The dangers of HIV / aids cause 20 kinds of complications in the body

HIV / AIDS is a chronic disease that weakens the body's immune system. The infection that causes HIV and AIDS is very susceptible to being transmitted from one person to another. So, the danger of HIV and AIDS is not just the ease of transmission. For sufferers, complications of HIV and AIDS in the long run can increase the risk of various serious diseases.

The dangers of HIV and AIDS on the immune system

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a type of virus that attacks and destroys CD4 cells, aka T cells.

CD4 cells are a type of white blood cell that are an important part of the human immune system. The main function of CD4 cells is to fight infections caused by various kinds of harmful microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, etc.).

A person can be said to be infected with HIV when the number of viruses (viral load) has reached 100,000 copies or more per 1 ml blood sample.

In healthy people, the normal range for a CD4 cell count is around 500-1,500. Without treatment, chronic HIV infection over time can lead to complications in the form of AIDS when it occurs cell T or CD4 cells dropping below 200 cells.

Complications of HIV and AIDS in the form of infection

One of the serious dangers that lurk HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) people are kinds of infections called opportunistic infections.

Called opportunistic because various kinds of microbes that cause infection (including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and other viruses) appear to take the opportunity while the body's immune system is weak.

The reason is that in normal circumstances, disease-causing germs will be easily resisted by the immune system. However, because the number of CD4 cells is very low, the body will have difficulty eradicating the infection. In some cases, opportunistic infections can start when the CD4 cell count is around 500 cells / mm 3.

This complication of HIV / AIDS cannot be easily combated so that the patient's health condition quickly deteriorates.

The following are some types of infections that are prone to attacking people with HIV and AIDS:

1. Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a complication of HIV / AIDS in the form of a yeast infection that causes a thick white coating on the skin, nails, and mucous membranes such as the mouth, vagina or penis, and esophagus.

The danger of candidiasis as a complication of HIV and AIDS is that this infection can quickly spread to other organs if left untreated.

2. Fungal infections of the lungs

Various kinds of lung infections can be one of the dangers of HIV / AIDS which is common. Take for example Coccidioidomycosis. This fungal infection that attacks the lungs can occur when PLWHA breathes air containing fungal spores in hot and dry climates.

Another type of lung infection that can complicate HIV / AIDS is cryptococcosis. Cryptococcosis can eventually lead to pneumonia. The infection can then spread to the brain and cause swelling. Cryptococcosis infection can also affect the bones, skin, and urinary tract.

The dangers of HIV / AIDS in the lungs can also trigger fungal infections Histoplasma capsulatum and p neumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). These two types of infections can both lead to complications in the form of pneumonia in people with HIV / AIDS.

People with HIV are eight times more likely to be hospitalized for complications of pneumonia than healthy people. Therefore, people with HIV and AIDS should receive anti-pneumonia vaccines to prevent other, more threatening dangers.

3. Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a type of lung infection caused by a family of bacteria Mycobacterium avium complex. There are two types of bacteria that are masked in this family, namely Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare .

In fact, almost all HIV sufferers already have TB bacteria in their bodies, although not necessarily active. TB bacteria in PLWHA become active faster and are difficult to treat than in healthy people.

That's why every PLWHA must undergo a TB test as early as possible to find out how much the risk is.

4. Parasitic infection in digestion

As the immune system weakens, parasites can infect and attack digestion. Some examples of parasitic infections that can be dangerous for people with HIV / AIDS are cryptosporidiosis and isosporiasis.

These two types of infections are caused by the consumption of food and / or drinks contaminated with parasites. Cryptosporidiosis is caused by parasites Cryptosporidium which attacks the intestines, while isosporiasis is caused by protozoa Isospora belli .

Both cryptosporidiosis and isosporiasis cause fever, vomiting and severe diarrhea. In people with HIV / AIDS, complications of this disease can cause drastic weight loss. The reason is, these organisms infect the cells lining the small intestine which can cause the body to be unable to absorb nutrients properly.

5. Herpes simplex (HSV)

Having HIV / AIDS can increase your risk of developing other sexually transmitted diseases, such as herpes, which are equally dangerous to your health.

