Home Trees and shrubs How to find out if a girl has HIV. HIV symptoms in women are the first signs. II. Recognizing specific symptoms

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How to find out if a girl has HIV. HIV symptoms in women are the first signs. II. Recognizing specific symptoms

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is an extremely complex disease and without accelerated treatment it provokes the development of AIDS and the death of the patient. Due to the physiological characteristics, the woman's body is more exposed to infection and HIV can stay in the body for a long period, gradually destroying it, and the woman will not be aware of her illness. At an early stage of HIV disease, a woman's symptoms are mild, which makes it difficult to diagnose correctly.

Primary symptoms go unnoticed for a long time or can be attributed to fatigue. But it has been proven that the symptoms of the disease in women are more pronounced than in males, and this makes it easier to diagnose the disease.

The difference between HIV and AIDS

HIV is a virus that enters the body, multiplies in it and blocks the functions of the immune system. On the basis of this, the human body is unable to resist pathogenic microbes and opportunistic organisms. When infected with HIV, a person is not considered sick, but only HIV-infected. A disease is spoken of when the first symptoms and signs of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) appear.

It takes a long time from the moment of infection to the development of the disease. AIDS is considered the final stage of HIV infection, characterized by a combination of diseases and their symptoms resulting from reduced protective functions of the body.

Characteristics of HIV infection and modes of transmission

HIV belongs to the group of retroviruses and is subdivided into two types: HIV-1 and HIV-2. The infection circulates in biological fluids: tears, blood, breast milk, saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions. Its maximum amount is concentrated in semen, vaginal secretions, blood and breast milk and is transmitted in the following ways:

Sexual - during sexual intercourse in which the partner is at risk of infection from an HIV-positive partner. During intercourse, there is direct contact with the fluid in which the virus lives. The maximum amount of the virus is found in the seminal plasma of a man and in the blood. The risk of infection increases in women with cervical erosion or vaginal inflammation.
Blood transfusion - with transfusion of infected blood. Today, donor blood is thoroughly tested using modern methods that can determine the presence of the pathogen in the blood at the early stages of infection.
Vertical - during pregnancy from mother to child, passing through the birth canal, through the mother's milk during feeding.
Hemocontact - with medical needles and instruments, on which blood with the virus remains.
Transplant - organ or tissue transplantation from an infected donor.

The virus is not spread by shaking hands, kissing, sharing utensils or clothing, or by insects or by air. But there is a risk of infection through manicure devices and razors used by an HIV-infected person.

At-risk groups

Given the routes of infection, the following risk groups are formed:

Persons leading a disordered intimate life, preferring sexual intercourse without using a barrier contraceptive;
Drug addicts and their sexual partners;
Patients who received blood transfusions without being tested for HIV;
Medical workers - surgeons, obstetricians-gynecologists, dentists, nurses and others.

Stages of HIV infection

During the course of the disease, the main stages of the development of infection are distinguished:

Incubation period - duration is one to three months, but sometimes it lasts a year. During this period, the infection spreads throughout the body, gradually matures and, finally, multiplies to a certain amount, causing any manifestation. At this time, the pathogen does not affect the function of the immune system.
Stage of the first signs of HIV - at this stage, antiviral antibodies begin to circulate in the infected blood, damaging and destroying immunocompetent cells, as a result of which many women develop lymphadenopathy three months after infection (enlarged lymph nodes, increased susceptibility to infectious pathologies, disruption of the digestive path). Sometimes the duration of this stage lasts for ten years. This stage is called the acute stage of HIV infection.
Latent stage - despite the fact that the pathogen destroys the immune system, it triggers compensatory mechanisms for the active renewal of the composition of immune cells. There are no manifestations of HIV during this period and it is possible to detect infection only by serological tests. Some patients observe isolated cases of enlarged lymph nodes. The duration of the stage is 3 years, rarely - from one to two decades.
The stage of accession of other diseases - during this period, the human immune system has completely exhausted compensating resources and has lost the ability to fight the virus and defend itself against many pathogenic microorganisms. This period is characterized by symptoms of fungal, viral and bacterial diseases and neoplasms of a malignant background.
AIDS is an immunodeficiency syndrome, accompanied by extensive damage to organs and all systems of the human body: candidiasis, extensive damage to the skin by a fungus, pneumonia, ulcers on the oral mucosa.

In AIDS carriers, the protective functions of the body are broken and any diseases, even a small cold, can cause a serious complication. Patients often develop tuberculosis and pneumonia, which is why they die.

The main symptom of AIDS in women is anorexia of pulmonary complications and infections in the genitals, exacerbated during the hot period. After a while, the infected woman will no longer be able to walk, sit, or eat on her own. Over time, the functions of the nervous system fail, an irreversible process of the disease occurs with a fatal outcome in two to three months.

Symptoms of HIV in women at different stages of the disease

In the early stages, women show symptoms of HIV infection in the following form:

Rash on the skin;
Unreasonable rise in temperature;
Pain in the larynx;
Dizziness;
Headache;
Ailments;
Swollen lymph nodes;
Nausea, sometimes vomiting;
Fast fatiguability;
Muscle pain (myalgia);
Joint aches (arthralgia);
Stomatitis;
Vaginal candidiasis (thrush);
Bacterial vaginitis;
Excessive sweating, especially in the evening and at night.

Early symptoms in women appear within a month in the form of a flu-like syndrome, and therefore women do not seek medical help, but treat the malaise like a cold at home. Literally after 15 days, the above symptoms subside.

Latent stage symptoms

The latent stage of HIV infection is characterized by an asymptomatic latent course in women. Patients are unaware that they are infected, they lead their usual way of life, while the pathogen, meanwhile, multiplies rapidly and destroys the immune system. During this period, a woman is a source of infection for a sexual partner.

Stage of secondary diseases

This stage is characterized by the addition of secondary infections:

Mycosis of different localization;
Skin lesions: urticaria, condylomas, pink rash, aphthae, papillomas, seborrhea, rubrophytosis, psoriasis, molluscum contagiosum;
Diseases of the viral background;
Bacterial background infections;
Shingles;
Inflammation of the larynx and sinuses of the nasopharynx;
Chronic diarrhea;
Damage to the central nervous system;
Temperature increase;
Tuberculosis - pulmonary and extrapulmonary;
Cancer neoplasms of different localization;
Hairy leukoplakia;
Kaposi's sarcoma and more.

This stage is characterized by a sharp weight loss, damage to the skin and mucous membranes by harmful microorganisms, which leads to the development of pharyngitis, herpes, sinusitis and other secondary diseases. Also, the patient has a long period of diarrhea. The virus initiates both skin lesions and internal organs. Candidiasis destroys internal organs, the digestive system, affects the central nervous system and lungs. Pathogenic microbes actively develop purulent acne and skin ulcers, as well as tumors.

AIDS symptoms in women

If you do not recognize the symptoms of HIV infection in time and do not start intensive treatment, then later the woman's body will begin to show the symptoms of AIDS:

Diarrhea;
Weight loss;
Feeling weak;
Expressions on the mucous membrane of the mouth;
Vaginal discharge, provoked by bacterial, fungal and viral flora;
Inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system;
Fever with chills;
Sweating;
Dyspnea;
Uterine bleeding;
Dry cough;
Violation of menstrual cycles and more.

If a woman has been bothered by vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, sweating and other signs of HIV disease for a month, especially if she belongs to a high-risk group, an HIV test is urgently required at the nearest medical facility.

Important! Modern medicine conducts such tests completely free of charge and anonymously. Therefore, you should not worry about privacy or finances and postpone this procedure. If you notice several of the listed symptoms lasting more than a month, take an urgent test for the presence / absence of HIV infection.

HIV during pregnancy

Pregnant women in the first and second trimester are tested for HIV. If the HIV test is positive, the pregnant woman is referred to an AIDS center for consultation with an infectious disease doctor.

A child is able to contract the virus from the mother in different ways: in late pregnancy, through the birth canal and during breastfeeding.

Antiretroviral drugs that women take during pregnancy reduce the risk of infection in their baby. All medicines prescribed by the specialists of the center are given out in pharmacies free of charge, but only with a prescription.

According to statistics, in the absence of the necessary treatment, every second baby is born with HIV. All babies born to infected parents are screened three times using PCR.

Diagnosis of the disease

Today in medicine there are two types of tests to determine the presence of HIV infection:

ELISA - immunofluorescence blood test to detect antibodies to the pathogen. It takes more than one week to form antibodies to the virus, so such an analysis must be taken two or three weeks after infection. EIA testing earlier than two weeks after infection is not informative.
Immunoblotting - the reaction is carried out with a positive ELISA. The basis of the method is the detection of antibodies to HIV. The reliability of the test is one hundred percent.

To diagnose the disease, polymerase chain reaction and express methods are also used to identify the causative agent of the infection.

To identify HIV infection and correctly diagnose, multiple examinations are carried out. For an accurate diagnosis, the infectious disease specialist prescribes laboratory tests to detect antibodies and, if, based on the history, examination and data obtained, the doctor discovers all the signs of the disease, the woman is advised to register for constant monitoring.

How is treatment for HIV infection carried out?

Treatment of the virus consists in the regular intake of antiretroviral drugs, symptomatic therapy, and prevention of secondary diseases. The most popular and effective drugs in modern medicine are: Zidovudine, Didanosine, Nevirapine. These drugs can alleviate the course of the disease, eliminate some of the symptoms, but, unfortunately, to date, doctors have not yet developed an effective drug that can eradicate HIV infection completely and irrevocably. Nevertheless, the identification of the causative agent of the infection in the early stages has an invaluable effect on the prognosis of the disease, since modern drugs have the ability to stop the progression of the disease.

HIV is dangerous because it lives in a woman's body imperceptibly, without showing external signs and for a long time without giving signals. Much depends on the lifestyle, physiological characteristics of the body, its endurance and health. Health monitoring, regular tests, visits to specialists will help to notice the presence of the pathogen in the early stages of the disease.

