What is HIV?
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. It damages the body’s immune system, making it easier for a person to get sick. HIV can spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex, injection drug use or sharing needles, contact with infected blood, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
HIV SYMPTOMS
While some people never experience symptoms of HIV at all, about two-thirds of people will develop flu like illnesses. HIV symptoms in men and women are often the same. However, there are a few symptoms that exclusively affect people with a uterus. Some common signs pf HIV can include:
* Fever Night Sweats
* Chills Muscle pains
* Rash Sore Throat
* Fatigue Mouth ulcers
* Longer or shorter periods of Lower belly pain
Symptoms of AIDS
If a person has HIV and is not on treatment, eventually the virus will weaken the body’s immune system and progress to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Symptoms can include:
* Rapid weight loss Prolong swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin or neck
* Profuse night sweats Extreme and unexplained fatigue
* Diarrhea that last more than a week Pneumonia
HIV TESTING
Should I get tested for HIV?
CDC recommends everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once.
People with certain risk factors should get tested more often. You should get tested at least once a year if:
* You’re a man who has had sex with another man.
* You’ve had anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV.
* You’ve had more than one sex partner since your last HIV test.
* You’ve shared needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment (for example, cookers).
* You’ve exchanged sex for drugs or money.
* You’ve been diagnosed with or treated for another sexually transmitted disease (https://www.cdc.gov/std/healthcomm/fact_sheets.htm).
* You’ve been diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis (https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/) or tuberculosis (TB) (https://www.cdc.gov/tb/).
* You’ve had sex with someone who has done anything listed above or with someone whose sexual history you don’t know.
If you are experiencing symptoms or would like to get tested for HIV, contact us today!
If you would like to learn more about how IDS specialists can assist with your patient population, request an appointment today by clicking the “Contact us” button above or call (833) 967-2464.
