How to treat HIV infection in women. How to determine and confirm the presence of HIV infection? Signs of HIV infection in women

HIV is a time bomb, and whether it is embedded in a woman’s body or not, she will not find out right away. Sometimes this latent period lasts several years. At the same time, time passes when a woman can still try to block the processes occurring in the body. How to recognize the first symptoms of HIV in women in time? How does this disease manifest itself? different stages? What can and should be done?

HIV and AIDS are not the same thing

Many people confuse these two concepts, but they are not the same thing at all. HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus, which is truly the root cause of AIDS. This virus suppresses the immune system, weakens it and prevents it from fulfilling its most important purpose - to resist other diseases.

Thus, HIV is a virus that certain stage may cause AIDS. However, its very presence in the body does not provide grounds for such a diagnosis.

Stages of development of HIV infection

The onset of the disease does not always occur in the same way. The first signs of HIV in women may appear acutely or may not become apparent for several months or even years. The virus can only be detected at this stage through a test. To make a diagnosis with with good reason, you need to pass 2 types of tests. Here are the first symptoms of HIV in women:

• stool disorder;
• sore throat when swallowing, sore throat;
• temperature rise for several days, sometimes to high values;
• local redness of the skin.

All these signs are very similar to the manifestations of a common cold or mild poisoning, which is why they are most often mistaken for them. All of them can be insignificant, implicit, and then generally ignored.

If no treatment measures are taken at this stage, the infection begins to develop further. Sometimes this happens at a rapid pace, sometimes it takes up to 10 years or more.

Secondary HIV symptoms in women:

• frequent diseases similar to influenza, ARVI and colds;
• vaginal discharge of an infectious nature, candidiasis, thrush;
• inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs;
• herpes;
• purulent rashes, warts, ulcers on the external genitalia;
• increased fatigue, muscle weakness;
• chronic runny nose;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• lingering cough.

Late symptoms of HIV in women

Without treatment, the infection continues to progress. The symptoms become more pronounced, but can still be mistakenly identified with other diseases. This:

• lack of appetite; a woman loses weight quickly;
• constant nervous tension, irritability, followed by apathy, indifference, loss of interest in life and deep depression;
• increased sweating, especially during sleep;
• severe herpes rashes, including on the genitals.

Next, one of the opportunistic diseases manifests itself, which may include pneumonia, tuberculosis and others. In this case, we can already talk about the transition of HIV to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

The body's lack of ability to resist opportunistic diseases leads to their degeneration into a serious and life-threatening stage. The patient cannot even take care of herself. At this stage, the prognosis is unfavorable.

Is there a cure for HIV?

The answer to this question depends on the terminology of this concept. Treatment is assistance in recovery from a specific disease. Based on this, it can and should be treated. As for the cure, that is, the final victory over the virus, medicine is still powerless here.

It is possible to block the development of HIV and suppress its destructive activity in the body. For this purpose, potent medical supplies. They prevent deadly development dangerous diseases. The attack on the human immune system is contained, but does not stop.
We can only hope that medicine will find a solution to this problem.

When to start treatment?

It would be good to recommend that this issue be resolved with an infectious disease specialist as soon as the virus has entered the body. But, alas, if any tangible signs of HIV appear, they are most often mistaken for something else. We can only advise one thing: undergo regular testing. Based on what data does the doctor prescribe treatment?

• The number of immune cells in the blood. This indicator is called immune status. As the virus evolves immune status getting worse.
• The number of viral cells in the blood is the viral load.
• The presence of progressive opportunistic diseases.

Of these three factors, the most significant is the last one. If an opportunistic disease is diagnosed, then the first two indicators may no longer be taken into account.
It should be noted that an opportunistic disease can affect different organs. Therefore, along with an infectious disease specialist, a woman should visit a gynecologist and other specialized specialists.

How to determine and confirm the presence of HIV infection?

