Symptoms of AIDS: how to identify the disease

Due to the fact that the immunodeficiency virus in most cases is asymptomatic (except for the acute stage of HIV infection), without passing a special test, the disease is difficult to identify. But the signs of AIDS, which manifest themselves quite clearly, just become a natural consequence of neglected HIV infection.

The manifestation of AIDS in five stages of the disease

In connection with what has been said above, it can be argued that AIDS is the final form of the development of the immunodeficiency virus. The disease itself can last for quite a long time, and in its development it passes five following levels, for each of which AIDS has the corresponding signs.

1. A sharp exacerbation of the disease. It occurs 1-3 months after the person becomes infected. It is characterized by an increase in temperature, a deterioration in overall health, an increase in lymph nodes, sore throat and headaches. In some cases, there may also be a rash in the most varied parts of the body. The duration of the stage is 14-20 days.

2. Asymptomatic period, which can last from 2 to 10 years and even longer. The only sign (and not always) is a small increase in lymph nodes.

3. PGL (persistent generalized lymphadenopathy). The stage is characterized by a strong increase in lymph nodes. Duration of PGL is not more than 3 months.

4. Pre-AIDS (AIDS-associated complex). Here the symptoms are more pronounced. This is a sharp decrease in the body weight of the person (about 10%), and persistent diarrhea, and febrile conditions, and a strong cough (dry and choking), and the presence of a large number of cutaneous disorders.

5. The final stage of the formation of AIDS. The above symptoms are permanent and progress strongly.

In addition, according to the WHO classification, depending on which AIDS symptoms prevail in the clinical picture, four forms can be distinguished in the disease.

Signs of AIDS with pulmonary disease

With this form of AIDS, the predominant place is occupied by the symptoms of pneumonia (hypoxia, dyspnea, cough, pain in the chest), which in turn develop against the backdrop of increasing weight loss, fever and general deterioration of the patient's condition. Radiographically, there are extensive infiltrates in the lungs.

Symptoms of AIDS in the neurological form of the disease

As a result of numerous studies, which included the study of autopsy material, in the case of HIV infection, manifestations of various and heterogeneous pathologies of the nervous system are extremely frequent (up to 95%). These are such symptoms as meningitis, encephalopathy, myelopathy, encephalitis.

Signs of AIDS in the gastrointestinal form of the disease

Here the leading place is occupied by recurrent (persistent) diarrhea, which is accompanied by progressive weight loss, intoxication and dehydration. The patient's chair is watery, frequent, often fetid and with impurities of pus, mucus and blood. Loss of fluid with only feces per day is up to 10-15 liters. Some patients note painful pains in the intestines. Sometimes such diseases as stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer, hepatitis, cholecystitis, colitis chronic develop, as well as bleeding in the stomach and intestines and other disorders of the digestive system. Also, this form of AIDS can be accompanied by lesions of the intestine of a tumor character (primarily lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma).

Signs of AIDS in a febrile form of the disease

For this form, periodic body temperature rises (up to febrile) are typical against weight loss, general malaise, increasing weakness. In a number of patients with the above symptoms, microbacteria in biopsies of lymph nodes, bone marrow and liver were detected.