The main signs of HIV infection in women. Symptoms of HIV infection in men and women. Acute early stage of the disease

What are the signs of the immunodeficiency virus in women?

The symptoms of an HIV positive woman are extremely varied. This may be due to diseases that occur against the background of a decrease in immunity or directly with the effect of the virus on the cells of the body. Doctors identify several stages of HIV development in the body. The first stage is incubation, the second is the appearance of primary symptoms, then secondary diseases and, finally, AIDS follow. Today, a lot of people live and do not know that they are HIV-infected. HIV is a disease that develops in the human body rather unnoticed. The period of development of the disease ranges between ten and twelve years. There were cases when very many years passed between the stage of the onset of primary symptoms and AIDS. Sometimes the infection manifests itself very noticeably: an increase in lymph nodes in the neck, in the armpits, in the groin area.

During the incubation period of the infection, all symptoms of both women and men are non-specific. One of the first signs of HIV, predominantly, is an unwarranted increase in body temperature. The temperature, as a rule, reaches thirty-nine to forty degrees and lasts for several days (from two to ten). To this list should be added headache, weakness, arthralgia and sweating, mainly at night. Decreased appetite, diarrhea, and even depression can also be signs of an immunodeficiency virus.

All of the above signs can be observed in both men and women. However, there are a number of symptoms that are unique to the female body. These symptoms are anorexia, pelvic infections, and various vaginal infections. A woman should consult a doctor if her menstruation is accompanied by severe pain, lymph nodes are enlarged in the groin area, and she is disturbed by abundant mucous discharge during the intermenstrual period. In addition, regular headaches, irritability, and persistent fatigue can also indicate the presence of HIV infection in the body. Anorexia (called lipodystrophy) is common in women who are HIV-positive. Very often, the symptoms of the appearance of HIV in a woman's body are various psychological changes. Here is anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and even dementia.

Painful periods, fatigue after work or depression should not be immediately attributed to the immunodeficiency virus. However, if you have had manifestations of all the above symptoms for quite a long time, you should contact a specialist and get tested for HIV.

These symptoms do not always appear, so many girls live with HIV infection and do not know about it. But, as you know, ignorance about the danger does not exempt from the consequences. There is an opinion that, in contrast to the male body, the immunodeficiency virus develops more slowly in the female. The reason may be a more careful attitude to health in women.

HIV-infected people often become available not only for opportunistic diseases, but also for simple and seemingly not dangerous diseases. And treating them, in the presence of the immunodeficiency virus, is much more difficult. Therefore, it is very important to detect this disease in oneself in time.

The human immunodeficiency virus today is the most terrible and, unfortunately, so far incurable disease. However, there are drugs that can prolong the patient's life up to 70-80 years. It is very important to detect the disease in time, since ignoring it can lead to death 9-11 years after infection.

This is an important topic, and therefore one of its aspects should now be considered. Namely, the symptoms of HIV in women.

Specificity of the disease

First you need to make a reservation that the virus does not multiply on its own. He needs live, healthy, strong cells. Once in the body, he overcomes them, and after that they begin to produce new viruses. Having fulfilled this "function", depleted cells die. The multiplied viruses infect others, and all over again.

This process sometimes takes years. The protective functions of the body gradually weaken, and in the end the number of immune cells is reduced to a minimum. Even a cold can cause serious damage to such a depleted body and even lead to death.

Infection can occur through breast milk, blood, semen, and vaginal discharge. The most common cause of the virus entering the body is unprotected intercourse.

Development of infection

This process takes 10-12 years on average. It is customary to distinguish four phases:

• Incubation period. The virus is actively multiplying in the way mentioned above. It spreads throughout the body. It takes 1 to 3 months. Immunity weakens, but only slightly.
• Initial manifestations. The body begins to produce specific antibodies in an attempt to defend itself against the virus.
• Secondary manifestations. Pronounced symptoms appear. Immunity is weakening.
• AIDS. The disease takes on an irreversible form and ends in death. Death occurs in 1-3 years.

The symptoms of HIV in women and men are similar. It is important to note that in the case of this disease there are no deadlines. In some people, the first signs appear two weeks after infection. For others, after a few years. For some, the infection progresses rapidly. And in some, the disease does not manifest itself for years. Everything is very vague. Needless to say, cases of HIV resistance have been identified. Scientists still cannot figure out what caused this.

