AIDS, derived from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is an immunodeficiency disease caused by the HIV virus. AIDS is thus preceded by HIV infection. Unfortunately, up to the current state of medical research, there is still no cure or therapeutic approach that can successfully treat this disease. The most common cause of HIV infection and subsequently AIDS, is unprotected sexual intercourse with persons already infected with HIV.
What is AIDS?
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus. Untreated HIV infection leads to AIDS after a symptom-free period that usually lasts several years. Click to enlarge. The disease AIDS (abbreviation for: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is now known to everyone, because it is incurable to this day and can significantly shorten life. It is often confused with HIV infection, in which only the HI virus has infected the human body and over a period of several years will ensure that the immune system is completely destroyed. AIDS, on the other hand, is the condition in which the immune system is destroyed to such an extent that so-called opportunistic infections can spread and eventually kill the person.
Causes
AIDS is the terminal result of infection with the HIV virus. Once the viruses find their way into the human body, they initially cause only mild, flu-like symptoms that soon disappear. However, the viruses do not do this: they remain in the body and cannot be recognized and destroyed by the human immune cells, as would be the case with other pathogens. Viruses smuggle their RNA (ribonucleic acid) into healthy human body cells and reprogram them in such a way that they can only produce new viruses. The body cells then die and the viruses seek out new host cells again. This mechanism destroys healthy immune cells until there are no more. One speaks of AIDS when the condition of the immune system is obviously permanently disturbed or diseased. AIDS becomes noticeable through so-called opportunistic infections or opportunistic tumors, which can spread because the immune system has nothing to oppose them.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
AIDS, as a full-blown HIV infection, is characterized by severe opportunistic infections, brain dysfunction, and the so-called wasting syndrome. Wasting syndrome involves prolonged diarrhea, fever, fatigue, and severe weight loss that exceeds ten percent of body weight. The dysfunction of the brain is manifested by a variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as impaired consciousness, movement disorders and vegetative disorders. Degenerative processes can lead to the development of progressive dementia. Particularly typical of AIDS, however, are severe opportunistic infections caused by microorganisms that do not cause problems in healthy individuals. These infections include severe pneumonia caused by the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii, bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, or repeated infections with salmonella. Herpes infections in the stomach, esophagus, or lungs are also common. Furthermore, infections occur that do not occur at all in healthy persons. These include infections with the cytomegalovirus, which particularly attacks the retina of the eye, bird-borne fungal infections, intestinal infections with protozoa and other atypical infections. Also typical for AIDS is the occurrence of malignant tumors such as Kaposi’s sarcoma, various non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, malignant tumors of the CNS or aggressive cervical cancer. Kaposi’s sarcoma is characterized by multiple brown-red indurated plaques on the skin. These nodules form ulcers and, if left untreated, can affect the entire skin, mucous membranes, and various organs. Any single disease that occurs in the setting of AIDS can lead to death.
Course
The course of the disease in AIDS takes very little time. After all, AIDS is only spoken of as soon as the immune system is no longer able to fight off further pathogens.The course of the disease is structured in such a way that one day the affected person falls ill with an infection, which may be trivial – however, he will die from it within a few weeks, since the HI infection has almost completely weakened his immune system. Also possible are tumor diseases, which can quickly lead to death. However, before AIDS occurs, the HI infection is followed by a latency phase lasting many years, during which the immune system is merely broken down. In the meantime, the affected person cannot yet die from banal infections, but they can last longer and be more troublesome. Only when it becomes obvious that the affected person could no longer defend himself against an illness on his own, can there be talk of AIDS. Very rarely, it can also happen that AIDS never breaks out and the infected person remains in the latency phase for life or fights the HI viruses.
Complications
As the final stage of HIV infection, AIDS is always associated with severe complications. First, there is an increased risk of various infections and inflammations, including, for example, bronchitis, cytomegaly, salmonella septicemia, and the Candida fungal infection. Pneumonia or inflammation of the esophagus and various types of pneumonia also often occur. The risk of tumor disease also increases significantly, which can cause cervical cancer and malignant lymphoma, among others. Specific sequelae of AIDS include Kaposi’s sarcoma (a malignant tumor), wasting syndrome (rapid weight loss with chronic diarrhea), and infections with mycobacteria that occur either in the lungs or throughout the body. In general, AIDS increases the risk of developing tumors and infections. The onset of these secondary diseases is usually accompanied by rapid physical and mental decline. Diseases such as HIV encephalopathy cause irreversible damage to the brain, leading to further complications. The final consequence of AIDS is multiple organ failure and unconsciousness, accompanied by the death of the patient. However, comprehensive therapy can at least reduce AIDS-typical complications nowadays.
