The symptoms of having HIV infection include the swollen lymph glands, fever, tiredness, diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight, thrust (yeast infection) of the mouth and vagina, and night sweats. It may also lead to dementia, a mental disorder which affects thinking, sensory and memory of a person. When the infection already affected the brain, it may also cause movement or coordination problems.

HIV is mainly transmitted to three factors:

•    Sexual Intercourse – the sharing of genital fluids such as semen (male secretion) and vaginal secretion has a high risk of passing the virus to your partner. Having sexual relationship with multiple partners, homosexual or bisexual persons or having a very active sexual activity with your partner is also factors of HIV transmission.

•    Direct contact with infected blood or by sharing of needles and syringes that are unsterile and contaminated by infected blood. Blood transfusion is also a way of being infected if the blood donation was from a donor that is HIV positive. In rare cases, surgery, organ transplant and dental operations also lead to the transmission of HIV virus if the equipments are unsterilized.

•    Mother to child transmission during pregnancy, childbirth and while breastfeeding. An infected pregnant woman may pass the virus to her unborn child because of the hormones she passes to her baby. Even if the child is already born, the baby may also be infected by breastfeeding.

HIV virus is not transmitted through air, food, water, or insects. It is not also transmitted through kissing, hugging, holding hands or dancing, or any other physical contact that doesn’t involve sharing of bodily fluids with a person that has HIV infection.

HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a retrovirus that may cause AIDS if not prevented that is why antiretroviral drugs are prescribed to control the spread of the virus in the human body. Do not be confused with HIV and AIDS because they are not identical. The disease is called AIDS or the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome while the virus that caused the occurrence of AIDS is called the HIV.

Rashes usually occur two to three weeks after the exposure to AIDS that denotes that it is the late stage of HIV. Not all HIV positive people can experience this rash because it is thought that only eighty five percent of them can have HIV rash.  If the rash disappear only a few weeks of manifestation there may be a chance that it will appear again in the future because this commonly appear lately after being infected.

It has symptoms like aches and muscle pains, fever, diarrhea, headache and thrush. For the information of others who are not familiar with thrush, it is an infection caused by Candida fungus (also known as yeast) and mostly occurs on the mouth. Symptoms of HIV rash may also include swollen glands, fatigue, weight loss, loss of memory, problem with vision and having difficulty with the HIV infection.

If you see a rash, don’t conclude that you are being infected by HIV and have AIDS because it can look similar to different types of common rashes. To only way to know if you are positive of HIV is to have a test.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) became epidemic by the year 1980’s. And as we all know if a person is infected by this virus it can possibly lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). It is known to be incurable but it is a manageable virus. There are medications that are used for the prevention of the wide spread of this virus in the human body. Because it belongs to the family of retroviruses the treatment for HIV is called HAART (highly active retroviral therapy). This is discovered as the medical knowledge advances from time to time. And because of this advancement blood banks and infirmaries became aware and is now being careful not to get a blood donation that is infected by HIV resulting of rare occurrence of HIV transmission on the blood transfusion.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases state that there are already thirty-one antiretroviral drugs for the treatment of HIV and AIDS.  These medicines are capable of controlling and preventing the replication of HIV in the human body. These medicines are expensive and hard to find and it also has a lot of side effects and complications. Changes in metabolism and bone loss are only few of these medical complications. So if ever you are taking one of these medicines seek professional help from your physician and do not self prescribe because it has the complexity of selecting or following a certain treatment because viral resistance may occur.

Support groups can also help for the treatment of HIV. They can provide psychological support to individuals that are infected by HIV. It is because it lets an individual living with HIV connect with other people that share the same medical condition and that may result to emotional support and unity that prevent the person from negative feelings such as inferiority and isolation.

Sexual transmission is one of the three main causes of the infection of HIV to a person. It has been described from men to men, men to women, women to men or women to women sexual transmissions through vaginal, anal, and oral sex. If you are having unprotected sexual intercourse, there is higher risk of getting HIV infection. It is because genital secretions have the most number of HIV viruses. When it enters the body and come in contact with vagina, rectum, and mouth it will then spread the viral infection. Viral infection caused by HIV usually targets the body’s immune system that effects to sickness because the body’s defense mechanism is weakened.

