The human immunodeficiency virus is by far the most terrible and, unfortunately, incurable disease so far. However, there are drugs that can extend the patient's life up to 70-80 years. It is very important to detect the disease in time, since ignoring it can lead to death 9-11 years after infection.
This is an important topic, and therefore one of its aspects should now be considered. Namely, the symptoms of HIV in women.
Specificity of the disease
First you need to make a reservation that the virus does not reproduce on its own. He needs living, healthy, strong cells. Once in the body, he overcomes them, and after that they begin to produce new viruses. Performing this “function”, depleted cells die. Propagating viruses infect others, and all over again.
This process sometimes lasts for years. The protective functions of the body gradually weaken, and in the end, the number of immune cells is minimized. Even a cold can cause serious damage to such an exhausted body and even lead to death.
Infection can occur through breast milk, blood, semen, and vaginal discharge. Most often, the cause of the virus entering the body is unprotected intercourse.
Infection development
This process takes 10-12 years on average. It is customary to distinguish four phases:
- The incubation period. Active reproduction of the virus occurs as described above. It spreads throughout the body. It takes 1 to 3 months. Immunity weakens, but slightly.
- Initial manifestations. The body begins to produce specific antibodies, trying to protect itself from the virus.
- Secondary manifestations. Pronounced symptoms appear. Immunity is weakening.
- AIDS. The disease takes on an irreversible form and ends in death. Death occurs in 1-3 years.
Symptoms of HIV in women and men are similar. It is important to note that in the case of this disease there are no deadlines. In some people, the first signs appear two weeks after infection. For others, in a few years. Someone's infection progresses rapidly. And in some, the disease does not manifest itself for years. Everything is very vague. Needless to say, if cases of resistance to HIV have been identified. Scientists still can not figure out what caused it.
First alarms
It is important to note that the symptoms of HIV in women are more diverse than in men. However, they cannot be called specific. Therefore, many simply ignore them, sinning for ARVI or the common cold. And what are the symptoms in question:
- Unreasonable increase in body temperature to 38 degrees. Within 2-3 days, the indicator does not decrease.
- Sudden lethargy, breakdown and severe weakness throughout the body. Such apathy can last for several days or pass in a matter of hours.
- Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpits and groin.
- Painful periods, too profuse discharge.
- Stomach upset.
- Migraine and irritability.
- Incomprehensible pains felt in the pelvic area.
- Strong night sweats, followed by chills.
The first symptoms of HIV in women can also be accompanied by sore throat and cough, loss of appetite and nausea, in some cases, the appearance of diseases of the genitourinary system.
Most often, the girl is overcome by endometritis, herpes and thrush. And since the body is infected, diseases either sharply worsen, or become chronic. And the drugs that used to help, in general, seem to have no effect. Moreover, over time, purulent inflammation and non-healing ulcers, warty growths appear on the genitals.
Symptoms
It is important to make a reservation that the primary manifestations can be both multiple and single. And they remind of themselves in some cases, barely noticeable, and in others quite clearly. But the presence of signs that relate to the first symptoms of HIV in a woman does not mean that she is infected with this particular virus. Indigestion, loss of strength and fever may indicate any other disease.
However, you can be convinced only after passing the examination. And since the earliest symptom of HIV is changes in the lymph nodes, then if it is present, even in a minor manifestation, it is necessary to check. It is good that today you can free and anonymous take an analysis at any center for the prevention and control of AIDS and infectious diseases.
You can’t hesitate. Enlarged lymph nodes may not always be noticeable, but palpation is felt. This makes it possible to independently identify violations. It is important to know that as HIV develops, the lymph nodes return to their previous sizes. And then it will be difficult to recognize the presence of a virus in the body without a test.
Where can there be pains?
Some HIV symptoms in women manifest as discomfort. In pain arising in the right hypochondrium, for example. It is usually a consequence of an enlarged liver and spleen.
Also, many infected people complain of pain during diarrhea, which, incidentally, cannot be eliminated even with the help of specific medications and diets.
Talking about the first signs and symptoms of HIV in women, one cannot help but make a reservation that approximately one in three have to fight encephalitis and serous meningitis. These diseases are accompanied by a powerful headache, fever, vomiting and nausea, which are elevated to critical levels.
In addition to the above, esophagitis is referred to the early symptoms and signs of HIV in women. This is an inflammatory process of the esophagus, accompanied by pain in the chest area and impaired swallowing function.