Temperature at the first sign of HIV

When infected, as well as during the intensive development of infection, there are no obvious signs in a person. Once a pathogen enters the bloodstream, the immune system tries to defend the body. In the period from the first three weeks to three months, signs of nonspecific symptoms may appear: chills, fever, cough, swollen lymph nodes.

Often the virus does not manifest itself at all for many years. On average, the first signs appear in the interval from 3 months to 5 years after infection. And antibodies to the pathogen are determined 6-12 months after infection. Therefore, the main way to detect the presence of a virus is testing, which can be taken free of charge.

Depending on how the clinical picture develops, the stages of the development of the disease are distinguished:

Incubation period
The primary stage, which can be acute, asymptomatic, or generalized lymphadenopathy
Secondary, accompanied by the involvement of mucous membranes in the process of the skin, damage to internal organs and systems
Terminal

The primary signs of infection are equally pronounced in both women and men.

The onset of the disease has mild symptoms, which rarely pays attention to.

Therefore, it is not always possible to say for sure in how many days the manifestation of the clinical picture of the disease is possible.

Most often, the disease develops after unprotected sexual intercourse.

The first signs of infection appear on average between three weeks and five years after infection.

In some cases, symptoms become apparent after 2-3 months.

The first symptoms of the disease are an increase in body temperature and an increase in lymph nodes.

In men, the primary signs of infection may look like this:

the presence of a fungal infection that does not respond to therapy
the presence of a skin rash
increased sweating and feeling hot
fatigue
needless weight loss
decreased visual acuity
frequent colds and ARVI
shortness of breath, persistent cough
decreased motor function
dementia
diarrhea
having nausea with vomiting
inflammatory processes in the mouth
swollen lymph nodes

In women, unlike men, the initial symptoms are:

vaginal candidiasis
cytomegalovirus infection

With intrauterine infection of children, the manifestation of the first signs is possible from the fourth month of the baby's life.

The disease is expressed by brain damage in the following manifestations:

Often such children suffer from mental retardation and a decrease in the level of intelligence.
Signs of the child's physical development are also observed: the baby is slowly gaining weight, sits late, etc.
Frequent bowel disorders and the addition of purulent infections

After the virus enters the human body, it begins to actively multiply, affecting healthy cells.

The immune system tries to protect the body from the harmful effects of the virus.

One of these protective organisms is an increase in body temperature, which contributes to the death of microorganisms.

With HIV infection, the temperature can remain constantly above normal.

But, despite the fact that many microorganisms die, the immunodeficiency virus is more resistant to high temperatures, since it is able to mutate and survive under adverse conditions.

The temperature value for AIDS is significantly higher than for a newly acquired infection.

If a person does not suspect that he is infected, then he can ignore the symptoms of the common cold, which can become asymptomatic in the future or lead to death.

An increase in temperature in an HIV-infected person above 38 degrees is often observed with pneumonia, then often the outcome of pneumonia leads to death.

If a person's temperature does not drop for several weeks, then they will need to be tested.

So by a general blood test, you can determine the presence of an inflammatory process in the body.

A decrease in temperature should also not be ignored, as it can be caused by overwork, a decrease in blood pressure, and vitamin deficiency.

For any suspicion of HIV, conduct a quality diagnosis.

How to recognize a disease?

In order to effectively fight the disease, it is important to clearly know the first signs of HIV in women.
Symptoms of the disease rarely begin to appear immediately. The presence of the virus can be detected only after a few years (there are cases when people lived with it, without suspecting anything, for 10-12 years).

Initially, they appear up to several weeks after infection and include:

sore throat;
enlarged lymph nodes;
elevated temperature.

Many people mistake these signs of infection for a cold or food poisoning. Moreover, then the symptoms disappear. However, HIV at this time is actively developing and is soon found in patients "in all its glory."

In the subsequent stages of HIV, all kinds of vaginal infections appear. The development of the disease in women depends on the immunity of the victim and the severity of the disease.

Possible anomalies are easily detected on examination by a gynecologist when taking a Pap smear.

Another stage of HIV is characterized by the fact that the symptoms of infection can appear suddenly, and after a few days they disappear spontaneously. The signs of this stage are as follows:

ulcers, abscesses, warts appear on the external genital organs of women.

With HIV, an increase in lymph nodes is consistently observed. You can feel them on your own on your neck, armpits or groin.

If you drag out for time, then in the absence of proper treatment, the progression of the disease begins.

Other symptoms of HIV appear in women:

sweating (especially at night);
a sharp decrease in appetite and weight loss;
constant feeling of tension;
prolonged depression;
apathy.

Fatigue is felt, which does not go away after sleep and rest, there is no desire to do anything. These symptoms of the disease indicate that a woman is depleting her immunity and the whole body.

With an advanced form of infection, white spots form on the oral mucosa, similar to signs of stomatitis. Herpetic eruptions appear around the mouth, and the genitals are covered with a large number of abscesses.

Due to weakened immunity, constant pneumonia begins. In patients at the last stage, infections often turn into complicated forms, which leads to death. Photos of all stages can be found on the Internet.

The last stage of HIV is called AIDS.

The main symptoms of HIV in women

Typical signs of HIV infection are a set of symptoms of secondary diseases, that is, those diseases with which a weakened immune system is unable to fight. The classic manifestations include symptoms of fungal infection of the mucous membranes, aphthous stomatitis, polylymphoadenopathy, various manifestations of herpesvirus infection, pneumocystis pneumonia, infiltrative tuberculosis, indigestion, rash, central nervous system damage and others.

Should alert the appearance of episodes of fever, diarrhea, mucosal damage. The further the infection progresses, the greater the set of symptoms there can be.

Incubation with HIV ranges from a few days to several years. Most often, the first signs of HIV appear 4 weeks after infection.

At the first stage of the disease - the acute febrile phase - HIV is disguised as various infections. Most often, the first sign of illness may be a flu-like condition.

The main symptoms of the first stage of HIV:

An increase in body temperature and its long-term preservation (within 3-4 weeks), accompanied by chills, muscle pain, sweating.
A cough that persists with antibiotics and often results in pneumonia.
Runny nose, complicated by sinusitis, otitis media, sinusitis, not amenable to treatment.
A rash on the body of a different nature (measles-like, mononucleosis-like).
Diarrhea lasting about a month.

With such signs, the diagnosis of HIV is extremely rare, since there are no specific symptoms of immunodeficiency at the first stage.

The first stage lasts from several weeks to several months, then the symptoms subside.

At the second stage of HIV - the latency phase - the disease does not manifest itself. It lasts from 2 to 10 years.

The third stage - lymphadenopathy - is characterized by an increase in several groups of lymph nodes. The nodes can grow up to several centimeters in diameter. They are painless, soft and elastic. At this stage, there is a prolonged fever, enlargement of the liver and spleen. It is at this stage that HIV is most often diagnosed.

At the stage of lymphadenopathy in women, various commonplace infections begin to join:

Thrush of the oral cavity, esophagus.
The spread of herpetic eruptions throughout the body.
Pustular lesions of the skin.
Vascular skin rashes (vascular reaction to infections).
Prolonged diarrhea.
Frequent acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections, certainly ending in complications (pneumonia, meningitis, encephalitis, pyelonephritis).
Tuberculosis.

Weight loss progresses, body weight deficit is about 10%.

Gradually, the stage of lymphadenopathy passes into the final phase of the disease - AIDS. The symptoms of AIDS in women are no different from those in men. The terminal stage of the disease is characterized by generalized damage to various organs and systems with various infections.

The immune system is no longer capable of attacking infectious agents, so absolutely any disease can lead to death. Immunity loses control over mutations, malignant tumors of various localization appear, but most often lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma grows. Weight loss is significant (more than 10%).

The signs of AIDS are associated precisely with infectious diseases and tumors:

Progressive tuberculosis of the lungs and bones. Tuberculous sepsis, meningitis.
Toxoplasmosis.
Widespread candidiasis with damage to systems and internal organs.
Herpetic bronchitis and pneumonia.
Lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma.
Diarrhea caused by non-pathogenic flora (cryptosporidiosis).
Pneumocystis pneumonia.
Recurrent meningitis.
Abscesses of internal organs.
Fungal lesions of internal organs.
Salmonellosis in generalized form.

Signs of AIDS such as lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma can also appear in non-HIV-infected individuals. A distinctive feature of these malignant tumors in AIDS is their appearance before the age of 60.

Despite active work on finding the best medicine and developing a vaccine for AIDS, so far it has been possible to achieve only that timely antiretroviral therapy prolongs the life of an infected person by 2 years.

For physiological reasons, a woman is more likely to acquire HIV infection. At the same time, not everyone learns about the disease immediately, so it is impossible to trace the development of HIV and start timely treatment.

Lack of treatment leads to AIDS, a deadly immune deficiency syndrome. AIDS symptoms in women may appear years after infection
, and their occurrence must be avoided by all means.

HIV diagnostics

In order to detect the immunodeficiency virus, and to correctly establish the diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo regular studies. If some symptoms are absent, then this is considered a more dangerous sign.

The specialist will refer the patient to several types of antibody detection tests. Tests, like HIV symptoms in women in the early stages, do not always help detect the virus.

If the virus was detected during subsequent diagnostics, then the woman should be registered. This is done to monitor the patient's health.

During this, every six months she should be tested. The doctor monitors the state of immunity. In some cases, antiretroviral drugs may be prescribed.

Any non-traditional HIV treatment at home requires consultation with a specialist. Knowing how and by what means to treat the virus with folk remedies will not be enough.

This kind of therapy should be supervised by the attending physician.

Nutrition and Supplements

Some women make kvass at home made from banana peel. To prepare such a remedy:

you will need to cut the skin of the fruit into small cubes;
then, using a napkin, they are dried and transferred to a jar with a capacity of 3 liters;
then add 1 glass of sugar;
followed by 1 teaspoon of sour cream (preferably natural).