To diagnose the presence of HIV, 2 types of tests are performed. Primary - screening, and in case positive result- second, confirming. In this case, the screening test is duplicated twice due to its high sensitivity and, as a consequence, possible error. This uses the same blood sample. The combination of these two tests makes it possible to confirm or cancel the diagnosis with great accuracy.

When can you take a test if you suspect infection?

If you suspect possible infection HIV, it is optimal to undergo initial testing 3 months after the event. If the result is negative, you can repeat the analysis after another period of time. In this case negative result The test provides grounds to rule out infection.

HIV in pregnant women

Late detection of HIV infection in women of childbearing age, unfortunately, often leads to pregnancy occurring earlier than the presence of the virus is diagnosed. In addition, in some cases, a woman does this deliberately. During pregnancy, a woman should be tested for HIV three times. If the virus is detected, the degree of damage to the immune system is determined and possible measures to prevent infection of the fetus.

Research has shown that pregnancy can have Negative influence on the progression of infection. Intrauterine infection of the fetus occurs in 30-60% of cases if no therapeutic therapy. In this case, infection can occur at any time, including during childbirth and in the postpartum period.

Childhood immunodeficiency, acquired by the child from the mother, can appear immediately after birth. Its most common manifestations:

• malnutrition;
• candidiasis;
• pneumonia (chronic);
• persistent stool disorder;
• increase lymph nodes;
• neurological disorders;
• developmental delay;
• sepsis.

HIV positive mothers do not have special indications for the operation caesarean section. The risk of infection of the fetus during delivery is the same with this operation and with natural progression birth canal. An infected mother must stop breastfeeding.

Thus, you need to know and understand that in the absence of treatment, HIV infection can progress to AIDS. It's not fatal, but it's deadly dangerous infection. This virus cannot be cured, but it can and should be treated. Compliance preventive measures and caution will help prevent infection. And awareness about the first symptoms of HIV in women and timely test control will make it possible to start treatment in a timely manner and minimize serious consequences.

One of the most terrible diseases Today is human immunodeficiency syndrome, caused by the virus of the same name. A large number of Scientists have been looking for a cure for AIDS for a long time, but, unfortunately, So far, the virus that destroys human immunity has not been defeated.

This is due to the fact that the virus genetically mutates after entering the body. Once the immune system starts producing antibodies, HIV changes.

If a person has been infected with one type of virus, then when another strain enters his body, a new infection. In addition, HIV is well masked in the intracellular space, becoming latent.

HIV has negative impact on the immune system, gradually suppressing it. Thus, a person dies not from the virus as such, but from concomitant diseases, because the body loses its ability to resist the simplest infections.

However, a person with HIV can live a long and happy life, have a family and children. For this it is necessary to begin treatment immediately after the first signs of infection are detected. They do not occur immediately; after infection, it can take from several weeks to several months.

It is possible to diagnose the disease in the first stages only using special diagnostic methods, but some signs can still suggest the presence dangerous virus in organism.

The first signs of HIV disease are not clearly expressed and are often confused with a cold or mononucleosis.

Most of us don’t like going to the doctor, especially for such “trifle” things. As a result, time is lost, because The sooner you start taking special medications, the more successful the treatment will be.

It should also be remembered that no matter how long it takes for symptoms to appear, a person becomes a carrier of the disease immediately after the virus enters his blood. Therefore, it is very important to monitor your health, undergo regular examinations, and if any alarming symptoms immediately seek help from specialists.

Types of HIV Symptoms

The danger of HIV infection is that it practically does not manifest itself at all initial stage diseases.

The main symptoms of AIDS appear long after infection.