However, no matter how the disease appears, after 1-2 months all the symptoms will subside. Often, infected people think that they have simply completely recovered from a troubled ailment. However, this does not end there.
Asymptomatic period
It occurs, as a rule, a couple of months after the first alarm signals. Many simply do not know what the symptoms of women indicate HIV, and they forget about the period of malaise. The infected continue to lead quite an active lifestyle and feel great at the same time. This period can last several years.
But then deterioration begins. Secondary signs, which will be discussed further. And this is a new stage, which is a transition to the AIDS-associated complex.
Symptoms in which it manifests itself begin to seriously disturb. A woman goes to the doctor, passes tests, learns about her disease. And the treatment is not too late to start, but it will be difficult, expensive and less effective. Plus, you will have to deal with concomitant diseases, which will now be discussed.
Secondary manifestations
HIV is a pathogenic virus, and it causes diseases that an organism with a normal immune system usually does not respond to. It is an opportunistic infection. These include:
- Skin lesions: molluscum contagiosum, lichen, psoriasis, rubrophytia, papillomas, seborrhea, aphthae, urticaria, pink rash and condylomas.
- Shingles.
- Mycoses.
- CNS lesions.
- Bacterial infections.
- Diseases of a viral nature.
- Inflammation of the pharynx and sinuses.
- Chronic diarrhea
- Tuberculosis.
- Elevated body temperature.
- Hairy Leukoplakia.
- Oncological neoplasms.
- Multiple hemorrhagic sarcomatosis.
Diseases are attracted to a weakened female body like a magnet. Particularly pronounced disorders of the nervous system. At first, they appear in small memory problems. Then the concentration of attention decreases markedly. In the worst cases, dementia develops.
In addition, salpingitis, dysplasia, and carcinoma are secondary symptoms of HIV infection in women.
Early treatment
As mentioned earlier, it is impossible to expel this virus from the body. However, according to new WHO studies, early initiation of therapy leads to better results.
Of course, any measures prescribed by doctors lead to an improvement in the quality of life of the patient and a slowdown in the development of the disease. However, if a person starts taking antiretroviral drugs from the moment they find 500 CD4 / mm³ cells or less, then their treatment becomes much safer and more affordable.
And this applies to all infected, regardless of gender and age. By the way, other recommendations apply to infected children. Antiretroviral therapy is indicated for all babies who are under 5 years old, regardless of the number of CD4 cells.
Also, treatment is indicated for all lactating and pregnant women, without exception. And couples in which one partner is infected.
How to check?
If, after studying the symptoms of HIV in women and photos (many of them are not for the impressionable), there is anxiety and a desire to find out about the state of their immunity, then do not hesitate.
In any clinic, you can donate blood for an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, during which the presence / absence of antibodies against this virus will be detected. Only a passport is needed. And the results will be ready in 5-10 days.
There are also medical centers, skin and venereologic dispensaries, and even rapid AIDS tests, which you can buy at the pharmacy. The result becomes known in half an hour.
What does ignoring the disease lead to?
Much has been said above about the symptoms of HIV in women in the early stages and how this disease manifests itself in the future. What happens if you ignore it?
The disease, gradually developing, at the end goes to the last stage of AIDS. Immunity is practically at zero, the body has no strength to fight. The real state is displayed on the surface: severe thinness, a lot of bruises and black spots on the body.
There is no appetite, suppuration, tears, ulcers and other massive lesions of the skin appear, which finally loses the ability to regenerate. The whole body is covered with spots. The skin peels off, exposing the tissue.
Breathing is very difficult, and constant coughing, accompanied by bloody expectoration, also interferes. Logical thinking disappears, an abscess of tumors begins.
And this is only a small part of the manifestation of AIDS. Unfortunately, the stage is irreversible. Delay a fatal outcome and relieve pain can only be done in a hospital.
But this is not waiting for everyone. Timely detection of the virus and competent therapy - this is what will help reduce the rate of development of the disease to a minimum and prevent it from moving to another stage. That is why it is so important to know what the first symptoms of HIV are. Both women and men.
Positive forecasts
In the end, it is worth saying something good. The fact that the world knows cases of prolonged remission in HIV.
In 2007, a girl was born in South Africa who was infected in her womb. After birth, she, along with 143 other infected children, was sent to an experiment.
They were divided into two groups. In relation to one of them, aggressive methods were used for 40 weeks and retroviral drugs were given. The other group was prescribed a placebo.
The effect was seen only in that girl. Although she was given a placebo. Surprisingly, she achieved prolonged remission in the absence of therapy, which continues to this day.