AIDS ( Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome )

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ) is caused by infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( HIV ). After infection HIV in the body, the virus into the lymph glands and in dendritic cells for several days. Then occur acuteretro viral syndrome,a kind of flu disease accompanied by great viremia within volvement of lymph glands, this syndrome will go away after 1 - 3 weeks.

Condition viremia ( level of virus high in the blood ) can be decreased by thebody's immune system, this process lasted for several weeks until there is abalance between the formation of new viruses and efforts to eliminate by the immune response.

The equilibrium points is called the set poin and very important in determining the next course of the disease. Changes antibody negative to positive (seroconversion ) occurs 1 to 3 months after infection and continued with the period without symptoms.

HIV-AIDS can be transmitted through :

1. Intercourse.

Risk of transmission from 0.1 to 1% of each relationship sexual.

2. Transmission through blood.

• Transfusion of blood containing the risk of contracting HIVby 90 to 98%.
• Jabed needles containing HIV with a 0.03% risk of transmission.
• Exposure mucosal that containing HIV with a 0.0061% risk oftransmission.

3. Transmission from mother to child.

The period of pregnancy.

Process of birth with the risk of transmission of HIV 50%. Through the mother's milk with the risk of transmission of HIV 14%. Indication testing of HIV is suspicion to probability of risk of transmission through injecting drug addicts, to the relationship of unsafe sex, patients with sexually transmitted disease , hemophilia patients, jabed needles that have been used in HIV infection persons, and infants which born from HIV infection mothers. This test can be done at period without symptoms.

A person that assumed have been suffering HIV-AIDS if showing a positive HIV test with appropriate inspection strategy and at least of acquired 2 major symptoms associated with 1 minor symptoms, and symptoms - these symptoms are not caused by other conditions unrelated to HIV infection.

The major and minor symptoms of HIV-AIDS include :

A. Major symptoms.

• Weight loss of more than 10% within 1 month.
• Chronic diarrhea lasting more than 1 month.
• Prolonged fever for more than 1 month.
• The decline of consciousness and neurology disorders.
• Dementia.

B. Minor symptoms.

• A cough settled more than 1 month.
• The Dermatios generalized itching.
• Recurrent herpes zoster.
• Herpes simplex chronic progressive.
• Kandidiosis orofaring.
• Generalized lymphadenopathy.
• Recurrent fungal infection on women genitals.
• Clinical symptoms of HIV infection occur in phase according course of the disease based on clinical circumstances and the number of CD4 (receptors at T4 lymphocyte becoming the primary cell target of HIV ),including:

1. Acute retroviral infection.

Frequency of symptoms of acute retroviral infection about 50 - 90%. Clinical symptoms showed fever, enlarged glands, hepatosplenomegaly, sore throat, musclepain, rash - red spots on the skin like morbili, sores on the skin mucous,diarrhea and leucopenia. Some patients have neurological disfunction that usually heal themselves without treatment.

2. The period asymptomatic.

At this period the patient showed asymptomatic, but can occur generallymphadenopathy. Decrease of CD4 cell occurs in phase that lasted after replication persistent of HIV with level RNA viruses relatively constant.

3. The period of early symptoms.

At this period CD4 counts ranged from 100 to 300. Symptoms that arise are due to bacterial pneumonia infection, kandidiosis vagina, thrush, herpes zoster,leukoplakia, ITP, and pulmonary tuberculosis.

4. The period of symptoms continued.

At this time CD4 count below 200. The decrease of immune system which continue cause high risk of opportunistic infections such as pneumocystosis ormalignancies such as kaposis sarcoma can signal the final stage of HIVinfection.

Medical treatment for HIV-AIDS has not proven effective, it needs to be donefor the following efforts :

• Fulfilling the needs of nutrients and vitamins are sufficient.
• Channeling hobby and keep working.
• Opening on to life which are positive to patient.
• Psychological and social support.

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