First alarms

It is important to note that women manifest themselves more diversely than men. However, they cannot be called specific. Therefore, many simply ignore them, sinning for ARVI or a cold. And here are the symptoms we are talking about:

• Unreasonable increase in body temperature up to 38 degrees. The indicator does not decrease within 2-3 days.
• Sudden lethargy, loss of strength and great weakness throughout the body. Such apathy can last for several days or go away in a matter of hours.
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpits and groin.
• Painful periods, too much discharge.
• Stomach upset.
• Migraines and irritability.
• Pain of an incomprehensible nature, felt in the pelvic region.
• Violent night sweats followed by chills.

The first symptoms of HIV in women may also be accompanied by a sore throat and cough, loss of appetite and nausea, in some cases, the occurrence of diseases of the genitourinary system has been noted.

Most often, the girl is overcome by endometritis, herpes and thrush. And since the body is infected, the disease either sharply aggravates or becomes chronic. And the drugs that previously helped do not seem to have any effect at all. Moreover, over time, purulent inflammation and non-healing ulcers, warty growths appear on the genitals.

Features of symptoms

It is important to make a reservation that primary manifestations can be both multiple and single. And they remind of themselves in some cases barely noticeable, and in others quite clearly. But the presence of signs that refer to the first symptoms of HIV in a woman does not mean that she is infected with this particular virus. Upset stomach, loss of energy and fever may indicate other medical conditions.

However, you can only be convinced by passing the examination. And since the earliest symptom of HIV is changes in the lymph nodes, if it is present, even in a minor manifestation, it is necessary to be checked. It is good that today you can take an analysis free of charge and anonymously at any center for the prevention and control of AIDS and infectious diseases.

We must not hesitate. The enlargement of the lymph nodes may not always be noticeable, but it is felt on palpation. This makes it possible to independently identify violations. It is important to know that as HIV develops, the lymph nodes return to their previous size. And then it will be difficult to recognize the presence of a virus in the body without a test.

Where can there be pain?

Some of the symptoms of HIV in women manifest themselves as discomfort. In pain arising in the right hypochondrium, for example. It is usually a consequence of an enlarged liver and spleen.

Also, many infected people complain of pain during diarrhea, which, by the way, cannot be eliminated even with the help of specific medications and diet.

Still, talking about the first signs and symptoms of HIV in women, one cannot but make a reservation that about one in three have to fight with encephalitis and meningitis of the serous type. These diseases are accompanied by a powerful headache, fever, vomiting, and nausea to critical levels.

In addition to the above, the early symptoms and signs of HIV in women include esophagitis. This is an inflammatory process of the esophagus, accompanied by pain in the chest area and impaired swallowing function.

However, no matter how the disease manifests itself, after 1-2 months all the symptoms will subside. Often, those infected think that they have simply completely recovered from a disturbing ailment. However, nothing ends there.

Asymptomatic period

It comes after, as a rule, a couple of months after the first alarm signals. Many people simply do not know which symptoms in women indicate HIV, and they forget about the period of illness. The infected continue to lead a completely active lifestyle and feel great at the same time. This period can last for several years.

But then the deterioration begins. Secondary signs, which will be discussed further. And this is a new stage, which is the transition to the AIDS-associated complex.

The symptoms in which it manifests itself begin to be seriously disturbing. A woman goes to a doctor, takes tests, learns about her disease. And the treatment is not too late to start, but it will be difficult, expensive and less effective. Plus, you will have to deal with concomitant diseases, which will now be discussed.

Secondary manifestations

HIV is a pathogenic virus and it causes diseases to which the body with a normal immune system does not usually respond. These are opportunistic infections. These include:

• Skin lesions: molluscum contagiosum, lichen, psoriasis, rubrophytosis, papillomas, seborrhea, aphthae, urticaria, pink rash, and warts.
• Shingles.
• Mycoses.
• Lesions of the central nervous system.
• Bacterial infections.
• Diseases of a viral nature.
• Inflammation of the pharynx and paranasal sinuses.
• Chronic diarrhea.
• Tuberculosis.
• Increased body temperature.
• Hairy leukoplakia.
• Oncological neoplasms.
• Multiple hemorrhagic sarcomatosis.

Diseases are attracted to the weakened female body like a magnet. Disorders of the nervous system are especially pronounced. At first, they manifest themselves as small memory problems. Then concentration of attention is noticeably reduced. In the worst cases, dementia develops.

In addition, salpingitis, dysplasia, and carcinoma are secondary symptoms of HIV infection in women.

Early treatment

As mentioned earlier, this virus cannot be expelled from the body. However, according to new research from WHO, the early start of therapy leads to better results.

Of course, any measures prescribed by doctors lead to an improvement in the patient's quality of life and a slowdown in the development of the disease. However, if a person starts taking it from the moment they are found to have a CD4 cell count of 500 / mm³ or less, then their treatment becomes much safer and more affordable.