Experts introduced classification of symptoms of HIV infection, each of which is characteristic of a specific period of the disease:

• incubation period may last two weeks, several months or a year. The rate of penetration of the virus into all cells of the body depends on several factors, including the state of health of the person, his age and others. individual characteristics. At this stage of the disease there are practically no symptoms. Doctors also call this phase of the disease the window period or seroconversion. It ends when a trace of the virus can be detected in the blood;
• further progression of the disease is accompanied by symptoms characteristic of colds, flu or mononucleosis. The patient's temperature rises to 38°C, a sore throat appears, and the lymph nodes become inflamed. A person in this state feels weak, diarrhea and vomiting often occur, weight loss is noted, and women may also develop thrush. At first, these symptoms do not appear very strongly, but the brighter they become, the closer the final stage of the disease, which is called AIDS. With such symptoms, it is quite difficult to detect HIV. Particular attention is paid to diagnosis only if the patient himself declares contact with HIV-infected people;
• secondary symptoms of HIV infection are caused by infectious diseases , which develop against its background. This includes staphylococcal skin lesions, candidiasis oral cavity, all kinds of pustular rashes, as well as the occurrence of cancerous tumors.

There are also external signs HIV, the appearance of which should alert a person. These include the appearance of a characteristic rash on the skin that covers almost the entire body. Redness usually appears 5-10 days after HIV infection.

The main symptoms of the disease include significant enlargement of the lymph nodes. They become 2-3 times larger, while skin covering above them does not change its color. Localization of compactions is observed in the groin, neck and armpit area, while swollen lymph nodes are not directly related to each other.

Symptoms of HIV in men

At the initial stage of the disease gender does not have any significant effect on symptoms.

But later some differences arise; the first signs of HIV infection in men appear as follows:

1. A pronounced rash on the body. Redness on the skin appears more often in men than in women. In this case, the rash has a brighter color and severity. Such signs appear 3 days after infection, and after some time the redness disappears.
2. Approximately 1-3 months after infection, a man may experience flu-like condition. The temperature rises sharply, painful sensations sore throat, chills and night sweats.
3. Symptoms rarely occur one month after infection, but the main one is strong increase lymph nodes, not related to each other.
4. If infection occurs as a result of sexual contact, then such symptoms may occur in men early stages, How mucous discharge from the urethra. It may also be felt pain during urination and discomfort in the perineal area.
5. In most cases, there are no symptoms 3 months after infection. This asymptomatic stage. At this stage, the man feels completely healthy, when special tests it is impossible to detect the virus.

HIV infection appears differently in each person, and the timing of symptoms will also vary. Duration of incubation and acute periods depend on how strong the man’s immunity is. If he has good health and is in good physical fitness, then the first symptoms of the disease may appear several years after infection.

Symptoms of HIV in women

The timing of HIV manifestation in women is also unclear. But experts note that In a woman’s body, HIV infection develops several times slower than in men. No to this scientific explanation, perhaps this feature is due to the fact that women are usually more attentive to their health.

Just like in men, the first signs of HIV infection in women do not appear immediately after infection. These include:

• seemingly unreasonable rise in temperature body temperature up to 38°C, it does not decrease for 2-3 days;
• decreased performance, loss of strength and general weakness. Such attacks can be short-term or continue for a long time;
• swollen lymph nodes V groin area, as well as on the neck and armpits;
• heavy menstruation, accompanied severe pain And unpleasant sensations in the pelvic area;
• mucous vaginal discharge, after HIV infection, their number increases noticeably;
• frequent headaches and increased irritability.

In addition, women are characterized by symptoms in the early stages such as severe night sweats in the background high temperature and chills. This condition is called generalized lymphadenopathy. When it becomes regular, serious suspicions arise that the woman is infected with HIV. After some time it is noted a sharp decline weight.

The initial stage of HIV infection in women can last from 1 month to a year, but most often antibodies to the virus can be detected in the blood 3-4 months after infection. At this moment, the next stage of the disease begins.

Symptoms of HIV in women after a month are similar to the manifestations of this disease in men. A rash may appear on the body, but it will be less bright than in the stronger sex. You feel flu-like, have a sore throat, etc.

Clear signs of HIV appear in almost all patients a year after infection.

