HIV is one of the most notorious diseases in the world, yet millions of people still get infected every year. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus attacks the body’s immune system, which is our natural defense against infection and disease. HIV symptoms in women differ slightly from this in men, so be sure to read this guide carefully to get the facts.
In late-stage HIV infection, also known as AIDS, the weakened immune system leaves the body more exposed to life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia and cancer. It isn’t HIV, or AIDS that kills, it is this other condition that is able to attack the body while it’s defenses are down.
The HIV virus is passed from person to person through bodily fluids, such as semen, blood or vaginal secretion. They are usually transmitted in the following ways:
- Unprotected sex
- Sharing needles to inject drugs
- Birth or breastfeeding
HIV can affect anybody. People with HIV can look and feel healthy for years. The largest number of new cases currently still occur in two main groups, gay men and African Americans. While other ethnics and social groups are represented, these two are disproportionately represented.
What is HIV?
HIV is a virus that leads to AIDS. The virus is passed from person to person through the exchange of bodily fluids. The virus is very slow moving, which is why it can take many years for late-stage HIV to occur. Initial stage symptoms can be experienced after six weeks or so.
The HIV virus infects particular cells, CD4 cells, that are found in the blood. These CD4 cells are responsible for fighting infection and keeping the body free from disease. After they become infected, the CD4 cells are slowly destroyed by the HIV virus, which is why it’s so hard to treat.
Although the body will attempt to produce more CD4 cells, their numbers will eventually decline and the immune system will stop working. This is how HIV and AIDS kills, and why it’s so dangerous. The sufferer often has no idea anything is wrong until it’s too late.
Initial Stages of HIV
Initial-stage HIV is often referred to as the primary stage. Many people can develop symptoms during this time, but it is possible not to. The symptoms of HIV in women are also easy to mistake, as they mimic other illnesses.
They are also usually very mild, so it’s entirely possible to miss them altogether, or discount them as just an annoyance rather than the precursor to something more serious.
Three symptoms occurring together: fever, rash and a severe sore throat should always be considered a potential indicator of HIV infection.
Initial-stage symptoms of HIV in women include:
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Tiredness
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Swollen glands
- Blotchy rash
HIV
Once the initial stage of infection has passed, it’s possible to be asymptomatic for many years. Symptoms of HIV in women can completely disappear until late-stage HIV develops. The exact period of this stage depends entirely on how healthy the woman is and what other health issues she many have.
Late-stage HIV
Late-stage HIV is where AIDS develops. The term AIDS, is used to describe this late stage of the infection. This is the stage where the body’s immune system has been broken down. This is when the body is now exposed to other diseases that can attack it.
Possible late-stage symptoms of HIV in women include:
- Constant tiredness
- Night sweats
- Unexplained weight loss
- Persistent diarrhea
- White spots on the tongue or in the mouth
- Persistent dry cough
- Fever that lasts a number of weeks
- Swollen glands that last for more than three months
Prognosis
There is still no cure for HIV, but there are now drug therapies that can extend life for many years. Modern antiviral drugs can suppress symptoms of HIV in women and provide a reasonable quality of life. The drugs slow down the replication of the virus, and protect the body against new viruses. This combination, protects the body as much as possible while giving it a chance to produce more CD4 cells.
Treatment
Treatment of HIV symptoms of HIV in women depend on what stage the disease is in. The program will include regular blood tests to check the CD4 count in the blood, and the viral load.
This allows doctors to see how advanced the disease is, and the likelihood of AIDS developing.There is no cure, or vaccine for the HIV virus. However, combination therapy, sometimes called Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), slows the progression of the condition. A combination of medicines is used because HIV can quickly adapt and become resistant to one single medicine. HIV medicines are known as antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).
There are a few different types of ARV medicine can be used as part of a therapy. A combination of medicines that suits one person may not be suitable for another, so the medicine prescribed will be individual to the patient in question.
There are five main types of ARV drug:
- Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NtRTIs)
- Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)
- Protease inhibitors (PIs)
- Fusion and entry inhibitors
- Integrase inhibitors (INIs)
Each of these drugs work in different ways. They all stop the virus reproducing inside the cells, slowing down its spread and protecting the immune system. This can slow down, and sometimes halt the progression of the disease.
The Situation
As with any health issue, the symptoms of HIV in women can vary as much as the treatments available. It’s a very subjective issue, which is why it is essential to educate about the possible signs and symptoms, and to get professional diagnosis.
It is essential to catch HIV as early as possible. Catching is soon after infection, or in initial-stages will substantially improve the potential for survival and the quality of life. New antiviral drugs can slow, and in some cases, halt the spread of the disease altogether if prescribed early enough. It’s essential to get tested as soon as someone thinks they may have been infected.
There are now home test kits available that are almost as accurate as those undertaken by doctors. So those suspecting an infection, but value their privacy, can be tested too.