And this applies to all infected, regardless of gender and age. By the way, other recommendations apply to infected children. Antiretroviral therapy is indicated for all babies under 5 years old, regardless of CD4 count.

Also, treatment is indicated for all lactating and pregnant women, without exception. And married couples in which one partner is infected.

How to get verified?

If, after studying the symptoms of HIV in women and photos (many of them are not for the impressionable), there is anxiety and a desire to find out about the state of their immunity, then there is no need to hesitate.

In any clinic, you can donate blood for free for an enzyme immunoassay, during which the presence / absence of antibodies in relation to this virus will be detected. All you need is a passport. And the results will be ready in 5-10 days.

There are also medical centers, dermatovenerologic dispensaries and even rapid AIDS tests, which can be bought at the pharmacy. The result becomes known in half an hour.

What does ignoring the disease lead to?

A lot has been said above about the symptoms of HIV in women in the early stages and how this disease manifests itself in the future. What happens if you ignore it?

The disease, gradually developing, at the end passes into the last stage of AIDS. Immunity is practically at zero, the body has no strength to fight. The real state is reflected in appearance: extreme thinness, many bruises and black spots on the body.

There is no appetite, suppuration, tears, ulcers and other massive skin lesions appear, which finally loses its ability to regenerate. The whole body is covered with spots. The skin peels off, exposing tissue.

Breathing is very difficult, and a constant cough accompanied by bloody expectoration also interferes. Logical thinking disappears, an abscess of tumors begins.

And this is only a small part of the manifestation of AIDS. Unfortunately, the stage is irreversible. The only way to delay death and relieve pain is in a hospital.

But this is not for everyone. Timely detection of the virus and competent therapy - this is what will help reduce the rate of development of the disease to a minimum and prevent its transition to another stage. That is why it is so important to know what the first symptoms of HIV are. Both women and men.

Positive forecasts

Finally, it is worth saying something good. The fact that the world knows cases of long-term remission in HIV.

In 2007, a girl was born in South Africa who was infected while still in the womb. After birth, she, along with 143 other infected children, was sent to an experiment.

They were divided into two groups. In relation to one of them, aggressive methods and retroviral drugs were used for 40 weeks. Another group was prescribed a placebo.

The effect was seen only in that girl. Although she was given a placebo. Surprisingly, she achieved a long-term remission in the absence of therapy, which is still ongoing.

The human immunodeficiency virus belongs to the group of retroviruses, provoking the development of HIV infection. This disease can proceed in several stages, each of which differs in the clinical picture, the intensity of manifestations.

Stages of HIV

Stages of development of HIV infection:

• incubation period;
• primary manifestations are acute infection, asymptomatic and generalized lymphadenopathy;
• secondary manifestations - damage to internal organs of a persistent nature, damage to the skin and mucous membranes, diseases of the generalized type;
• terminal stage.

According to statistics, HIV infection is most often diagnosed at the stage of secondary manifestations and this is due to the fact that the symptoms of HIV become pronounced and begin to bother the patient precisely during this period of the course of the disease.

At the first stage of the development of HIV infection, certain symptoms may also be present, but they, as a rule, are mild, the clinical picture is blurred, and the patients themselves do not turn to doctors for such "trifles". But there is one more nuance - even if a patient seeks qualified medical care at the first stage of the course of HIV infection, specialists may not diagnose the pathology. Moreover, at this stage of the development of the disease in question, the symptoms will be the same in men and women - this often confuses doctors. And only at the secondary stage it is quite realistic to hear the diagnosis of HIV infection, and the symptoms will be individual for men and women.

How long does it take to manifest HIV

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The first signs of HIV infection go unnoticed, but they are there. And they appear on average in the period from 3 weeks to 3 months after infection. A longer period is also possible.

Signs of secondary manifestations of the disease in question can also appear only many years after infection with HIV, but manifestations can also take place after 4-6 months from the moment of infection.

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After a person has contracted HIV infection, no symptoms and even small hints of the development of any pathology are observed for a long time. It is precisely this period that is called the incubation period, it can last, in accordance with the classification of V.I. Pokrovsky, from 3 weeks to 3 months.

No examinations and laboratory tests of biomaterials (serological, immunological, hematological tests) will help identify HIV infection, and the infected person himself does not look sick at all. But it is the incubation period, without any manifestations, that poses a particular danger - a person serves as a source of infection.

Some time after infection, the patient begins the acute phase of the disease - the clinical picture during this period may become a reason for the diagnosis of HIV infection "in question."

