The Symptoms of AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is known as AIDS and represents the part of infections and symptoms resulting from the harm to the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This structure constantly decreases the value of the immune system and leaves individuals in position to become infected with tumors and infections. HIV is spread through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the blood circulation with a physical fluid containing HIV, such as blood, seminal fluid, preseminal fluid, vaginal fluid and mother's milk.
The symptoms of AIDS are found as a result of infected immune system. Viruses, bacterias, parasites or fungi are the main reason for causing conditions that develop AIDS and are usually controlled by the elements of the immune system that HIV damages.
The symptoms of AIDS can be found in almost every part and every organ of the human body. In the early stage when first infected with AIDS, there is a good possibility of not having any signs and symptoms of infection, but there is a chance of flu-like condition two to four weeks after becoming infected. Some of the early symptoms include: pyrexia (fever), headache, rash, swollen lymph glands and sore throat (pharyngitis). Even if the person does not have these symptoms, he can transmit the virus to the people surrounding him. The virus is reproducing in lymph nodes and gradually starts to break down the helper T cells which have the role of managing the complete immune system.
After a few years, the AIDS develops into the later stage. The person infected by AIDS can stay without any symptoms manifestation for more than nine years, but after this period the virus is very crucial and destroys the immune system. There is a good possibility of getting soft infections or showing infection effects such as: swollen lymph nodes, weight reduction, diarrhea, fever, cough and breath problems.
Ten or more years after the first AIDS infection, this virus becomes very critical and expands into the latest phase of infection when more serious symptoms can be found. The number of CD4 lymphocyte is less than 200 while normal count varies from 800 to 1,200. In this period the immune system of the person infected by the virus is much damaged, making it very sensitive to similar infections. The signs and symptoms of some of these infections may contain: headaches, weight reduction, chronic diarrhea, soaking night sweats, dry cough and difficulty in breathing, blurred and distorted vision, steady white spots or unusual lesions on the tongue or in the mouth, shaking chills or fever higher than 38 C for several weeks.
The person infected by AIDS is more likely to develop certain cancers, but improved treatments have reduced the risk of these illnesses.
How To Prevent And Treat Genital Herpes – Naturally!
I felt compelled to write an effective article highlighting how to prevent and treat genital herpes naturally after finding out that a shocking 20%+ of the population is infected with this condition.
While debilitating(there still is no cure), there are ways to prevent outbreaks and treat genital herpes naturally without expensive drugs. In fact the natural course of remedy I am going to recommend has been proven to be as effective as conventional rx drugs used to keep herpes symptoms at bay and speed up recovery time when outbreaks do occur.
The best thing you can do to prevent symptoms by far is controlling your levels of stress and avoiding the amino acid arginine as much as you possibly can.
So how do you control stress?
The best known practices include meditation,hypnosis,physical exercise,yoga and breathing exercises just to name a few.
The amino acid Lysine has been proven critical in natural herpes prevention and treatment. Lysine 500 mg capsules daily is the standard.
Want a real strong and steady daily course for preventing herpes symptoms?
Add these to your daily supplement list and you'll help prevent symptoms as effectively as you would by taking the popular genital herpes prescription medications on a daily basis.
The most effective natural genital herpes prevention supplementation includes:
Lysine 500 mg capsules
Vitamin C 1000 mg (once daily and 3000-4000mg daily when outbreaks occur for speedy recovery)
Zinc 50 mg daily
Vitamin E 400 I.U. daily
Vitamin A 10,000 I.U. daily
Extra-Strength,proven Homeopathy?
Tarragon tea has strong antiviral properties. Make a teaspoon of tarragon steeped in a cup of hot water. Drink the tea up to three times a day. Steep the teaspoon with a lemon balm tea bag for better taste and a more stronger remedy.
Cantharis soothes the burning and blistering bumps caused by herpes virus from the inside out.
The prescription? 30C preparation of this tea three times daily during an outbreak.
The ultra-strong natural,effective remedies in this short genital herpes treatment guide are proven to be as effective as prescription herpes medications in treating and preventing genital herpes outbreaks.
It is also highly recommended to control your stress levels as mentioned previously. Hypnosis seems to work wonders for stress and anxiety reduction but must be done frequently to first reach the desired effect as well as maintain stress and anxiety reduction.
A general all-around holistic approach to combating genital herpes is really the best way to go about treating herpes. The side effects from conventional rx genital herpes medications can be devastating which is why I always advocate natural therapy over drug therapy ,especially when it's proven to be effective.
With all the modern and ancient therapeutic therapies there is no need to suffer frequent genital herpes outbreaks as this can be greatly reduced, if not even altogether prevented. Yes , there are a few people with genital herpes that have achieved wonderful results in preventing recurring outbreaks.
