Infection with HIV is the cause of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Each year, so many people discover their HIV status. When to take the test? What the symptoms of HIV in men after 1 week? What does it mean to be “HIV positive”?
AIDS is short for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a virus called HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus. HIV attacks the immune system of the individual, which results in a significant vulnerability of the organism. Including in the face of diseases that are usually benign and well-controlled by the body‘s defense cells. So, today we will talk about the HIV symptoms in men.
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Symptoms of HIV in men after 1 week
The primary virus infection takes place between 2 and 8 weeks after contamination. But the first sign after 1 week (90% of men) is fever. It’s probably like with a thermometer of at least 39 ° C. Sometimes, the person may present with pharyngitis, fatigue, body aches, and a transient rash.
Screening: three types of tests
There are an estimated 150000 cases of people living with HIV. Of which 30000 are unaware of their HIV status. And more than 6000 cases of people who contaminate each year. Thus, HIV contamination continues to be a significant public health problem. Hence the importance of getting tests when you have risky practices. The earlier the diagnosis, the more influential the treatment.
The screening for HIV in the blood can be performed in a laboratory. After receiving a prescription medical a health center.Anonymous, confidential, and free or at home via the self-tests. He respects the deadlines before carrying them out to optimize their reliability.
The classic test to carry out six weeks after taking the risk (ELISA test). It searches the blood for the presence of anti-HIV antibodies. So, no need to be fasting to perform this assay in the laboratory. A negative HIV serology carries out in a laboratory 6 weeks after exposure to the virus can consider as really negative”.
The rapid test to carry out 12 weeks after taking the risk (TROD test). A drop of blood taken from the fingertip. The result is given in 30 minutes. If the result is positive, a standard blood test should perform to confirm or not the seropositivity.
The self-test also carries out 12 weeks after taking the risk. Again, the result is obtaining in 15 minutes.
Initial symptoms of HIV in men after 1 week
The decisive question to be alert is how long after infection the symptoms of HIV appear. And the answer is between the second week and one month after the infection has occurred.
The symptoms of STDs, specifically HIV, are usually noticeable in the first stage of acute infection. These symptoms resemble those of a seasonal virus. So it is common for the infected person not to suspect its existence.
HIV symptoms in the first week of infection can be:
- Muscle and throat pain.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
The reason the symptoms are flu-like in the body’s immune system’s response to infection. Hence the importance of knowing what the initial symptoms of HIV are, taking into account how easily they can be confused. What can be even more dangerous is that, later, these symptoms stop, and the virus enters a latency period, where it is difficult to detect.
Therefore, it is essential to know when the first symptoms of HIV appear.
In addition, there a silent period. A period that includes exposure to HIV and the moment when it is detectable in the blood.Where the majority of people tested are harmful in the test. But with the possibility of infecting others in the same way.
Seen this way, discovering the infection can prevent future infections and guarantee better treatment.
Importance of detecting HIV early
Unfortunately, HIV has no cure now, but it is a manageable infection.And you can live with it for many years.
Now that you know how long after infection the symptoms of HIV appear.You have a clear idea of when treatment should begin to increase the chances of success. When there is no medical assistance.The virus can evolve into a more serious condition called AIDS.
When this happens, the immune system has been weakened enough to be unable to fight other diseases.So many health complications usually arise, and the quality of life deteriorates.
Some mechanisms can help people with HIV / AIDS have better long-termopportunities, such as antiretroviral treatment (ART). Which consists of a series of drugs. Once again, immediacy plays a key role.
How to prevent it?
- Correct use of condoms.
- Do not share needles.
- Ensure sterilization of instruments that can be inserted into the body.
On the other hand, there are pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which consist of pills taken daily and considered an effective prevention method.
HIV symptoms in the first week of infection are often unknown to many, and that is when the risk of omitting them arises. If you have any suspicions or have been involved in sexual relations without adequate protection, you recommend attending a medical consultation.
Schedule your appointment and take the initiative for a whole life.
Self-test for AIDS: instructions for use, reliability
The HIV self-test allows the detection of the AIDS virus. It is performed from a drop of blood taken with a lancing device.
From HIV to AIDS: HIV symptoms in men after 1 week
Having been infected with HIV does not necessarily mean you have AIDS. AIDS is the last stage of infection. We distinguish;
infection of the body with HIV. In the face of this infection, the body produces antibodies. The person goes from the HIV negative stage to the HIV positive stage.
In the asymptomatic phase (2 to 5 years), the virus attacks the immune system. After that, there are not really “typical” symptoms.
The acceleration phase: immunity continues to run out little by little.
The AIDS phase: the immune defenses are so weak that one (or more) disease develops, we speak of “opportunistic disease.” An HIV-positive person has AIDS when they develop an opportunistic disease. Without antiretroviral treatment, the person eventually dies.
How is HIV transmitted?
