what is the early symtoms of HIV infections?

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What are the early symptoms of HIV/AIDS?

Many people do not develop any symptoms when they first become infected with HIV. Some people, however, get a flu-like illness within three to six weeks after exposure to the virus. This illness, called Acute HIV Syndrome, may include fever, headache, tiredness, nausea, diarrhoea and enlarged lymph nodes (organs of the immune system that can be felt in the neck, armpits and groin). These symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for another viral infection.

During this period, the quantity of the virus in the body will be high and it spreads to different parts, particularly the lymphoid tissue. At this stage, the infected person is more likely to pass on the infection to others. The viral quantity then drops as the body's immune system launches an orchestrated fight.

More persistent or severe symptoms may not surface for several years, even a decade or more, after HIV first enters the body in adults, or within two years in children born with the virus. This period of "asymptomatic" infection varies from individual to individual. Some people may begin to have symptoms as soon as a few months, while others may be symptom-free for more than 10 years. However, during the "asymptomatic" period, the virus will be actively multiplying, infecting, and killing cells of the immune system.

Once HIV enters the human body, it attaches itself to a White Blood Cell (WBC) called CD4. Also, called T4 cells, they are the main disease fighters of the body. Whenever there is an infection, CD4 cells lead the infection-fighting army of the body to protect it from falling sick. Damage of these cells, hence can affect a person's disease-fighting capability and general health.

After making a foothold on the CD4 cell, the virus injects its RNA into the cell. The RNA then gets attached to the DNA of the host cell and thus becomes part of the cell's genetic material. It is a virtual takeover of the cell. Using the cell's division mechanism, the virus now replicates and churns out hundreds of thousands of its own copies. These cells then enter the blood stream, get attached to other CD4 cells and continue replicating. As a result, the number of the virus in the blood rises and that of the CD4 cells declines.

Because of this process, immediately after infection, the viral load of an infected individual will be very high and the number of CD4, low. But, after a while, the body's immune system responds vigorously by producing more and more CD4 cells to fight the virus. Much of the virus gets removed from the blood. To fight the fast-replicating virus, as many as a billion CD4 cells are produced every day, but the virus too increases on a similar scale. The battle between the virus and the CD4 cells continues even as the infected person remains symptom-free.

But after a few years, which can last up to a decade or even more, when the number of the virus in the body rises to very high levels, the body's immune mechanism finds it difficult to carry on with the battle. The balance shifts in favour of the virus and the person becomes more susceptible to various infections. These infections are called Opportunistic Infections because they swarm the body using the opportunity of its low immunity. At this stage, the number of CD4 cells per millilitre of blood (called CD4 Count), which ranges between 500 to 1,500 in a healthy individual, falls below 200. The Viral Load, the quantity of the virus in the blood, will be very high at this stage.

Opportunistic infections are caused by bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites. Some of the common opportunistic infections that affect HIV positive persons are: Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), Tuberculosis (TB), Salmonellosis, Bacillary Angiomatosis (all caused by bacteria); Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Viral hepatitis, Herpes, Human papillomavirus (HPV), Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) (caused by virus); Candidiasis, Cryptococcal meningitis (caused by fungus) and Pneumocystis Carinii pneumonia (PCP). Toxoplasmosis. Cryptosporidiosis (caused by parasites). HIV positive persons are also prone to cancers like Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta has listed a series of diseases as AIDS-defining. When these diseases appear, it is a sign that the infected individual has entered the later stage of HIV infection and has started developing AIDS. The progression of HIV positive persons into the AIDS stage is highly individual. Some people can reach the AIDS stage in about five years, while some remain disease free for more than a decade. Measurement of the viral load and the CD4 count helps a doctor in assessing an infected person's health condition.  (+ info)

How do you get infections like HIV..?

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how????
HIV is spread through the exchange of infected bodily fluid such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions. Ways people are infected include sex and sharing needles. There is no such thing as " safe sex ", only safer sex practives. Condoms do not guarantee you will not contract the HIV virus. And no method of sexual activity is safe as well. Some think you cannot contract the virus by oral sex, but you certainly can. Certain lifestyle choices also put you at a greater risk of contracting HIV such as needle drug use, prostitution, and homosexuality.   (+ info)

Why do my yeast infections keep coming back?

