Caring for HIV Patients: A Quick Guide
June 11, 2021 | Farah Jassawalla

Caring for HIV Patients: A Quick Guide

What is HIV?

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

Stages of HIV

There are three progressive stages of HIV infection. Acute HIV, chronic HIV, and AIDS.

Symptoms

There are multiple symptoms of HIV including flu-like symptoms in the first two to four weeks after exposure to the viral infection. These are acute HIV infection symptoms. These symptoms may last for a few weeks. Antibiotics may not seem to work during this period and that is how HIV infection can be detected.

Other symptoms of acute HIV infection may include fever, chills, redness and rashes in different areas of the body, excessive sweating especially at nights, body and muscle aches, fatigue, sore throat, or mouth ulcers.

In HIV infection, some people may show very little or no symptoms at all. But they may be able to transmit this disease to others if they do not get treatment in the acute stages of HIV.

Treatment

The treatment of HIV infection is still unknown. The individuals who once get exposed to it, become a patient and a carrier for the rest of their lives. Their bodily fluids contain this virus and it can be transmitted to anyone who interacts with the fluid.

Taking care

Taking care of these patients is comparatively difficult. Most of these patients are treated in a secured hospital facility where the exposure of non-HIV carriers is minimal. The families who take their infected members at home to take care of them have to take severe precautionary measures to keep themselves safe from the virus. Getting support from family and community is extremely necessary for the patient infected with HIV

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Farah Jassawalla

Farah Jassawalla is a graduate of the Lahore School of Economics. She is also a writer, and healthcare enthusiast, having closely observed case studies while working with Lahore's thriving general physicians at their clinics.