How to know if you have HIV without leaving your computer screen! HIV and AIDS: symptoms and stages of development of a terrible disease

Unfortunately, today the risk of catching the immunodeficiency virus or HIV is quite real, so information on how to find out if you have AIDS will not be superfluous. No need to hide your head in the sand! Hoping for the best, you need to know about the features of this terrible disease and be ready to find its signs in yourself or your friends.

You can find out if you have AIDS by taking tests or analyzing the presence of symptoms of the disease

Features of the spread of AIDS

It is not HIV itself that is life-threatening, but its effect on the immune system. The body loses its ability to resist viruses, and a person can die from a common cold. Infection occurs in several ways:

with intimacy without the use of protective equipment;
from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy and lactation;
through infected blood when it enters the body through wounds, during transfusion or injection;
when transplanting organs, applying tattoos;
when sharing toothbrushes, shaving accessories and other personal hygiene items.

HIV does not spread by household or airborne droplets, but you need to be careful with fresh cuts.

With care, the likelihood of infection is low, but it cannot be ruled out at all.

How to know if you have AIDS

Doctors have not yet learned how to treat this disease. But if detected in the early stages, it is possible to slow down its course by suppressing the development of virus cells. Only laboratory tests determine that a person is infected with AIDS. You can independently identify the symptoms of the disease by external manifestations.

You should be concerned about your general health. The reason for the examination will be the appearance of fever, constant weakness, frequent colds, weight loss, a feeling of constant lack of sleep.
Suspicious elevated temperature, which is kept constantly at 38 ° C.
There are pains in the joints, muscles, eyes.
A sign of AIDS are rashes on the body and mucous membranes. Lymph nodes increase, tumors appear on the neck, under the collarbone, in the groin area.
Often the mood changes, the person becomes irritable, memory worsens.

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a late manifestation of infection of the body with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS is not a disease, but a complex reaction of the body to a developing infection; you cannot get AIDS, only HIV infection. According to doctors at Oxford University, the development of the syndrome indicates an overly acute reaction to HIV: groups of people with a significant amount of viral particles in the blood, who have not undergone antiretroviral therapy and do not have symptoms of AIDS, have been identified. The causes of AIDS, its development in HIV-infected people, methods of therapy are still under study. Today, there is scientifically confirmed information about the methods of infection, the stages of development of the syndrome and methods of prevention.

What is HIV?

The human immunodeficiency virus was isolated from a patient's lymphocytes in 1983 by a group of scientists led by Luc Montagnier. At the same time, a similar virus was obtained in a US laboratory. In 1987, the disease was named "HIV infection".

There are two serotypes of the virus: HIV-1 and HIV-2. The first type plays the most significant role in the infectious pandemic, including in Russia. HIV infection is a systemic disease of the body, provoking a gradual decline in the general immunity of a person. With a decrease in immunity, the body cannot resist the effects of numerous pathogenic microorganisms and fight the development of malignant neoplasms.

The main diseases that occur in the body of an infected person can also affect healthy people, however, as a rule, the dynamics of their development is much more restrained. Some diseases (the so-called opportunistic ones) occur exclusively with immunodeficiency against the background of HIV infection, since normally they are inhibited by immunity.

Why is HIV infection incurable?

The causative agent of HIV infection after penetration into the human body cannot yet be destroyed. Also, despite numerous studies and programs, an effective HIV vaccine has not yet been created.

This phenomenon is associated with the high ability of the virus to genetic variability: the microorganism changes at the same moment when the immune system begins to produce antibodies. Moreover, if a virus infected with one strain is re-infected with a virus with an altered genotype, two strains "carry out" recombination, the exchange of gene regions, which leads to the appearance of superinfection. The third reason for the resistance of the virus to the effects of drugs is the ability to "hide" in the intracellular space, turning into a latent form.

Causes of AIDS

It is possible to get sick with AIDS only when infected with HIV and the corresponding reaction of the body to the pathogen. Despite the prevailing opinion that only a drug addict or a homosexual can get AIDS, this has long ceased to correspond to the real situation. HIV infection no longer serves as a marker solely for the use of narcotic drugs, the presence of promiscuous hetero- and homosexual relationships: the prevalence of the virus is detected among various social strata of the population, age groups, regardless of sexual preferences and addictions.

