What is HIV? HIV Virus Symptoms and Treatment

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that directly attacks the body’s immune system, reducing the cells that help fight infection, thus making the individual vulnerable to other diseases they may encounter. The HIV virus causes the disease called AIDS, which stands for “Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome”. A person infected with HIV can carry this virus in his body throughout his life. In order to control the virus, it is important to apply early diagnosis and treatment methods, as in many other diseases. Today, effective treatment methods continue to develop and successful results are achieved.

What is HIV?

HIV was transmitted to humans from a type of chimpanzee in Central Africa, and over time, it began to be seen all over the world from Africa. It is thought that the transition from chimpanzees to humans occurred as a result of humans hunting chimpanzees for their meat, causing the HIV AIDS pandemic. HIV, which supposedly emerged in the late 1800s, spread throughout Africa over the years. It then spreads from here to other countries in the world. It is known that HIV causes negative effects on the body’s immune system. Failure to control it with treatments   causes the virus to cause the disease called AIDS over time. With appropriate antiretroviral treatment, the virus can be controlled, and thanks to these methods, people can live a long life and be protected from the possibility of transmitting the virus to their spouses.

What Does Anti-HIV Positive Mean?

A person can find out whether HIV is present in his body with the help of tests. These tests, called Anti HIV, have positive and negative values. It can be said that the HIV virus is present in the body of a person whose anti-HIV value is positive. At this stage, a definitive diagnosis is made through detailed examinations and applications such as HIV confirmation tests.  When the anti-HIV value is negative, it means that the person does not have any antibodies against HIV in his body. After the diagnosis is made with laboratory tests specific to the disease, the course of the infection is examined. Regular follow-ups, treatments and applications are among the important parts of the process. It is especially important for risk groups to have HIV tests and maintain regular check-ups.

What are the symptoms of HIV?

HIV begins to show minor symptoms within a few weeks of infection. These symptoms are often similar to the flu, so it may not be thought that you are infected with the virus at first. At the same time, the symptoms do not occur the same in every individual. While some individuals may have no symptoms, some may have intense symptoms. Some of the symptoms of HIV are as follows:

• High fever
• Sweating that increases at night
• Muscle pains
• rashes
• mouth ulcer
• lymph node swelling
• Sore throat
• Feeling of fatigue and burnout

These symptoms may appear within 2 to 4 weeks after being infected with the HIV virus. The stage when the virus shows its symptoms in this way is called “acute HIV infection”. If necessary practices are not taken during acute HIV infection, the disease becomes “chronic HIV infection”. During the chronic HIV infection stage, there are generally not many symptoms. Over time, the immune system weakens and the person becomes vulnerable to other diseases. If treatment is not applied at this stage, the final stage, AIDS, occurs. During the AIDS stage, the body can suffer serious damage.

What are the Causes of HIV? How is HIV Transmitted?

HIV is transmitted through contact with infected blood or body secretions. This usually occurs sexually. Some of the ways of transmission of HIV virus include:

1. Unprotected sexual intercourse
2. Sharing equipment such as needles and syringes
3. Contact with the blood of an infected person
4. Transmission from mother to baby during pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding

Such situations cause HIV to be transmitted directly to the person interacted with. Secretions released during sexual intercourse cause HIV to be transmitted to the partner. Blood and body secretions in needles and syringes also result in the infection of the other person using the equipment. Contact with the blood of an infected person causes transmission through blood. If pregnant women carry the HIV virus, it may cause the virus to be transmitted to the baby during pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding.

What are the Types of HIV Diseases?

HIV progresses through 3 stages until it reaches the disease stage AIDS. HIV, which causes different effects on the body at each stage, can continue to progress rapidly if treatment and practices are not used. HIV types and stages are as follows:

1. Acute HIV Infection:At this stage, there is a large amount of HIV in the blood. They are very contagious. Individuals who are not yet aware can easily pass the virus on to their partners. At this stage, flu-like symptoms or no symptoms may be observed over time. Tests that diagnose acute infection are antigen/antibody tests and nucleic acid tests.
2. Chronic HIV Infection: This stage is also defined as the clinical latency stage. The virus is still active in the body, but its proliferation level is very low. The symptoms seen at this stage are mostly minimal. The chronic phase of HIV infection can last up to 10 years without any medication. A low level of virus proliferation does not mean that there will be no infection. At the end of this stage, the HIV rate increases and the third stage is passed. People who use their medications properly usually never reach the third stage.
3. AIDS: AIDS is the most severe stage of infection. The immune system is damaged very strongly and quickly. Infections called opportunistic infections increase in the body. AIDS is diagnosed when the number of CD4 cells in the body falls below a certain level. People with AIDS have a very high rate of transmitting the virus.

How to Diagnose HIV?

HIV can be diagnosed with the help of blood tests and home test kits. HIV tests are available through healthcare institutions such as hospitals, community health centers and clinics. With the help of these institutions, tests can be performed and treatment can be started quickly after diagnosis. The speed of the process helps greatly reduce the rate of progression to other stages of the virus. Test kits sold in pharmacies can also be used to diagnose HIV. Home test kits help you learn about the presence of the virus in your body under more specific conditions. Depending on the results of the test, health institutions can be contacted and the virus can be tried to be controlled. To find out how much anti-HIV should be, you can get support from an expert. Since tests usually show positive and negative values, it is easy to learn and understand the test result.

HIV Test

“What is HIV testing?” The question is asked by many people who are both at high risk of being infected with the virus and are curious about the virus. HIV testing is one of the only definitive ways to determine whether HIV is present in the body. These tests are generally quite easy to perform. These tests, which can be performed in hospitals, can also be performed at home. After self-administered tests or tests performed in medical clinics, consulting experts and getting help regarding the test results are also very important and necessary steps.

When Should HIV Testing Be Done?

It is necessary to wait a certain period of time for HIV tests to give accurate results. As with many other viruses, this virus also has an incubation period. Tests performed during the HIV incubation period may yield incorrect results, causing wrong action. It takes approximately 4-6 weeks for virus antibodies to form. The most accurate result can be obtained after waiting three months. Tests performed approximately 90 days after suspected intercourse help you obtain highly accurate data. In addition, waiting times vary depending on the type of tests.

Where is HIV Testing Done?

HIV testing can be done in many health institutions serving public health. Thanks to blood tests and other testing methods performed at the right time in health institutions, infected people can get accurate results. At the same time, self-testing at home after the incubation period of the disease helps you find out your likelihood of being infected and provides convenience.

How to Test for HIV?

HIV test is performed by examining the blood taken from the patient in a laboratory environment with the help of antigens. All findings in the blood are detected and the presence or absence of HIV in the body is examined. Home HIV tests are also performed by taking blood from the fingertip. These tests, which provide results within half an hour on average, are also very important for early diagnosis.

What are HIV Treatment Methods?

People infected with HIV continue to carry the virus in their bodies throughout their lives. HIV treatment methods are used to reduce and eliminate the possibility of the virus passing to other stages.

HIV is treated with a medication called antiretroviral therapy. Medication also helps reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to other people. Many people infected with HIV can live long and healthy lives as a result of regular drug treatment. In this process, it is also important for the person to take good care of himself and improve his quality of life with healthy practices, medical care and similar methods. In addition, it is of great importance to avoid risky sexual intercourse and use disposable syringes in order not to be infected with HIV and to reduce the rate of transmission of the virus. It is necessary to cooperate with the doctor to prevent the virus from being transmitted to the baby during pregnancy.