HIV and AIDS

Reviewed by Dr Reginald Odbert, GP

What does the treatment involve and what medication is used?
New and more efficient treatments to fight HIV and reduce the content of virus in the blood are being developed all the time.

Unfortunately, HIV is a very efficient virus that can change some of its own characteristics, mutate and create new HIV variants, which are resistant to the medicines used in treatment. To reduce the risk of developing resistance to the medication and fight the virus from several directions, you will be offered a treatment that includes several types of medication. These are:

antiviral medicines against HIV that stop the virus from spreading in the body. You will not be cured and you are still contagious, but the treatment strengthens the immune system so that your risk of getting ill is reduced. It is still not known how long the effects of the treatment will last.

specific treatment of infections occurring as a result of HIV.

vaccination against illnesses such as flu, pneumonia, and infectious hepatitis.

treatment of the symptoms connected with HIV infection and AIDS, for instance treatment of nausea and loss of appetite.

What can I do myself?
If you do not have anyone to talk to about the situation, you might like to visit your GP, a counsellor with relevant experience, or a psychologist. You should discuss your worries and the depression that often follows the discovery you are HIV-positive.

You should be treated for all infections and illnesses that result from the HIV virus. If serious, you will have to be treated in the hospital.

The earlier the diagnosis is made, the more effective the treatment.

If you have been exposed to infection, you should have a test, even if you feel healthy.

Contact AIDS and HIV support groups.

Make sure you eat a varied and healthy diet as the disease affects the digestive system.

Possible deterioration
Eventually, serious illnesses may develop as a result of HIV infection. Commonly, these include infections of the kind normally prevented by the immune system:

tuberculosis

pneumonia with Pneumocystis carinii

toxoplasmosis in the brain

reactivation of cytomegalovirus

infections involving the fungus Candida albicans

cancer, especially skin cancer and cancer in the lymph nodes

meningitis and encephalopathy, a brain disease which causes dementia

death may occur as a result of illness.

Future prospects
The disease is seen as incurable. However, many of the illnesses resulting from the condition can be treated. Between 5 and 15 years pass from the time of infection until AIDS actually develops. Previously, those infected only lived for a couple of years after developing AIDS. Fortunately, with the new types of treatment available the survival rate has greatly improved.

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