According to the World Health Organization, about 80% of new HIV infections were detected in Eastern Europe, 18% in Western European countries, 3% in Central Europe. Russia accounts for 81% of the Eastern European countries and 64% of all cases reported in the European Region.

At the same time, the ways of infection differ on a territorial basis: in Europe, homosexual sexual contacts occupy the first place (42%) with a slight lead over heterosexual ones (32%), infection among drug addicts does not exceed 4%.

Russia today is the only country in the world where infection among drug addicts accounts for more than half of the common causes of the spread of HIV infection (51%). In second place are heterosexual contacts (47%), and only 1.5% is infection among homosexual persons.

It is worth noting that in Russia it is not accurate enough: according to experts, every 100th, that is, 1% of the population, is a carrier of HIV infection in our country, not counting illegal migrants. Experts warn that in a country with so many infected people, where only one in three patients receive free antiretroviral therapy, a large-scale epidemic could begin by 2021.

Ways of transmission of infection

In world statistics, HIV infection is in the first place through sexual contact with an infected person, and during any type of sexual contact. If the carrier of the infection follows the rules of specific therapy, the probability of infection is 1%.

Traumatic sexual intercourse, in which the formation of cracks on the mucous surfaces, as well as the presence of erosion, damage to the internal and external integuments with existing diseases, increase the likelihood of virus penetration. In women, the virus is present in the blood, vaginal secretions, in men - in the blood and semen. Infection when particles of blood or other biological fluid containing an infectious agent enter the body of a healthy person also occurs during invasive procedures, most often associated with the use of reusable syringes without appropriate processing. Infection is also likely during medical, dental manipulations, visits to nail salons, tattoo studios and other places where the instrument may intentionally or accidentally come into contact with an injured surface. Before the introduction of control of donor fluids (blood, plasma) and organs, there were cases of infection from the donor to the recipient.

The vertical route of infection is the transmission of infection from mother to child during gestation, during childbirth or during breastfeeding.

There are no other ways of infection that are not associated with contact with blood, vaginal secretions or seminal fluid. The infection does not spread when using the same dishes, hygiene items, visiting swimming pools, bathrooms and toilets, it is not transmitted through blood-sucking insects, etc. The human immunodeficiency virus is extremely unstable in the external environment and quickly dies outside the body.

Symptoms of AIDS (Acquired Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

The disease, AIDS syndrome develops as a late complication of HIV infection. Immediately after infection, during the incubation period (on average 3 weeks - 3 months), no symptoms and manifestations are observed, although antibodies to the causative agent of the disease are already beginning to be produced.
The stage of primary manifestations, which replaces the incubation period, can also be asymptomatic or manifest as an acute HIV infection, which depends on the general health of the person and the state of his immune system.

The clinical picture of the manifestation of the disease is quite extensive. The first symptoms may include:

feverish state;
rash on the skin and mucous membranes;
enlargement and / or soreness of the lymph nodes;
catarrhal manifestations, cough, rhinitis, pharyngitis;
weight loss;
persistent or recurrent diarrhea;
enlargement of the liver and spleen in size.

Similar symptoms, including all of the above manifestations, are observed only in 15-30% of patients, in other cases there are 1-2 symptoms in different combinations.
Then comes the latent asymptomatic stage, the duration of which is from 2-3 to 20 years (average 6-7 years). At this stage, there is a significant decrease in the number of lymphocytes in the blood. A drop in the level of lymphocytes, indicating the onset of severe immune deficiency, can lead to the stage of secondary diseases. Among the most frequently encountered are:

sore throats;
pneumonia;
tuberculosis;
herpes;
fungal infections;
intestinal infections;
oncological diseases;
infections caused by protozoa and others.

The next stage, terminal, is characterized by acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS. At this stage of AIDS, severe symptoms lead to the destruction of vital body systems. This stage is lethal despite active antiviral therapy.
Modern drugs make it possible to prolong the stages of infection and more effectively fight opportunistic and general infections that lead to the death of patients.

AIDS and HIV - diagnostic methods

Photo: Room's Studio/Shutterstock.com

Diagnosis is never based on symptoms of AIDS or other stages of HIV infection. However, the disease can be suspected by the following diagnostic features:

treatment-resistant diarrhea for 2 or more months;
prolonged unmotivated fever;
skin rash in various variations;
development of Kaposi's sarcoma at a young age;
weight loss of more than 10%, for no apparent reason.