The ingredients are mixed and poured over with warm boiled water. The jar is covered with gauze and the neck is tightly tied. Future kvass is left in a warm place for 14 days. After the expiration of the time, 1 liter of the product is poured out to make another drink. The rest is taken no more than 50 milliliters before meals.

The use of a decoction of St. John's wort is considered one of the most effective folk methods in the treatment of HIV.

To prepare this tool you will need:

100 g of crushed plant;
50 g sea buckthorn oil;
1 liter of water.

The first step is to boil water and add St. John's wort in the specified amount. The broth is boiled for no more than an hour.

The resulting mixture is filtered and sea buckthorn oil is added. The broth is stirred well and allowed to brew for several days.

The product should be taken no more than 4 times a day. Drink half a glass each time.

Today in medicine there are two types of tests to determine the presence of HIV infection:

ELISA - immunofluorescence blood test to detect antibodies to the pathogen. It takes more than one week to form antibodies to the virus, so such an analysis must be taken two or three weeks after infection. EIA testing earlier than two weeks after infection is not informative.
Immunoblotting - the reaction is carried out with a positive ELISA. The basis of the method is the detection of antibodies to HIV. The reliability of the test is one hundred percent.

To diagnose the disease, polymerase chain reaction and express methods are also used to identify the causative agent of the infection.

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

immunofluorescence analysis (ELISA) of blood, which is performed to detect antibodies to HIV. It takes several weeks for the formation of antibodies to the pathogen, therefore, ELISA is recommended to be carried out 2-3 weeks after the alleged infection. Performing this test earlier than the specified date 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 approaches 100%.

Many people wonder what are the means of getting rid of HIV.

In modern times, complex therapy is used to treat the disease, which consists of the simultaneous administration of several antiviral agents. One drug for treatment can only be prescribed if the patient is pregnant.

The most common medicine is AZT. Its effectiveness is proven by clinical studies.

During pregnancy, taking the drug can be divided into three parts: during gestation, childbirth and the baby in the first six weeks of life.

It is important to identify the first symptoms of the disease in time.

Timely diagnosis allows many infected people to feel good even twenty years after HIV is discovered. Thanks to therapy, people have begun to live much longer, and women can experience the joys of motherhood.

Since the symptoms at the initial stages can easily be confused with signs of other, completely harmless diseases, then always be especially attentive to your health.

There is hardly a disease in the world that would attract as much attention to itself as HIV and its inevitable consequence - AIDS. Everyone is worried about the question: "What is the first symptom of HIV and how to suspect this infection in oneself?" This question is especially interesting for women of childbearing age.

It is possible to become infected with HIV only from a person during all periods of illness and carriage.

How is the human immunodeficiency virus transmitted?

In the vast majority of cases, the infection is sexually transmitted.
In medical institutions when using non-sterile instruments.
During breastfeeding, pregnancy and childbirth from mother to child.
Infected blood transfusions and organ transplants.
Among injection drug users, the virus is transmitted using shared needles.

The virus is found in saliva, blood, breast milk, vaginal secretions, and semen. But in order to get infected, it is necessary to get a significant amount of the patient's biological fluid, since the infectious dose in HIV is large. There are frequent cases when after a single sexual contact, infection did not occur.

To avoid the onset of AIDS symptoms, women need to donate blood regularly, approximately every 6 months.
on the number of cells of the immune system and viral load.

The AIDS diagnosis is assigned in accordance with the classification of the stages of HIV infection:

antibodies to HIV are significantly reduced in volume;
HIV test may be negative due to the seronegative window period;
the number of cells of the immune system - 200 and below;

The early symptoms of HIV infection and acute retroviral syndrome in the periods after possible contact with the pathogen are usually not determined by either the doctor or the patient. This is not surprising, as they are very similar to the symptoms of a common illness caused by an infection (tonsillitis, flu, breast infection, etc.).

If you think there is a high probability that you may have been infected with HIV, then the only way to check this is by testing. It is much easier to get tested for HIV today than it used to be. How to identify if there is a problem? Pay attention to the following signs, features of the disease.

The general nature of the symptoms is not a clear indicator of acute HIV infection, which is dangerous because during this stage a person can transmit the virus to their partner (s) without even knowing it. This is the reason for its rapid mass distribution. Men who are sexually active are encouraged to have blood tests for HIV at least once in their lives and are more likely to be at higher risk (drug users who have sex with men). This is the only way to find out if you have a medical condition (home test).

After the acute phase of the course of HIV infection, there is a prolonged period without symptoms, when the infected person feels “normal” and does not know about his infection. Meanwhile, the virus does not sleep and damages the body's immune system. Eventually, his defenses become so weakened that AIDS develops.

Answer the questions: Do you use condoms? Are you at risk of sharing needles when injecting drugs? If so, the likelihood of contracting HIV is high. If you got tested and tested positive, it means that you have HIV, which causes AIDS.

Signs at different stages

In the early stages, women show symptoms of HIV infection in the following form:

Rash on the skin;
Unreasonable rise in temperature;
Pain in the larynx;
Dizziness;
Headache;
Ailments;
Swollen lymph nodes;
Nausea, sometimes vomiting;
Fast fatiguability;
Muscle pain (myalgia);
Joint aches (arthralgia);
Stomatitis;
Vaginal candidiasis (thrush);
Bacterial vaginitis;
Excessive sweating, especially in the evening and at night.

Early symptoms in women appear within a month in the form of a flu-like syndrome, and therefore women do not seek medical help, but treat the malaise like a cold at home. Literally after 15 days, the above symptoms subside.

This stage is characterized by the addition of secondary infections:

Mycosis of different localization;
Skin lesions: urticaria, condylomas, pink rash, aphthae, papillomas, seborrhea, rubrophytosis, psoriasis, molluscum contagiosum;
Diseases of the viral background;
Bacterial background infections;
Shingles;
Inflammation of the larynx and sinuses of the nasopharynx;
Chronic diarrhea;
Damage to the central nervous system;
Temperature increase;
Tuberculosis - pulmonary and extrapulmonary;
Cancer neoplasms of different localization;
Hairy leukoplakia;
Kaposi's sarcoma and more.

The infection develops in stages. With an increase in the number of viral particles, more and more cells of the immune system are involved in the process, an adequate immune response is blocked, inflammatory, autoimmune, oncological changes develop. The use of antiretroviral therapy slows the progression of the disease, prolonging the life of patients.

According to the classification of V.V. Pokrovsky, the first stage of infection is called incubation. This is the period of time from the entry of the pathogen into the body until the appearance of antibodies in the blood or primary signs. On average, this stage lasts 3-12 weeks. As a rule, there are no obvious symptoms. The person looks healthy and feels good.

In rare cases, symptoms of SARS are possible. Tests for HIV infection during this period are negative, so you need to repeat the examination after 3 and 6 months. From the time the antibodies appear, symptoms may also not be seen for many years. When antibodies are already present in the blood, and there are no manifestations of infection, the next stage begins - latent.

This is the longest phase of the disease; a person can be a carrier of the pathogen for 5-15 years. If the patient leads a healthy lifestyle, the asymptomatic period may be even longer. In patients with bad habits and a low standard of living, the latent course quickly passes into the acute phase.

Also, the duration of incubation and asymptomatic course depends on:

the age of the patient;
infectious dose;
the patient's immune status;
ways of infection.

For example, with a blood transfusion, incubation and the asymptomatic period pass faster than with a sexually transmitted infection. The virus continues to multiply during the latent phase, but the immune system is still able to suppress infections. Clinically, the virus does not manifest itself in any way, it is determined only during laboratory research.

Acute HIV Infection: Symptoms in Women

Secondary manifestations of the disease also do not appear immediately.

It can take several months, and sometimes years, from the moment of infection.

At this stage, the disease in women and men has its own characteristics.

The stage of secondary diseases is characterized by the following manifestations:

signs of a cold: sore throat, fever
severe headache
sleep disturbance
increased sweating

decreased or lack of appetite
feeling tired
weakness
rashes on the skin

On examination and palpation, attention is drawn to the enlarged liver and spleen. Changes in the blood towards an increase in lymphocytes and leukocytes, as well as the presence of signs of mononucleosis.

The first manifestations of infection may also be swallowing disorders, chest pain.

The acute stage of the disease subsides after a while and HIV takes an asymptomatic course.

In women, the incubation period of the disease is in direct proportion to the phase of the menstrual cycle.

Hormonal regulation of the phases of the menstrual cycle in women is carried out by several endocrine glands, whose hormones cause preovulatory and premenstrual physiological decrease in immunity. This is necessary for the onset of pregnancy and the development of the embryo, otherwise the woman's immunity will reject the developing embryo.

After the virus enters the body, it selectively affects the T-lymphocytes of the immune system. But the moment of HIV infection does not mean the manifestation of the disease at this particular time. The virus is in an inactive state until a favorable moment comes for its transformation from a provirus and a full-fledged particle.

The first signs of HIV in women may have some features associated with genital infections and the state of the microbial landscape of the vagina. The microflora of the genital tract is the first to respond to changes in the activity of the body's immune system. Therefore, the first symptoms of HIV in a woman may be exacerbation of existing or the appearance of new diseases of the gynecological tract:

Genital herpes occurs most often in women with HIV infection. The pains characteristic of herpetic lesions of the genitals are very pronounced. There is pain along the sciatic and femoral nerves, radiating to the perineum, anus. Rashes affect not only the skin of a woman's genitals, but also the mucous membranes, vagina, cervix.
Genital candidiasis is also a common companion of HIV infection in women at an early stage. Thrush is characterized by a persistent and recurrent course.
Vaginal dysbiosis in the first stage of HIV is characterized by persistent itching of the genitals. In a culture from the vagina, E. coli, streptococcus, staphylococcus and other opportunistic flora are usually determined. Dysbiosis is difficult to treat.
The first sign of HIV in a woman may be an activated human papillomavirus with a high risk of carcinogenesis. This manifests itself in cervical dysplasia, leukoplakia, and cancer.

