As a result, a person infected with AIDS becomes vulnerable to viruses and microbes.
HIV is a very insidious disease. After all, most often this disease does not show any symptoms and the only reliable way to detect it is to pass the test for HIV.
But in some cases there are such first signs in the AIDS disease: after a few weeks after infection, the HIV-infected person may get fever up to 37.5 - 38, an unpleasant sensation in the throat - pain when swallowing, lymph nodes increase, red spots appear body, often a disorder of the stool, night sweats and increased fatigue.
After the primary manifestation of the disease subsides, a person feels completely healthy. Sometimes, it seems that the virus has completely disappeared from the blood. This is the stage of a latent infection, but HIV can be detected in adenoids, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes. It is impossible to determine how many people will go to the next stage of the disease. Observations show that nine out of ten people will feel the further development of health problems.
Studies of doctors from San Francisco showed that if not to use the newest treatment, then AIDS will develop within 10 years in 50% of infected with HIV, in 70% - within 14 years. 94% of those who already have AIDS are likely to die within 5 years. Disease can begin to progress if there is an additional weakening of immunity. This applies in the first place to people who are in a so-called risk group, for example, drug addicts who use intravenous drugs or homosexual men. The development of the disease is much slower in those people who undergo treatment.
Most doctors and scientists believe that if for a long time (twenty or more years) do not support patients with HIV infection, then almost all of them will die of AIDS, unless, of course, during this time they do not overtake death from cancer or heart attack .
Then comes the next stage, which causes the destruction of the immune system. This does not apply to the first signs in the AIDS disease. The second stage is preceded by subtle mutations of the virus, during which the virus becomes aggressive in the destruction of cells. The increase in lymph nodes under the arms and on the neck increases and can remain in this state for more than 3 months. This condition is called a general chronic increase in lymph nodes.
The disease may not manifest itself in any way within 10-12 years, and this is exactly the time that passes in the absence of treatment from the moment of HIV infection to AIDS. Only sometimes the infection can be felt by the increase of several lymph nodes - above the clavicle, on the front or back side of the neck, in the groin and under the arms.
As HIV infection develops, weakening the patient's immune system, the infected person has primary signs of AIDS - diseases that can be easily cured and passed on by the healthy person, can lead to a dangerous condition. Developing diseases of internal organs, gradually lead to death. Tuberculosis, herpes, pneumonia and other diseases, which are called opportunistic infections. They lead most often to severe consequences, and this stage of HIV infection is called AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). At this stage, HIV infection is re-formed into a serious illness, the patient already sometimes can not even stand up and perform basic independent actions. Care for such patients usually relatives at home.
If the diagnosis is made on time, competent HIV treatment can delay the development of the disease for a very long time to the stage of AIDS and preserve a full-fledged life for the patient. It should also be noted that HIV infection is often accompanied by other infectious diseases that are sexually transmitted. In such cases, the danger to the patient's life is increased, due to the presence of concomitant infections in the body. The emergence of such pathologies are currently a major problem for medicine.
During the progression of the disease, the patient begins to develop and other various signs associated with AIDS. A simple wart or abscess can begin to spread all over the body. A white coating can form in the mouth, - stomatitis develops, or other problems arise. Dentists and dentists are often the first to determine the diagnosis. Also, herpes or shingles in severe form may develop (blisters, very painful, form a band on the reddened skin). Infected feels chronic fatigue, loses from 10 percent of weight, diarrhea can last more than a month, there is an abundant night sweats. The HIV test will usually be positive in this case. Sometimes this stage is called "AIDS-associated complex".
Having become acquainted with a list of such symptoms, any person can easily panic, as we all start to think that we have this or that disease when we read about it. Prolonged diarrhea does not give rise to a diagnosis such as AIDS. Also does not give such a cause of fever, weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes and fatigue. All these symptoms can be caused by common diseases. So if you have doubts about this, then you need to visit a clinic or doctor to establish a diagnosis.