Confirmation of the diagnosis is made using two tests: a screening test (the most common test is enzyme immunoassay) and a confirmatory test that assesses the presence of the virus and viral load.

Treatment and prevention of the disease

The basis of therapy is the control of viral reproduction and the treatment of concomitant diseases. By following the prescriptions of specialists and taking modern drugs, it is possible to contain the development of HIV infection.

Treatment should begin immediately after diagnosis. In Russia, centers for the treatment and prevention of HIV infection have been established, where drugs are prescribed and dispensed for HIV-infected people. Complementary treatment is aimed at combating cancer and opportunistic infections resulting from reduced immunity and stimulating the immune system.

Preventive measures consist of observing safety measures during sexual intercourse, medical and cosmetic procedures, regular blood tests for infection, and following the appointments of specialists.

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 realize 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 has been proven that the first symptoms of HIV in women are more pronounced than in men, which makes 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 preventing it. We will also analyze in detail what are the symptoms of HIV in women in the early and late stages.

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, he is called HIV-infected, but not sick. The disease is spoken of 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 Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

AIDS is the final stage of the development of HIV infection, which is characterized by a combination of diseases and their symptoms, which appeared as a result of a decrease in the protective properties of the body.

HIV: characteristics and modes of transmission

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

The virus genome is represented by double-stranded RNA. Also, the pathogen has a number of antigens, for 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 adversely affect 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 greatest amount of the virus is concentrated in the blood, semen and vaginal secretions, as well as breast milk. That's why the disease can be transmitted in the following ways:

sexual: during sexual contact;
vertical: from mother to child during pregnancy, passage through the birth canal, while breastfeeding through breast milk;
blood transfusion: transfusion of infected blood;
blood contact: through medical instruments and needles on which there are remnants of blood infected with HIV;
transplant: when transplanting organs and tissues from an HIV-infected donor.

HIV is not transmitted through kissing, air, shaking hands, insects, clothing, or shared utensils. But there is a low risk of contracting this infection through razors and manicure accessories used by a sick or HIV-infected person if there are blood residues left on them after cuts.

HIV: risk groups

Considering the various ways in which HIV can be transmitted, the following high-risk groups can be formed:

injecting drug addicts;
sexual partners of drug addicts;
persons with disordered intimate life who prefer sexual intercourse without the use of barrier contraceptives;
patients who received blood transfusions without prior HIV testing;
medical workers (nurses, surgeons, dentists, obstetrician-gynecologists and others);
men and women who provide sexual services for money, as well as persons who use such services.

During HIV infection, the following stages are distinguished:

Early Symptoms of HIV in women may include:

Early symptoms of HIV infection in a woman appear after an average of one month with a flu-like syndrome, so most patients rarely seek medical help and treat their “cold” on their own at home. Literally after two weeks, the above symptoms subside.

In the photo you can see what the skin manifestations of HIV infection and AIDS look like.

Symptoms of the latent stage

The latent stage of HIV infection in women is characterized by an asymptomatic latent course. Patients lead a normal life, not even suspecting that they are infected, while the virus actively multiplies and gradually destroys the immune system.

In addition, despite the fact that the disease does not manifest itself in any way, a woman can be a source of infection, especially for her sexual partner.

Stage of secondary diseases

This stage of the course of HIV is characterized by the addition of opportunistic infections, such as:

mycoses of various localization;
skin lesions (warts, papillomas, pink rash, urticaria, aphthae, seborrhea, lichen psoriasis, rubrophytia, molluscum contagiosum and others);
diseases of a viral nature;
bacterial infections;
shingles;
inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
throat inflammation;
chronic diarrhea;
increase in body temperature;
pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis;
hairy leukoplakia
CNS lesions;
cancerous tumors of various localization;
Kaposi's sarcoma and others.

AIDS symptoms in women

Symptoms of AIDS in women appear if HIV infection is not treated.