As a rule, at this time the disease progresses to acute phase, and all the symptoms of pronounced immunodeficiency appear. But it should be remembered that HIV can slow down its development at any stage of the disease, which makes it impossible to accurately determine the timing of each of them. With adequate treatment, a person can live 10-20 years, and the disease will never reach the final stage, which is irreversible and is called AIDS.

The main symptoms of HIV during pregnancy are the same. The woman experiences a sore throat, her temperature rises, and her lymph nodes become very enlarged. Diarrhea may also occur. Pregnancy does not affect the rate of development of HIV, but at this time it is necessary Special attention give treatment.

If an HIV-positive woman is under constant medical supervision, she will be able to give birth healthy child. Studies conducted by the world's leading scientists have not revealed any particular impact of HIV infection on the course of pregnancy. Risk premature birth occurs in HIV-positive and HIV-negative mothers with approximately equal probability.

Stages

After a long study of HIV, experts came to the conclusion that infection in the body develops gradually.

The disease occurs in several stages:

1. The first stage is called the incubation period. On average, it lasts about 3 months, but there are exceptions. Once the virus enters the body, it begins to actively invade all cells. During the incubation period there are no clinical manifestations, antibodies cannot be detected in the blood. The main symptoms of HIV in the early stages appear later.
2. The second stage can occur in different ways. Some patients still have no clinical manifestations; the only reaction to the virus will be the appearance in the blood specific antibodies. But most often HIV positive people experience flu-like symptoms. It's a fever skin rashes, enlarged lymph nodes and painful sensations in the throat. This picture is observed in more than half of sick people already 3 months after infection. This is how he manifests himself acute stage HIV. In addition, at this stage, secondary diseases may develop - this is due to significant reduction immunity.
3. Third stage of HIV (subclinical) most often occurs without symptoms. The only sign of infection in this phase is enlarged lymph nodes. This symptom can occur at any time, but for the subclinical stage it is the only one.
4. The fourth stage is called the phase of secondary diseases. During this period, the patient begins to lose weight sharply, he develops viral and fungal diseases, malignant tumors may appear.
5. The fifth stage is called terminal. At this stage, treatment is no longer effective, since damage to the main body systems is already irreversible.
   The most recent stage of HIV is called AIDS - acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. When the infection turns into this disease, the person dies.

How can you become infected with HIV?

The human immunodeficiency virus penetrates into all human fluids, but only cases of infection through blood, breast milk, vaginal secretions or semen have been described. This is due to the fact that only these biological fluids contain HIV in the concentration necessary for infection.

Get this virus into human body maybe in three ways:

• during sexual intercourse, if it is unprotected. Most people have a stereotype that only homosexuals can get HIV and AIDS. But the virus is transmitted during any sexual intercourse, regardless of the gender of the partners. During anal sex, the likelihood of infection increases. This is due to the fact that the lining of the rectum is quite fragile and is abundantly supplied with blood. The least risky is oral sex, since the environment in the oral cavity itself is aggressive for HIV. But this does not mean that infection cannot occur. The only way to protect against sexual transmission of HIV today is a condom. Only a rubber barrier can prevent the virus from entering the body;
• entering the body healthy person blood infected with HIV. This is possible when transfusion of blood or its products, as well as when using a non-sterile instrument. The chance of contracting HIV in this way is quite low, since today great attention donor health and sterilization medical instrument. Bloodborne transmission of the virus is more common among drug users, where multiple people often share the same injection syringe;
• from HIV positive mother to child. The infection process can occur both during pregnancy and during childbirth. That's why HIV-infected women It is extremely rare that they give birth on their own; most often, delivery occurs by caesarean section. There is also a high risk of infection for a child when breastfeeding, the virus can enter the bloodstream through microcracks in the child’s mouth. Doctors do not recommend that sick women feed their newborn babies with their own. breast milk.

