks after infection. Therefore, conducting analysis in the early stages has no effectiveness.

If you suspect infection, but the test does not determine the presence of antibodies, it is recommended to take the test again after 5-7 weeks. In the case where a positive result is obtained, it is also recommended to retake it to be checked using more sensitive methods. This method includes PCR. With its help, it is possible to determine the DNA of the virus. The analysis itself is a very accurate study and allows you to determine the virus in the body, even if antibodies have not been developed.

After the tests are done and the stage is determined, it is possible to begin treatment of the disease. Therapeutic treatment is carried out under clinical supervision, and HIV medications are selected based on the specifics of the virus.

Of course, taking an HIV test is not compulsory and is not carried out without the consent of the patient. However, a timely diagnosis increases the chances of a positive result of therapy. If the result is negative, then the person has nothing to worry about.

If a virus is detected, a person’s life changes radically. He needs to tell his relatives about the disease to avoid infecting them. In addition, the disease affects a person’s psycho-emotional state, planning for children and, in general, his attitude towards life. An individual treatment program is selected for patients with HIV, depending on the type of virus and the course of the disease: antiretroviral drugs, protease inhibitors, immunocorrective and immunoreplacement therapy.

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