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AIDS is an
acronym for "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome". It is
generally caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
However, not everyone infected with the virus develops AIDS, and not everyone
with the signs and symptoms diagnostic of AIDS harbors the
virus. At the present time, there
is no cure for the virus (HIV); however the syndrome (AIDS)
can be controlled with various combination of drugs.
How does HIV produce AIDS?
HIV attacks
the immune system. It infects a particular component of our
immune system called the "T cells". T cells are a type of
white blood cell which are responsible for protecting our
bodies from attack by foreign invaders such as other
viruses, bacteria, yeast and various cancer cells which may
arise in our bodies from time to time. Since HIV kills off
an important part of our immune system, an infected
individual becomes vulnerable to common diseases which are
generally not dangerous to people with intact immune
systems. Simple infections that other people can ignore
while they heal become life threatening disasters for the
AIDS patient.
The general signs and symptoms of AIDS
HIV generally
makes its presence known in two separate stages. The first
stage is called "Acute retroviral syndrome" and happens
about two weeks after acquisition of the virus. These
symptoms are similar to those seen in a severe case of the
flu (fever, malaise, sore throat, headache, cough, diarrhea,
vomiting etc). During this period, the virus is multiplying
vigorously and a blood test will usually demonstrate the
presence of HIV. In many people, this stage will resolve
spontaneously within two to three weeks, and if the
patient has simply toughed out the illness without seeing a
physician, he may not realize that he actually is infected
with HIV.
A long period
(called a latency period) may elapse between this primary
infection and the more serious secondary stage of the
disease which is characterized by secondary infections
caused by organisms that take advantage of the patient's
compromised immune response. It is generally a combination
of these "opportunistic infections" and the direct effects
of HIV (the virus itself) which cause the two classes of
signs and symptoms characteristic of the later stages
of the disease.
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Major signs like Unexplained weight loss greater than 10% of body
mass, Fever lasting longer than a month, chronic diarrhea
of longer than one month duration.
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Minor signs like Persistent coughing ,Itchy dermatitis (red, itchy
skin) ,Recurrent
Shingles (painful
skin eruptions over the skin on one part of the body) ,Fungal infections
of the mouth and throat
,Chronic
Herpes Simplex ,
Lymphadenopathy
The presence
of two of the major signs accompanied by one or more of the
minor signs is an indication of severe suppression of the immune
system, and may lead to the presumptive
diagnosis of AIDS.
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