By following the recommendations in this guide you can be sure to see some improvement in preventing genital herpes outbreaks and shortening the length and severity of outbreaks.
Can Lesbians Get HIV?
Is one of the main benefits of having a lesbian relationship the lack of STDs that you're at risk of catching? Do lesbians need to practice safe sex, and does a lesbian need a confidential HIV test like a fish needs a bicycle? Whilst a lot is documented on the HIV/AIDs rates in gay communities, there is little written about lesbians and STDS. Here we attempt to answer some frequently asked questions:
Can Lesbians Get HIV/AIDS?
For a lesbian, getting a positive result on a confidential HIV test is a rare occurrence, but that's not to say it doesn't happen. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are several documented cases of female-to-female transmission of HIV or AIDS. Findings from documented cases of female-to-male transmission of HIV has shown us that vaginal secretions and menstrual blood can contain the virus, and that any exposure to these secretions has the potential to lead to HIV or AIDS.
Of course, lesbians that use drugs intravenously are more at risk of testing positive on a confidential HIV test, but there are certain other groups of lesbians that are more at risk too. These groups include women that identify as lesbians but continue to have sex with men; victims of rape and sexual abuse; lesbians that have sex for money, and even those who have undergone artificial insemination.
Why are the Documented Cases of Lesbians with HIV so Rare?
If all of the above conditions can contribute to HIV in lesbians, why are the occurrences so rare? This has a lot to do with how HIV is documented in the USA. A woman in a lesbian relationship but with certain other risk factors, such as drug use, would have the cause of her transmission written down as her drug use, or as undetermined. Unless the women hadn't had sex with a man since 1978, past heterosexual experiences would not be ruled out as a contributing factor.
Although 109,311 women have been diagnosed with AIDS since 1998, only 2,220 of these were reported to have had sex with women. However, in the majority of the cases there was another risk involved, such as drug use or a blood transfusion. Only 347 of these 2,220 women reported to only ever having had sex with women, and in 98% of these cases there was another risk - IV drug use in most cases.
Same Symptoms, Not Always an STD
When things aren't quite shipshape down below, it's very easy to think the worst. In these situations, you should invariably undertake STD testing, as you may have contracted something which, left untreated, could affect your fertility, and can easily be passed on to others. However, before the panic sets in, bear in mind that some of the symptoms of STDs are shared by other, less serious conditions.
Yeast Infections
Yeast infections are not solely a product of sexual intercourse by any means, and are most prominent in women, many of whom often suffer from recurring symptoms. However, these infections can also be passed onto men. Caused by the overgrowth of an organism known as Candida Albicans, a yeast infection can be very uncomfortable for the person carrying it. Similarly to sexually transmitted infections, the infection may have no visible physical symptoms. However, it is likely that both male and female sufferers will experience itchiness in the affected area. There may also be a burning sensation whilst going to the toilet. Though not a serious affliction, yeast infections can cause a great deal of discomfort, and it is best to treat them sooner rather than later. If symptoms continue, then it is still a good idea to get an STD test.
Fordyce Spots
Fordyce spots are often mistaken by men for something a lot more serious such as herpes or genital warts. These spots form on the penis and are often the same colour as the surrounding skin, looking a little like goose bumps. In some cases, they can turn into slightly darker coloured patches that look a little more like a mole. Though it is still worth taking an STD test to rule out the possibility of more severe diseases such as warts and herpes, for the most part these spots are quite harmless and should not lead to any further problems. In terms of appearance, it is best not to worry too much as the spots are a lot more visible to you than they would be to anybody else.
Sebaceous Gland
Microscopic glands in the skin, sebaceous glands around the genital area are often mistaken for sexually transmitted diseases. These glands are usually attached to hair follicles, but can occasionally appear on hairless areas of the body such as the penis. These glands release a slightly oily sebum which lubricates the skin, but also gives the area a slightly rashy appearance which can easily be mistaken for an STD. Sebaceous glands around the genital area do not generally put you at risk, and cannot be transferred through sexual contact, but it is best to get an STD test anyway to make sure that there is nothing more serious wrong.
It is always a good idea to make sure that you undertake regular STD testing to ensure that you are in good sexual health and not at risk of passing on an STD to anybody else. However, it is also important to bear in mind that there can be other problems in your nether regions, and though the implications may not be so serious, they can be just as uncomfortable. It is worth going for an STD test if you show any symptoms that are out of the ordinary.
