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Chronic symptomatic HIV infection Causes and Risks:
Chronic symptomatic HIV infection is characterized by signs and symptoms typical of HIV infection that are not life-threatening. These symptoms are usually not present in acute or asymptomatic HIV infection . The onset of these manifestations signals the transition from HIV infection to HIV disease . However, at this point of infection, the person does not have AIDS defining manifestations of immune deficiency, also known as opportunistic infections. Risk factors for HIV infection are sexual contact with an infected sexual partner that includes exchange of semen or vaginal secretions, intravenous drug use, receipt of blood transfusion or blood components, or being born to an HIV-positive mother.
Prevention:
Safer sex behaviors may reduce the risk of acquiring the infection. There is a risk of acquiring the infection even if "safe sex" is practiced with the use of condoms . Abstinence is the only sure way to prevent sexual transmission of the virus.
Do not have sexual intercourse with: - people known or suspected to be infected with AIDS
- numerous partners
- people who have multiple partners
- people who use IV drugs
Do not use intravenous drugs. If IV drugs are used, do not share needles or syringes.
People with AIDS or who have had positive antibody tests may pass the disease on to others and should not donate blood, plasma, body organs, or sperm. They should not exchange body fluids during sexual activity
Symptoms:
Signs and Tests:
Lab tests that indicate immune suppression include:
Treatment:
Therapy with Retrovir, an antiviral agent, is recommended for symptomatic and asymptomatic HIV-infected persons whose CD4 cell counts are 500 or less. Therapy with Retrovir has been shown to slow the rate of disease progression.
People with HIV infection need to receive education about the disease and treatment so that they can be active partners in decision-making with the health care provider.
Oral thrush and diarrhea can be treated with medications.
Support Groups:
The stress of illness can often be helped by joining a support group where members share common experiences and problems. See AIDS - support group .
Prognosis:
Several factors that appear to predict a more rapid progression to AIDS are: unexplained weight loss , persistent diarrhea or fever , night sweats, more frequent or more severe herpes simplex infections, and oral thrush .
Complications:
Advanced HIV disease ( AIDS ), characterized by the development of opportunistic infections and malignancies, may develop.
Call Your Healthcare Provider:
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms of chronic symptomatic HIV infection are present.
Call for an appointment with your health care provider you have chronic symptomatic HIV infection and you develop new symptoms.
This is a graph of AIDS statistics for the United States from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC); alphabetically for Alabama through Iowa.
This is a graph of AIDS statistics for the United States from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC); alphabetically for Kansas through North Dakota.
This is a graph of AIDS statistics for the United States from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC); alphabetically for the states of Ohio through Wyoming.
Kaposi's sarcoma on the toe. This once-rare malignancy of the blood vessels is now associated with AIDS. It is more frequently associated with AIDS in homosexual men than AIDS in IV drug users. The malignancy results in purplish grape-like lesions in the skin, gastrointestinal tract and other organs. In this photograph, the lesion is located on the toe.
Kaposi's sarcoma on the foot. This once-rare malignancy of the blood vessels is now associated with AIDS. It is more frequently associated with AIDS in homosexual men than AIDS in IV drug users. The malignancy results in purplish grape-like lesions in the skin, gastrointestinal tract and other organs.
Kaposi's sarcoma is a vascular cancer that is now closely associated with AIDS. These vascular lesions are typically purple, may be raised, and exhibit a grape-like surface texture.
Kaposi's sarcoma usually occurs in male homosexuals with AIDS. These lesions can appear anywhere on the body as purple, elevated growths. This sarcoma is located near the anus (perianal).
Herpes simplex virus normally infects mucous membranes. In people with weakened immune systems (immunocompromised) it may infect many areas including the skin. A large are of tissue has been damaged with some tissue death (necrosis). These infections are difficult to treat.
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