With such diseases, a gynecologist should prescribe a woman an HIV test.

The period of pregnancy in women also affects the activity and manifestation of HIV infection. Natural suppression of the immune system at this time, aimed at preserving the fetus, predisposes to the realization of HIV and AIDS.

The risk of infecting the child due to the trimester in which the woman fell ill:

In the 1st trimester, the risk of transmission is 20%.
In 2 - 30%
In 3 - 70%.

If a pregnant woman was infected before conception and took antiviral drugs, then the risk of the child's illness is minimal. Most often, children are born healthy.

Early infection of the fetus leads to miscarriage.

Infection of the baby occurs through the placenta and during childbirth, therefore, an HIV-infected woman is delivered by caesarean section. Breastfeeding is prohibited.

The first sign of HIV in a newborn baby is very low birth weight. Further, the pathology of the nervous system, a progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes and infectious diseases join.

Just don't put yourself at risk by being in a position where you have to worry about the signs of illness. Use condoms for penetrative sex - be it anal or vaginal.

If you don’t use condoms, check out our publications on disease prevention. In particular, it is recommended to take a monthly course of anti-HIV drugs. It is best to complete it as early as possible after the dangerous episode.

Two thirds of all new HIV infections occur among men. Risk of Infection: Gays, bisexuals, men who have sex with members of the same sex constitute the largest group of HIV-positive people.

In addition to carrying a heavy burden of HIV, men also do not go to the doctor and do not try to get a diagnosis until the disease has advanced to a later stage. This happens for the following reasons: the initial symptoms of the disease in men are often vague or bearable (“I think this is a common flu”), and even if they are noticeable, denial of the seriousness of the problem is inherent in the representatives of the strong half of humanity. The result is great damage to health, since quick help, timely treatment is not provided.

Early signs of infection appear in 2-6 weeks from the moment, and in different ways:

fever
swollen lymph nodes
sore throat
skin rash
muscle pain
joint pain
fatigue
nausea, vomiting
night sweats

The onset of the disease is not always the same. The first signs of HIV in women may be acute, or may not be detected for several months or even years. It is possible to detect a virus at this stage only by means of a test. To make a diagnosis with good reason, you need to pass 2 types of tests. Here are the first symptoms of HIV in women:

upset stool;
sore throat when swallowing, perspiration;
an increase in temperature for several days, sometimes to high values;
local redness of the skin.

All these signs are very similar to the manifestations of a common cold or mild poisoning, so they are most often mistaken for them. All of them can be insignificant, implicit, and then they are generally ignored.

If at this stage no measures are taken towards treatment, the infection begins to develop further. Sometimes this happens at a rapid pace, sometimes it takes up to 10 years or more.

frequent illnesses similar to flu, SARS and colds;
vaginal discharge of an infectious nature, candidiasis, thrush;
inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs;
herpes;
purulent rashes, warts, sores on the external genitals;
increased fatigue, muscle weakness;
chronic rhinitis;
enlarged lymph nodes;
lingering cough.

If left untreated, the infection continues to progress. The symptoms are already pronounced, but they can still be mistakenly identified with other diseases. This:

lack of appetite; the woman is losing weight quickly;
constant nervous tension, irritability, alternating with apathy, indifference, loss of interest in life and deep depression;
increased sweating, especially during sleep;
severe herpes rash, including on the genitals.

Further, one of the opportunistic diseases manifests itself, which may include pneumonia, tuberculosis and others. In this case, we can already talk about the transition of HIV into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

The lack of the body's ability to resist opportunistic diseases leads to their degeneration into a serious and life-threatening stage. The patient cannot even take care of herself. At this stage, the prognosis is unfavorable.

To diagnose the presence of HIV, 2 types of tests are performed. Primary - screening, and in case of a positive result - the second, confirming. In this case, the screening test is duplicated twice due to its high sensitivity and, as a result, possible error. This uses the same blood sample. The combination of these two tests provides a basis for confirming or canceling the diagnosis with great precision.

Damage to the nervous system, mainly the brain, is one of the main problems of HIV. CNS disorders are observed in 50-80% of patients, in 10% of them the symptoms are pronounced. There are several ways of affecting the peripheral and central nervous system in HIV infection. The first is the penetration of infected lymphocytes into the central nervous system, the second is the action of secondary infections. Also, in some cases, the development of neoplasms of the brain is possible.

The first signs of damage to the nervous system:

headache;
sleep disturbance (insomnia or drowsiness);
tremor of the limbs;
difficulty concentrating;
memory impairment;
behavioral changes.

With the progression of the disease, signs of CNS damage become more pronounced. A person has a change in behavior, fever, convulsions. With brain damage, visual impairment, including blindness, is also observed. At the final stages of the progression of the disease, the patient may experience paralysis or paresis. Mental disorders reach the level of personality changes and dementia.

Some associated CNS diseases are treatable. However, the presence of such diseases complicates the therapy as a whole and accelerates the onset of the terminal stage.

Men have the same stages of the disease as women. The first symptoms and secondary diseases are identical for both sexes and children. Men are more likely to have hepatolienal syndrome, prolonged diarrhea. Lymphadenopathy passes in a more pronounced form: the nodes greatly increase in size, more often they acquire a reddish tint. Herpetic eruptions are more often noted in the anus and on the face.

CNS lesions are somewhat less common. Men, just like women, lose weight, feel weak, and face bacterial infections. The development and manifestations of the disease are practically the same in both sexes.

Primary manifestations of HIV

The third stage is divided into three distinct phases: acute, asymptomatic and generalized lymphadenopathy. In the first phase, there are obvious signs of the disease. Most often, it is during this period that the patient may suspect an infection and undergo a study.

Phases of primary symptoms:

Acute phase. After the latency period, there is a sharp release of viruses into the bloodstream. The spread of the pathogen throughout the body causes a number of symptoms. During this period, several bacterial and fungal diseases usually appear at once. The main signs of which are: fever, pain in muscles and joints, diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes, rash. The most specific and frequent manifestations during this period are thrush in the mouth, weight loss, weakness.
The acute phase in some patients is mild, in others a severe course develops. In case of a complicated form, patients are hospitalized. However, even without therapy, this phase passes within 2-4 weeks. After it, an asymptomatic period begins again.
Asymptomatic phase. After a sharp attack on the immune system, a balance occurs between the viral agents and the body's defenses. Multiple replication of the virus is inhibited. The pathogen at this time is still multiplying, and the number of T-helpers is decreasing, but at a very slow pace. This stage can last from 1 month to 10 years, depending on many factors. The patient feels good at this time, there are no external signs of the disease. But it can transmit the pathogen sexually, through blood, or from woman to child during pregnancy.

The use of antiretroviral therapy at the asymptomatic stage prolongs the latency for many decades. At the same time, the patient lives a full life, subject to the rules of a healthy lifestyle and treatment. In addition, the use of ART makes transmission more difficult.

HIV infection in pregnant women

Late detection of HIV infection in women of childbearing age, unfortunately, often leads to the fact that pregnancy occurs earlier than the presence of the virus is diagnosed. In addition, in some cases, a woman goes for it deliberately. During pregnancy, a woman must be tested for HIV three times. If a virus is detected, the degree of damage to the immune system is determined and possible measures are taken to prevent infection of the fetus.

Research has shown that pregnancy can have a negative impact on the progression of infection. Intrauterine infection of the fetus occurs in 30-60% of cases, if no medical therapy is carried out. In this case, infection can occur at any time, including during childbirth, and in the postpartum period.

Childhood immunodeficiency, acquired by a child from a mother, can manifest itself immediately after birth. Its most frequent manifestations:

hypotrophy;
candidiasis;
pneumonia (chronic);
persistent stool disorder;
swollen lymph nodes;
neurological disorders;
developmental delay;
sepsis.

HIV positive mothers do not have specific indications for a caesarean section. The risk of infection of the fetus during delivery is the same with this operation and with the natural passage of the birth canal. An infected mother has to give up breastfeeding.

Thus, you need to know and understand that in the absence of therapy, HIV infection can progress to AIDS. It is not a fatal but deadly infection. It is impossible to cure this virus, but it can and should be cured. Observance of preventive measures and caution will help to exclude infection. And awareness of the first symptoms of HIV in women and timely test control will make it possible to start treatment in a timely manner and to exclude severe consequences as much as possible.

Secondary signs

Doctors may suspect HIV from secondary manifestations of the infection. However, even these manifestations can initially be considered as an independent disease.

Immunodeficiency virus testing is mandatory for the following secondary symptoms:

Pneumonia. The patient has a dry, prolonged cough, low-grade fever (the temperature rise is no higher than 38 ° for a long time). Over time, the cough turns into a wet one, there is general malaise, weakness, sweating. The use of classic antibiotics does not give a positive result.
Generalized infections are a combination of bacterial, fungal and viral diseases. Most often these include: tuberculosis, oral, sexual and visceral candidiasis, cytomegalovirus and EBV infections, widespread and herpes zoster, viral gastroenteritis. Against the background of immunodeficiency, these diseases are especially difficult.
Kaposi's sarcoma is a neoplasm in the lymphatic system. It looks like a single tumor or accumulation of formations, localized more often on the trunk, neck, mouth and on the head. Sometimes the sarcoma is characterized by a cherry-colored skin tone, but it can be without discoloration.
Intoxication syndrome. About half of the patients have the following symptoms: nausea, muscle and joint pain, diarrhea, night sweating, severe weakness, headache, irritability.

In addition to these signs, the patient is sometimes exacerbated by chronic diseases. Secondary diseases and symptoms can occur one after the other or together. The moment of onset and duration depends on the adequacy of therapy, the patient's age, bad habits and other factors. On average, each symptom lasts 1-2 weeks. Cough and diarrhea may not go away for 1 to 2 months.

