HIV/AIDS

Introduction: HIV/AIDS

HIV is a sexually transmitted virus and AIDS is the life-threatening immune failure that occurs late in the progression of HIV. AIDS was once in the top ten cause of death in the USA but has dropped out owing to better treatments and reduced transmission.

Very early stages of HIV just after infection resemble the flu or another viral infection. There then follows a latent stage (often years) with no symptoms, and then an early AIDS stage (also often years) with various symptoms, many of them non-specific and easy to misdiagnose. AIDS becomes much more characteristic in the latter stages of the disease where immune failure becomes almost total.

Symptoms of HIV/AIDS

• The initial phase of HIV infection occurs briefly, usually a month or two after exposure:
  • No early symptoms - some people notice no early infection symptoms
  • Flu-like symptoms
  • Fever
  • Headache

See full list of 87 symptoms of HIV/AIDS

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to HIV/AIDS:

• Home STD Testing
  • Home HIV Tests
  • Home Chlamydia Tests
  • Home Hepatitis Tests
  • Home Trichomonas Tests
• Sexuality & Libido: Home Testing:
  • Home Hormone Tests
  • Home Libido Tests
  • Home Menopause Tests
  • Home Andropause Tests
• Liver Health: Home Testing
  • Home Hepatitis Tests
  • Home Liver Tests

Medical Textbooks Online about HIV/AIDS

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for HIV/AIDS

• HIV antibody blood test - though the test sometimes cannot detect HIV for 6 months; sometimes not till 15 months for infected infants.
• Immune tests
• PAP smears - needed more often to check for cervical cancer in women.

Read more about tests for HIV/AIDS

Wrongly Diagnosed with HIV/AIDS?

• Misdiagnosis of HIV/AIDS
• Failure to diagnose HIV/AIDS
• Underlying causes of HIV/AIDS (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose HIV/AIDS

Misdiagnosis and HIV/AIDS

Chronic lung diseases hard to diagnose: Some of the chronic lung diseases are difficult to diagnose. Even the well-knowns conditions such as asthma or lung cancer...read more »

Painful throat- look for infectious mononucleosis: Infectious mononucleosis must be considered in 15- 25 year old patients presenting with a painful throat. The patient presents with slow onset of malaise, fever,...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and HIV/AIDS

Causes of HIV/AIDS

Read more about causes of HIV/AIDS.

More information about causes of HIV/AIDS:

• HIV/AIDS as a complication caused by other conditions
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of HIV/AIDS
• Cause statistics for HIV/AIDS

Treatments for HIV/AIDS

• Nucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors - also called nucleoside analogs
  • Zidovudine (AZT) - also called ZDV
  • Zalcitibine (ddC)
  • Didanosine (ddI)
  • Stavudine (d4T)

See full list of 33 treatments for HIV/AIDS

Videos for HIV/AIDS

Patient Surveys for HIV/AIDS

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your HIV/AIDS
  Take Survey  View Results

Prognosis for HIV/AIDS

More about prognosis of HIV/AIDS

Reseach about HIV/AIDS

Visit our research pages for current research about HIV/AIDS treatments.

Clinical Trials for HIV/AIDS

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for HIV/AIDS include:

• Gallium Nitrate in Treating Patients With AIDS-Related Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - gallium nitrate
• Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With AIDS-Related Lymphoma - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - cyclophosphamide,cytarabine,doxorubicin HCl liposome,filgrastim,methotrexate,prednisone,vincristine
• Gene Therapy, Chemotherapy, and Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Patients With HIV-Related Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - RevM10 gene,RevM10/polAS gene
• Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With AIDS-Related Lymphoma - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - bleomycin,cisplatin,co-trimoxazole,cyclophosphamide,cytarabine,doxorubicin,etoposide,filgrastim,fluorouracil,ifosfamide,leucovorin calcium,mesna,methotrexate,methylprednisolone,pentamidine,prednisone,vincristine,zidovudine
• Liposomal Doxorubicin Plus Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With AIDS-Associated Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - doxorubicin HCl liposome,methotrexate,prednisone,sargramostim,vincristine

See full list of 2424 Clinical Trials for HIV/AIDS

Prevention of HIV/AIDS

Prevention information for HIV/AIDS has been compiled from various data sources and may be inaccurate or incomplete. None of these methods guarantee prevention of HIV/AIDS.

• Avoid unprotected sex
• Avoid multiple sex partners
• Avoid needle sharing
• Treatments to prevent mother-infant transmission include:
  • AZT

Read more about prevention of HIV/AIDS

Statistics for HIV/AIDS

• Medical statistics for HIV/AIDS
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for HIV/AIDS
• Death and Mortality statistics for HIV/AIDS
• Society statistics for HIV/AIDS

Stories from Users Related to HIV/AIDS

• Hiv?
• Be gone twitching!! Any ideas on what to search to aid in a Dx?
• Could I have HIV???
• MAC-do not have aids
• symptoms like HIV, but not
• What type of STD did I get, did I get HIV or what ?
• HIV?AIDS am i worrying too much, please help
• is it HIV
• im scared i have hiv
• Chlamydia or HIV
• Hiv Risk Help!!
• Could I get HIV
• Immune Deficiency???
• Hiv?
• Could I have HIV/AIDS?
• possible hiv diagnosis
• HIV or STD help!
• hiv? cvid?
• Can Cats Transfer Infections Like Uti's To Humans?
• hiv ??? plzzzzzzzz help me ((((((((((

Related forums and stories:

• Infectious Diseases (173)
  • small pink spots on penis
  • very high titers
  • MAC-do not have aids
  • Lymes-like symptoms. Could someone please help me?
  • Life after Alpha Strep/Strep Viridans
  • More user stories
• Sexual Conditions (125)
  • unexplained pain in groin,leg, hands, feet after having sex
  • No Sexual Desire
  • Could I have HIV???
  • Virgin woman, afraid of sexual contact
  • The lowdown/possibly herpes?
  • More user stories

User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about HIV/AIDS, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about HIV/AIDS

HIV Infection and AIDS, An Overview, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)

The term AIDS applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection. CDC developed official criteria for the definition of AIDS and is responsible for tracking the spread of AIDS in the United States. (Source: excerpt from HIV Infection and AIDS, An Overview, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

Sexually Transmitted Diseases, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) was first reported in the United States in 1981. It is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a virus that destroys the body's ability to fight off infection. (Source: excerpt from Sexually Transmitted Diseases, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

Definitions of HIV/AIDS:

A syndrome resulting from the acquired deficiency of cellular immunity caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is characterized by the reduction of the Helper T-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and the lymph nodes; opportunistic infections (usually pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, tuberculosis, candida infections, and cryptococcosis); and the development of malignant neoplasms (usually non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma). The human immunodeficiency virus is transmitted through sexual contact, sharing of contaminated needles, or transfusion of contaminated blood. Generalized lymphadenopathy, fever, weight loss, and chronic diarrhea are common symptoms of AIDS. The patients usually die either of opportunistic infections or malignant neoplasms. -- 2004 - (Source - Diseases Database)