To prevent it, the best way is to avoid sexual contact or the so-called abstinence. You may also perform safe sex by using condoms or latex barriers if abstinence is not an option. The use of condoms for penis (male reproductive organ) is to prevent exposure to fluids during pre-ejaculatory and ejaculatory periods. It is also useful in oral sex especially for cunnilingus (oral contact with the vagina) to prevent female secretions to have a direct contact with the mouth. Also, it increases the risk of having HIV from sleeping with someone if that “someone” is homosexual or bisexual, or if that someone wanted to involve you to any kind of sex without even having knowledge to his status. Having multiple partners is also a factor of having the risk in catching the virus.

On the other hand, you have a lesser chance of acquiring HIV from sleeping with someone that is monogamous (means he has only one partner – you) rest assured that you are not very active in your sex life, he is not involving to drug addiction that uses needles and syringes, he hasn’t undergone blood transfusion or that person hasn’t been infected by his mother during pregnancy. Another case is that you are only sleeping together and not doing any physical or intimate contact, the risk of having HIV virus is very minimal. Social activities like kissing, hugging, dancing or shaking hands with a person that has HIV are not infectious.

There are a lot of theories regarding this mysterious virus. The most probable theory is that HIV is originated from the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) that is found on monkey’s tissues. It may be passed on humans by eating the infected chimps or having an intercourse with them. There comes the theory about the polio vaccine, it is said that a polio vaccine was cultured from monkeys infected with SIV. But all of the stated above are merely speculations and has not yet to be proven as a fact.

The causes of HIV are mainly because of the virus attack to the immune system. That system is helped by white blood cells and antibodies which serve as soldiers that fight off and destroy bacteria, viruses or foreign organisms that enter the body. There are also white blood cells known as CD4 lymphocytes. The said lymphocytes are derived from the thymus gland that is responsible for immunity of cells. CD4 lymphocytes are the main target of the HIV which enters the cell and transmit their RNA (Ribonucleic Acid). They insert their genetic material to reproduce and make copies of themselves and by doing so, the CD4 cells die. By that, the body gradually weakens because nothing would defend the body on the next attacking viruses.

There are three main causes of HIV:
•    Sexual transmission – The sharing of body fluids like the semen for men and vaginal secretion for women, HIV positive individuals infects their partners because once the virus entered the body through small tears, it will develop in the vagina or rectum during unprotected sexual intercourse.

•    Transmission through pregnancy, childbirth or via breast feeding.

•    Transmission through infected blood – Blood is also a body fluid that may contain HIV virus. It is often transmitted to a person by blood transfusion, or by sharing needle and syringes that is contaminated with infected blood. Sharing of needles usually occur in injection of prohibited drugs. In some rare cases, it is acquired through organ transplant, dental or unsterilized surgical equipments.

Absence of any sign or symptom

According to studies, not everyone who is infected with HIV will experience HIV symptoms. Though there might be some infected people who will experience strong symptoms, there are those who will experience not a single sign during the early phase of the infection or the “primary infection period”.

However, for those who did manifest some symptoms, most patients reported that they experienced early symptoms that resemble the signs of flu or a cold virus. They generally had fever and fatigue. Others observed that they experienced headache, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes. Such early signs of HIV will usually appear within a few days or weeks after the initial exposure to the virus.

Signs which are associated with other conditions

The common problem with HIV symptoms is the fact that these signs often resemble symptoms of other illnesses. Other than that of common cold, people who are infected with HIV might experience symptoms that are similar to the signs of other STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) and infections. In some cases, people often pay no attention to the signs because such can be associated with common conditions such as anxiety or stress. However, there are also a few patients who develop false interpretations of their condition. For example, instead of recognizing the signs as symptoms of HIV, they mistakenly link these symptoms with other diseases such as hepatitis or cancer.