Generalized lymphadenopathy

Generalized lymphadenopathy - an increase in all groups of lymph nodes. This symptom manifests itself most often in the acute stage of infection. It can be combined with other signs, or it can be alone. Lymph nodes enlarge with various diseases, so a patient who does not know his HIV status often does not attach importance to this.

A distinctive feature of generalized lymphadenopathy is a long course. The symptom lasts 1-3 months, pain does not always occur. More often, the lymph nodes increase to a diameter of 1.5-2 cm.Localized one or several pieces on the neck, behind the ears, in the armpits and subclavian cavities, in the groin. The formations are mobile, soft, sometimes they decrease, sometimes they increase.

Together with lymphadenopathy, the patient may manifest:

seborrhea;
leukoplakia of the tongue;
herpes simplex on mucous membranes and skin;
polymorphic rashes;
thrush of the mouth and genitals.

Symptomatic treatment during this period gives good results. Secondary diseases are amenable to therapy. With proper treatment, the patient feels satisfactory, can work, play sports, protected sex. The duration of this phase is from six months to 5 years. Although, depending on the patient's lifestyle and the availability of treatment, this period can either be shortened or extended.

Characteristics of HIV infection and modes of transmission

Sexual - during sexual intercourse in which the partner is at risk of infection from an HIV-positive partner. During intercourse, there is direct contact with the fluid in which the virus lives. The maximum amount of the virus is found in the seminal plasma of a man and in the blood. The risk of infection increases in women with cervical erosion or vaginal inflammation.
Blood transfusion - with transfusion of infected blood. Today, donor blood is thoroughly tested using modern methods that can determine the presence of the pathogen in the blood at the early stages of infection.
Vertical - during pregnancy from mother to child, passing through the birth canal, through the mother's milk during feeding.
Hemocontact - with medical needles and instruments, on which blood with the virus remains.
Transplant - organ or tissue transplantation from an infected donor.

AIDS is a consequence of HIV infection, its last and most terrible stage. The virus gradually destroys the immune system and brings the number of lymphocytes to the lower level - 200 cells per 1 milliliter of blood (at a normal rate - 500-1500 cells). The body loses its ability to recognize and resist disease.

The main signs of AIDS in women are the occurrence of all kinds of diseases. Moreover, it is not AIDS itself that leads to death, but concomitant diseases. Even a cold can become a ticket to the next world. Even if you manage to save yourself from the flu, the lymphocyte count continues to approach zero. From this, more dangerous and diseases develop: malignant tumors, pneumonia, tuberculosis and others.

HIV belongs to the retrovirus family. There are two types of HIV - 1 and 2. Consider the features of HIV.

The genome of the virus, represented by double-stranded RNA. Also, the pathogen has a number of antigens to which the corresponding antibodies are produced in the human body.
This virus differs from other viruses in that it has a special enzyme - reverse transcriptase, the main purpose of which is the introduction of 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 the blood, semen and vaginal secretions, as well as in breast milk. Therefore, the disease can be transmitted in the following ways:

sexual: during sexual intercourse;
vertical: from mother to child during pregnancy, passing through the birth canal, while breastfeeding through breast milk;
blood transfusion: contaminated blood transfusion;
blood contact: through medical instruments and needles, which have residues of HIV-infected blood;
transplant: for organ and tissue transplantation from an HIV-infected donor.

What does an HIV-infected person look like?

For a very long period after infection, a person is no different from HIV-negative people. It is impossible to distinguish carriers of the virus before the first signs appear. But even with the onset of primary manifestations, it is impossible to say for sure that a person has HIV. For example, enlarged lymph nodes are found in dozens of other diseases. A rash on the body in the form of psoriasis, shingles, herpes, etc. can be an independent infection.

In later stages, patients often have:

fungal infections;
weight loss;
weakness;
enlarged lymph nodes;
shortness of breath and / or cough;
violation of mental processes: forgetfulness, confusion, impaired coordination;
herpes rash.

On the surface, the doctor may suspect an infection. But by some external signs, the diagnosis is not made. It is also impossible to accurately isolate an infected person from the crowd, since all manifestations can refer to other diseases. In many cases, the HIV-positive person has no special features.

Early symptoms of HIV:

High fever
Sore throat
Headache
Chest infection, cough
Mouth ulcers
Diarrhea
Vomit
Swollen lymph nodes (neck, armpits, and groin)
Joint and muscle pain

When do the symptoms appear? The main ones usually become noticeable in the first 2-4 weeks after infection, but the manifestations of early cases of HIV infection are not always observed, only in 70% of cases. Manifestations develop between 2-12 weeks after exposure. The test can be positive if you have had sex with HIV.

It is much more likely that the early symptoms listed above are not signs of HIV but are related to something else. Anxiety is a strong state and sometimes the patient is sure that he has a manifestation of something dangerous, which is actually not the case.

The 3 main signs that are found in the early stages of HIV infection are almost always. With others, it is less likely.

Very high fever
Throat hurts badly
A maculopapular rash all over the body

They are all very general and can be signs of other conditions or infections.

Muscle pain
Persistent headache
Sores and sores in the mouth
Abdominal pain
Vomiting and diarrhea

Remember one thing, other STDs spread much more efficiently than HIV. If present, it increases the likelihood of the latter being infected. The risk is reduced by the use of condoms.

Children with HIV

Babies can become infected during gestation and childbirth. Also, infection is possible with breastfeeding or blood transfusion. The chance of transmitting the virus from an HIV-infected mother to a newborn is 30%. Of these, 11% become infected in utero, 15% during vaginal delivery, and 10% during breastfeeding.

Babies who are HIV positive are usually born prematurely. The infection most often manifests itself in the first year of life. Symptoms include: delayed physical development, prolonged diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes, vomiting and nausea. The manifestations include skin rashes: pustules, vesicles, spots, atopic or seborrheic dermatitis, vasculitis, eczema.

Left untreated, HIV infection in children rapidly progresses to AIDS. Life expectancy is 1-3 years. In the last stages, exhaustion syndrome, pneumonia, heart failure, and central nervous system damage are observed. Therapy for children is prescribed from the first 4-6 months of life. The treatment regimen, as for adults, is periodically changed to avoid the development of virus resistance. The manifestations of HIV in adolescents are the same as in adults, with the exception of more rare cases of cancer.

Symptoms of the immunodeficiency virus in women

By the general symptoms, one can suspect malfunctions in the body. It is absolutely possible to establish the presence of a virus in the blood only by laboratory means. There are two ways to identify an infection: determination of antibodies to the pathogen and the RNA of the virus. This can be done using tests. Recently, tests for home use have begun to proliferate. For independent research, a scraping is taken from the oral mucosa using a spatula, which is then placed in a reagent.

This is one of the express tests that shows the result within 15-20 minutes. Unfortunately, such pocket tests are not yet available in Eastern Europe. If one of the dubious symptoms appears, you need to contact the nearest AIDS center. It is impossible to establish the diagnosis on your own. Get tested for HIV even if there are no signs of infection. In each regional center, this can be done free of charge in 15 minutes.

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Specialty: infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist, pulmonologist.

Total experience: 35 years.

Education: 1975-1982, 1MMI, san-gig, highest qualification, infectious disease doctor.

Scientific degree: doctor of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences.

Training:

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 know that he is sick.

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

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

Human immunodeficiency virus infection has now spread to all countries of the world. Statistics show that 40 million people live with it and 35 million have died from the disease since the beginning of the epidemic. It has been particularly devastating in sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa, but HIV deaths are also high in other countries.

How can you get infected? The virus is transmitted sexually, through a blood transfusion, to a child from a mother. Globally, 85% of HIV transmission occurs through heterosexual intercourse.

More than half of new diagnoses are due to sexual intercourse among men. Intravenous drug use contributes in the rest of the cases. Since it can take years after infection to be diagnosed, it is likely that a high proportion of recent infections are due to heterosexual transmission.

The number of infections in women is increasing. Almost half of patients worldwide are women (according to statistics, 20% of new diagnoses and their share is growing).

The good news is that the number of new HIV infections among children has plummeted. This is largely the result of testing and treating infected mothers, and establishing uniform guidelines for the analysis of blood products.

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The pathogen is one of a group of viruses known as retroviruses that kill or damage cells of the immune system. The body tries to keep pace with the production of new cells and contain the virus, but ultimately HIV wins and gradually destroys the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers.
AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is caused by HIV. This happens when the latter destroys the body's defenses so much that the number of immune cells drops to a critical level or life-threatening infections, cancer develop.
The structure of the virus has been studied, which has helped scientists develop new treatments for it. Although all HIV is similar, there are small variations, mutations in their genetic material that cause drug resistance. In different subtypes of the virus, there are numerous variations of its genes. Currently, the prevailing subtype of HIV-1, which causes HIV / AIDS.

External manifestations of HIV on the female body

Herpes on the lips with HIV Another example of herpes with HIV

Oral cavity in HIV infection

HIV symptoms occur more frequently in women than in others. This is due to the characteristics of the body. AIDS in women is easier to detect than the immunodeficiency virus.

In the advanced stage of the disease, the woman's body undergoes changes (see photo above). With reduced immunity, she can get sick with diseases that she will no longer be able to overcome on her own or with the help of medicines.

The first signs of HIV in women can appear several weeks after infection. Otherwise, the disease will not manifest its existence in the body. It depends on the individual protective functions of the woman's body. The first sign of HIV in the fairer sex does not appear.

The virus is capable of taking different forms. It depends on the state of the patient's immunity. The symptoms of the immunodeficiency virus appear depending on the stages of the disease.

During the initial stage of the immunodeficiency virus, an incubation period occurs. The first symptoms in women during this period are absent.

Taking an antibody test for the disease does not produce results.

This is followed by the second stage of the course of the infection. It is at this stage that the first signs and symptoms of HIV appear. This happens in three ways.

During the first option, symptoms may be absent. When the patient is diagnosed, they detect the production of antibodies.

