Aids Symptoms
What is aids, and what are the common aids symptoms?
Aids or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is caused by the HIV virus or Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV harms the human immune system as well as the central nervous system leaving the individual prone to and in danger of infections. Aids symptoms are commonly looked for in a serious matter when we fear of having hiv which eventually leads onto aids.
At the early stages when the HIV virus is present it is unlikely for the individual affected to exhibit any specific aids symptoms and therefore at this stage the only way to determine if the virus is present is by performing an HIV test. It is however possible for the individual to exhibit some aids symptoms a few weeks after the infection enters the system, which include: a flu-like condition, increased temperature (pyrexia), headache, enlarged lymph nodes, sore throat (pharyngitis) and red spots or a rash on the skin.
A Quick Run Down of Aids Symptoms
The second stage of HIV infection is termed the asymptomatic stage and is characterized by a significant amount of the virus being present in the blood of the individual infected. At this stage the immune system will respond by producing antibodies and this stage of the infection may go on unnoticed in the body for up to 10-12 years. It is at this time that the HIV virus can develop into Aids if no treatment is undertaken. The individual affected may also start to exhibit further aids symptoms, such as: loss of appetite, night sweats, significant weight loss, loss of appetite, mouth ulcers and persistent coughing. The most common aids symptoms would be mouth ulcers and significant weight loss.
As the HIV virus develops into Aids what are commonly easy to treat infections in healthy individuals can be life-threatening in people suffering from the HIV virus. Once the individual has developed Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome susceptibility to many dangerous infections is persistent. Aids symptoms at this stage include: pneumonia, tuberculosis, herpes, candidosis, toxoplasmosis and other viral conditions. The consequence of this stage also leaves the individual susceptible to cancer tumors, most commonly Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Not all individuals will exhibit the same aids symptoms as the condition may affect different organs, such as the lungs, intestine or nervous system. If the central nervous system is heavily affected there is danger of the individual developing progressive dementia, which results form cortical atrophy of the brain.
Damage to the central nervous system can occur even after 20 years following the initial HIV infection as can meningitis and brain blood vessel problems, which will then evolve into aids and then there would be aids symptoms which are much more noticeable. The individual may also suffer from aids symptoms such as chronic headaches and vision deterioration, muscle weakness, short-term memory loss and other psychics disorders.
If the HIV virus is caught within the asymptomatic stage it is possible that the individual may not develop high end-risk aids symptoms, as the virus can be controlled through various forms of treatment. Once an HIV test is performed it is possible to gauge the stage of the infection and proceed accordingly. Anti HIV medications basically control the reproduction of the virus and slow down the progression diseases associated with the virus.
However, these medications do not cure the HIV infection and individuals following such therapy can still transmit the virus. Often Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) may be prescribed, referred to as the “cocktail” which combines three or more anti-HIV medications taken in a daily regimen. With such therapy the condition can be controlled and aids symptoms may be kept to a minimum. Development in drugs to treat HIV and Aids is ongoing and clinical trials and studies continue to search for newer and better therapies.