What is HIV?
HIV is short for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The virus that causes damage / weakening of the human immune system.
How the HIV virus can cause damage to the human immune system?
The HIV virus needs our immune cells to proliferate. Naturally our immune cells will be used, can be likened to a copy machine. However, this virus will destroy his copy machine after getting the copy of the new virus in considerable amounts. So that eventually we depleted immune cells and the viral load became very much.
Where is the HIV virus?
HIV is mainly in human body fluids. Potentially fluid containing HIV virus are blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. While the liquid is not potential to transmit HIV virus is a liquid sweat, saliva, tears, etc.
Is that CD4?
CD 4 is a marker or markers that are on the cell surface of human white blood cells, particularly lymphocytes. CD 4 in people with a lowered immune system becomes very important, due to the reduced value of CD4 cells in the human body showed reduced white blood cells or lymphocytes that should play a role in fighting infections that enter the human body. In people with a good immune system, CD4 values ??ranged between 1400-1500. Meanwhile, in people with compromised immune systems (eg HIV infected persons) CD 4 value will decrease the longer (and even in some cases can be up to scratch)
What is the actual function of CD4 cells?
Cells that have CD4 surface marker serves to fight various infections. Around us a lot of infections circulating, whether it be in the air, food or drink. But we did not get sick all the time, because CD4 can still function properly to fight infection. If the CD4 count is reduced, pathogenic microorganisms around us were going to easily enter our bodies and cause disease in the human body
What are the symptoms of people infected with HIV develop AIDS?
It can be seen from two major symptoms of the symptoms (most common) and Minor symptoms (not common):
Major Symptoms:
- Weight loss of more than 10% in 1 month
- Chronic diarrhea that lasts more than 1 month
- Prolonged fever of more than 1 month
- Impairment of consciousness and neurological disorders
- Dementia / HIV encephalopathy
Minor symptoms:
- Cough lasts more than 1 month
- Generalized dermatitis
- The presence of herpes and herpes zoster recurrent zostermultisegmental
- Kandidias oropharyngeal
- Herpes simplex chronic progressive
- Generalized lymphadenopathy
- Recurrent yeast infections in the female genital
- Cytomegalovirus retinitis
Cases of Adults:
When an adult (> 12 years) considered to have AIDS when showing a positive HIV test with inspection strategies which correspond to at least two major symptoms and one minor symptoms, and these symptoms are not caused by another condition unrelated to HIV infection.
How HIV to AIDS?
There are several stages when the HIV virus from infected until symptoms of AIDS:
1. Phase 1: Period Window
- HIV enters the body, until the formation of antibodies to HIV in the blood
- No special tanda2 with HIV look and feel healthy
- HIV testing can not detect the presence of this virus
- This stage is called the window period, generally ranging from 2 weeks - 6 months
2. Phase 2: HIV Positive (no symptoms) for an average of 5-10 years:
- HIV multiply in the body
- No special signs, people with HIV look and feel healthy
- HIV Test can detect a person's HIV status, having been formed antibodies against HIV
-Generally remained apparently healthy for 5-10 years, depending on her endurance (average of 8 years (shorter in developing countries)
3. Stage 3: HIV Positive (onset of symptoms)
- The immune system is getting down
- Starting symptoms of opportunistic infections, such as: swollen lymph glands throughout the body, continuous diarrhea, flu, etc.
- Generally lasts for more than 1 month, depending on his endurance
4. Stage 4: AIDS
- The condition of the immune system is very weak
- Various other diseases (opportunistic infections) is getting worse