HIV
Hiv (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. If left untreated, hiv can lead to the disease AIDS. The human body can’t get rid of Hiv and no effective Hiv cure exists. So, once you have disease, you have it for life. In addition, there are effective methods to prevent getting hiv by pre-exposure prophylaxis (prep) and post-exposure prophylaxis (pep). Hiv medicine taken within 72 hours after a possible exposure to prevent the virus from taking hold. Person with Hiv who progresses to AIDS become vulnerable to tuberculosis(tb), opportunistic infections and even certain types of cancers.
Symptoms:
Initially flu-like symptoms can include:
- Fever
- chills
- rash
- night sweats
- muscle aches
- sore throat
- fatigue
- swollen lymph nodes
- mouth ulcers
In the late stage of hiv infection symptoms of aids can include:
- rapid weight loss
- recurring fever or profuse night sweats
- extreme and unexplained tiredness
- prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck
- diarrhea that lasts for more than a week
- sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals
- pneumonia
- red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids
- memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders
