Diagnosis of HIV And AIDS
People who have recently become infected with HIV will experience symptoms like flu. This occurs for approximately one month to two months after infection. Early symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and the appearance of a rash. But, some people who suffer from HIV do not feel the signs and symptoms for years.
Just by having an HIV test, we can know for sure whether we are infected or not. The faster the HIV is detected, the treatment success rate will be higher. If you feel you are at risk of HIV infection, consult your nearest doctor or health clinic.
Do not delay treatment after you know you have been infected with HIV. If it's too late, the virus can quickly spread into the immune system. This can interfere with your health. You can also avoid spreading the virus to people closest or to others.
Conducting HIV / AIDS Test
To test whether we are infected with HIV, one of the most common tests is a blood test. Blood will be checked in the laboratory. This test serves to find antibodies to HIV in the blood. However, this new blood test can be trusted if done at least a month after HIV infection, because antibodies to HIV do not form immediately after the initial infection. Antibodies to HIV take about two weeks to six months, before finally appearing in the blood.
The period between HIV infection and the formation of antibodies sufficient to show positive test results is referred to as the "window time". At this time, an HIV-infected person can transmit the virus, although blood tests do not show any antibodies to HIV in the blood.
One way to diagnose HIV other than a blood test is the "Point of Care" test. In this test, a sample of saliva from the mouth or a small drop of blood from a finger will be taken, and the results will come out in just a few minutes.
Before a person is given a definitive diagnosis, it is necessary to do several tests to be sure. This is because the window of HIV is long enough. So, the first test results are not necessarily reliable. Test several times if you feel you are at risk of HIV infection.
If tested positive for HIV, some tests should be done to monitor the development of the infection. After that, then can be known when to start treatment of HIV.
Symptoms of HIV And AIDS
HIV infection appears in three stages. The first stage is seroconversion (The specific time period in which HIV antibodies have started to develop against the virus.). The second stage is the time when no symptoms appear. And the third stage is HIV infection turned into AIDS.
HIV infection appears in three stages. The first stage is seroconversion (The specific time period in which HIV antibodies have started to develop against the virus.). The second stage is the time when no symptoms appear. And the third stage is HIV infection turned into AIDS.
The first stage
People infected with the HIV virus will suffer from a flu-like illness. After this, HIV does not cause any symptoms for several years. Symptoms such as this flu will appear several weeks after infection. This period of time is often referred to as seroconversion.
It is estimated, about 8 out of 10 people infected with HIV experience this. The most common symptoms are:
- Sore throat
- Fever
- Rashes appear on the body, usually not itchy
- Swollen lymph smears
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Painful joints
- Muscle ache
The symptoms above can last for one to two months, or even longer. This is a sign of the immune system being against the virus. But, these symptoms can be caused by diseases other than HIV. This condition is not solely due to HIV infection.
Perform an HIV test if you feel you are at risk of infection or when the symptoms mentioned above appear. But keep in mind, not everyone has the same symptoms as mentioned above. If you think you've done something that put you at risk of getting infected, visit the nearest clinic or hospital for an HIV test.
Second Phase
Once the initial symptoms disappear, HIV usually does not cause further symptoms for years. This period is called the incubation period, or latency period. The virus continues to spread and damage the immune system. At this stage, you will feel healthy and no problem. We may not be aware of HIV, but we can transmit this infection to others. The length of this stage can run about 10 years or even more.
Third Stage or the Last Stage of HIV Infection
If left untreated, HIV will weaken the body's ability to fight infection. With this condition, you will be more susceptible to serious illness. This final stage is better known as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). The following are symptoms that appear in the last stage of HIV infection:
- Lymph nodes or lymph nodes swell at the neck and groin.
- Fever lasting more than 10 days.
- Feeling tired almost every time.
- Sweating at night.
- Weight loss down unknown cause.
- Purple spots are not lost on the skin.
- Hard to breathe.
- Severe and sustained diarrhea.
- Fungal infections of the mouth, throat, or vagina.
- Easily bruised or bleeding without cause.
The risk of a deadly disease will increase at this stage. For example, cancer, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. But despite this deadly disease, HIV treatment can still be done. Early treatment can help improve health.