Seriousness of HIV and AIDS

First identified among the homosexual community in 1981, by the 1990s HIV became a threat to any sexually active individual. What is today’s outlook?

Global Infection Continues

Long before the coronavirus pandemic, HIV and AIDS overwhelmed the world. HIV was first identified among the homosexual (now LGBTQ+) community in 1981. By the 1990s AIDS became a popular threat for heterosexual individuals. More than 70 million people have been infected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), half as many have died from AIDS since that pandemic began.

We must wait to see if COVID-19 will approach a similar magnitude. Currently, AIDS has claimed far more victims, and remains active, though it is manageable with drugs.^[1]

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the precursor to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Any virus that compromises the immune system is dangerous. This is our internal defense mechanism that tries to eliminate foreign invaders.

The virus is transmitted through bodily fluids such as blood (open sores or shared needles), semen, vaginal fluids, anal secretions, and breast milk. The risk increases for the receptive sex partner, with anal sex having the highest transmission rates.^[2,3]

Acute Stage-1 HIV Symptoms

The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. Within 2 to 4 weeks after infection with HIV, about two-thirds of people will have a flu-like illness. This is the body’s natural response to HIV infection.^[3,4] Flu-like HIV symptoms can include:

Fever
Chills
Fatigue
Night sweats
Muscle aches
Sore throat
Swollen lymph nodes
Mouth ulcers
Rash

During stage 2, the virus multiplies at very low levels. It is important to see your healthcare provider regularly to get your viral load and CD4 checked.

Stage-3 AIDS Symptoms

If you are not receiving treatment for HIV, eventually the virus will weaken your body’s immune system. Then you will progress to the next step, which is AIDS. This is the late stage of HIV infection.^[4,5] Symptoms of AIDS can include:

Rapid weight loss
Recurring fever or profuse night sweats
Extreme and unexplained tiredness
Prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck
Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week
Sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals (genitalia)
Pneumonia
Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids
Memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders

Treatment

Currently, there is still no cure for HIV or AIDS. There are medications to weaken the virus and slow the spread throughout our body. Without medication, AIDS life expectancy is 1–3 years. Early antiretroviral therapy treatment can extend life nearly as long as someone without the virus.^[5] Doctors consider HIV as progressing to AIDS when either:

The number of CD4 cells falls below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood (200 cells/mm3). (In someone with a healthy immune system, CD4 counts are between 500 and 1,600 cells/mm3.)^[6]
A patient develops one or more opportunistic infections regardless of their CD4 count.

Since proper treatment affects mortality, early diagnosis is paramount for anyone sexually active. Self-testing allows people to get tested for HIV while still following stay-at-home orders and social distancing practices. Ask your local health department or HIV service organization if they offer self-testing kits.

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HIV and AIDS Remain Serious