The first manifestations of HIV infection in the acute phase of the course strongly resemble the symptoms of mononucleosis. They appear on average from 3 weeks to 3 months from the moment of infection. These include:

When examining a patient, a doctor can determine a slight increase in the size of the spleen and liver - the patient, by the way, may also complain of recurrent pain in the right hypochondrium. The patient's skin may be covered with a small rash - pale pink spots that do not have clear boundaries. Often there are complaints from infected people and about long-term stool disorders - they are tormented by diarrhea, which is not relieved even by specific medications and a change in diet.

Please note: with this course of the acute phase of HIV infection, lymphocytes / leukocytes in an increased amount and mononuclear cells of an atypical appearance will be detected in the blood.

The above signs of the acute phase of the disease in question can be observed in 30% of patients. Another 30-40% of patients live an acute phase in the development of serous meningitis or encephalitis - the symptoms will be radically different from those already described: nausea, vomiting, an increase in body temperature to critical indicators, a powerful headache.

Often, the first symptom of HIV infection is esophagitis, an inflammatory process in the esophagus, characterized by swallowing problems and chest pain.

In whatever form the acute phase of HIV infection proceeds, after 30-60 days all symptoms disappear - often the patient thinks that he is completely cured, especially if this period of pathology was almost asymptomatic or their intensity was low (and this can also be ).

During the course of this stage of the disease in question, there are no symptoms - the patient feels great, does not consider it necessary to appear in a medical institution for a preventive examination. But it is at the stage of asymptomatic course that antibodies to HIV can be detected in the blood! This makes it possible to diagnose pathology at one of the early stages of development and begin adequate, effective treatment.

The asymptomatic stage of HIV infection can last for several years, but only if the patient's immune system has not been significantly affected. The statistics are rather contradictory - only in 30% of patients within 5 years after the asymptomatic course of HIV infection, symptoms of the following stages begin to appear, but in some infected people the asymptomatic stage of the course proceeds rapidly, lasts no more than 30 days.

This stage is characterized by an increase in almost all groups of lymph nodes, this process does not affect only the inguinal lymph nodes. It is noteworthy that it is generalized lymphadenopathy that can become the main symptom of HIV infection, if all the previous stages of the development of the disease in question proceeded without any manifestations.

Lymphosules increase by 1-5 cm, remain mobile and painless, and the surface of the skin above them has absolutely no signs of a pathological process. But with such a pronounced symptom as an increase in lymph node groups, the standard causes of this phenomenon are excluded. And here, too, there is a danger - some doctors classify lymphadenopathy as difficult to explain.

The stage of generalized lymphadenopathy lasts 3 months, about 2 months after the onset of the stage, the patient begins to lose weight.

Secondary manifestations

It often happens that it is the secondary manifestations of HIV infection that serve as the basis for a high-quality diagnosis. Secondary manifestations include:

The patient notes a sudden increase in body temperature, he has a dry, obsessive cough, which eventually turns into a wet one. The patient develops intense shortness of breath with minimal physical exertion, and the patient's general condition deteriorates rapidly. The therapy carried out with the use of antibacterial drugs (antibiotics) does not give a positive effect.

Generalized infection

These include herpes, tuberculosis, cytomegalovirus infection, candidiasis. Most often, women get sick with these infections and against the background of the human immunodeficiency virus, they are extremely difficult.

Kaposi's sarcoma

It is a neoplasm / tumor that develops from the lymphatic vessels. More often diagnosed in men, it has the appearance of multiple tumors of a characteristic cherry color, located on the head, trunk and in the mouth.

Damage to the central nervous system

At first, this manifests itself only with minor memory problems, decreased concentration. But in the course of the development of pathology, the patient develops dementia.

Features of the first signs of HIV infection in women

If infection with the human immunodeficiency virus occurs in a woman, then secondary symptoms will most likely manifest themselves in the form of development, progression of generalized infections - herpes, candidiasis, cytomegalovirus infection, tuberculosis.

Often, secondary manifestations of HIV infection begin with a banal menstrual irregularity, inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs, for example, salpingitis, can develop. Often diagnosed and oncological diseases of the cervix - carcinoma or dysplasia.

Features of HIV infection in children

Children who were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus during pregnancy (in utero from the mother) have some peculiarities during the course of the disease. First, the disease begins to develop at 4-6 months of age. Secondly, the earliest and main symptom of HIV infection during intrauterine infection is considered a disorder of the central nervous system - the baby lags behind his peers in physical and mental development. Thirdly, children with human immunodeficiency virus are susceptible to the progression of disorders of the digestive system and the appearance of purulent diseases.

