What is the course of the disease?
The course of the disease depends on the time of diagnosis. An HIV infection discovered at an early stage has caused only minor damage to the immune system. A well adjusted therapy enables the body to regenerate and strengthen the immune system.
However, if the HIV infection was discovered too late, the immune system may already be so severely compromised that other opportunistic infections may occur. These infections are diseases that have no effect on healthy people. The immune system can fight these pathogens without any problems.
However, the situation is different in HIV-infected persons – these opportunistic pathogens can trigger diseases that can lead to serious complications. For example, lymphomas (malignant tumors of the lymphatic system) can develop. These require additional therapy in addition to HIV treatment.
Furthermore, wasting syndrome can occur. This describes a chronic fatigue and weight loss that cannot be explained by other causes. In addition, there can be a deterioration in memory performance because the virus damages the nervous system.
This can lead to HIV-associated dementia, which does not regress. Early diagnosis and initiation of therapy therefore have a decisive influence on the course of the disease. Patients who have been diagnosed early with HIV infection and consistently take their medication have a very good prognosis. Their life expectancy is similar to the life expectancy of the population.
HIV and depression – What is the connection?
Depression is a common disease that accompanies HIV infection. About 40% of HIV-infected patients suffer from depression during the course of their illness. The reason for this is the psychological stress caused by the infection.
Those affected think too much about their illness and fall into pessimism. In addition, social isolation can occur, since an HIV infection is still characterized by many stigmas.The increasing loneliness and the burden of an HIV infection often leads to the development of depression. The depression can in turn have a negative effect on the HIV disease, as the therapy can be neglected.
The virus can multiply and in some cases develop resistance to the drugs, so that they become ineffective. For this reason, depression should not be neglected. Signs of depression are a depressed mood, listlessness and tiredness.
In addition, sleep disorders, an increased or reduced appetite and concentration problems can occur. If these symptom complexes are present, one should consult a family doctor or a psychiatrist. They can make a final diagnosis and initiate therapy. In addition to drug therapy, psychotherapy can also help to overcome anxiety. An adequate therapy of depression leads to an improvement of the well-being and also influences the course of the illness of an HIV infection.