Transmission of HPV Through Child Birth
Most do not think of sexually transmitted diseases when they consider children. Unhappily, our kids do experience harmful effects from adults who catch sexually transmitted diseases. For example, a child, through accidental contact with diseased tissue, could be exposed to the HPV, as in childbirth.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a cause of cancer of the cervix; it needs to be taken seriously by both those who are active sexually, and those who at risk for sexually transmitted diseases and are pregnant or may become pregnant.
Another rare disease caused by HPV infection Laryngeal papillomatosis. The 2 types of virus that are linked with this disease are HPV 6 and HPV 11. With this disease, growths or warts grow quickly and are varied in size; they can grow in number and size until affectively blocking the air passageway. It may become hard for a child to breathe when sleeping and difficulty in swallowing may also be experienced.
HPV is exceptionally contagious via skin-to-skin contact in addition to sexual contact. The one noticeable sign of infection is the appearance of genital warts, not all of which can be seen, especially in infected women. Warts will emerge within 3 months of HPV infection.
In pregnancy, the immune system is lowered, causing a pregnant woman to be more susceptible to viral infections such as HPV. This in turn causes genital warts during pregnancy to grow even quicker and larger.
If your baby should become infected with HPV during the passage through the vagina during delivery, there may appear genital warts or there may be warts on the throat which is known as laryngeal papillomatosis.
Laryngeal papillomatosis is a rare disease that is caused by HPV infection. The two types of virus that are associated with this disease are: HPV 6 and HPV 11. The growths or warts from this disease grow rapidly and vary in size. When they grow in number and size they may effectively block the air passageway. This makes it difficult for your child to breathe when sleeping and they can also experience difficulty in swallowing.
Two tests are available to establish whether your child is suffering from this disease or not. The first is called Indirect Laryngoscopy. This is an in-office procedure conducted by a speech pathologist or a family doctor. A small mirror is placed in the back of the throat to examine the larynx area.
The other test is Direct Laryngoscopy; this is performed in an operating room under general anesthesia. This lets the doctor view directly the vocal cord folds and supplementary parts of the larynx under high magnification. Tissue biopsy may also be taken during the procedure to identify the existence of HPV.
All of this can be avoided with the proper precautions, the most effective of which is inoculation with the HPV vaccine.
Respiratory Infections and Central Nervous System Disorders – The Clinical Manifestations of HIV
People, especially children with HIV cases also suffer from respiratory infections and as well, central nervous system disorders. How can this come about and how drastic are these two manifestations?
Respiratory Infections
Pulmonary infection is a common and serious manifestation of HIV infection. The most commonly diagnosed infection is Pneumocystis Carini Pneumonia (PCP), which can present acutely with respiratory distress or with a history of progressive cough and respiratory symptoms over days to weeks. Clinically, it may be difficult to distinguish PCP from more typical causes of childhood pneumonia. The chest X-ray typically shows a diffuse intersititial pneumonitis, although almost every pattern of infiltrate has been seen with PCP.
A second common pneumonitis is lymphoid intersitital pneumonitis (LIP); the cause is unknown. Children with LIP often have a longstanding history of pulmonary symptoms, particularly cough. They are usually not febrile or acutely dyspneic, and rarely have significant auscultatory findings. A concomitant infection can cause a child with pre-existing LIP to present acutely. LIP is most often seen in children with other Lympho-proliferative manifestations of HIV such as lymphadenopathy and parotitis: these patients may have signs of chronic pulmonary disease such as clubbing. The chest X-ray shows a diffuse interstitial infiltrate similar to that seen with PCP, but in some longstanding cases there may be a diffuse nodular pattern with widening of the superior mediastinum and hilus. LIP is currently a diagnosis of exclusion.
In addition to PCP and LIP, other routine and opportunistic infections must be considered in an HIV- infected child with respiratory distress. Bacterial pathogens are frequent. Another common pathogen is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) an extremely common viral infection in young infants and children, which can cuase giant cell pneumonia in the compromised host. Cytomegalo-virus can be cultured from the lung in these patients, although it is not always clear that it is the primary pathogen. Other opportunistic pulmonary infections are also in the differential diagnosis, including atypical mycobacteria and fungi.
Central nervous system Disorders
CNS disorders are prominent part of the clinical spectrum of HIV infections in children. Encephalopathy, either static or progressive, if often noted. Manifestations often include acquired microcephaly, progressive motor dysfunction, loss of developmental milestones, ataxia, and extra-pyramidal rigidity. Isolated seizures are unusual but may occur with a concomitant febrile illness. Focal neurologic signs are uncommon in pediatric AIDS and should suggest possible CNS lymphoma. Opportunistic infections, particularly cryptococcal meningitis, may be present in the child with CNS symptoms. However, in most series of children dying with HIV encephalopathy, opportunistic infection of the CNS is rare, and msot signs and symptoms are secondary to HIV infection of the nervous system.
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