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I have had a lot of yeast infections and it really annoys me. I am not sexually active and have recently been tested for STIs and HIV and the tests all came back negative. What else could be going on? The doctor gives me diflucan and it works for about 5 days and then the itching and burning come back. I also get a stabbing like pain in my clitoris :( Help! I don't want any mean answers please. Thanks everyone!
I don't have any idea about your problem. However, I came across a blog about yeast infection. Hope you find your answer there.

Resources for Yeast Infection Causes, Cures, Symptoms, Treatment, Remedies:
http://yeast-infection-guide.blogspot.com

:)  (+ info)

I've been having chronic yeast infections for about 5 months now. Do I have HIV or were they just not cured?

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I had unprotected sex six months ago. I'm getting tested tomorrow...but it will take a week or two before I get test results. AND I'm scared.

I read somewhere that women who do have HIV get chronic yeast infections because of their weakened immune system. Wouldn't that mean I should've gotten sick from coming in contact with my neice who had the flu? Or gotten sick from my classmates who had colds or something? I haven't gotten sick at all! (knock on wood)

Furthermore...I heard that if you don't wait at least 9-10 for your yeast infection to be cured before having sex, it will come back again? So maybe all this time, I just haven't cured it? My gyno prescribed these pills for me to take...it worked in the beginning..but now i feel immuned to it or something. I don't know... someone help me!

FYI: I'm a 22 y/o female...I exercise a lot...I have a healthy diet (tofu, lean meat, veggies, whole wheat breads) and I do drink a lot with friends almost every weekend.
To Rea4154:
Yeast infections ARE ONE OF THE SYMPTOMS of HIV...I know that they are not the same. I know that yeast infections are not deadly. I never said that I was going to die from a yeast infection...but because I had concurrent yeast infections, I was worried that I was diagnosed with HIV (which I am not by the way...i just got my test results today..so YAY! on my part). You should read my question/details carefully...I'm not the idiot...you just made yourself look like a fool. By looking at your statistics...it seems like you only have 6% best answers...hmmm..i wonder why?
Hiv results from a viral exposure leading to a weakened and compromised immune system.Constant diharrea (spelling?) white spots in the mouth, mouth sores often and hoarseness, are some initial symptoms. Also one develops such as pneumonia and /or a cancer can happen as it worsens. Any relationship or sexual encounter less than 6 months time ( to be sure it is exclusive first)SHOULD use protection or there is a risk of any std, including hiv/aids. This has been known to not show up in a person until 5-10 years of exposure. The BEST thing to do is get tested. The waiting is the worst part for the result. Be patient and busy to not focus on this. Try other means of treating the yeast infection. There are one dosage over the counter products at drugstores now. Chronic yeast infections signal something is out of balance in the body. I would look up yeast infections on a medical site here for more accurate info on how to best treat this.Try mayoclinic dot com and enter yeast infection in the search bar. Then click on treatment when this comes up there. You can also check causes of this there.

My sympathy to you to have this repeatedly. I have found that eating yogurt with active cultures especially when one takes an antibiotic is helpful to prevent these, and can be used to treat this as well. If you want more info on how to with that, then add me as a contact on here and I can let you know.

On the drinking , just so you know, the statistics show that women should NOT have more than ONE alcoholic drink daily if they do this often. This can and will increase breast cancer risk if done in greater amounts regularly.I would stop the drinking as it can cause liver and kidney damage later in life that can be very serious.  (+ info)

What are the risks of getting infections from endoscopy?

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Hi I wonder if anyone could provide more info on this please?I'm due for an endoscopy in a couple of weeks. However, upon doing some reserach on the hospital where it'll be done, I found that it was listed as 'London's dirtiest hotel' in a spot check done recently. I am really worried about the possibility of contractiong something like HIV or Hepatitis C through an endoscopy procedure??So now, I'm as stressed out about this as well as the lump I feel in my throat.
Would appreciate any advice/answers?
Ask the doctor to start you on Antibiotics before the endoscopy and continue for a few days after. Don't take chances with NHS badly cleaned hospitals.....  (+ info)

Are Yeast Infections a Sign of HIV?

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Please someone tell me i'm just being paranoid!!!

