Do you know the difference between HIV and AIDS?

HIV is the name of the virus that causes AIDS, known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Many people may be HIV-positive, which means that antibodies for the virus have been detected in the blood stream. Although no apparent symptoms may appear at this stage, they can still spread the virus. With time, the virus makes the immune system so weak that the person becomes vulnerable to outside infections known as opportunistic infections which can be fatal; at this stage it is known as AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

HIV/AIDS isn’t that far away from people. What you do might put you at risk of contracting AIDS.

But how do you know if you might have AIDS? Have you ever been in one of these situations?

 People have contracted HIV/AIDS unknowingly through:   

1- A blood transfusion with infected blood.

2- Improperly sterilized hospital equipment.

3- Having unprotected sex with an infected spouse who has not told them that he/she is infected.

4- An HIV-positive mother who transmits the virus to the child during pregnancy or birth. Transmission can also be through breast milk.

Unfortunately, many people put themselves at risk of contracting the disease.

People are at a high risk of getting infected if they share needles or syringes with a person who is infected with the HIV virus for injecting drugs or withdrawing blood. The danger of doing drugs by using needles puts you at an extremely high risk of infection. Non-needle recreational drugs may not put you at a direct risk but they impair your decision-making skills and under its influence it is probable that you will engage in risky behavior.

2- Piercing and tattooing can also carry a risk of infection if the equipment used is infected with the virus.

3- Having multiple sexual partners increases the risk and probability of infection. If you have found out that your spouse (or ex- spouse) was not monogamous or currently has multiple sex partners or uses drugs or was exposed to HIV, then it is time you took the HIV test.

HIV/AIDS is not transmitted through tears, sweat, saliva or regular contact like handshaking. Sharing cups and utensils does not transmit the disease either.

People should not wait for symptoms of infection with HIV/AIDS to show if they are in doubt that they may have been infected. Persons who think that they may have been exposed to the virus for any reason should test themselves as soon as possible.

The problem is when first infected with the HIV virus symptoms don’t show immediately

• Many people show no symptoms when they are first infected with the HIV virus.

• Some people may get a flu-like illness within three to six weeks after exposure to the virus. This illness, called Acute HIV Syndrome, may include fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea and enlarged lymph nodes

• These symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for another viral infection.

• More persistent or severe symptoms may not surface for several years, even a decade or more, after HIV first enters the body in adults, or within two years in children born with the virus.

• Some people may begin to have symptoms as soon as a few months, while others may be symptom-free for more than 10 years. However, during this period, the virus will be actively multiplying, infecting, and killing cells of the immune system.

• At this stage it is more likely for the infected person to pass on the infection to others.

When people infected with the HIV virus start symptomatizing, they will probably notice some of the following:

• Lack of energy

• Weight loss

• Frequent fevers and sweats

• A thick, whitish coating of the tongue or mouth (thrush) that is caused by a yeast infection and sometimes accompanied by a sore throat

• Severe or recurring vaginal yeast infections

• Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease or severe and frequent infections like herpes zoster

• Periods of extreme and unexplained fatigue that may be combined with headaches, lightheadedness, and/or dizziness

• Rapid loss of more than 10 pounds of weight that is not due to increased physical exercise or dieting

• Bruising more easily than normal

• Long-lasting bouts of diarrhoea

• Swelling or hardening of glands located in the throat, armpit, or groin

• Periods of continued, deep, dry coughing

• Increasing shortness of breath

• The appearance of discoloured or purplish growths on the skin or inside the mouth

• Unexplained bleeding from growths on the skin, from mucous membranes, or from any opening in the body

• Recurring or unusual skin rashes

• Severe numbness or pain in the hands or feet, the loss of muscle control and reflex, paralysis or loss of muscular  strength

• An altered state of consciousness, personality change, or mental deterioration

• Children may grow slowly or fall sick frequently. HIV positive persons are also found to be more vulnerable to some cancers.

If you are HIV positive what should you do?

• Consult a clinician experienced in treating HIV/AIDS.

• Protect your spouse from HIV by following safe-sex guidelines.

• Inform spouse who may also be infected.

• Do not share needles.

• Get psychological support from a counselor and/or join a support group for people with HIV.

• Get information and social and legal support from AIDS service organizations.

• Don't share your HIV status with people who do not need to know. Only tell people you can count on for support. Think about whom you want to share your HIV status with.

• Maintain a strong immune system with a healthy lifestyle and regular medical examinations.

• Consider using antiretroviral therapies that may slow the progress of the infection in consultation with a qualified physician.

Sources:

• Youandaids.org

• Staying-alive.org