Symptoms/ Early signs

Most people who get infected with HIV present a flu-like illness, within 2 to 6 weeks after being infected, with symptoms including:

Τhe abovementioned symptoms may be caused by other diseases as well and do not necessarily mean that you are infected with the virus. However, if you present several of the said symptoms and suspect that you may have been infected, you should be tested for HIV. After the early symptoms go away, HIV frequently does not present other symptoms for many years, however it continues to grow in the body and attacks the immune system. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection, when the body can't fight off life-threatening infections.

Symptoms - Advanced stage

At this stage there is increased risk for life-threatening diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and several types of cancer

How is HIV transmitted

• through sexual contact (anal, vaginal or oral) without condom
• by sharing needles, razors, syringes with an infected person
• through mother-to-child transmission: from a mother to her newborn child during gestation, during childbirth or through breast-feeding

Management

Seek medical help to treat the disease. There is no cure for HIV, however the timely administration of a combination of medicines can dramatically slow disease progression and reduce deaths. Today, HIV infection is considered as a chronic disease on the condition that the patient takes his/her medicines systematically.

Prevention

• Long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with a non-infected partner
• Consistent and proper use of a condom in any kind of sexual contact from start to finish and with any partner
• Avoid used syringes
• Counselling and guidance regarding HIV infection to women planning a pregnancy
• HIV positive mothers should avoid breast-feeding

When to seek medical advice

If you had sexual activity without a condom, the condom broke while you were having sex or you had a needle-stick injury with a contaminated needle and suspect you might have been exposed to HIV, seek medical help immediately.

References
keelpno
cdc
nhs.uk