I havent slept all night thinking about this. I was in walgreens last night reading the back of some monistat and it said "Yeast infections could be caused by contact with HIV" so i'm like OMG WTF!!!!! Everytime after I have sex (which is protected) I get a yeast infection. I went to the doctor for it the first time and she took some of my vaginal fluid or as I call it "vaggiie cheese" and she said well it's not that much so it could just be irritation. Sooooo I was suppost to make an appointment with the gynocologist but only the male doctor is in until March. & Idk about anyone else but I'm not really comfy with some guy looking into my coochie professional or not I've seen some weird movies. & I don't really think it's per-say a yeast infection. I think it's irritation. It's barely any "vagiie cheese" and it just itches like wooow. No burning and I don't have any HIV symptoms and the dude I'm with doesn't even have health insurance. No job and no health insurance he can't afford HIV medication. I searched his house up and down and I found no HIV related medication (i know the medications because some people in my family have it) soo pleeaassee someone just tell me im being paranoid :'( I'm about to go to a clinic that's not even open yet!!!
Yeast infections are common but they have a cause--and are sometimes misdiagnosed. People (men and women) who have HIV infection are at higher risk than others for yeast infections; they have them more often and more intensely. The package labeling of the antifungal cream has to put that info on the label because they are required to do so by the FDA. It is to help discourage people from self-diagnosing and self-treating themselves when they might have bigger problems that can affect more people.

Women can get yeast infections repeatedly if they have high blood sugar,
If their partner has yeast growing on him (or her, in the case of lesbian and bi women) --and many men have creepy crawlies on their "equipment" but don't have symptoms and pass things around (like human papillomavirus, for instance)
Women can get irritations that seem like yeast infections from using latex condoms, diaphragms, and antifungal yeast infection products themselves. So if you are frequently getting yeast infections but using a condom, you may want to try a polyurethane condom-- they are much more expensive though.
Taking antibiotics for a prolonged time can result in a yeast infection because of an imbalance of microorganisms in the body.
If you are very moist down there because of a natural discharge that may happen during certain times during your cycle--like ovulation. Wear panty shields to keep dry during this time.

Besides using an antifungal cream (or a prescription for an antifungal pill) if your doc recommends, you might try eating good quality yogurt or taking acidophilus supplements (the stuff that yogurt is made out of). Limit eating sweet things, try to use a barrier method for sex that isn't made of latex or has strong chemicals in it, and use panty shields to absorb moisture.

Male ob/gyns are not better or worse than female ob/gyns so don't let a docs gender keep you from getting care.  (+ info)

Why do I keep getting infections?

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I got an STD a couple years ago, and since then I've gotten fungal, bacterial, and viral infections. I have had two HIV tests and they were negative, why do I keep getting infections?
John this is a great question. The reason so many of us get STD's is because of the stigma involved with admitting to having or having had a disease. The answer to your question depends on a couple of factors. 1) Which STD did you have? Was it herpes? 2) You may have had more than 1 STD and they only caught one because STD's normally travel in at least pairs. This is a question that you really need to ask your Dr. If you have a good Dr. then do not be embarrassed. Plenty of people are treated for STD it is better to have been treated and cured for an STD then to hide it..., live with it..., pass it to others..., lie.  (+ info)

Can anybody tells me how efficient viralcide is at treating viral infections?

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The manufacturer claims this natural supplement can cleanse the body of any viral infection from HIV to Herpes, Flu,....
Has anybody tested this or is that just another claim from people eager to make money on desperate patients?
If it cured anything it claimed to you would have heard about it on the news.  (+ info)

I have been on Ortho Tri Cyclen for about 6 months now and get recurring yeast infections?

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I really don't want to see my doctor. Is this nornmal should I just keep treating it with Monistat and natural remedies? And I know HIV could be a factor but I dont have HIV because I recently just had a blood test and nothing was brought up. Is it just the pill?
it could be the pill or you. wearing thongs everyday or tight jeans can cause a yeast infection. is the yeast white or yellow? the yellowish one is caused by a bacterial infection..usually VD. the white one is normal..also soaps used down there can cause it too.  (+ info)

I have recurrent yeast infections, can it be HIV?

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2 years ago in August I was involved with one guy, in September with another guy and in November with my current boyfriend of 2 years. At month 1 of dating my bf I got HIV tested which was negative. However, I did not go back 6 months after (standard window period) to take another test. Since then I have had recurrent yeast infections that won't go away and worried it's HIV? Not only are they uncomfortable for me but my bf seems to be having discomfort too, itching. Can it be? Am I worrying over nothing? Can having recurrent yeast infections stand alone as a symptom of HIV or other symptoms must be present? Someone out there please help, I am really worried.
It is unlikely but the responsible thing to do would be to discuss these concerns with your doctor and get follow-up testing for the sake of both you and your boyfriend.  (+ info)

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