HIV Primary Symptoms

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is currently considered a chronic manageable disease, much like diabetes, for which individuals have access to and are able to follow the recommended drug regimen. Symptoms of HIV are much milder than those of AIDS, and some individuals with HIV may have no symptoms at all for years at a time.

Definition

• HIV is present in human blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk. The virus weakens the immune system and compromises the body's ability to fight off infections. People can live with HIV for many years without knowing they are infected due to the lack of or the minor nature of the initial symptoms. HIV does not move on to become AIDS until the immune system is severely compromised.

Indications in Adults

• Adults experience HIV primary symptoms in the early stages that are similar to the symptoms of other viruses such as the common cold. These include swollen glands, headache, fever, rashes and sore throat. Still others can experience no symptoms for the first several years after infection. The symptoms continue to be mild or nonexistent until the virus reaches more advanced stages. At that point, it has multiplied and begun to kill off CD4 cells. The HIV primary symptoms are weight loss, persistent cough and diarrhea.

Indications in Children

• The early HIV primary symptoms in children are different from those in adults because the virus can hinder a child's physical growth and development. Children can experience low weight gain, chronic ear infections that can lead to hearing impairments, intellectual delays and chronic tonsillitis. As with the symptoms in adults, these primary symptoms in children can be avoided through treatment with the proper drug regimen.

Treatment

• HIV is not treated until cell counts drop below a certain threshold. Once that threshold is reached, the virus is treated through a combination of anti-retroviral medications. These drugs prevent the growth and replication of the virus. People taking anti-retrovirals are able to live full and healthy lives. There is a risk of becoming resistant to these drugs when not complying with a strict schedule of administration as prescribed, or simply because of the length of time on any one drug. There are, however, a variety of anti-retrovirals that have been developed for this reason, allowing patients to make changes to their drug regimens as needed.

Transmission

• Even though many people have no HIV primary symptoms for up to several years after infection, they are still capable of transmitting the virus to others. Thus, protection should always be used when contact is made with another person's blood, semen or vaginal secretions, as it is impossible to tell if they have HIV from their outward appearances. HIV can also be transmitted by sharing needles, which can be avoided. Mother-to-child transmission can be prevented through use of the appropriate medications during and after pregnancy, but without treatment, HIV can still be transmitted through the birthing process or breast milk. Blood supplies are now screened for HIV, so there should be no risk of acquiring the virus through a blood transfusion in countries following proper medical standards for their blood supplies.