Herpes is a venereal disease caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). In people with HIV and AIDS, complications of herpes are not only the formation of genital warts but also the risk of pneumonia and cervical cancer.

6.Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)

PML is a rare viral infection that can pose a danger to HIV and AIDS. PML attacks the central nervous system in the brain, characterized by the formation of extensive lesions due to infection by papovavirus.

Complications from the dangers of HIV / AIDS can cause blindness, mental disorders, and paralysis.

7. Salmonella septicemia

Salmonella is an infection that can be acquired through the consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella typhii bacteria (Salmonella tp). Salmonella infection can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

In people with HIV and AIDS, the danger of this infection can develop into a more severe form called salmonella septicemia.

Septicemia is a condition in which a person experiences blood poisoning as a result of large amounts of bacteria entering the bloodstream. When it is very severe, Salmonella bacteria in the blood can infect the whole body at one time.

Shock due to salmonella septicemia can be fatal.

8. Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is a complication of HIV / AIDS caused by a named parasite Toxoplasma gondii .

Toxoplasmosis is dangerous for people with HIV and AIDS because it is very easy to develop in a body with a weak immune system.

These parasites can infect not only the eyes and lungs of people with HIV, but also danger to the heart, liver and brain.

Complications of HIV and AIDS in the form of Toxoplasma infection that attacks the eyes will cause yellowish white or light gray spots on the clear body of the eye (vitreous humor) which makes vision disturbed.

When the toxoplasma parasite infection has reached the brain, toxoplasmosis can cause seizures.

Apart from animal waste, this toxoplasma parasite can also come from eating red meat and undercooked pork.

The danger of HIV and AIDS in the form of cancer

It's not just infection. Every person with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) must also be aware of the dangers of cancer that lurk health.

According to a 2016 study from the journal PLOS ONE, people with HIV are especially more susceptible to cancer because low levels of CD4 cells can reduce the body's ability to fight cancer cell formation in the first place.

Here are some types of cancer that complicate HIV and AIDS.

1. Kaposi's sarcoma

Kaposi sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops from the tissue around the blood vessels, lymph vessel tissue, the tissue under the skin, the tissue along the mouth, nose, and throat or inside other organs.

Kaposi sarcoma is generally used as a marker by doctors that the HIV you are experiencing has entered stage three.

2. Lymphoma

People with HIV and AIDS are at risk of developing lymphoma cancer.

Lymphoma is a form of blood cancer that affects the lymph nodes. The danger of this cancer can affect any part of the body with HIV / AIDS that has lymph nodes, such as the bone marrow, tonsils, and also the digestive tract.

Like Kaposi's sarcoma, doctors can use lymphoma progression as a means of diagnosing stage 3 HIV.

3. Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a complication of HIV / AIDS which usually begins with chronic opportunistic HPV infection. Cervical cancer occurs and develops in the cervix.

4. Anal cancer

According to a 2012 study from the journal Clinical Infectious Disease, anal cancer is a complication of HIV and AIDS whose risk of disease tends to be higher in men with HIV and AIDS who have sex with (gay) men.

Complications and dangers of HIV / AIDS in the eye

Seven out of 10 people who have been infected with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA) will experience complications of HIV in their eyes. That means nearly 80 percent of people with HIV / AIDS experience a danger that affects their eyesight. Vision problems due to HIV / AIDS can range from mild, such as blurred vision to those that lead to blindness, such as retinal hemorrhage.

Initially, complications of HIV in the eye may not cause significant symptoms. However, when HIV infection has reached an advanced stage, symptoms can include:

• Blurred vision or double vision. You also begin to be unable to distinguish colors clearly.
• You see freckles in your field of vision
• Watery or red eyes
• Your eyes are more sensitive to light
• Eye pain, pain

That is why if you are positive for HIV / AIDS, it is important to have your eyes checked regularly to avoid this danger.

Apart from retinal haemorrhage infection, the following complications of HIV can affect your eyes if you don't get treatment right away.

1.Caposi eye sarcoma

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a red-purple skin tumor that grows on the inside and around the eyelids. The dangers of HIV AIDS that cause these tumors are characterized by inflammation, but do not cause pain. This HIV complication is caused by infection with the herpes virus 8 (HHV8).