Signs of the transition of HIV infection to AIDS are the following manifestations:

If you have been experiencing fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, excessive sweating, and other symptoms of HIV infection for more than a month, especially if you are in a high-risk group, we strongly recommend that you get a free anonymous HIV test at your nearest clinic , an anonymous HIV/AIDS diagnostic room or a center for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

All pregnant women are tested for HIV in the first and second trimester. In the case of a positive test for HIV, the woman is sent for a consultation to the AIDS center, where the test is repeated and the infectious disease specialist is consulted.
A child can become infected with HIV from the mother in several ways: in late pregnancy, while passing through the birth canal, while breastfeeding.
Modern antiretroviral drugs that a woman takes during pregnancy minimize the risk of transmitting the virus to her baby. All drugs prescribed by a specialist of the center are issued at the pharmacy free of charge with a prescription.
If left untreated, every second child is born with HIV.
All children born to HIV-positive mothers or fathers are examined three times using PCR.

HIV diagnosis

What are the most accurate tests to determine HIV? Today, there are only two tests that can detect HIV, namely:

immunofluorescent analysis (ELISA) of blood, which is performed to detect antibodies to HIV. The formation of antibodies to the pathogen takes several weeks, so ELISA is recommended to be carried out 2-3 weeks after the alleged infection. Performing this test earlier than the specified time 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 is close to 100%.

Also, for the diagnosis of HIV, polymerase chain reaction and express methods that detect the presence of the virus itself can be used.

HIV treatment

Treatment of HIV consists in the systematic use of antiretroviral drugs, symptomatic therapy and prevention of concomitant diseases.

The most effective anti-HIV drugs today are Zidovudine, Nevirapine and Didanosine.

All antiretroviral drugs are dispensed free of charge at the pharmacy of the HIV/AIDS center upon presentation of a prescription from the attending infectious disease specialist.

Unfortunately, despite the high level of development of world medicine, it has not yet been possible to find an effective drug that could completely cure HIV. But early detection of HIV significantly affects the prognosis of the disease, since modern antiretroviral drugs, if prescribed in a timely manner, can stop the progression of the disease.

In order to understand how to determine HIV without analysis, one should very clearly understand what kind of disease it is, what its nature is, how it manifests itself and what consequences infection with this virus entails.

What is HIV infection?

HIV infection is a pathological condition of the human body, in which the human immunodeficiency virus, entering the bloodstream, begins to destroy CD-4 cells with varying intensity. These cells perform a protective function and help the body fight any bacteria, viruses, neoplasms and various pathogens. Thus, HIV destroys the body's natural defenses and makes it susceptible to various diseases, as the immune system loses the ability to resist certain lesions.

HIV belongs to the family of retroviruses, which are also called "slow" viruses. This is all his cunning. The first stage of HIV infection, which sometimes stretches for 5-10 years, is called the stage of asymptomatic carriage. What does this mean? That the effect of the virus on the human immune system is rather slow and until the moment when irreversible changes occur in the patient, the course of the disease is latent (or latent), without any signs and symptoms. However, during this period, a person, not knowing about the disease, poses a threat to others, but not in the sense that, due to their ignorance, many people put into this concept.

Although people's awareness of the problems of HIV-AIDS today is quite high, many continue to experience an overwhelming horror of this disease. It is worth noting that with the development of pharmacological science, today there are a number of drugs that can slow down the activity and reproduction of the virus in the patient's body. It is for this reason that according to the international classification, HIV-AIDS is no longer classified as a deadly incurable disease. This does not mean at all that HIV-AIDS can be cured, but to significantly increase the patient's life expectancy has become a task that modern medicine can do.

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How can you, and most importantly, how can you not get infected with HIV?

To dispel all doubts, I would like to clarify that HIV infection is not transmitted in everyday life, when sharing household items, during ordinary household contacts with an infected person, with kisses and handshakes, etc. Thus, a person with HIV infection or AIDS is not dangerous to society, if we consider the issue from this point of view. The greatest danger is posed by patients who are unaware of their problem and continue to lead a normal lifestyle: change sexual partners, continue to inject drugs, etc. It is important to note that today HIV infection has ceased to be a disease of drug addicts and call girls. Nowadays, among the identified carriers of the disease, one can meet doctors, teachers, and successful lawyers. This is because the most common mode of HIV transmission is through sexual transmission rather than injection, as was the case in the past.

So, HIV is transmitted in the following ways:

during unprotected intercourse;
when using non-sterile syringes by drug addicts;
vertically from mother to fetus during pregnancy;
when transfusing blood products (less often), etc.

