H I V AND A I D S

08 What happens to a person infected with HIV ?

The body of healthy person is well protected by a strong defense system which fights off harmful infections.

BUT in HIV infected person:

HIV weakens and destroys the defense system of the body and because the body then has no protection, many other illnesses make the person very sick and eventually the person dies.

IN the early stage....

Many people with HIV infection look healthy and feel well. They may not even know that they are carrying HIV in their bodies though they are capable of infecting others.

....BUT before some years

Most HIV positive Persons go on develop AIDS as their immune system becomes severely weakened. Normally mild diseases turn into fatal diseases.

For clinical definition of AIDS in adults there must be least two major signs with at least one minor sign and the absence of known causes of immunosuppression.

CLINICAL CASE DEFINITION OF AIDS IN ADULTS

Major signs

Weight loss, at least 10 percent body weight.
Chronic diarrhea, for more than one month.
Prolonged fever, for more than one month (intermittent or constant).
Persistent cough, more than one month.
Generalized puritic dermatitis (general skin disease infection).
An episode of herpes zoster (Virual infection).
Oro-pharyngeal candidiasis (fungus infection in mouth and throat)
Chronic progressive and disseminated herps simplex infection.
Generalized Iymphadenopathy (enlargment of lymph glands)

The presence of generalized Kaposi's Sarcoma or Cryptoccal meningitis are sufficient by themselves for the diagnosis of AIDS in adults.

CLINICAL CASE DEFINITION OF AIDS IN CHILDREN

The major and minor signs in paediatric age groups are mentioned below. There should be absence of known cause of immunio suppression (such as malnutrition) and the presence of at least two of the major and two of the minor signs for clinical diagnosis of AIDS.

Major Signs

Weight loss or abnormally slow growth.
Chronic diarrhoea, for more than one month.
Prolonged fever, for more than one month.

Minor Signs

Generalized Lymphadenopathy (enlargment of lymph glands)
Oro-pharyngeal candidiasis (fungus infection in mouth and throat)
Repeated common infection such as otitis media,(ear infection),pharyngitis.
Persistent cough.
Generalized dermatitis (general skin disease infection).
Confirmed maternal HIV infection.

HOW CAN I BE SURE I DO NOT HAVE HIV IN MY BODY ?

If you have any reason to think you have been exposed to HIV infection go and see a doctor or a health worker or a counsellor. They will answer your questions and give you correct information and advice.

These is a special blood test, called ELISA test. This test will indicate if you have HIV in your body. Confirmatory test is WESTERN BLOT test .Meanwhile,

Stop having sex with anyone.
Stop sharing injecting equipments.
Do not donate BLOOD.
Do not panic-consult health worker or a counselor.