Some implications

Health experts point out that since most symptoms that are associated with primary HIV infection are non specific, it is not a reliable way to diagnose an infection. Basically, you cannot rely on the presence or the absence of HIV symptoms. You should get an HIV test if you want to determine if you are infected or not. However, you should bear in mind that you can only take the test after the window period, which usually last for three months.

Basically, an HIV antibody test will only be effective and reliable if conducted between the primary HIV infection period and the period where the immune system of the body already developed HIV antibodies. GP

While the reported HIV-infected population is already undeniably huge, health experts suspect that there are far more people who are actually infected with the disease during that year – probably about 1.5 million. The problem is that a percentage of this infected population is just unaware of their condition.

The unawareness might stem from the fact that people are not required to take regular HIV tests. Other than this, many HIV infected people are oblivious of their health condition primarily because they are not familiar with the early signs of HIV infection.

What you need to know about HIV signs and symptoms

Many HIV infected people do not experience signs and symptoms of the infection. The duration for the development of the disease, as well as the symptoms, will usually vary. Some show up within just a few months while others take more than ten years.

In addition to that, the severity and the number of symptoms that will manifest vary from one person to another. What’s more is that the early signs of HIV infection will typically disappear on its own just after a few weeks after the virus has been transmitted. So technically, many infected people might just disregard the early symptoms as soon as they disappear. Some will also associate the signs with other diseases or health conditions that they might have.

Although there might be no early signs of HIV, the virus will continue to reproduce actively inside the body. In this process, it will also invade and kill body cells. The most common target of the virus is the cells of the immune system – in particular, the T-4 lymphocytes. These cells are responsible for fighting body infections.

The apparent symptoms

On the first phase of HIV infection, the patient will likely develop flu-like illness. This illness comprised of persistent fatigue and high fever will typically last for two to four weeks upon infection. In some cases, the patient will also experience severe headaches and sore throat. There might also be swollen lymph glands which can be very painful. In some cases, rashes and lesions might also occur.

As the immune system of the patient becomes severely impaired overtime, the HIV infected person will experience more apparent early signs of HIV. This will include frequent fever and night chills and sudden weight loss. The patient will also experience a lack of energy as well as short term memory loss. A few patients also reported that they had persistent yeast infections matched with other skin diseases. This included rashes, flaky skin, lesions, and sores in the mouth, the genitalia, and the anal area. GP

Keep in mind that you can properly manage your situation if you are aware of the various mechanics of the disease. Moreover, it should be noted that HIV is associated with various complex terms which you may not have any idea about. One of these terms is the “HIV Window Period”.

What is this window period?

The HIV window period refers to that phase or time frame wherein the HIV infected person will react to the virus. This reaction comes in the formation of HIV antibodies. Until these antibodies are created, the patient will not be able to tell whether he has HIV or not. In clinical settings, this time period is often referred to as “sero conversion”.

What happens during the window period?

Once the HIV virus is transmitted to a person through sexual contact or by other means, HIV antibodies do not appear immediately. In fact, you won’t be able to detect it within a few days just after you came in contact with an HIV infected person who is already in the latent phase of the disease. As a result, although you might think that you are highly at risk for HIV, you cannot immediately find out if you have actually acquired the infection because HIV tests need to detect the presence of the HIV antibodies in order to conclude that you are indeed infected.

During the HIV window period, the HIV infected person will already have very high concentrations of HIV in his blood and body fluids.  However, there are still no HIV antibodies in the blood so the infection cannot be detected. But during this phase, the patient can already transmit the infection. According to experts, people who are infected with HIV might be most infectious during such period. This is because the patient’s immune system attempts to control the infection.

How long is this phase?

The actual duration of the HIV window period varies from one person to another. There are many patients who had detectable HIV antibodies in their blood just after three weeks after the initial infection. In a few cases however, some studies reported that some patients had a window period of six months.

