H3

What does the HIV do to my immune system?

AIDS!

The HIV continually attacks your immune system. This body system is responsible for helping you fight off infection and disease. Slowly the virus cripples your immune system so that colds and other infections can make you very sick.

Over time, the virus gradually destroys your immune system and you start to develop "opportunistic" diseases - or diseases that would not develop or be far less severe in the healthy person. Once these "opportunistic" diseases begin to show up, you are considered to have AIDS!

So what is AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome. Acquired means that it is not part of your normal genetic code. Immunodeficiency means that the immune system is no longer working to successfully fight off diseases and infections. Syndrome in this case means that you have a combination of life-threatening illnesses. Being diagnosed with AIDS means that the HIV has basically destroyed most of your immune system. Usually it takes about 10 years for AIDS to develop. The length of time depends upon if you get treatment, your general health, and if you avoid unhealthy behaviors.

There is NO cure for AIDS. Treatment is aimed at slowing the further growth of the HIV and keeping you as comfortable and healthy as possible.

What are the symptoms of AIDS?

Usually you will see a combination of several of these diseases/syndromes when "full-blown" AIDS has been diagnosed.

Consistently swollen lymph glands in the body.
Persistent flu-like symptoms including fever, diarrhea, and fatigue.
White spots in your mouth that are caused by an infection. What does it look like?
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is a common disease in people with AIDS. This organism does not affect a healthy immune system.
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a cancer in the soft tissues of the skin where there is abnormal growth of blood vessels causing brown or purplish spots on your body. This disease is commonly found in people with AIDS. What does it look like?
Wasting Syndrome leading to a loss of 10% of your body weight with no explanation.
Tuberculosis and other respiratory infections.
Septicemia or infection of the blood.
AIDS Dementia where there is a loss of muscle coordination and behavior changes including violent outbursts.
Lymphoma (a type of cancer) of the brain.