Only through direct contact with the blood of a virus carrier or the secrets of the genital organs can you become infected with HIV; ordinary everyday communication cannot lead to infection. With a single sexual intercourse with an infected partner, infection may not occur, but constant contact increases the chances many times over. In addition, more likely to become infected with HIV occurs if a person has damage to the skin or mucous membranes of various origins (erosion, ulceration, trauma, stomatitis or abrasions). Due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of the reproductive system, women are much more at risk of infection than men.

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Symptoms of HIV infection

Many are concerned about the question of how to find out about HIV without testing. Of course, this pathological condition is characterized by certain symptoms, which are very variable at different stages of the disease. After an infection has occurred, after a short period of time (2-3 weeks), the patient may experience flu-like symptoms or an allergic immune response. This is due to the fact that HIV invades the cells of the body and the body produces specific antibodies, which are the main diagnostic sign of the disease. The patient may have an increase in body temperature, headache and general weakness, general intoxication, skin rashes, etc. These symptoms are characteristic of many other diseases and not always the patient may suspect HIV infection. In addition, such symptoms soon subside even in the absence of any therapy.

The stage of asymptomatic carriage is precisely because it bears such a name that it proceeds without any pronounced symptoms. This stage of the clinical course can last for many years, depending on the "basic capabilities" of the human immune system. People with weakened immune systems, chronic illnesses or other immunocompromising ailments (diabetes, tuberculosis, infectious diseases, etc.) progress faster with HIV than people with a high immune status. The only pathological change that can lead the patient or the attending physician to think about HIV-AIDS is an increase in lymph nodes. As a rule, such an increase is asymmetrical, and lymph nodes from different groups are involved in the pathological process.

The next stage of HIV - infection is characterized by the fact that the patient has a number of secondary pathologies - These are bacterial and fungal infections, and the addition of other infections, and pathological changes in all organs and systems. At this stage, the symptoms can be very diverse, but, as a rule, changes relate to the general somatic condition of the patient, as well as his skin. The patient has a decrease in appetite, skin rashes or ulcerations appear that are difficult to treat, and signs and symptoms of various comorbidities appear.

Good day, dear readers!

In today's article, we will consider with you such a serious disease as HIV infection, and everything connected with it - the causes, how it is transmitted, the incubation period, the first signs, symptoms, stages of development, types, tests, tests, diagnosis, treatment , medicines, prevention and other useful information. So…

What does HIV mean?

HIV infection in children

HIV infection in children in many cases is accompanied by a developmental delay (physical and psychomotor), frequent infectious diseases, pneumonitis, encephalopathy, hyperplasia of the pulmonary lymph nodes, hemorrhagic syndrome. Moreover, HIV infection in children, which they acquired from infected mothers, is characterized by a faster course and progression.

The main cause of HIV infection is infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. The cause of AIDS is also the same virus, because. AIDS is the last stage in the development of HIV infection.

- a slowly developing virus belonging to the family of retroviruses (Retroviridae) and to the genus Lentivirus (Lentivirus). It is the word "lente" in Latin that means "slow", which partially characterizes this infection, which develops quite slowly from the moment it enters the body to the last stage.

The size of the human immunodeficiency virus is only about 100-120 nanometers, which is almost 60 times smaller than the diameter of a blood particle - an erythrocyte.

The complexity of HIV lies in its frequent genetic changes in the process of self-replication - almost every virus differs from its predecessor by at least 1 nucleotide.

In nature, as of 2017, 4 types of the virus are known - HIV-1 (HIV-1), HIV-2 (HIV-2), HIV-3 (HIV-3) and HIV-4 (HIV-4), each of which differs in the structure of the genome and other properties.

It is HIV-1 infection that plays the role in the basis of the disease of the majority of HIV-infected people, therefore, when the subtype number is not indicated, it is 1 that is assumed by default.

The source of HIV is people infected with the virus.

The main routes of infection are: injections (especially injection drugs), transfusions (of blood, plasma, red blood cells) or organ transplantation, unprotected sexual contact with a stranger, unnatural sex (anal, oral), trauma during childbirth, breastfeeding an infant (if the mother is infected), trauma during childbirth, use of non-disinfected medical or cosmetic items (scalpel, needles, scissors, tattoo machines, dental and other instruments).

For HIV infection and its further spread throughout the body and development, it is necessary that the infected blood, mucus, sperm and other biomaterials of the patient enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system of a person.

