AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a life-threatening disease. It is an STI (sexually transmitted disease) caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) that interferes with the human body’s natural ability to fight disease and infection. Some people ignore the red flags, making the condition potentially threatening. So, one should educate themselves about the symptoms and visit an hiv and std testing singapore center and get oneself tested.
Symptoms of HIV infection
The symptoms of HIV and AIDS can vary with the phase or level of infection.
Acute HIV (primary infection)
Some infected people experience mild flu-like symptoms 2 to 4 weeks after getting infected. This stage may last for several weeks.
Common symptoms of primary HIV infection are as follows.
- Headache
- Fever
- Joint pain and sore muscles
- Rashes
- Mouth sores and tonsil-like sore throat
- Swollen lymph gland (primarily on the neck)
- Rapid weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Cough
- Severe night sweats
Chronic HIV (latent clinical infection)
The virus marks its presence in the body’s white blood cells in this stage. This type of infection lasts for years if the patient does not receive ART (antiretroviral therapy). Since the fight between the viral and human immune cells continues, one may develop the following symptoms.
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Swollen lymph glands
- Diarrhea
- Continued weight loss
- Thrush (oral yeast infections)
- Shingles or herpes zoster
- Pneumonia
HIV to AIDS
HIV takes around 8 to 10 years to transform into AIDS. The latter is a life-threatening condition when the body’s immune system gets severely damaged beyond repair. The patients can develop diseases or conditions that generally don’t occur in healthy individuals and may even die. Such conditions are called opportunistic cancers or infections.
Signs for such infections are as follows.
- Chills
- Sweats
- Recurring high fever
- Chronic diarrhea
- Badly swollen neck lymph glands
- White spots or unnatural lesions on the tongue or mouth
- Chronic, unexplained fatigue
- Feeling weak
- Continuous weight loss
- Bumps or rashes on the skin
So, one should visit an hiv and std testing singapore center if they spot the primary signs in themselves or anyone in their friends or family.
Causes of HIV and AIDS
HIV inhabits human blood, breast milk, and sexual fluid. It is a communicable disease spread by a virus (HIV). One can catch the infection from the following.
- Sexual contact with a person with HIV/AIDS
- Sharing needles with an infected person (or anyone else also)
- From mother to the fetus
- The child can get infected during childbirth or through breastfeeding.
However, this disease is not the end of the world, as treatment is available for patients to lead a near-normal life.