The human immunodeficiency virus is still an unexplored disease - too many questions arise in both diagnosis and treatment. But doctors say that only the patients themselves can detect HIV infection at an early stage - they must closely monitor their health and undergo periodic preventive examinations. Even if the symptoms of HIV infection are hidden, the disease develops - only a timely test analysis will help save the patient's life for several years.

Answers to popular questions about HIV

Due to the large number of requests from our readers, we decided to group the most common questions and answers to them in one section.

Signs of HIV infection appear approximately 3 weeks to 3 months after exposure. Fever, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes in the first days after infection can indicate any pathology, except for the human immunodeficiency virus. During this period (doctors call it incubation), not only are there no symptoms of HIV, but deep laboratory blood tests will not give a positive result.

Yes, unfortunately, this is rare, but it happens (in about 30% of cases): a person does not notice any characteristic symptoms during the acute phase, and then the disease goes into a latent phase (this is, in fact, an asymptomatic course for about 8-10 years ).

Most modern screening tests are based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) - this is the "gold standard" of diagnostics, and an accurate result can be expected no earlier than 3-6 months after infection. Therefore, the analysis must be taken twice: 3 months after a possible infection and then another 3 months later.

Firstly, you need to take into account the period that has passed after a potentially dangerous contact - if less than 3 weeks have passed, then these symptoms may indicate a common cold.

Secondly, if more than 3 weeks have already passed after a possible infection, then you should not make yourself nervous - just wait and 3 months after a dangerous contact undergo a specific examination.

Third, fever and swollen lymph nodes are not “classic” signs of HIV infection! Often, the first manifestations of the disease are expressed by pain in the chest and a burning sensation in the esophagus, a violation of the stool (a person is worried about frequent diarrhea), a pale pink rash on the skin.

The risk of contracting HIV through oral sex is minimized. The fact is that the virus does not survive in the environment, so for oral infection it is necessary that two conditions come together: there are wounds / abrasions on the partner's penis and wounds / abrasions in the partner's oral cavity. But even these circumstances do not in every case lead to HIV infection. For your own peace of mind, you need to pass a specific test for HIV 3 months after a dangerous contact and pass a "control" examination after another 3 months.

There are a number of medications that are used for HIV postexposure prophylaxis. Unfortunately, they are not available for sale, so you have to go to an appointment with a therapist and explain the situation. There is no guarantee that such measures will prevent the development of HIV infection by 100%, but experts say that taking such drugs is quite advisable - the risk of developing the human immunodeficiency virus is reduced by 70-75%.

If there is no opportunity (or courage) to see a doctor with a similar problem, then there is only one thing to do - wait. You will need to wait 3 months, then get tested for HIV, and even if the result is negative, it is worth taking a control test after another 3 months.

No you can not! The human immunodeficiency virus does not survive in the environment, therefore, with people who are HIV-positive, you can without hesitation share dishes, bed linen, visit the pool and bathhouse.

There are risks of infection, but they are quite small. So, with a single vaginal intercourse without a condom, the risk is 0.01 - 0.15%. With oral sex, the risks range from 0.005 to 0.01%, with anal sex - from 0.065 to 0.5%. Such statistics are provided in the clinical protocols for the WHO European Region on HIV / AIDS treatment and care (p. 523).

In medicine, cases are described when married couples, where one of the spouses was HIV-infected, had sex life without using condoms for several years, and the second spouse remained healthy.

If during intercourse a condom was used, it was used according to the instructions and remained intact, then the risk of HIV infection is minimized. If, after 3 or more months after a dubious contact, symptoms resembling HIV infection appear, then you just need to contact a therapist. An increase in temperature, an increase in lymph nodes may indicate the development of ARVI and other diseases. For your own reassurance, it is worth taking an HIV test.

To answer this question, you need to know at what time and how many times such an analysis was submitted:

• a negative result in the first 3 months after a dangerous contact cannot be accurate, doctors talk about a false negative result;
• negative response to HIV testing after 3 months from the moment of dangerous contact - most likely the subject is not infected, but it is imperative to do another test 3 months after the first for control;
• negative response to HIV analysis 6 months or more after dangerous contact - the subject is not infected.

The risks in this case are extremely small - the virus quickly dies in the environment, therefore, even if the blood of an infected person remains on the needle, it is almost impossible to become infected with HIV by injuring yourself with such a needle. There can be no virus in the dried biological fluid (blood). However, after 3 months, and then again - after another 3 months - it is still worth getting tested for HIV.

Tsygankova Yana Alexandrovna, medical commentator, therapist of the highest qualification category.

