HIV & AIDS

The diagnosis of HIV & AIDS can be one of the most difficult things a patient can hear. At Banner Health, we are with you every step of the way through not only treatment, but support and education as well.

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which kills or impairs cells of the immune system and continues to destroy the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. HIV is most commonly spread by sexual contact with an infected partner.

How is HIV/AIDS Spread?

• Sexual contact
• Blood contamination
• Needles
• Mother-infant - HIV can be spread to babies born to, or breastfed by, mothers infected with the virus.

HIV/AIDS cannot be spread through:

• Saliva
• Sweat
• Tears
• Casual contact, such as sharing food utensils, towels and bedding
• Swimming pools
• Telephones
• Toilet seats
• Biting insects (such as mosquitoes)

What are the Symptoms of AIDS?

Some people may develop a flu-like illness within a month or 2 after exposure to the HIV virus, although, many people do not develop any symptoms at all when they first become infected. In addition, the symptoms that do appear, which usually disappear within a week to a month, are often mistaken for those of another viral infection.

Persistent or severe symptoms may not surface for 10 years or more after HIV first enters the body in adults, or within 2 years in children born with an HIV infection.

As the immune system deteriorates, complications begin to surface. The following are the most common complications, or symptoms, of AIDS. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• Lymph nodes that remain enlarged for more than 3 months
• Lack of energy
• Weight loss
• Frequent fevers and sweats
• Persistent or frequent yeast infections (oral or vaginal)
• Persistent skin rashes or flaky skin
• Pelvic inflammatory disease that does not respond to treatment
• Short-term memory loss
• One or more infections (opportunistic infections) related to having a diminished immune system, such as tuberculosis and certain types of pneumonia

How is HIV/AIDS Treated?

Today, there are medical treatments that can slow down the rate at which HIV weakens the immune system, but currently there is no cure for the disease.