When should you see a doctor?
After a certain incubation period (which can be long), infection with HIV leads to AIDS. The tricky thing is that the first symptoms after infection resemble flu or an influenza infection and cannot be readily distinguished from them at first. Characteristics are diffuse symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, loss of appetite, rash, muscle pain, nausea, diarrhea or weight loss. For this reason, an infection with the HI virus is often not immediately recognized as such. Another problem is that the symptoms that follow infection are followed by a prolonged latency period that can last for years. During this time, patients are virtually symptom-free. However, if the infection with HIV is not treated, this inevitably leads to an outbreak of the disease at a later stage. A severely weakened immune system is the most important characteristic. It makes those affected susceptible to infections and cancers. So if flu-like symptoms occur for no apparent reason, persist over a long period of time, and conventional treatments are not effective, it is time to consult a general practitioner. He or she can perform a blood test and then refer the patient to a specialist. This is especially true if one belongs to the so-called risk groups (drug addicts, people with frequently changing sexual partners, etc.).
Treatment and therapy
AIDS cannot currently be cured; only palliative treatment is considered. Once the affected person becomes ill with an opportunistic infection, it is possible to at least alleviate the symptoms. In the case of a cold or a similar infection caused by AIDS, the symptoms can be controlled. Treatment with antibiotics or other agents would no longer be useful. However, the main focus of AIDS treatment at present is to delay the onset of AIDS after HIV infection. There are already modern approaches that this delay is possible for several years or even decades. However, medical research is working at full speed to defeat the AIDS disease. If, on the other hand, it is an opportunistic tumor caused by AIDS, painkillers are often administered and the affected person suffers less as a result.Also important is monitoring the AIDS patient during this time to provide appropriate symptomatic treatment and to spare him or her pain.
Outlook and prognosis
HIV infection is still not completely curable. However, full-blown immunodeficiency can be prevented by comprehensive therapy. Crucial to a positive prognosis is consistent and sustained treatment of the viral infection. Once AIDS has broken out, however, it is fatal. Modern drugs can nevertheless significantly improve the life expectancy and quality of life of those affected. In the long term, however, secondary diseases develop, such as infections and liver or cancer diseases, which weaken the immune system and the entire organism more and more. Patients with other diseases, as well as elderly or drug-dependent people, have a particularly low life expectancy. The prospects for a long life with AIDS are also significantly worse in countries with less good health care.
Follow-up
There are no aftercare measures that can be taken with AIDS. Rather, aftercare measures must be based on the different conditions that result in the diagnosis of AIDS. This is due to the fact that AIDS cannot be cured. However, in some cases the condition of the patients can be improved by a consistent drug therapy. Follow-up examinations consist of monitoring the CD4 values and the viral load. In the case of HIV-associated anal carcinoma, approximately annual check-ups are necessary, consisting of a check of the rectum and parts of the colon. For all HIV-associated infections and parasite infestations, the appropriate follow-up options must also be exhausted. In many cases, this means regular medical care of the AIDS patient and monitoring of blood counts to detect and monitor secondary infections. Overall, the follow-up measures that are taken for AIDS patients in the case of emerging and treated diseases are the same as for HIV-negative patients. Only the use of immunosuppressants (where appropriate) should be urgently reconsidered. To prevent further opportunistic infections, those affected by AIDS should live a very healthy lifestyle that strengthens the immune system as best as possible. This includes a healthy diet, exercise, and abstaining from substances that negatively affect the immune system-such as alcohol and nicotine.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Because AIDS is an acquired immune deficiency, all steps that strengthen the immune system are indicated. However, due to the severity of the disease, self-help measures are only possible to a limited extent. In addition to regular medication, a mixed diet rich in vitamins, plenty of sport and exercise in the fresh air are beneficial. In particular, a sufficient amount of vitamin C should be taken into account. Other immune-strengthening measures such as alternating showers and a regular daily routine are also helpful. In some cases, this can help to reduce the side effects of the medication. Those who maintain a positive outlook on life despite the disease are also doing their immune system good. Helpful, supportive social contacts instead of exclusion are beneficial for body, soul and spirit. Because of their immunodeficiency, those affected should avoid infections from others. Vaccinations can help (for example, when traveling to other countries), but sometimes AIDS sufferers are advised against vaccinations. Alternative healing methods can be tested as supportive measures. However, acupuncture, homeopathy and the like are not yet scientifically proven.