The human immunodeficiency virus, which is usually 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 know 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 was proved that the first symptoms of HIV in women are more pronounced than in men, which makes the 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 its prevention. We will also examine 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, they are called HIV-infected, but not sick. The disease is talked about 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 Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

AIDS is the final stage in the development of HIV infection, which is characterized by a combination of diseases and their symptoms resulting from a decrease in the body's defenses.

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 genome of the virus, represented by double-stranded RNA. Also, the pathogen has a number of antigens to 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 have a detrimental effect on 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 blood, semen and vaginal secretions, as well as breast milk. therefore the disease can be transmitted in the following ways:

• sexual: during sexual intercourse;
• vertical: from mother to child during pregnancy, passing through the birth canal, while breastfeeding through breast milk;
• blood transfusion: contaminated blood transfusion;
• blood contact: through medical instruments and needles with residues of HIV-infected blood;
• transplant: for organ and tissue transplantation from an HIV-infected donor.

HIV is not spread 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 they have residual blood after cuts.

HIV: risk groups

Considering all possible routes of HIV transmission, the following high-risk groups can be formed:

• injecting drug addicts;
• sexual partners of drug addicts;
• persons with a disordered intimate life who prefer sexual intercourse without the use of barrier contraceptives;
• patients who received blood transfusions without a prior HIV test;
• medical professionals (nurses, surgeons, dentists, obstetricians-gynecologists and others);
• men and women who provide intimate 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 can be:

The early symptoms of HIV infection in a woman appear on average after one month with a flu-like syndrome, so most patients rarely seek medical help and treat their "cold" on their own at home. In just 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 (condylomas, papillomas, pink rash, urticaria, aphthae, seborrhea, lichen psoriasis, rubrophytosis, molluscum contagiosum and others);
• diseases of a viral nature;
• bacterial infections;
• shingles;
• inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
• inflammation of the pharynx;
• chronic diarrhea;
• increased body temperature;
• pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis;
• hairy leukoplakia
• lesions of the central nervous system;
• cancerous tumors of various localization;
• kaposi's sarcoma and others.

AIDS symptoms in women

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

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

If you are worried for more than a month with fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, excessive sweating and other symptoms that are characteristic of HIV infection, especially if you are in a high-risk group, we strongly recommend getting free anonymous HIV testing at the 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 HIV test, the woman is referred for consultation to the AIDS center, where the test is repeated and an infectious disease doctor is consulted.
• A child can become infected with HIV from the mother in several ways: in late pregnancy, when 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 dispensed at the pharmacy free of charge with a prescription.
• If untreated, every second child is born with HIV.
• All children born to HIV-positive mothers or fathers are examined three times using PCR.

HIV diagnostics

What are the most accurate tests for determining HIV? Today there are only two tests to detect HIV, namely:

• immunofluorescence analysis (ELISA) of blood, which is performed to detect antibodies to HIV. It takes several weeks for the formation of antibodies to the pathogen, therefore ELISA is recommended to be carried out 2-3 weeks after the alleged infection. Performing this test earlier than the specified date 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 can be used that detect the presence of the virus itself.

HIV treatment

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

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

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

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. However, 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.

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Some diseases, which include the human immunodeficiency virus, are particularly insidious. In order to prevent the development of this dangerous disease, it is important to pay attention to HIV symptoms in women, as well as men, to be able to recognize them in a timely manner. In different women, the first signs of pathology appear at different moments of its course, therefore, the approach to diagnosing and treating HIV infection should be carried out professionally and individually.

The first signs of the disease: symptoms in the early stages

The treachery of the infection lies in the fact that HIV in its early stages either proceeds latently (that is, practically without initial symptoms) or is mistaken for another disease with similar symptoms. According to some statistics, in the female population, the symptoms of HIV are more pronounced, and therefore the diagnosis of the disease is noticeably easier. This consolation may be weak, but it certainly inspires clear hope for a more favorable outcome.
What are the initial signs of HIV in women infected with this disease?

This is the problem, that not on the 1st day after becoming infected with HIV, nor on the 5th, and in general, during the first 2 weeks, a woman may not even guess that a terrible infection is developing inside her ...

But in the period between the 2nd and 6th weeks from the beginning of the virus entering the body, the first symptoms of HIV can manifest themselves in the following signs:

• an infected woman suddenly has a high (up to 38-40 ° C) body temperature;
• the condition is aggravated by signs of chills, fever, general loss of strength, muscle pain;
• on the part of the digestive system, the following changes occur: diarrhea, which occurs without prior disturbance in nutrition, nausea, sometimes vomiting;
• a woman's night sleep is accompanied by increased sweating;
• menstruation, if its course has fallen for a given period, proceeds more abundantly, increased intra-pelvic pains join the pathology (what to do with painful menstruation is described here);
• lymph nodes located in the neck, armpits or groin area (and possibly at the same time in all these places) increase significantly in size, at an early stage the symptom may not be visualized, but is easily detected by palpation;
• a similar condition can last from 2-3 days or more, but no longer than 7-10 days;
• recurrent fungal infections of any localization; shingles.