The second variant proceeds as an acute illness. At this stage, the following symptoms may be observed:

The body temperature rises to 39, which can be perceived as a flu illness. It cannot be knocked down, and lasts for a week or more.
Inflammation of the lungs accompanied by a cough. Cases of this symptom are rare.
Aggravation of thrush.
Exacerbation of the herpes virus.
Constant fatigue and bad mood.
Diarrhea.
Enlarged lymph nodes, liver and spleen.
Ulcers in the mouth or sore throat.

Another variant of the course of stage 2 of HIV may be with a secondary manifestation. The observation of symptoms occurs in several ways.

A woman may be afraid of light, and a rash may form on the skin and her health may deteriorate. When the first sign of HIV is found in the fairer sex, it can disappear on its own in a few weeks. Then the state of health can stabilize.

At this time, a decrease in the number of lymphocytes occurs in the body. Together with them, there is an increase in several lymph nodes at the same time. They are able to decrease in size during this period of time and vice versa.

The fourth stage of the disease can manifest itself in 3 variants. The main signs at this stage are considered to be a decrease in the number of different groups of lymphocytes. The virus progresses in development due to the depletion of the immune system. Immune cells are damaged and tumors begin to develop.

The first variant develops during this stage for 10 years. They take a long time without treatment. Many drugs are needed for treatment. During this, the following symptoms may be observed:

A woman loses weight due to impaired metabolism during the development of the disease.
Formations appear on the skin or mucous membranes are affected.
Pharyngitis and sinusitis, which occur 3 or more times a year.

In the second variant, the manifestation of the virus can take a long time. They can periodically turn into relapses. This variant of the course of HIV can manifest itself in the following symptoms:

Weakness with weight loss.
Increase in body temperature to 39.
Diarrhea becomes chronic.
On the mucous membrane of the mouth, filamentous formations appear that can grow.
Severe bacterial or viral infections.
The appearance of a malignant skin tumor.
May develop pulmonary tuberculosis and skin.

In the latter variant, at the 4th stage of the disease, the disease can be severe. Symptoms are particularly severe and difficult to treat. The following signs of HIV are found in women in this stage 4 course:

The woman becomes emaciated.
Pneumocystis pneumonia, which occurs due to a fungus.
Herpes, which is capable of recurring periodically.
Tuberculosis can affect the intestines, brain and bones.
Malignant tumors on the skin become more pronounced.
Cryptococcal meningitis.
Disturbance in the work of the central nervous system.
Damage to the heart and kidneys occurs.
Cancer develops.

The last stage of HIV infection is called terminal. It develops due to a worsening of the condition. The virus enters this stage due to the fact that the symptoms of HIV in women in the early stages could not be completely cured. During this period, the patient may die in a few months.

Infected women do not always go through all stages of the virus. This happens depending on the individual state of immunity.

The virus can stop at one of the stages or go through it and start progressing to another.

Throughout all stages of HIV infection, women experience painful periods. The cycle of menstruation is disrupted in this case. A malignant tumor of the cervix may occur.

Diseases of the genitourinary system in the fairer sex occur in acute forms.

The difference between HIV and AIDS

HIV is a virus that enters the body, multiplies in it and blocks the functions of the immune system. On the basis of this, the human body is unable to resist pathogenic microbes and opportunistic organisms. When infected with HIV, a person is not considered sick, but only HIV-infected. A disease is spoken of when the first symptoms and signs of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) appear.

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

When a person becomes infected with HIV, they are called HIV-infected, but not sick. The disease is talked about when the 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 in the development of HIV infection, which is characterized by a combination of diseases and their symptoms resulting from a decrease in the body's protective properties.

At-risk groups

Given the routes of infection, the following risk groups are formed:

Persons leading a disordered intimate life, preferring sexual intercourse without using a barrier contraceptive;
Drug addicts and their sexual partners;
Patients who received blood transfusions without being tested for HIV;
Medical workers - surgeons, obstetricians-gynecologists, dentists, nurses and others.

Considering all possible routes of HIV transmission, the following high-risk groups can be formed:

injecting 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 a prior HIV test;
medical professionals (nurses, surgeons, dentists, obstetricians-gynecologists and others);
men and women who provide intimate services for money, as well as persons who use such services.

AIDS is one of the worst diseases, characterized by suppression of the human immune system. This ailment can completely worsen the patient's condition, which, as a result, leads to a weakening of the body, vulnerability to the penetration of various infections. AIDS - a condition manifested against the background of the human immunodeficiency virus, is the last final stage of HIV. The virus is capable of infecting the cells of the system. The disease is incurable in nature. A person needs constant medical attention. The carrier is able to become infected in everyday life, in everyday life, there is a possibility of transmission of the virus in utero, the mother is able to transmit the disease to her unborn child. Everyone is at risk of getting sick, regardless of their age or lifestyle. You must always remain vigilant and accurate when in contact with your loved ones, in order to avoid their infection.

Attention! The disease itself does not manifest itself with pronounced symptoms, it can not make itself felt for a long time, especially if a person has a strong immune system.

By its symptoms, the virus can be confused with a number of other diseases. It is easy to confuse with the flu, with a general breakdown, that is, chronic fatigue. However, the first symptoms in men appear from the moment the infection enters the body.

An increase in body temperature is considered characteristic of the disease, which is similar to a febrile condition.
Headaches of varying intensity appear.
Rash, areas of the skin that have a different variation in shape. They appear in five to ten days from the moment of infection.
Lymph nodes increase in the groin area, also in the area of the mice and on the neck. The sign of enlarged lymph nodes is considered one of the main ones. Not painful, but firm to the touch.
Dramatic weight loss, weight loss is due to a deterioration in appetite.
The patient experiences constant fatigue, passive state, apathy.
A cough that resembles the flu.
The above list also includes poor healing of wounds and cuts. Any kind of scratch can become inflamed, that is, fester and bleed.

Often, men do not go to the doctor if they have this or that symptom. There is also the possibility that symptoms disappear, which can be confusing for carriers of the virus. It is on this basis that in men, pathology is not always detected on time. The absence of symptoms can last for a couple of months to many years. But as the disease progresses, other signs of the disease may appear, namely:

Disturbed sleep patterns, restless sleep, drowsiness throughout the day.
Eyesight deteriorates.
Frequent diarrhea appears.
The general level of memory is impaired.
Painful sensations when swallowing.
Coordination when walking and movements deteriorates.
Shortness of breath occurs.
Perspiration at night.
Pain and aches in the joints.
Propensity to contract infectious diseases.
The general background of a man's health is also deteriorating, the disease can turn into various forms, namely: pulmonary, intestinal, nervous, skin.

Form	Brief explanation
Pulmonary	With this type of ailment, a man develops pneumonia, tuberculosis, and flu. Diseases are severe, there are many complications
Intestinal	Diarrhea occurs, weight decreases, the body does not experience enough moisture. The digestive system is disturbed. The patient may feel frequent nausea, vomiting. Loss of appetite, refusal to eat
Dermal	Ulcers and erosion appear on the skin and mucous membranes. Have a character of constant inflammation
Nervous	Memory deteriorates, depression appears, depression, inhibition of mental processes

When symptoms begin to appear

Upon infection, the virus enters the veins and arteries to attach to blood cells. Thus, the immune system is damaged. Subsequently, the virus actively progresses and multiplies, affecting a large number of cells. First of all, the lymph nodes suffer, it is in them that an increased number of lymphocytes is noted. To the extent that the immune system is unable to recognize and block HIV, the transience of the pathology occurs, which ends in the final stage - AIDS.

It can take a long time (up to several years) from the moment the virus penetrates to the moment of detection. If the host's immunity is weakened, then the primary symptoms may appear after a few weeks. According to the average statistical data, the stage of AIDS occurs in 10-15 years, until that moment the man will be HIV-infected.

Attention! An asymptomatic course of the disease is not excluded, therefore, with an active sex life and frequent change of partners, it is necessary to take an HIV test every six months.

The rapid form of the course of the disease is explained by the untimely detection of HIV infection, which has not been treated. Since the infection does not have unambiguous symptoms, and the patient does not always suspect about its presence, it begins to progress, which subsequently has a severe form of treatment. However, if it was possible to identify the pathology in a timely manner, with the diagnosis, a skilled specialist and the prescribed treatment can prolong life for more than ten years.

If a man observes in himself the presence of one symptom or more, one should approach this more rationally and responsibly. You need to contact a qualified and certified specialist, in order to further confirm the disease or its absence, and draw up a treatment plan.

Attention! Hospitalization for infection is possible when the patient is convinced of the presence of infection. The main thing is that the infected person undergoes a course of intensive therapy in order to slow down the progressive process of cell damage by the virus.

After the carrier of the virus enters the hospital, it is placed within one hour. Hospitalization must be carried out in the same manner as hospitalization of other patients. This action is required if the carrier, the virus began to take on a progressive nature and there is a need for careful intensive therapy. The course of therapy is individual, therefore it is prescribed depending on the form of manifestation of the virus. Treatment is aimed at suppressing the spread of the virus in the body. Each patient infected with AIDS is defined as equal to other patients suffering from other diseases. The hospital should be attended by doctors who are well versed in the field of this disease. A cure for pathology has not yet been developed, there are expensive medications that can slow down the effect of the disease on the human body.

When confirming the disease, the man must necessarily inform his sexual partner about this, since he may also be infected. In this condition, a man should have only protected sex, be extremely careful in society so as not to infect people around him.

When staying in a state where the disease progresses, the patient is recommended to undergo treatment in a hospital, under the strict supervision of specialists. After all, instability of the mental state may appear, the patient is prescribed appointments with psychologists, which in turn help to understand and accept this crisis. From the first day of the announced diagnosis, the patient may experience overwhelming fear and anxiety, panic attacks. A person is afraid of the disease, its end result, which can lead to death. Psychologists establish contact with patients, in the future they motivate them to fight for life.