Because HIV infection long time does not manifest itself in any way, then identifying it in the early stages is possible only through special laboratory research. They can be carried out within preventive examination, but you can take the test at any time. This is especially important if there has been contact with an HIV-positive person.

AIDS is the last stage of HIV infection, which has a depressing effect on immune cells, causing various complications, including those incompatible with life. The disease is insidious: women find out about infection not in the early stages, as with other pathologies, but already at the height of the disease. This complicates treatment and can significantly shorten the patient’s life. With a favorable course, when therapy begins at the first signs of AIDS in women, they live up to 10-20 years with their illness.

AIDS and HIV - what is the difference?

Many people do not know the difference between AIDS and HIV. Infection occurs with a virus (HIV), and as the disease develops, it goes through several stages and the final stage is AIDS, when opportunistic diseases develop, without the help of doctors causing the rapid death of the patient.

Such diseases include cytomegalovirus, Kaposi's sarcoma, Epstein-Barr virus . Due to its latent course, the disease is actively spreading among the population. This is facilitated by promiscuity in sexual relations, the spread of drug addiction, neglect of infection safety rules in beauty salons, medical centers, dental clinics.

No one is safe from infection. Disease for a long time does not appear. Therefore for early detection diseases are recommended to be treated regularly laboratory diagnostics to know your status.

An effective way to determine infection is to detect the virus in serum using ELISA.

Is HIV a death sentence or not?

The transition from HIV to AIDS may take decades if the patient will use effective therapy, will give up bad habits and unhealthy lifestyles. Due to its widespread prevalence, the state is conducting serious treatment programs and there are communities of patients that provide material, psychological support infected with HIV. You shouldn’t give up, you need to learn to live with your diagnosis, doing everything to prevent infecting others.

What are the first symptoms of AIDS?

The first symptoms of AIDS in women in the early stages are most often not so pronounced as to pay attention to them. Incubation period if a virus hits, it can last for several months, in some cases it reaches up to a year. At this stage, the virus actively multiplies, but the immune system does not yet respond to it with external and internal manifestations.

Each body reacts differently to the presence of the virus. In women, the infection manifests itself more often with the following symptoms:

The first clinical manifestations can be confused with the onset of acute viral infection, which occurs with fever, painful muscle spasms, enlarged lymph nodes and the appearance of diarrhea syndrome. In some patients, ENT diseases often worsen due to HIV, which already indicates a weak immune system and damage to immune cells by the virus. Acute signs AIDS in women lasts several weeks, in some patients - for a month, after which the main disease proceeds latently - completely unnoticed by others.

But at the same time, immunodeficiency is increasing. Immune cells die, the body tries to increase their production, which is manifested by enlarged lymph nodes. The latent period lasts on average a little more than 5 years. For some women, this period exceeds 15 years.

At the fourth stage, when AIDS actually develops, the body becomes defenseless against numerous fungi, bacteria and viruses. As a result, the risk of developing infectious complications and the growth of malignant cells against the background of an immunodeficiency state sharply increases.

Stage 4 of the disease occurs with the following symptoms:

On last stage a disease that is considered terminal, secondary diseases often cause death. The consequences are irreversible, even with high-quality treatment.

Which women are at risk?

The risk of developing HIV increases every day. Today the disease is found in every city and small locality. Previously, AIDS was found only in people with bad habits, in particular among drug addicts, today people from prosperous families suffer from immunodeficiency. You can become infected in a hospital, for example, during surgical procedures, blood transfusions, dental chair when a doctor treats a tooth and uses poorly processed instruments or unsterile syringes. The described cases are not isolated, alas. Today they are less common, because attention is focused on the problem and specialists know everything about the methods of transmission of the immunodeficiency virus.

The main method is sexual. Women leading free sex life, are at risk of becoming infected. HIV accumulates in semen, as does vaginal secretions. It is present in saliva and sweat, but its quantity there is not enough to cause the first signs of pathology to appear. Therefore, it is impossible to become infected through kissing or shaking hands.