Due to the similarity and non-unique nature of the signs of HIV in the early stages, they are mistaken for colds, flu, mononucleosis, and so on, which they prefer to treat on their own at home. But the consultation of a doctor should not be neglected in any case, because only if HIV infection is detected at an early stage and undergoes adequate treatment, the disease does not become a sentence.

How does the disease manifest itself after a month

After 1 month, the first bright symptoms of HIV tend to subside, and the pathology continues to progress and destroy the immune system from the inside. HIV infection can manifest itself in the following signs, which at first appear sporadically, and eventually flow into permanent states:

• lingering colds and exacerbation of chronic;
• headaches and migraines (read about other possible causes of headaches here);
• increased fatigue and insomnia (somnologist and neurologist will help to cope);
• depression and a feeling of apathy (consultation with a psychologist will help to cope);
• digestive disorders and rapid loss of muscle mass;
• persistent diseases of the genitourinary system (thrush, endometriosis, erosion, and so on);
• exacerbating manifestations of herpes simplex and genital;
• damage to the skin and mucous membranes with multiple or single sores, pustules, rashes (for treatment, consult a dermatologist);
• ENT diseases, aggravated by the manifestations of a painful cough (ENT consults);
• muscle pain and aches in them;
• increased sweating and dizziness (for other causes of dizziness, see here).

The listed first signs of HIV in women can be both single and join each other, acquiring multiplicity, have both a mild character and more pronounced manifestations.

If at the very beginning of infection the disease could not be recognized even by a blood test, then after 1 month the HIV test shows a real picture. It is important not to ignore the first, early warning signs of HIV, especially if a woman is in the so-called “risk group”:

• has had a blood transfusion;
• got a tattoo, piercing;
• often changes sexual partners.

A woman should be alerted by the duration of the symptoms that appeared at the initial stage or the illogicality of their appearance (for example, digestive disorders without the slightest change in the diet).

It should be remembered that when the first signs of HIV infection appear in specialized AIDS prevention centers, you can take both a rapid HIV test and a detailed laboratory analysis on a completely anonymous basis.

How does the disease develop, stages and symptoms

HIV infection has certain stages of development.The processes taking place at one time or another have their own timing and manifestation.

1. Incubation stage.
It starts from the moment of infection, lasts from 2 weeks to 3 months. Depending on the state of the woman's immunity, the first stage of HIV infection can last up to six months or even a year. During this period, the virus cells actively multiply and spread throughout the body's systems through immune cells, which in turn produce antibodies to HIV infection. Making a diagnosis at this stage is difficult, the first symptoms of HIV at an early stage are implicit, episodic; the beginning of a decrease in the protective functions of the body occurs.

2. Stage of primary manifestations.
Its average duration is about 1 year, in some cases the duration of the period can vary from 2 weeks to several years. At this time, HIV viral cells continue their aggressive invasion of the body, and the immune system, in turn, actively produces antibodies. The first manifestations of HIV symptoms occur: fever, long-term ARVI, flu. Susceptibility to disease increases, lymph nodes become inflamed and enlarged, and the digestive system begins to malfunction.

3. Latent stage (or incubation).
The longest, most asymptomatic and insidious period of the disease. It lasts from 2 years, in some cases up to 2 decades. Symptoms of signs of HIV infection are extremely rare, a woman lives a normal life, unaware of the perniciously developing pathology. At this stage, immunity triggers various compensatory processes, and the HIV virus, despite the absence of any HIV symptoms, is inexorably spreading and causing irreparable harm to the entire body as a whole.

4. Stage of secondary diseases (or pre-AIDS).
At the moment of its achievement, the woman's immune system is completely depleted, she has exhausted all her compensatory mechanisms and is unable to resist any infections. This is the time when the first symptoms increase at times, the exacerbation of hitherto hidden pathologies, the loss of protective functions by the body. Symptoms can be expressed in a sharp loss of weight and constant diarrhea, complete exhaustion and dementia, skin lesions, and so on.

5. Terminal stage (or AIDS).
The last stage of the disease, called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is fatal. It is accompanied by extensive lesions of all systems, the course of serious illnesses. It is completely irreversible and lasts from 1 to 3 years.

Disease therapy is usually prescribed or.

