Dr. Joe Klein, the chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases of Alfred duPont Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, explains that human immunodeficiency syndrome or HIV, attacks T cells in the immune system and spreads. When and if enough cells are damaged, acquired immunodeficiency virus, or AIDS, develops. Besides a weakened immune system, someone with HIV or AIDS experiences many other side effects.
HIV Side Effects
Dr. Klein reports that soon after contracting HIV, some do not feel any side effects while others develop flu like symptoms that normally go away after a few days. Dr. James Balch, a nationally known medical doctor who is also a writer, lecturer, and radio and T.V. personality, states that more side effects occur as the virus continues to spread. They include night sweats, fatigue or persistent tiredness, fevers, diarrhea, weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes or glands of the immune system that filter out foreign particles, thrush, which is a yeast infection in the mouth, herpes--an oral and genital rash that is accompanied by itching and irritation--mouth ulcers or open sores and bleeding gums.
AIDS Side Effects
Both Dr. Klein and Dr. Balch report that AIDS' side effects are worse than HIV symptoms. AIDS victims often develop Kaposi's sarcoma, a skin cancer that is characterized by purple welts on the body. This quick moving disease causes patches of abnormal skin growths under the skin, which are usually in the nose, throat and lining of the mouth. Epstein Barr virus is another AIDS complication. It causes some of the same symptoms as HIV and AIDS, such as cold sores, fever and swollen lymph nodes. It even begins with cold or flu like symptoms like HIV and a persistent sore throat may develop. Dr. Klein states that pneumonia, an upper respiratory infection that is accompanied with heavy coughing and breathing problems, is common. Life threatening infections of the eyes, lungs, kidneys, digestive tract and brain can also occur as more and more T cells are attacked.
Neurological Side Effects of AIDS
Dr. Balch explains neurological side effects of AIDS that are common because of a weakened immune system. These viruses, which are called Cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasmic Encephalitis, cause side effects themselves, yet may not cause symptoms in healthy humans. Cytomegalovirus is an infection that causes symptoms similar to those of mononucleosis, loss of appetite, muscle aches and stiffness. Toxoplasmic encephalitis is a brain infection that humans with weakened immune systems can get from eating undercooked foods, cleaning a cat's litter box, playing in a sandbox or gardening. The brain swells, possibly leading to death. Other side effects of this infection include swollen lymph nodes, liver and spleen; jaundice or yellowing, of the skin and eyes due to a liver malfunction; and anemia or low red blood cells level. An infected pregnant mother can pass these viruses on to her unborn child.
References
- "HIV and AIDS"; Klein, M.D. Joel; December, 2009
- "Infectious Mononucleosis"; U.S. National Library of Medicine; February 23, 2010
- "Kaposi's Sarcoma"; U.S. National Library of Medicine; July 3, 2010
- "Prescription for Natural Cures"; Balch, M.D., James; Stengler, N.D., Mark; 2004
