The incubation period of HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the causative agent of HIV infection. The disease begins with the moment of infection of a person and lasts until his death. The time from infection to the first signs is the incubation period of HIV.

Development of infection

For HIV infection, development is characterized as a long-term course of the disease with increasing destruction of the immune system, which subsequently leads to the development of oncological and opportunistic diseases.

The course of the disease includes several stages: the incubation period of HIV, the stage of early clinical manifestations, the latent stage, the stage of development of secondary diseases and the terminal period (AIDS).

A person infected with a virus is contagious at all stages of the development of the disease. But he presents a particular danger during the acute course of the disease and during the terminal terminal stage. At this time there is a progressive multiplication of the virus.

Ways of infection

You can be exposed to HIV from a previously infected person during sexual intercourse, namely, if the condom is misused. This is the most common method of infection.

There is a possibility of infection through saliva during a kiss or oral sex. But this is permissible in the presence of damage to the mucosa, there is a risk of infection through the blood.

There is a possibility to get HIV through the blood: through the procedure of transfusion, through untreated medical instruments, for example, when using one syringe with an infected person, which often happens in drug addicts.

Infection is transmitted during pregnancy and childbirth from an infected mother to a child, as well as breastfeeding.

The infection is not transmitted by the household method, because the HIV-bacteria are not very resistant to the environment and die in it after a few hours.

The incubation period of HIV infection  

After the moment   Infection occurs incubation   The period of HIV. The duration of the incubation period for each person is individual - from two weeks to a year and depends on the state of human immunity. As the statistics show, the average duration is three months.

HIV infection, penetrating into the human body, causes it to respond in the form of antibodies to the pathogen. The incubation period of HIV is the interval between the introduction of the virus and the appearance of antibodies to it.

Symptoms

Then the stage of early clinical manifestations begins, when the first symptoms of HIV infection begin to appear, similar to the signs of respiratory diseases:

- enlarged lymph nodes;

- malaise, drowsiness;

- fever;

- headache;

- pain in the eye socket, photosensitivity of the eyes;

- rashes and various rashes on the skin;

- Coryza, cough.

These symptoms spontaneously take place in two to four weeks, after which there is a period of latent disease that lasts for many years. On average , the life expectancy of an HIV-infected patient lasts 12 years. In most cases, this is the period of remission of the disease.

The next stage is the period of secondary diseases, which is accompanied by the manifestation of concomitant diseases that do not harm a person with a healthy immune system. Developing diseases begin to destroy the body from the inside.

The next and last stage of development is AIDS, lasting from 0.5 to 2 years. At this stage, the central nervous system, the intestine, the lungs, the mucous membranes, the skin are most affected. Viruses and bacteria are activated, which do not bring any harm to humans before. It is these reactions of the body that cause the death of a person.

Treatment

At the moment, no treatment has yet been developed that eliminates HIV infection from the body. Modern methods are based on highly effective antiretroviral therapy, which slows down and stops the course of infection, as well as its further transition to the last stage. This allows the HIV-infected person to live fully.

Together with the prescribed therapy, maintaining the health of the carrier virus is important. To do this, recommend proper nutrition, avoid stressful situations, a good and healthy sleep, prolonged exposure to the sun, rejection of bad habits, sports loads, as well as constant examination (a year - 2 - 4 times) for specialist doctors.