HIV is a serious infectious disease that constantly progresses and suppresses the patient’s immunity.
As a result, a person develops secondary infections, diseases and tumors.
Consider in more detail the symptoms of HIV in men, methods of treatment and prevention.
Causes of HIV in Men
The HIV virus can be found in all body fluids of a sick person. Despite this, a sufficient number of HIV cells are found only in blood, lymph, sperm, breast milk and vaginal secretions.
Men can become infected with HIV in the following ways:
1. If contaminated liquids enter directly into the blood of a healthy person. If blood with HIV gets into an open bleeding wound, then infection usually does not occur.
2. A very high risk of HIV infection with repeated use of syringes and needles in drug addiction. Moreover, due to the negligence of physicians, infection with this disease also occurs quite often when the medical staff does not adhere to the elementary rules of sterility when injecting or does not change syringes.
3. When using other people's sharp hygiene items.
4. Unprotected sexual contact with an HIV-positive woman threatens infection already at the first intercourse. It does not matter if the sex was traditional or anal - there is a risk in both the first and second cases.
It is also worth knowing that information on HIV transmission through unprotected sex is somewhat different. There are allegations that the risk of transfer largely depends on the role of the partner (input or receiving side), as well as on the type of contact.
5. The risk of infection in more than 98% is observed with intravenous blood transfusion of an HIV patient to a healthy person. This also includes platelet and plasma transfusions. As for intramuscular injections, fixed cases of infection are not more than 3%.
6. Infection in the dentist’s office is also, unfortunately, not uncommon. The transmission of the virus occurs when using insufficiently sterilized instruments.
The physiological susceptibility in men to this virus is very high. At the same time, there is evidence that people who become infected at the age of more than thirty are at risk of getting AIDS twice as fast as patients who were infected at a younger age.
HIV in men: symptoms and signs
The general course of HIV infection in men can be very different. In many respects, it depends on the route of transmission, the age of the patient, and the number of diseased cells that have entered the body. Moreover, in some patients, the disease can proceed very aggressively, accompanied by multiple secondary diseases. In other people, HIV infection for many years may not be felt at all and come to light completely by accident.
A wave-like course with periods of relapse and remission is inherent in this disease. The disease also has the following stages:
1. The first stage is called incubation. This is the period when the virus just got into the human body and begins to "integrate" into it. Thus, gradually HIV cells infect healthy cells and penetrate into them. At this stage, there are still no symptoms and manifestations.
2. The second stage is the period when the virus first makes itself felt. Usually, a person suffers from fever, coughing and malaise. On the face are all the signs of a common cold. In addition, lymph nodes can also increase.
Due to these symptoms, few people pay attention to them, believing that he fell ill with the usual SARS.
3. The third stage is the time when a person begins to manifest an acute form of infection. In this condition, the patient may experience serious diseases and symptoms.
Most often, with HIV infection in men, the following signs of the disease are observed (at different stages):
1. Headache.
2. Sleep disturbance.
3. Heaviness in breathing.
4. A sharp weight loss, which is accompanied by dystrophy and loss of muscle mass.
5. Chronic acute respiratory viral infections.
6. Diarrhea.
7. Pain in the sternum.
8. The formation of papillomas and genital warts.
9. Tendency to tuberculosis and viral hepatitis.
10. Genital herpes.
11. The development of various diseases of the oral cavity (oral mucosa).
12. Impaired vision and hearing.
13. Increased sweating.
14. Pneumonia.
15. Weakness.
16. Rash and peeling of the skin.
17. Enlarged lymph nodes.
18. Shortness of breath.
19. Pain when swallowing.
20. Lack of coordination.
21. Stomach pain and vomiting.
22. Depression.
Moreover, those men who were drug addicts and contracted HIV through a needle usually had more severe symptoms. In addition to the above symptoms, they can also have serious damage to the functions of the heart.
HIV in men: treatment methods
Therapeutic therapy for HIV-positive men is selected for each patient individually (depending on the neglect and stage of the pathology, as well as the general condition of the body).
Traditional treatment involves the following:
1. The patient needs to be constantly monitored by a doctor and monitor the immune status in the body.
2. If secondary infections occur, they must be treated and their course not started.
3. A person definitely needs psychological help and the basics of social adaptation.
4. To suppress the virus and inhibit its development, the patient is prescribed antiretroviral drugs. Usually Viramune, Viread, Zerit, Retrovir, Virasept, etc. are used for this. It is important to know that if a person is prescribed these groups of drugs, then they will need to be taken constantly, almost all his life. Moreover, the overall success of treatment will largely depend on how regularly the patient takes the drugs.
5. Reception of vitamin complexes. At the same time, it is worth knowing that HIV-infected patients are not prescribed any immunomodulating drugs.
6. A person is prescribed diet food and an individual regimen.
7. If a man becomes infected by injection, then in the first four weeks he may be prescribed highly active antiretroviral chemotherapy. It is used as an infection prevention. It will be effective only when its administration is started no later than two days after the alleged infection.
8. If the patient is drug dependent, then in parallel with antiretroviral therapy, he will need to be treated in drug dispensaries.
Also, due to a major psychological concussion, many infected men require the help of qualified psychologists. In this condition, a person should be aware that his disease is transmitted through the blood and through unprotected sex. This should always warn the sexual partners of sick people.
HIV in men: treatment and prevention
To reduce the risk of acquiring HIV, men should follow these guidelines:
1. If a man is a medical professional, especially a dentist, then he should adhere to all precautions regarding blood and other body fluids (saliva, purulent secretion, etc.). Moreover, if his hands are contaminated with blood, then they must be thoroughly washed with warm running water and soap.
According to statistics, dentists and surgeons are most at risk of contracting HIV. For this reason, they should wear protective gloves during open procedures. Also, during complex manipulations, in which splashes of blood may occur, the doctor should always wear a mask and safety glasses.
Handle discs, needles, scalpels, and other sharp medical instruments with extreme care. Disposable tools should be suitable for destruction.
2. Do not use other people's hygiene products, especially sharp and pointed objects (scissors, razors, etc.).
3. Men need to be very responsible for their health and take an HIV test every year. The same is recommended for a person’s sexual partner.
4. Men are recommended to have one permanent sexual partner. With a random connection, you should always use a condom, since it can not only protect against this disease, but also protect against many other sexually transmitted pathologies.
5. In case of accidental ingestion of another's blood or other biological fluid into the body, you should immediately consult a doctor.
6. To lead a healthy lifestyle and in no case to use narcotic drugs (especially in the form of injections).