Ways of infection and how to protect yourself

Surely there is not a single person on the planet who would like to become a patient in the HIV department. Therefore, it is very important to take care of yourself, your health, pay attention to various abnormal symptoms that resemble the first signs of HIV development. The immunodeficiency virus is found mainly in human blood, man's sperm, woman's vaginal secretions, as well as her breast milk. From this we can conclude that HIV infection is transmitted:

• sexually - people who often change sexual partners and practice unprotected sex are in real danger;
• vertical route - from HIV-infected mother to her baby during pregnancy and through breast milk;
• through blood - in the “risk zone” people who received donor blood transfusions (it could be HIV-infected), drug addicts who inject drugs and use a common syringe for everyone.

HIV is not transmitted by everyday means through the use of common objects, or by airborne droplets, or through hugs and handshakes, it is not transmitted by blood-sucking insects. Nevertheless, it is worth using individual hygiene items, leading a healthy lifestyle, choosing partners carefully and undergoing regular medical examinations. Do not try to independently analyze the first symptoms of HIV, no matter how they seem to you.

Doctor's advice

A blood test for HIV is included in the list of mandatory examinations during medical examinations - planned from work, medical examination, professional examination. This analysis is submitted in case of admission to a hospital of any profile, as well as when a pregnant woman is registered with the HC. Every year, an increasing number of the population is covered in terms of HIV diagnostics, which significantly increases the chances of starting treatment in the early stages of the disease.

If you have any doubts about HIV infection or disease therapy, you can ask an immunologist or infectious disease specialist online, without registration and on an anonymous basis.

HIV and AIDS: differences

HIV is the abbreviated name for the human immunodeficiency virus, and AIDS is the condition it causes. The virus conducts destructive work against the cells of the immune system, due to which the body's defense gradually decreases, it becomes susceptible to the effects of any microorganism.
In the final stage, the process reduces the protective abilities of the immune system so much, suppressing the production of white blood cells, that any infectious, viral or fungal agent can cause a serious illness (pneumonia, candidiasis of the digestive system, cystitis, meningitis, etc.), complications and death of the patient. The final stage is AIDS.
10-15 years of life pass between the moment of infection and AIDS.

HIV and pregnancy

The problem of the course of pregnancy against the background of HIV infection is becoming more urgent. Every year more and more women with HIV-positive status come to antenatal clinics.

There are no special complications at the initial stage, the only thing is that pneumonia is more often recorded. At a later date, the risk of bleeding, spontaneous abortion, premature birth, stillbirth, and endometritis increases.

According to research, the virus can enter the blood of a child as early as the 1st trimester, but this happens very rarely. As a rule, such children are born prematurely with severe developmental pathologies and die quickly. More often, infection occurs in the 3rd trimester or when passing through the birth canal of the mother. The probability of having a child with HIV is up to 50%, the use of therapy reduces the rate to 2%.

The baby is born with the mother's antibodies in the blood, i.e. according to tests, he will be HIV-positive. They will disappear in 1.5-2 years, after which it will be known for sure whether the baby has become infected or not. Risk factors for mother-to-child transmission of HIV:

• lack of antiviral therapy;
• bad habits of a woman;
• late appeal to an infectious disease specialist;
• thickening of the placenta;
• low maternal immunity;
• inflammatory diseases of the uterus;
• damage to the baby's skin during childbirth.

Considering that malaise during pregnancy, especially in the early stages, accompanies many, it is very difficult to suspect HIV. Therefore, according to the standards of women management, blood for HIV is donated 3 times for the entire period of bearing a child.

Is HIV Treated?

For the treatment of HIV infection, standards have been developed (see the literature list), which the infectious disease specialist relies on when prescribing therapy. Basic drugs:

• Stavudine;
• Lamivudine
• Nevirapine;
• Efavirenz;
• Etravirine
• Emtricitabine;
• Indinavir;
• Maravirok;
• Tenofovir;
• Zidovudine and others.

Treatment regimens and cost of therapy

According to the WHO protocols and the National Clinical Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of HIV Infection in Adults in the Russian Federation, the recommended initial regimen is tenofovir + lamivudine (or emtricitabine) + efavirenz. If contraindicated or not available, then zidovudine + lamivudine + efavirenz, zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine, tenofovir + lamivudine (or emtricitabine) + nevirapine

To increase the effectiveness of treatment, drugs are combined, but this increases the risk of negative consequences - toxic effects on the liver and kidneys. The result of treatment is assessed by the dynamics of the immune status.

In general, HIV therapy is effective. It has been proven to help prolong life by returning it to almost its original level. The level of the body's protective cells increases, which prevents the development of infectious, viral, fungal processes. The earlier the disease is detected and treatment is started, the higher the chances of a favorable outcome.