Contraception for HIV is mandatory - only condoms, which prevent contact of the genital organ with the vaginal walls containing the virus.

Treatment of the disease

Treatment must be started immediately to weaken the effect of the virus on the immune system. If you suspect an infection, you should contact an infectious disease specialist. But the disease requires integrated approach, therefore, highly specialized doctors often join in the treatment.

There is no single drug that can kill HIV yet.. The virus is volatile, making it difficult to find a drug that can eradicate it. The main treatment is taking antiretroviral drugs, which suppress the activity of the virus for some time and slow down the course of the disease.

Taking medications for HIV is lifelong, up to terminal stage diseases.

Treatment is aimed at supporting the immune system and combating symptoms of the disease. If you find out about immunodeficiency, you should not try to hide this information, especially from your sexual partner. He should be examined. Entering into unprotected contacts, knowing about your illness, is a crime for which punishment is provided..

People are afraid of HIV and still avoid infected people, although by and large they do not pose a serious danger to other members of society if precautions are taken:

• At sexual contacts apply barrier methods protection;
• During dental treatment, ensure the sterility of instruments and the use of disposable syringes;
• Conduct surgical interventions and any procedures that involve violating the integrity of the skin, only in clinics with a good reputation and with trusted specialists;
• Eliminate use narcotic substances and close contacts with drug addicts.

A woman continues the family line, so she is an example for children - her own or others. It is doubly sad to learn that women are infected with HIV, because they are associated with the health and condition of the entire society. It will be difficult for such a woman to start a family and she will have to decide whether she will give birth to a child with enough high risk fetal infection. The disease is incurable, and this thought will pass like a black stripe through the life of the infected person and her loved ones.

The possibilities of medicine are unlimited, and hope for finding a cure remains. Not today, but maybe tomorrow AIDS will be treated with high efficiency, and then millions of people will have a chance to live, despite their difficult illness.

Almost all civilized people have heard that HIV symptoms Women manifest themselves somewhat differently than men. The immunodeficiency virus works to constantly suppress the immune system, which leads to the fact that it becomes increasingly difficult for a person to fight a particular disease. Ultimately, when the patient's immunity is completely weakened, the patient cannot cope with the most common cold.

HIV infection became widely known in the 80s of the last century. To date, there is no medicine that could cope with this problem, although the disease has been studied in detail. According to experts, not a single woman is immune from HIV infection, but if you follow basic rules of personal hygiene and adhere to the rules of prevention, you can protect yourself from the likelihood of becoming infected.

Signs

Signs of HIV infection may not appear for a long time; you can live for about 6 years without suspecting anything. At this time, the woman feels well, but the hidden current disease will sooner or later begin to progress. If a woman is unaware of her problem, she becomes a person who unintentionally infects other people.

The disease can be congenital (transmitted from the mother) or acquired. In women, symptoms become noticeable much earlier than in men. They also have a brighter form of manifestation.

You can find out about the presence of HIV only with the help of a special laboratory analysis blood. The disease cannot be accurately diagnosed in any other way.

Symptoms of HIV infection on initial stage their development may be similar to the signs of a cold or poisoning.

A woman who is not yet aware of her problem may often be diagnosed with diseases associated with genitourinary system that are difficult to treat.

Even in the early stages, the disease may be accompanied by herpes, which affects the mucous membranes. The pelvic organs suffer from constant infectious diseases, warts and ulcers appear. Regardless of temperature environment the woman experiences increased sweating, causeless fever, white spots on the oral mucosa and enlargement of all lymph nodes. In some cases, symptoms of HIV in women manifest themselves as frequent disorders stomach (diarrhea), constant fatigue And complete absence appetite.

The first signs of HIV can manifest differently in each woman and in different time after infection, because decisive factor in this situation, it is not the person’s gender or age, but the strength of the immune system.

Pregnancy can significantly weaken women's immune defenses. During menstruation protective forces the body is also significantly weakened.