An interesting fact is that some people in the body have an innate defense against the human immunodeficiency virus, so they are resistant to HIV. The following elements have such protective properties: the CCR5 protein, the TRIM5a protein, the CAML protein (calcium-modulated cyclophilin ligand), and the interferon-induced transmembrane protein CD317/BST-2 (“tetherin”).

By the way, the CD317 protein, in addition to retroviruses, also actively counteracts arenaviruses, filoviruses and herpesviruses. The cofactor for CD317 is the cellular protein BCA2.

HIV Risk Groups

Drug addicts, predominantly injecting drug users;
Sexual partners of drug addicts;
Persons leading a promiscuous sex life, as well as those who engage in unnatural sex;
Prostitutes and their clients;
Donors and people in need of a blood transfusion or organ transplant;
Sick people with sexually transmitted diseases;
Doctors.

The classification of HIV infection is as follows:

Classification according to clinical manifestations (in the Russian Federation and some CIS countries):

1. Stage of incubation.

2. The stage of primary manifestations, which, according to the course options, can be:

without clinical manifestations (asymptomatic);
acute course without secondary diseases;
acute course with secondary diseases;

3. Subclinical stage.

4. The stage of secondary diseases caused by damage to the body by viruses, bacteria, fungi and other types of infection that develop against a background of weakened immunity. Downstream it is subdivided into:

A) body weight decreases by less than 10%, as well as frequently recurring, infectious diseases of the skin and mucous membranes - pharyngitis, otitis media, shingles, angular cheilitis ();

B) body weight decreases by more than 10%, as well as persistent and often recurring infectious diseases of the skin, mucous membranes and internal organs - sinusitis, pharyngitis, herpes zoster, fever or diarrhea (diarrhea) for a month, localized Kaposi's sarcoma;

C) body weight is significantly reduced (cachexia), as well as persistent generalized infectious diseases of the respiratory, digestive, nervous and other systems - candidiasis (trachea, bronchi, lungs, esophagus), pneumocystis pneumonia, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, herpes, encephalopathy, meningitis, cancerous tumors (disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma).

All variants of the course of the 4th stage have the following phases:

progression of pathology in the absence of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART);
progression of pathology on the background of HAART;
remission during or after HAART.

5. Terminal stage (AIDS).

The above classification largely coincides with the classification approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Classification by clinical manifestations (CDC - US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention):

The CDC classification includes not only the clinical manifestations of the disease, but also the number of CD4 + -T-lymphocytes in 1 μl of blood. It is based on the division of HIV infection into just 2 categories: the disease itself and AIDS. If the parameters below meet criteria A3, B3, C1, C2 and C3, the patient is considered to have AIDS.

Symptoms according to CDC category:

A (acute retroviral syndrome) - characterized by an asymptomatic course or generalized lymphadenopathy (GLAP).

B (AIDS-associated complex syndromes) - may be accompanied by oral candidiasis, herpes zoster, cervical dysplasia, peripheral neuropathy, organic damage, idiopathic thrombocytopenia, leukoplakia, or listeriosis.

C (AIDS) - may be accompanied by candidiasis of the respiratory tract (from the oropharynx to the lungs) and / or esophagus, pneumocystosis, pneumonia, herpetic esophagitis, HIV encephalopathy, isosporosis, histoplasmosis, mycobacteriosis, cytomegalovirus infection, cryptosporidiosis, coccidioidosis, cervical cancer, sarcoma Kaposi, lymphoma, salmonellosis and other diseases.

Diagnosis of HIV infection

Diagnosis of HIV infection includes the following examination methods:

Anamnesis;
Visual examination of the patient;
Screening test (detection of blood antibodies to infection by enzyme immunoassay - ELISA);
A test confirming the presence of antibodies in the blood (blood test by immune blotting (blot)), which is carried out only if the screening test is positive;
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR);
Tests for immune status (counting CD4 + lymphocytes - performed using automatic analyzers (flow cytometry method) or manually, using microscopes);
Viral load analysis (counting the number of copies of HIV RNA in a milliliter of blood plasma);
Rapid HIV tests - diagnostics is performed using ELISA on test strips, agglutination reaction, immunochromatography or immunological filtration analysis.