Ways of acquiring AIDS in men

Infection occurs through sexual contact with a person who is a carrier of the infection.
There is also the possibility of contracting the virus through blood transfusions.
Using joint piercing objects, non-sterile needles.
With regards to the airborne route of infection (through a kiss, cough), it is impossible to become infected with AIDS.

Be careful about piercing piercings, tattooing.
Use only personal hygiene items (toothbrushes, hair removal products) that imply close contact with the skin.
To have a permanent partner, in whose reliability there is no doubt. At the same time, it is necessary to have protected sex, using methods of barrier contraception, we are talking about condoms.
If certain signs are identified, you should immediately pass a list of tests to identify an ailment.
During each year, doctors recommend that you regularly do a test for HIV infection, namely, while at the clinic at the reception, the specialist will advise you to take a blood test for antibodies to the virus. He will prescribe treatment for the symptoms that have manifested (if any) or infectious diseases existing at this stage, prescribe the appropriate antiviral drugs that can slow down the developing disease.

One of the most terrible diseases today is the human immunodeficiency syndrome caused by the virus of the same name. A large number of scientists have been looking for a cure for AIDS for a long time, but, unfortunately, until the virus that destroys human immunity could not be defeated.

This is due to the fact that the virus genetically mutates after it enters the body. Once the immune system starts making antibodies, HIV changes.

If a person has been infected with one type of virus, then when another strain enters his body, a new infection is created. In addition, HIV is well masked in the intracellular space, becoming latent.

HIV has a negative effect on the immune system, gradually depressing it. Thus, a person dies not from the virus as such, but from concomitant diseases, since the body loses its ability to resist the simplest infections.

Nevertheless, a person with HIV can live a long and happy life, have a family and children. For this it is necessary to start treatment immediately after the first signs of infection are found... They do not appear immediately; after infection, it can take from several weeks to several months.

It is possible to diagnose the disease in the early stages only with the use of special diagnostic methods, but according to some signs, it is still possible to assume the presence of a dangerous virus in the body.

The first signs of HIV disease are mild, they are often confused with a cold or mononucleosis.

Most of us do not like going to doctors, especially for such "trifles". As a result, time is lost because the earlier you start taking special medications, the more successful the treatment will be.

It should also be remembered that no matter how many symptoms appear, a person becomes a carrier of the disease immediately after the virus enters his bloodstream. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the state of your health, undergo regular examinations, and if alarming symptoms appear, immediately seek help from specialists.

Types of HIV symptoms

The danger of HIV infection is that it practically does not manifest itself at the initial stage of the disease.

The main symptoms of AIDS appear long after infection.

Experts have introduced classification of symptoms of HIV infection, each of which is characteristic for a specific period of the disease:

incubation period can last for two weeks, several months, or a year. The rate of penetration of the virus into all cells of the body depends on several factors, including the state of health of a person, his age and other individual characteristics. At this stage of the disease, there are practically no symptoms. Doctors also refer to this phase of illness as the window period or seroconversion. It ends when a trace of the virus can be found in the blood;
further course of the disease is accompanied by symptoms characteristic of colds, flu or mononucleosis. The patient's temperature rises to 38 ° C, a sore throat appears, and lymph nodes become inflamed. A person in this state feels weak, often there is diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss is noted, women can also develop thrush. At first, these symptoms do not appear very strongly, but the brighter they become, the closer the final stage of the disease, which is called AIDS. With these symptoms, it is quite difficult to identify HIV. Special attention is paid to diagnosis only if the patient himself declares contact with HIV-infected people;
secondary symptoms of HIV infection are due to infectious diseases that develop against its background. These are staphylococcal skin lesions, oral candidiasis, all kinds of pustular rashes, as well as the occurrence of cancerous tumors.

There are also outward signs of HIV, the appearance of which should alert a person. These include the appearance of a characteristic rash on the skin, it covers almost the entire body. Redness appears, as a rule, 5-10 days after HIV infection.

The main symptoms of the disease include a significant increase in lymph nodes. They become 2-3 times larger, while the skin above them does not change its color. Localization of seals is observed in the groin, neck and armpits, while the inflamed lymph nodes are not directly connected to each other.

HIV symptoms in men

At the initial stage of the disease, gender does not have much effect on symptoms.

But in the future, some differences arise, the first signs of HIV infection in men are manifested in this way:

Severe rash on the body... In men, redness on the skin appears more often than in women. In this case, the rash has a brighter color and severity. Such signs appear 3 days after infection, and after a while the redness disappears.
About 1-3 months after infection, a man may develop flu-like condition... The temperature rises sharply, painful sensations in the throat, chills and night sweats appear.
Symptoms rarely occur a month after infection, but the main one is a strong increase in lymph nodes, not related to each other.
If the infection occurs as a result of sexual contact, then symptoms in men may occur in the early stages, such as mucous discharge from the urethra... It can also be felt pain during urination and discomfort in the perineum.
In most cases, there are no symptoms 3 months after infection.... This stage is asymptomatic. At this stage, the man feels completely healthy; it is impossible to detect the virus during special tests.

Every person has HIV infection in a different way, and the timing of symptoms will also be different. The duration of the incubation and acute periods depends on how strong the man's immunity is. If he is in good health and in good physical shape, then the first symptoms of the disease may appear several years after infection.

HIV symptoms in women

The timing of HIV manifestation in women is also blurred. But experts point out that in a woman's body, HIV infection develops several times slower than in men... There is no scientific explanation for this, perhaps this feature is due to the fact that women are usually more attentive to their health.

Just like in men, the first signs of HIV infection in women do not appear immediately after infection. These include:

seemingly unreasonable increase in temperature body up to 38 ° C, it does not decrease for 2-3 days;
decreased performance, loss of strength and general weakness... Such attacks can be short-term or persistent for a long time;
swollen lymph nodes in the groin area, as well as on the neck and armpits;
heavy menstruation accompanied by severe pain and discomfort in the pelvic area;
mucous vaginal discharge, after HIV infection, their number increases markedly;
frequent headaches and increased irritability.

In addition, women experience early symptoms such as severe night sweats with high fever and chills... This condition is called generalized lymphadenopathy. When it becomes regular, there is a strong suspicion that a woman is infected with HIV. After a while, it is celebrated drastic weight loss.

The initial stage of HIV infection in women can last from 1 month to a year, but most often antibodies to the virus in the blood can already be detected 3-4 months after infection. At this moment, the next stage of the disease begins.

The symptoms of HIV in women after a month are similar to the manifestations of this disease in men.... A rash may appear on the body, but it will be less bright than that of the stronger sex. You feel a flu-like condition, there is a sore throat, etc.

Obvious signs of HIV a year after infection occur in almost all patients.

As a rule, at this time, the disease flows into the acute phase, and all the symptoms of pronounced immunodeficiency appear. But it should be remembered that HIV can slow down its development at any of the stages of the disease, which makes it impossible to accurately determine the timing of each of them. With adequate treatment, a person can live for 10-20 years, and the disease will never reach the final stage, which is irreversible and is called AIDS.

The main symptoms of HIV during pregnancy are the same... The woman experiences a sore throat, her temperature rises, and her lymph nodes are greatly enlarged. Diarrhea may also occur. Pregnancy does not affect the rate at which HIV progresses, but at this time, special attention should be paid to treatment.

If an HIV-positive woman is under constant medical supervision, she will be able to give birth to a healthy child. Studies conducted by leading scientists in the world have not revealed a particular effect of HIV infection on the course of pregnancy. The risk of preterm birth is about the same in HIV-positive and HIV-negative mothers.

Stages

After a long study of HIV, specialists came to the conclusion that the infection in the body develops gradually.

The disease proceeds in several stages:

The first stage is called the incubation period.... On average, it lasts about 3 months, but there are exceptions. After entering the body, the virus begins to actively invade all cells. During the incubation period, there are no clinical manifestations, it is impossible to detect antibodies in the blood. The main symptoms of HIV in the early stages appear later.
The second stage can proceed in different ways.... In some patients, clinical manifestations are also absent, the only reaction to the virus will be the appearance of specific antibodies in the blood. More often than not, HIV-positive people experience flu-like symptoms. These are fever, skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes and sore throat. This picture is observed in more than half of sick people within 3 months after infection. This is how the acute stage of HIV manifests itself. In addition, at this stage, secondary diseases can develop - this is associated with a significant decrease in immunity.
Third stage HIV (subclinical) most often without symptoms. The only sign of infection in this phase is enlarged lymph nodes. This symptom can occur at any time, but for the subclinical stage it is the only one.
The fourth stage is called the secondary disease phase.... During this period, the patient begins to dramatically lose weight, he develops viral and fungal diseases, and malignant tumors may appear.
The fifth stage is called terminal... At this stage, the treatment is already ineffective, since the damage to the main body systems is already irreversible.
The most recent stage of HIV is called AIDS - acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. When the infection turns into this disease, the person dies.

How can you get HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus penetrates into all human fluids, but only cases of infection through blood, breast milk, vaginal secretions or semen are described... This is due to the fact that only these biological fluids contain HIV in the concentration necessary for infection.

This virus can enter the human body in three ways.:

during intercourse if unprotected... Most people have a stereotype that only homosexuals can get HIV and AIDS. But the virus is transmitted during any sexual intercourse, regardless of the sex of the partners. During anal sex, the likelihood of infection increases. This is due to the fact that the lining of the rectum is quite fragile and is abundantly supplied with blood. Oral sex is the least risky because the environment in the oral cavity itself is aggressive for HIV. But this does not mean that infection cannot occur. The only way to protect against sexual transmission of HIV today is a condom. Only a rubber barrier can prevent the virus from entering the body;
ingestion of HIV-infected blood into the body of a healthy person. This is possible with a transfusion of blood or blood products, as well as when using a non-sterile instrument. The chance of contracting HIV in this way is quite low, since today much attention is paid to the health of donors and the sterilization of medical instruments. Bloodborne transmission of the virus is more common among drug addicts, where several people often use the same injection syringe;
from HIV positive mother to child... The infection process can occur both during pregnancy and during childbirth. Therefore, HIV-infected women rarely give birth on their own, most often delivery occurs using a cesarean section. There is also a high risk of infection of a child during breastfeeding, the virus can enter the bloodstream through microcracks in the child's mouth. For sick women, doctors do not recommend feeding newborn babies with their own breast milk.