However, based on recent HIV statistics, the average duration of the period is three months. As such, if you think that you are highly at risk for HIV or if you have just indulge in unprotected sex with a person who is potentially infected with HIV, make sure that you subject yourself to HIV tests regularly, preferably for the next 12 months after the incident. GP

In addition to that however, he should also have an opportunistic infection (an illness that usually occurs once the immune system is impaired) or he should have a T-4 lymphocyte count of no more than 200 instead of having a concentration of 800 to 1,200.

These signs that are associated with AIDS are among the latest symptoms of HIV AIDS when the infection is already at its latest phase. During the latest phase of the HIV – AIDS, which typically occurs ten or more years after the infection started, the immune system of the patient has become severely impaired. This means that the person will become very susceptible to various infections which can be fatal.

Signs and symptoms of the opportunistic infections

When the patient is already in the latent phase infection, he will not just experience the symptoms of HIV AIDS. He might also experience some symptoms of opportunistic infections. The most common of which is the PCP or Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. When a person has PCP, he will observe significant and possibly sudden weight loss over just a short period of time. Head aches and blurred vision might be experienced as well. In some cases, the patient can also experience chronic diarrhea.

A person which is infected with PCP will typically have soaking night sweats accompanied with dry cough, as well as shortness of breath, especially at night. He will also observe some white spots or weird lesions on his tongue or inside or around his mouth. What’s more alarming than most symptoms of HIV AIDS are the high fevers (which will usually be higher than 38 degrees Celsius) and possible convulsions that the patient will experience for several weeks and even months.

Latent symptoms of the HIV infection

When the infection is already in its latent phase, the patient will experience more severe symptoms of HIV AIDS. Aside from the notable signs that signify opportunistic infections, the patient will also experience constant and unexplained fatigue regardless of his day to day activities.

HIV infection will also cause persistent fevers and severe headaches. Other than that, the patient might experience pain in various parts of his body, especially with swelling lymph nodes. The patient may also experience symptoms of other illnesses that are likely to develop. This may include Kaposi’s sarcoma, cervical cancer and lymphoma. GP

For many decades now, researchers are embarking on the quest to invent an HIV vaccine that will prevent the transmission of the virus. However, despite the persistence of scientists, the virus that causes AIDS proves to be very stubborn as well. Based on the latest news on HIV vaccine, efforts haven’t yielded any successful results. However, researchers note that the most recent failures still produced important insights. Such insights can be very useful in the next attempt.

Details of the study

The latest news on HIV vaccine reports that the HIV Research Section of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and the U.S. Military HIV Research Program conducted a study on 3,000 HIV-negative people from various parts of North America, South America, the Caribbean and Australia.

During the course of the research, they were divided in groups. One group received doses of the experimental HIV vaccine while the others received placebo. The HIV vaccine was referred to as the “Merck vaccine”, primarily because such was developed by Merck & Co.

Results of the experiment

According to the researchers, 4.6 % of those who received the Merck vaccine still became infected with HIV. As for those who received placebo, there was a 3.1 % rate of HIV infection. Although the researchers cannot conclude on the statistical significance of the difference between the rates, they claimed that uncircumcised men had increased rates of becoming HIV infected as compared to men who were already circumcised.

Based on the latest news HIV vaccine, the infection rates were also higher among the subjects which were immune to the cold virus. Such conclusions were vital because scientists used the cold virus as one of their basis in ensuring that the HIV vaccine will penetrate the cells of the body.

Implications of the study

According to Dr. Merlin L. Robb from the U.S. Military HIV Research Program, the failure on the recent research “profoundly affected the HIV-vaccine development field.”

Among the most important information that the researchers were able to derive from the study was that they had to understand the role of the foreskin in increased HIV risks among uncircumcised men.

Through the latest news HIV vaccine, they also realized that researchers should also determine if there is any relationship between the immunity to the cold virus and the susceptibility to HIV infection.

Dr. Susan P. Buchbinder, director of the HIV Research Section at the SFDPH, notes that the study provided new insights that are vital for the development of a successful HIV vaccine. She further notes that it would have been impossible for the researchers to anticipate these concerns if the Merck vaccine did not fail. GP