HIV infection can occur for a long time without any symptoms, and then begin its intensive development. This factor still remains not fully studied.

If a woman develops following symptoms, she is recommended to take an HIV test:

• very painful menstruation;
• menstrual irregularities;
• hormonal imbalances;
• genital herpes;
• candidiasis, which constantly recurs;
• pneumonia;
• ulcers on the mucous membranes;
• fungal infections of the body;
• the appearance of malignant neoplasms;
• enlarged lymph nodes.

Symptoms of HIV in women can manifest themselves in the form of an increase in body temperature to 38-40 °C, which can last for about 10 days. Additionally, muscle pain, general weakness and nausea appear. Uncharacteristic discharge from the genitals is observed.

Stages

HIV in women has 4 stages. The first stage takes place in hidden form(this is the so-called latent period).

From the moment the infection enters the body to its intensive spread, a whole year can pass.

In the early stages, it is impossible to determine the presence of HIV, since the test does not detect antibodies in the body until the end of the incubation period.

The spread of infection occurs despite good immunity. Next, the disease moves to a new stage (second stage), when the body begins to produce. During this period of time, an increase in lymph nodes is observed, they become painful and bother patients. A woman has problems with work gastrointestinal tract, sore throat and red spots appear on the skin.

At the third stage, the disease subsides. Due to the fact that all previously disturbing symptoms recede, a woman can infect other people without even knowing it. HIV manifests itself at the third stage only in the form of persistent lymphadenopathy. The woman constantly feels tired and irritable. She may sweat more, especially while sleeping.

Human) has already led to the death of 20 million people (according to data for 20 years to date). Being the last stage of action, it is incurable and does not cause death.

A weakened human body, due to the destruction of the immune system, cannot resist any infections, and as a result, infection occurs. In this article we will look at the fact that the disease develops more rapidly in them.

Signs of illness

Once HIV enters a woman’s body, it does not manifest itself in any way for many years, while internal forces fight it. IN in rare cases In the first weeks of infection, the following signs may appear:

Increase in temperature;

Sore throat, larynx;

Intestinal disorder;

Enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area, armpits and neck.

Symptoms of AIDS in women appear already at the last stage of infection, when the level of lymphocytes sharply decreases and immunity declines. are starting to appear characteristic diseases, for example, herpes, periodic pneumonia,

Straight for women

1. Regular fever. At the same time, the temperature rises and sweating increases.

2. Atypical spots and formations appear in the oral cavity.

3. Skin rashes. Certain redness and rashes also indicate AIDS. The symptoms (see photo above) are presented in this article.

4. Vaginal infection.

5. Diseases and pathologies of the pelvis that are practically untreatable or difficult to treat.

6. Atypical cervical smear. With a destroyed immune system, a woman’s body is no longer able to fight viruses, and even a disease that healthy body copes instantly, acts destructively.

Pregnancy and AIDS

Pregnancy proceeds quite normally and does not affect the expectant mother and fetus, but if symptoms of AIDS in women are detected during pregnancy, then there is a high probability of complications, such as:

Early birth;

Low fetal weight;

Regular and heavy bleeding;

High risk of stillbirth.

A reasonable question arises: is AIDS transmitted to the child from the mother? The virus can be transmitted in three ways. Firstly, in prenatal period in the womb through a damaged placenta. Secondly, during childbirth, when the child comes into contact with the mother’s mucous membrane. Thirdly, when feeding with breast milk. However, in each of these cases there is an opportunity to minimize the risk of infection. This is done through medication.

Prevention

We have already looked at the symptoms of AIDS; all that remains is to find out how to protect yourself from infection with the immunodeficiency virus. There are three simple recommendations:

1. Exercise safe sex. The use of condoms is mandatory, especially if a woman has many sexual partners.

2. Train yourself to healthy image life. Proper nutrition and sports activities have positive influence on the body and strengthen it.

3. Observe all rules of sanitation and personal hygiene at all times.