Since HIV infection does not manifest itself for a long time, its detection in the early stages is possible only with special laboratory tests. They can be carried out as part of a preventive examination, but you can take the analysis at any time. This is especially important if there was contact with an HIV-positive person.

HIV infection is a disease that develops in the human body as a result of the aggressive influence of a member of the retrovirus family - the human immunodeficiency virus. For the first time, the immunodeficiency virion was discovered in 1983, after which scientists around the world tried to find a vaccine or a cure for this disease.

Once in the body, the virus is introduced into the DNA of the cells of the spinal cord, immune and peripheral nervous system. The main pathogenic effect of HIV is a depressing effect on the patient's immunity. The main problem when trying to treat the disease was that the virus can mutate many times in the patient's body. To date, specialists have succeeded in transferring HIV into the category of indolent and controlled infections. Thanks to specially selected therapy, a person can lead a fulfilling life.

Nevertheless, if the treatment was not started in a timely manner, then the patient may develop various pathologies, indicating violations in the work of various organs and systems. In HIV-positive women, the disease can manifest itself in a variety of symptoms, depending on the stage and form of the infection.

Symptomatic manifestations of the disease directly depend on the stage of the immunodeficiency virus. In the Russian classification, there are 5 main phases of the development of the disease:

Latent.
Primary manifestations.
Subclinical, that is, not characterized by pronounced signs.
Secondary disease phase.
AIDS phase.

On a note! In about 90% of HIV-infected people, the course of infection occurs in 5 stages, but there is also a rapid form of the disease, in which the first and second stages immediately turn into the fourth within a fairly short period of time - 1-3 years.

Latent HIV manifestations

The latent stage lasts on average from 3-4 weeks to 5-6 months. This is the incubation period when the pathogen that has entered the body begins its active replication. In isolated cases, if the patient has a strong immune system, this phase can last up to 12 months.

During the latent phase, the disease does not manifest itself externally. Testing for HIV antibodies is also negative.

The only way to detect HIV at this stage is to take a blood test and identify the causative agent of the disease directly. However, in practice, this laboratory study is rarely used.

On a note! The disease may not manifest itself for a sufficiently long period. In order to timely identify the infection and start treatment, it is recommended to take a blood test for HIV every 6 months.

Symptoms in the phase of primary manifestations

The stage of primary manifestations should be considered as directly the phase of active development of the infection and its symptoms. During this period, the virus continues to multiply rapidly. As a result of an increase in the content of the pathogen in the blood, seroconversion occurs - the patient's body begins to produce antibodies in response to the introduction of the pathogen.

This stage lasts about a year and can take several forms:

Symptoms of the subclinical phase

The subclinical period can last up to 20 years, but in most initially healthy women, the average period of this phase takes from 6 to 7 years. It is characterized by the gradual disappearance of most of the symptoms that appear during the acute stage. The only symptom of the disease is usually a persistent enlargement of the lymph nodes.

Antibodies to the infectious agent are detected in the blood of patients, but their replication rate is lower than during the acute phase.

On a note! Many patients experience an improvement in their well-being during the subclinical phase. Nevertheless, the virus continues to multiply in the body, so taking antiretroviral therapy during this period is mandatory.

Symptoms of the Secondary Disease Phase

Due to the gradual depletion of the resources of the immune system against the background of HIV infection, opportunistic diseases begin to develop. These are diseases that can affect only the human body with weak immunity.

On average, 7-8 years after infection with the immunodeficiency virus, women develop a stage of mild lesions of the skin and mucous membranes. It is characterized by the following manifestations:

Candidiasis. Patients are often worried about thrush, itching and redness in the vagina and labia, pain during intercourse.
Tracheitis and laryngitis.
Fungal lesions of the skin of the feet.
Pustular eruptions on the face and body.

8-10 years after infection, in the absence of specific therapy, HIV is aggravated by concomitant diseases of internal organs:

Prolonged pneumonia caused by streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, legionella and other pathogens.
Inflammatory processes of the reproductive system, erosion of the cervix.
Thrombocytopenic purpura is a pathology characterized by fragility of blood vessels and subcutaneous hemorrhages.
Tuberculosis.
Localized Kaposi's sarcoma.
Fungal and bacterial lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. Manifested by diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and increased gas production.

This phase is accompanied by dizziness, rapid fatigue, lack of sex drive, rapid weight loss and frequent lingering fevers that can last for 2-3 weeks.

If for any reason during this period the patient is not properly treated at this stage of HIV, then the disease is complicated by the development of severe, life-threatening conditions:

Cachexia - wasting, weight drops to critical levels.
Multi-infections - the development in the body of pathological processes caused by several fungi, viruses or bacteria-pathogens at once.
Tumor processes of the reproductive system, ulcerative processes in the vagina and cervical canal. Cervical cancer.
Generalized lymphadenopathy - the inflammatory process affects all lymph nodes.
Malignant neoplasms in various organ systems.

AIDS phase

At this stage, the patient's body is already affected by various infections and tumor processes. This stage is characterized by:

Generalized tuberculosis.
Lymphomas and sarcomas.
Pneumocystis pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii.
Urogenital abscesses caused by fungi and bacteria.
Lesions of the central and peripheral nervous system: encephalitis, paralysis, progressive encephalopathy, etc.

Impact of HIV on the female reproductive system

The female reproductive system reacts most sharply to the development of immunodeficiency states, which is due to the large number of mucous membranes in the vagina, through which various bacteria and viruses easily enter the body. In most patients, the first manifestations of HIV are observed precisely from the reproductive system:

The appearance of growths on the genitals and in the anus. In some cases, papilloma colonies increase several times within 10-12 hours.
Pathological vaginal discharge: curdled, grayish or purulent, with a pungent unpleasant odor.
Rash, redness and itching in the intimate area.
Pain in the lower abdomen.
Ulceration of the labia and perineum.
Intermenstrual bleeding.

If such symptoms appear, you should immediately seek the advice of a specialist.

Menstrual cycle with immunodeficiency

The peculiarity of the immunodeficiency virus is that it not only negatively affects the body's own protective function, but also inhibits the function of producing sex hormones. With a high viral load, there may be malfunctions in the reproductive system, which is expressed in an increase in the duration of the menstrual cycle or the development of amenorrhea, that is, a complete absence of menstruation.

Lack of estrogen and progesterone can lead to early menopause, which occurs before the age of 30 in some HIV-positive women. To alleviate the symptoms of menopause, patients are prescribed hormone replacement therapy, which can be taken along with antiretroviral drugs.

On a note! Lack of estrogen due to HIV infection can lead to increased bone turnover, which can lead to osteoporosis in patients. To prevent this disease, it is necessary to take hormone replacement drugs and calcitonins - agents that prevent the leaching of calcium from the bones.

Video - Symptoms of HIV in women

HIV and pregnancy

Today, a woman infected with the immunodeficiency virus can conceive and give birth to a healthy child through the use of specially selected therapy. Nevertheless, pregnancy can negatively affect the condition of the patient herself, since during this period the woman's body partially suppresses the immune system on its own in order to allow the embryo to freely attach to the wall of the uterus. Studies have shown that HIV-positive pregnant women are more susceptible to various comorbidities than healthy women.

Percentage of comorbidities of pregnancy in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women

Disease	HIV positive women	HIV negative women
Inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system	86%	48,5%
Anemias of various etiologies	82%	38,5%
Exacerbation of herpes infection	14%	1%
Exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B and C	26%	16%
The threat of termination of pregnancy	27%	18%
Gestosis	35%	11%
Exacerbation of chronic diseases	35%	16%

On a note! Women with HIV planning to have a baby are advised to undergo full treatment of existing diseases and stop all sources of infection. This will minimize the development of complications during pregnancy.

During the entire period of gestation, HIV-positive pregnant women need to carefully monitor their health, lead a healthy lifestyle and follow the recommendations of a specialist aimed at strengthening the immune system.

Often in the early stages, HIV infection is asymptomatic or its first symptoms are mild and do not cause concern for the infected person. The characteristic signs of immunodeficiency in a woman are weakness, fatigue, the appearance of pathological vaginal discharge and a rash in the genital area. If such symptoms appear, you should definitely seek medical help. read on our website.

The difference between HIV and AIDS

Characteristics of HIV infection and modes of transmission

At-risk groups

Stages of HIV infection

Symptoms of HIV in women at different stages of the disease

Latent stage symptoms

Stage of secondary diseases

AIDS symptoms in women

HIV during pregnancy

Diagnosis of the disease

How is treatment for HIV infection carried out?

Temperature at the first sign of HIV

How to recognize a disease?

The main symptoms of HIV in women

HIV diagnostics

Nutrition and Supplements

Signs at different stages

Acute HIV Infection: Symptoms in Women

Primary manifestations of HIV

HIV infection in pregnant women

Secondary signs

Generalized lymphadenopathy

Characteristics of HIV infection and modes of transmission

What does an HIV-infected person look like?

Early symptoms of HIV:

Children with HIV

Symptoms of the immunodeficiency virus in women

The difference between HIV and AIDS

At-risk groups

When symptoms begin to appear

Ways of acquiring AIDS in men

Types of HIV symptoms

HIV symptoms in men

HIV symptoms in women

Stages

How can you get HIV

Latent HIV manifestations

Symptoms in the phase of primary manifestations

Symptoms of the subclinical phase

Symptoms of the Secondary Disease Phase

AIDS phase

Impact of HIV on the female reproductive system

Menstrual cycle with immunodeficiency

Video - Symptoms of HIV in women

HIV and pregnancy

Video - The first symptoms of HIV

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