Tests alone are not enough to make a diagnosis of AIDS. Confirmation occurs only with the additional presence of 2 or more opportunistic diseases associated with this syndrome.

HIV infection - treatment

Treatment of HIV infection is possible only after a thorough diagnosis. However, unfortunately, as of 2017, officially, adequate therapy and drugs that would completely eliminate the human immunodeficiency virus and cure the patient have not been established.

The only modern method of treating HIV infection today is highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which is aimed at slowing the progression of the disease and stopping its transition from the stage of AIDS. Thanks to HAART, a person's life can last for several decades, the only condition is the life-long intake of appropriate medications.

The insidiousness of the human immunodeficiency virus is also its mutation. So, if the drugs against HIV are not changed after a certain time, which is determined on the basis of constant monitoring of the disease, the virus adapts, and the prescribed treatment regimen becomes ineffective. Therefore, at different intervals, the doctor changes the treatment regimen, and with it the medications. The reason for changing the drug can also be its individual intolerance by the patient.

Modern drug development aims not only to achieve the goal of effectiveness against HIV, but also to reduce the side effects of them.

The effectiveness of treatment also increases with a change in a person's lifestyle, improving its quality - healthy sleep, proper nutrition, avoiding stress, active lifestyle, positive emotions, etc.

Thus, the following points in the treatment of HIV infection can be distinguished:

Drug treatment of HIV infection;
Diet;
Preventive actions.

Important! Before using drugs, be sure to consult your doctor for advice!

1. Drug treatment of HIV infection

At the beginning, it is necessary to immediately remind once again that AIDS is the last stage in the development of HIV infection, and it is at this stage that a person usually has very little time left to live. Therefore, it is very important to prevent the development of AIDS, and this largely depends on the timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of HIV infection. We also noted that the only treatment for HIV today is highly active antiretroviral therapy, which, according to statistics, reduces the risk of developing AIDS to almost 1-2%.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)- a method of treating HIV infection based on the simultaneous administration of three or four drugs (tritherapy). The number of drugs is associated with the mutagenicity of the virus, and in order to bind it at this stage for as long as possible, the doctor selects exactly the complex of drugs. Each of the drugs, depending on the principle of action, is included in a separate group - reverse transcriptase inhibitors (nucleoside and non-nucleoside), integrase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, receptor inhibitors and fusion inhibitors (fusion inhibitors).

HAART has the following goals:

Virological - aimed at arresting the reproduction and spread of HIV, an indicator of which is a decrease in viral load by 10 or more times in just 30 days, to 20-50 copies / ml or less in 16-24 weeks, as well as keeping these indicators as long as possible;
Immunological - aimed at restoring the normal functioning and health of the immune system, which is due to the restoration of the number of CD4-lymphocytes and an adequate immune response to infection;
Clinical - aimed at preventing the formation of secondary infectious diseases and AIDS, it makes it possible to conceive a child.

Medicines for HIV infection

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors- the mechanism of action is based on the competitive suppression of the HIV enzyme, which ensures the creation of DNA, which is based on the RNA of the virus. It is the first group of drugs against retroviruses. They are well tolerated. Among the side effects can be identified - lactic acidosis, bone marrow suppression, polyneuropathy and lipoatrophy. The substance is excreted from the body through the kidneys.

Among the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are abacavir (Ziagen), zidovudine (Azidothymidine, Zidovirin, Retrovir, Timazid), lamivudine (Virolam, Heptavir-150, Lamivudine-3TS ”, “Epivir”), stavudine (“Aktastav”, “Zerit”, “Stavudin”), tenofovir (“Viread”, “Tenvir”), phosphazide (“Nikavir”), emtricitabine (“Emtriva”), as well as complexes abacavir + lamivudine (Kivexa, Epzicom), zidovudine + lamivudine (Combivir), tenofovir + emtricitabine (Truvada), and zidovudine + lamivudine + abacavir (Trizivir).

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors- delavirdine (Rescriptor), nevirapine (Viramun), rilpivirine (Edurant), efavirenz (Regast, Sustiva), etravirine (Intelence).

Integrase inhibitors- the mechanism of action is based on blocking the virus enzyme, which is involved in the integration of viral DNA into the genome of the target cell, after which a provirus is formed.

Integrase inhibitors include dolutegravir (Tivicay), raltegravir (Isentress), elvitegravir (Vitekta).

