Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection Table of Contents, Topic Overview, Cause, Spread of Disease, Symptoms<\/p>\n
Incubation Period, How Is HIV Diagnosed, Testing Positive for HIV, How Is It Treated, Stages of Disease, When to Consult a Doctor, Treatment Overview: How Is It Treated, Prevention<\/p>\n
Topic Overview<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n What is HIV? What is AIDS?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system, the body\u2019s\u00a0natural defense system. Without a strong immune system, the body has trouble fighting off disease. Both the virus and the infection it causes are called HIV. The last stage of HIV infection is AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). People with AIDS\u00a0have a low number of CD4+ cells and get infections or cancers that rarely occur in healthy\u00a0people. These can be deadly.<\/p>\n But having HIV does not mean you have AIDS. Even without treatment, it takes a long time for\u00a0HIV to progress to AIDS\u2014usually 10 to 12 years. If HIV is diagnosed before it becomes AIDS, What causes HIV?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n HIV infection is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus<\/a><\/strong>. You can get HIV from contact\u00a0with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.<\/p>\n HIV doesn’t survive well outside the body. So it cannot be spread by casual contact such as\u00a0kissing or sharing drinking glasses with an infected person.<\/strong><\/p>\n Spread of Disease<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n HIV is spread when blood, semen, or vaginal fluids from an infected person enter another\u00a0person’s body, usually through:<\/p>\n Spread of HIV to babies<\/strong><\/p>\n A woman who is infected with HIV can spread the virus to her baby during pregnancy, delivery,\u00a0or breast\u2010feeding.<\/p>\n What are the symptoms? Symptoms may appear from a few days to several weeks after a person is first infected. The\u00a0early symptoms usually go away within 2 to 3 weeks.<\/p>\n After the early symptoms go away, an infected person may not have symptoms again for many\u00a0years. Treatment usually keeps the virus under control and helps the immune system stay\u00a0healthy. But without treatment, the virus continues to grow in the body and attacks the\u00a0immune system. After a certain point, symptoms reappear and then remain. These symptoms\u00a0usually include:<\/p>\n A doctor may suspect HIV if these symptoms last and no other cause can be found.<\/p>\n Contagious and incubation period<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n How is HIV diagnosed?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The tests that detect HIV antibodies in urine, fluid from the mouth (oral fluid), or blood can\u00a0diagnose HIV. If a test on urine or oral fluid shows that you are infected with HIV, you will\u00a0probably need a blood test to confirm the results. If you have been exposed to HIV, your\u00a0immune system will make antibodies to try to destroy the virus. Blood tests<\/a><\/span> can find these\u00a0antibodies in your blood.<\/p>\n Most doctors use two blood tests, called the ELISA (Enzyme\u2010linked immunosorbent assay) and\u00a0the Western blot assay. If the first ELISA is positive (meaning that HIV antibodies are found), the It may take as long as 6 months for HIV antibodies to show up in a blood sample. If you think\u00a0you have been exposed to HIV but you test negative for it:<\/p>\n You can get HIV testing in most doctors\u2019 offices, public health clinics, and hospitals.<\/p>\n Testing positive for HIV infection<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Testing positive for HIV will probably make you anxious and afraid about your future. The good\u00a0news is that people being treated for HIV are living longer than ever before with the help of\u00a0medicines that slow the rate at which HIV progresses to AIDS, or even prevent AIDS from\u00a0developing. Your doctor can help you understand your condition and how best to treat it.<\/p>\n If you test positive for HIV, your doctor will complete a medical history and physical\u00a0examination He or she may order several lab tests to evaluate your overall health condition and\u00a0identify current or previous infections that may become more complicated because of HIV. Some strains of HIV may be resistant to certain medicines. If you tested positive for HIV, your\u00a0doctor may test you at this stage to see if you have been infected with a drug\u2010resistant strain of\u00a0HIV. This will help him or her determine which medicines to use when the infection is treated.<\/p>\n Stages of Disease:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n HIV infection progresses in stages. These stages are based on your symptoms and the amount\u00a0of the virus in your blood. Most people go through the following stages after being infected Initial stage (acute retroviral syndrome)<\/strong><\/p>\n Acute retroviral syndrome is an illness with symptoms like mononucleosis. It often develops\u00a0within a few days of infection, but it may occur several weeks after the person is infected. These first symptoms can range from mild to severe and usually disappear on their own after 2
\nWhite blood cells are an important part of the immune system. HIV invades and destroys\u00a0certain white blood cells called CD4+ cells. If too many CD4+ cells are destroyed, the body can\u00a0no longer defend itself against infection.<\/p>\n
\nmedicines can slow or stop the damage to the immune system. With treatment, many people\u00a0with HIV are able to live long and active lives.<\/p>\n\n
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\no \u00a0 \u00a0 Shares needles, syringes, cookers, cotton, cocaine spoons, or\u00a0eyedroppers used for injecting drugs or steroids.
\no \u00a0 Is accidentally stuck with a needle or other sharp item that is\u00a0contaminated with HIV.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\nHIV may not cause symptoms early on. People who do have symptoms may mistake them for
\nthe flu or mono. Common early symptoms include:<\/p>\n\n
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\nnegative for it, you should be tested again 6 months later.<\/li>\n
\nblood sample is tested again. If the second test is positive, the doctor will do a Western blot to\u00a0be sure.<\/p>\n\n
\nThese tests include:<\/p>\n\n
\nwith HIV:<\/p>\n
\nSymptoms may include:<\/p>\n\n
\nto 3 weeks.<\/p>\n