With the presence of HIV drugs such as antiretroviral (ART), the risk of Kaposi's sarcoma in PLWHA has now significantly decreased. However, Kaposi's sarcoma will be more dangerous in people with HIV and AIDS with low CD4 cell counts, especially if therapy is not continued.

2. Retinitis

Retinitis is a serious inflammation of the retina that is often caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV retinitis). The danger of this eye infection can affect 20-30 percent of people with HIV and AIDS who have very low T cell counts.

This infection develops quite quickly, in just a matter of weeks. Retinitis can also be caused by the virus that causes syphilis (Syphillis retinitis).

Without medical intervention, the infection can spread and cause retinal bleeding which can lead to permanent blindness. Retinitis can infect one side of the eye or both.

The dangers of HIV AIDS in the form of retinitis cannot be cured, but treatment with the antiviral valganciclovir is considered effective at slowing the progression of cytomegalovirus.

3.Eye herpes (herpes simplex keratitis)

Eye herpes is caused by the HSV-1 virus that attacks the eyelids, cornea, retina, and conjunctiva (the thin layer that protects the white part of the eye). The type of eye herpes that is often the danger of HIV / AIDS is epithelial keratitis. In this type, the virus is active in the thinnest epithelial layer of the cornea.

The herpes simplex virus can affect the deeper lining of the cornea, which is known as the stroma. The dangers of HIV AIDS such as eye herpes are called stromal keratitis. This type of eye herpes is more serious than epithelial keratitis because it can damage the cornea of ​​the eye badly enough to even cause blindness.

The dangers of HIV AIDS such as eye herpes are not transmitted through risky sexual activity. This infection is more prone to spread from direct contact with skin or saliva that is infected with HSV-1.

4. Keratitis

Apart from being caused by herpes virus infection, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) can also be caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV) and the candidiasis fungus, which are often opportunistic infections. Even so, the dangers of HIV / AIDS can also be caused by other parasites.

Symptoms of keratitis are painful, itchy red eyes, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light. Keratitis can infect only one or two eyes at a time. This complication of the dangers of HIV AIDS can lead to blindness.

Keratitis treatment will depend on the underlying infection. Viral keratitis can be prescribed acyclovir, while candidiasis infection can be treated with antifungal drugs.

5. Iridocyclitis

Iridocyclitis is an inflammation of the iris, which can be associated with a number of parasites that cause opportunistic infections. Examples are cytolomegavirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), toxoplasmosis, syphilis, tuberculosis, and varicella zoster virus (VZV).

The most serious danger of iridocyclitis tends to be found in people with HIV / AIDS who have very low CD4 counts.

Iridocyclitis can also be a side effect of drugs such as rifabutin (used in tuberculosis therapy) and cidofovir (used to treat severe cases of CMV).

This infection can occur in one or both eyes, with symptoms that can include red eyes, excessive sensitivity to light (photophobia), and constricted pupils.

As with other eye infections, iridocyclitis can gradually improve with antiretroviral therapy coupled with treatment of the underlying infection.

Other possible complications of HIV and AIDS

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a collection of chronic diseases that arise when the stage of HIV infection is very severe. Usually this condition is characterized by the appearance of other chronic diseases, such as cancer and various infections.

At this stage, a person with AIDS can experience:

1. Wasting syndrome

Wasting syndrome is a collection of symptoms that cause HIV people to lose weight due to weight loss, severe diarrhea, and chronic weakness.

Currently, the complications of wasting syndrome are no longer a scourge of danger for people with HIV because HIV treatment regimens have been shown to reduce the number of cases. Even so, these complications still affect many people who have AIDS.

2. Neurological problems

AIDS can cause harm in the form of neurological disorders even though it does not infect nerve cells. Complications of AIDS that affect the nerves can make people easily confused, forgetful, depressed, restless, and difficulty walking.

One of the most common neurological complications of HIV / AIDS is dementia, which causes changes in behavior and decreased mental function.

3. Kidney disease

HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is inflammation of the tiny filters in your kidneys. This filter serves to remove excess fluid and waste from the bloodstream and pass it into the urine. The risk of complications and dangers of HIVAN is higher in black people who have HIV and AIDS.

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