Protease inhibitors- the mechanism of action is based on blocking the virus protease enzyme (retropepsin), which is directly involved in the cleavage of Gag-Pol polyproteins into individual proteins, after which the mature proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus virion are actually formed.

Protease inhibitors include amprenavir (Agenerasa), darunavir (Prezista), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir, Ritonavir), saquinavir-INV ( Invirase), tipranavir (Aptivus), fosamprenavir (Lexiva, Telzir), as well as the combination drug lopinavir + ritonavir (Kaletra).

Receptor inhibitors- the mechanism of action is based on blocking the penetration of HIV into the target cell, which is due to the effect of the substance on the co-receptors CXCR4 and CCR5.

Among the receptor inhibitors, maraviroc (Celzentri) can be distinguished.

Fusion inhibitors (fusion inhibitors)- the mechanism of action is based on blocking the last stage of the introduction of the virus into the target cell.

Among the fusion inhibitors, enfuvirtide (Fuseon) can be distinguished.

The use of HAART during pregnancy reduces the risk of transmission from an infected mother to her child to 1%, although without this therapy, the infection rate of the child is about 20%.

Side effects from the use of HAART drugs include pancreatitis, anemia, skin rashes, kidney stones, peripheral neuropathy, lactic acidosis, hyperlipidemia, lipodystrophy, as well as Fanconi syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and others.

The diet for HIV infection is aimed at preventing weight loss of the patient, as well as providing the cells of the body with the necessary energy and, of course, stimulating and maintaining the normal functioning of not only the immune system, but also other systems.

It is also necessary to pay attention to a certain vulnerability of the immune system weakened by the infection, therefore, to protect yourself from infection with other types of infection, be sure to follow the rules of personal hygiene and the rules of cooking.

Nutrition for HIV/AIDS should:

2. Be high-calorie, which is why it is recommended to add butter, mayonnaise, cheese, sour cream to food.

3. Include plenty of drink, it is especially useful to drink decoctions and freshly squeezed juices with plenty of vitamin C, which stimulates the immune system - decoction, juices (apple, grape, cherry).

4. Be frequent, 5-6 times a day, but in small portions.

5. Water for drinking and cooking should be purified. Avoid expired foods, undercooked meats, raw eggs, and unpasteurized milk.

What can you eat with HIV infection:

Soups - vegetable, on cereals, with vermicelli, on meat broth, it is possible with the addition of butter;
Meat - beef, turkey, chicken, lungs, liver, lean fish (preferably sea);
Groats - buckwheat, barley, rice, millet and oatmeal;
Kashi - with the addition of dried fruits, honey, jam;

What not to eat with HIV infection

With the human immunodeficiency virus, it is necessary to completely abandon alcoholic beverages, smoking, diets for weight loss, foods with high allergenicity, sweet carbonated drinks.

3. Preventive measures

Preventive measures for HIV infection that must be observed during treatment include:

Avoiding re-exposure to infection;
Healthy sleep;
Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
Avoiding the possibility of infection with other types of infection - and others;
Avoidance of stress;
Timely wet cleaning at the place of residence;
Refusal to stay in the sun for a long time;
Complete refusal of alcoholic products, smoking;
Complete nutrition;
Active lifestyle;
Holidays at sea, in the mountains, i.e. in the most environmentally friendly places.

Additional HIV prevention measures will be discussed at the end of the article.

Important! Before using folk remedies against HIV infection, be sure to consult your doctor!

St. John's wort. Pour well-dried chopped grass into an enameled pan and fill it with 1 liter of soft purified water, then put the container on fire. After the agent boils, boil the agent for another 1 hour over low heat, then remove, cool, strain and pour the broth into a jar. Add 50 g of sea buckthorn oil to the decoction, mix thoroughly and set aside in a cold place for infusion, for 2 days. You need to take the drug 50 g 3-4 times a day.

Licorice. Pour 50 g of crushed into an enameled pan, pour 1 liter of purified water into it and put it on the stove, over a big fire. Bringing to a boil, reduce the heat to the minimum value and simmer the remedy for about 1 hour. After removing the broth from the stove, cool it, strain, pour into a glass container, add here 3 tbsp. spoons of natural, mix. You need to drink a decoction of 1 glass in the morning, on an empty stomach.