According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2007, there were approximately 1,051,875 Americans diagnosed with AIDS. The HIV virus attaches to CD4 lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, and destroys them. People have AIDS when the number of CD4 lymphocytes is down to 200 per microliter of blood, when the bone marrow cannot make enough of them to keep up with the ones that are being destroyed. Then they will have indicators of the AIDS disease, or contract certain diseases because they are now susceptible.
General Symptoms
Dr. Andrew Zolopa, associate professor of medicine at Stanford University, explains in "Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment," that many people who are infected with HIV may go years without having any symptoms. It is approximately 10 years before a person with HIV develops AIDS. Many of the initial symptoms of AIDS are the symptoms of a person who does not have AIDS. Thus, physicians look at the combination of symptoms, the risk factors and test results to help make the diagnosis. The initial symptoms may include fever, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, cough and shortness of breath.
Kaposi's Sarcoma
This is a tumor. Dr. Gregory Wells, dermatology resident at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, writes in "The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals," that Kaposi's sarcoma is the most common disease for people who have AIDS. Many times, this is the first disease, or indicator, that they have. The symptoms include skin lesions that are usually purple, red, brown or black. The lesions can appear at any point on the body, even on the eyelids, ear, between the toes and in the mouth. But it is most commonly seen on the face and chest.
Pneumocystis Jiroveci Pneumonia
Pneumocystis jiroveci is a fungus. Most people have had a P. jiroveci infection when they were children but did not have any symptoms. You can develop pneumonia if your immune system is impaired. People with AIDS who are not receiving prophylaxis, or medication to prevent disease, are very likely to get this type of pneumonia. It is a life-threatening disease that starts abruptly. The symptoms include fever, cough, being short of breath, rapid breathing and a rapid heartbeat.
CMV Retinitis
CMV retinitis is an inflammation of the retina which is caused by a virus called cytomegalovirus, or CMV. According to Zolopa, a person who has AIDS and mentions that they are having problems with their eyes should be immediately checked. The most common cause of retinitis in people with AIDS is cytomegalovirus. This disease quickly damages the eyes and is the main cause of blindness in those with AIDS. The symptoms may start in just one eye, but the disease usually spreads to involve both eyes. CMV retinitis can also cause blind spots, hemorrhaging, headache and pain.
Cryptococcosis
Cryptococcus neoformans is a yeast that causes a disease called cryptococcosis. If your immune system is intact and you inhale this fungus, you will probably not have any symptoms. The infection will spontaneously heal. But someone with AIDS may develop meningitis, or the inflammation of the meninges membrane of the brain. As explained by Dr. Alan Sugar, professor of medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine, in "The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals," the yeast will spread to the brain and cause mental confusion, blurry vision and headaches.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Estimated numbers of AIDS cases
- "Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2009"; Stephen McPhee, M.D., Maxine Papadakis, M.D.; 2009
- The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Cryptococcosis
- The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Kaposi's Sarcoma
