Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS, is a disorder which strikes the immune system in response to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV. The disorder cuts down on the effectiveness of the body's defence mechanism in addition to the nervous system making the individual susceptible to various opportunistic diseases.
In the initial phases when the HIV virus is present it is not likely for the individual afflicted to demonstrate any kind of distinct Aids symptoms therefore at this time the only way to detect whether the virus is present is by conducting an HIV check. It's however possible for the individual to demonstrate a few symptoms a few weeks after the virus gets into the system, including: a flu-like condition, increased temperature (pyrexia), headache, enlarged lymph nodes, sore throat (pharyngitis) and red spots or a rash on the skin.
The second cycle of HIV infection is classified as the asymptomatic stage and it is characterized by a substantial quantity of the virus being contained in the blood of the person infected. During this period the immune system will respond by producing antibodies and this stage of the infection may go on undetected in the body for as much as 10-12 years. It is at this point that the HIV virus can develop into Aids if no treatment is undertaken. The person affected could also begin to show additional Aids symptoms, such as: loss of appetite, night sweats, significant weight loss, mouth ulcers and unrelenting coughing.
As the HIV virus advances into Aids what are often simple to handle infections in healthy individuals could be life-threatening in individuals struggling with the HIV virus. After the individual has developed Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome the likelihood of numerous risky infections is constant. Aids symptoms at this point include: pneumonia, tuberculosis, herpes, candidosis, toxoplasmosis and other viral conditions. The result of this stage additionally leaves the individual at risk of cancer tumors, in most cases Kaposi's sarcoma.
Aids symptoms may not be identical for every individual as various organs including the lungs, intestine or nervous system could be afflicted. When the nervous system is impacted the person is at risk of dementia due to cortical atrophy of the brain.
Harm to the central nervous system can happen even after twenty years following the initial HIV infection as can meningitis and brain blood vessel problems. The individual may also suffer from Aids symptoms such as chronic headaches and vision deterioration, muscle weakness, short-term memory loss and other psychics disorders.
If the infection is discovered early enough, eg in the asymptomatic cycle the individual may be treated so as not to cultivate deadly Aids symptoms. A HIV test can be performed to determine the stage of the infection and addressed based on the phase. HIV medicines function by suppressing the reproduction of the virus and retarding the progression of diseases associated with it.
It is essential to note that therapy will by no means cure the infection and any infected individual can still transmit the virus. Often Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) might be prescribed, known as the "cocktail" which fuses three or more anti-HIV drugs taken in a daily regimen. Using this therapy Aids symptoms could be held to a minimum. Today, research to develop drugs for the management of AIDS and HIV continues to be ongoing with many longing for newer and better therapies.
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