Blood, semen, vaginal fluids, placenta, and breast milk can transmit HIV. Conversely: saliva, air, sweat, and direct contact with a person carrying the virus do not transmit the virus. Do not hesitate to contact a doctor, an anonymous and free screening center, or go immediately to the emergency room if there is a risk of contamination to assess the risk and consider emergency treatment.
Sexual transmission
HIV infection sexually transmitted. A person infected with HIV can infect their partners during sex. Single unprotected intercourse is enough to infect the partner. A person can become infected with HIV without showing symptoms for some time that can span several months or even years. This person can transmit the virus while ignoring it to their partner (s) during unprotected sex. It is impossible to know for sure if you are a carrier of the virus without having carried out a blood test (serology).
Many sexual partners. The risk of infection with HIV is more significant if there are many sexual partners. The risk is also worsened when having sex with a new partner whose HIV status is unknown. In addition, a partner who carries the virus and has lesions on the skin or mucous membranes may transmit it more easily.
Blowjob and AIDS: Performing fellatio also carries a risk of HIV transmission. This risk is lower than for vaginal or anal penetration. The risk is present for the person who performs the fellatio and for the one who receives it. The risk worsens with ejaculation in the mouth. Fellatio is a way of infecting STI diseases, such as syphilis, for example, which can also facilitate the transmission of HIV. The use of a condom avoids any risk of transmission of the virus during oral sex.
What are the risks of fellatio?
A source of intense pleasure, fellatio is not without risk. Especially when there is no condom, more or less severe viruses and bacteria can pass through the blood, semen, or mucous membranes. List of diseases, possible infections, and screening to protect yourself.
The only way to protect yourself and your partners when you adopt risky behavior is to have an HIV test. If positive, this makes it possible to take care of the affected person more quickly and prevent them from transmitting the virus during unprotected sex.
Blood transmission
Blood transmission mainly observed in drug addicts injecting substances intravenously using material contaminated with the blood of a person infected with HIV. However, professionals working in contact with patients (doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, dentists, etc.) can also be accidentally contaminated.
Transmission from mother to child
A mother infected with HIV can pass it on during pregnancy, childbirth, or while breastfeeding.
Opportunistic diseases and infections
Opportunistic diseases occur in people with weakened immune defenses known as “immunocompromised.” Without antiretroviral treatment, they can occur in a person who is HIV positive.
- tuberculosis,
- bacterial lung disease,
- the candidiasis (especially the vagina, mouth, or throat)
- cryptococcosis: “Headaches with fever accompanied by vomiting and photophobia.
- cryptosporidiosis and microsporidiosis (intestinal infections),
- the cytomegalovirus (abdominal pain with diarrhea, fever, impaired general condition) and cytomegalovirus (acute onset of decreased visual field or a substantial decrease in vision)
- “atypical” mycobacteria infections (fever, weight loss, night sweats, fatigue, anemia),
- progressive multifocal leukoencephalitis (infection of the brain)
- pneumocystosis,
- toxoplasmosis,
- shingles,
- lymphomas,
- Kaposi’s sarcoma (tumor of the skin, lungs, or digestive system).
Treatments
Since HIV belongs to the retrovirus family, the drugs used today against infection called “antiretrovirals” (ARVs). While they do not make HIV disappear, they protect the body’s immune defenses to prevent the onset of opportunistic disease. Anyone who is HIV positive begins antiretroviral therapy.
Triple therapies
“Triple therapy” are drugs for HIV that combine three antiviral substances, which work in combinations. The three types of drugs used as a first-line triple therapy are nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease or integrase inhibitors.
FAQ on HIV symptoms in men after 1 week
1. When do the first symptoms of HIV appear?
After taking a risk, if a person has been infected with HIV, it is possible in 20 to 50% of cases that specific symptoms appear between 5 to 30 days after the contamination called primary infection.
2. What are the signs of an infection?
The infectious syndrome classically associates with fever, asthenia (fatigue). It can be accompanied by additional signs such as tachycardia, dehydration, chills. The most important assessment is to look for signs of the respiratory, circulatory (state of shock), or neurological (convulsion, coma) distress.
3. What are the causes of infection?
What are the causes of infection? An infection causes by the entry of a pathogen into the body. It can be a bacterium, a virus, a fungus, a parasite, or even protozoa.
4. What are the risks of infection?
Infectious risks: The risks of infections linked to treatment or diagnosis (nosocomial infections in hospitals, for example). This risk arises when the medical act involves introducing a foreign body inside the body.
Conclusion on HIV symptoms in men after 1 week
One of the best ways to protect yourself and seek medical attention early is to know when and how the first symptoms of HIV appear.
The immune system is indeed responsible for helping the body fight infections, but this particular virus directly affects CD4 cells, a type of immune cell. Over time, the action of this virus leaves you defenseless against infections and diseases, so immediate treatment is necessary.
