Symptoms of HIV in women

The set of symptoms of HIV infection in each case can be different, they can appear already in 2-4 weeks after infection, and sometimes after a few years. Therefore, it is so important for you and your sexual partner to get tested for HIV before starting a relationship. The sooner a woman’s HIV is detected, the earlier it can be prescribed treatment and prevent the development of AIDS and not infect another person (then he will not say thank you). There are various symptoms of HIV infection in women, depending on the stage of the disease: the acute stage of HIV infection, asymptomatic stage, and last, late stage known as AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

What are the symptoms of HIV in women in the early stages of the mouth?

– In the early stages of HIV in the mouth, white plaques appear in women, white plaques (thrush, candidiasis).

HIV in women and pregnancy

        HIV can also be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth (the so-called perinatal HIV) or through breastfeeding. Because in Russia, all pregnant women should be tested for HIV throughout pregnancy, then the detection of HIV in a woman during pregnancy helps a doctor to timely assign antiretroviral drugs to a woman and child right after birth, to conduct a cesarean section to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. With the proper prescription of anti-HIV drugs, the risk of HIV infection of a child at birth from HIV plus the mother can be reduced to less than 2%. Without drugs, the risk of giving birth to a HIV-infected child is about 40%.

What are the symptoms of HIV in women in the early stages of the skin?

– In the early stages of HIV, a rash appears on the skin of women.

Symptoms of acute HIV infection in women

Early symptoms of HIV in women – rash, mouth ulcers, vaginosis, thrush.

The most common symptoms of HIV infection in women at this stage are:

Rash in women with HIV infection

• a rash on the body,
• fever,
• sore throat,
• severe headaches.

Less common symptoms of HIV infection in women at this stage:

• enlargement of lymph nodes,
• nausea,
• fatigue,
• ulcers in the mouth,
• vaginal infections such as yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis,
• night sweats,
• vomiting,
• pain in the muscles and joint pain.

During the acute stage of HIV infection, these symptoms usually last from one to two weeks.

After what time do the first symptoms of HIV appear in women?

– The first symptoms of HIV in a woman can appear in 2-4 weeks after infection and appear as an “influenza-like” syndrome.

Specific symptoms of HIV-disordered rashes

The asymptomatic stage of HIV infection in women

      When the above symptoms disappear, then the asymptomatic period of HIV infection begins. At this stage, a person with HIV does not feel any signs or symptoms of HIV infection. HIV can not cause any symptoms for several months or years, but it is present in the body and actively multiplies and begins to destroy the body’s immune system by attacking important immune cells. The virus remains active during this stage and can still be transmitted to others, so it’s important to get tested for HIV infection on time, even if you feel well.

Late stage of HIV infection, AIDS in women

       Without treatment, the transition of HIV infection to AIDS takes months and years, depending on the degree of destruction of the woman’s immune system by the virus. This progression of HIV leads to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). This is the last stage of HIV infection and it means that the body’s immune system is badly damaged, as a result of which it becomes more susceptible to other infections, the woman starts to get sick with such diseases that did not hurt with a healthy immune system. Women with AIDS often suffer from colds, flu, fungal diseases.

What symptoms of HIV occur in women in the early stages of the groin?

– In the early stages of HIV in the groin, women appear enlarged inguinal lymph nodes.

Symptoms of a woman in the stage of AIDS:

• permanent diarrhea,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• rapid causeless weight loss,
• constant causeless fatigue,
  

  Cachexia – exhaustion, with AIDS, the body weight drops dramatically.

• erosion or ulcers in the mouth,
• vaginal infections such as yeast infections (thrush, candidiasis) and bacterial vaginosis,
• inflammatory diseases of pelvic organs,
• periodic fever (fever),
• repeated chills,
• repetitive night sweats,
• inconsistent breath,
• dry cough,
• persistent or prolonged enlarged lymph nodes,
• loss of memory, confusion, neurological disorders.

Video “Early signs of HIV, AIDS in women”

Additionally, HIV-infected women are more likely to be found (than HIV-negative):

• thrush and other vaginal infections, bacterial vaginosis,
• diseases transmitted through coition: gonorrhea (tripper), chlamydia, trichomoniasis,
• inflammation of the pelvic organs (cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), urethritis (inflammation of the urethra), etc.)
• infectious inflammation of the reproductive organs (endometritis (inflammation of the mucous uterus),
• vulvovaginitis (inflammation of the vagina and vulva),
• adnexitis (inflammation of the ovaries), etc.)
• violation of the menstrual cycle (dysmenorrhea),
• a human papilloma virus that causes warts on the genitals and leads to cervical cancer.

Another difference from an HIV-infected man is that HIV plus a woman is harder to spot spots or other changes on the genitals. Vaginal thrush (candidiasis)

Any woman, regardless of her HIV status, may have thrush. But women who have HIV plus thrush appear more often and are more difficult to treat.

Symptoms of thrush:

• itching of the vulva,
• a thick white coating on the surface of the vagina,
• burning during urination,
• dryness of the vagina and redness,
• painful sensations during intercourse. Women with thrush should avoid sexual intercourse; this can worsen the course of the disease.

Human papillomavirus

Human papillomavirus is a viral infection that destroys cells in the genitals, especially the cervix. There are many different types of human papillomavirus (HPV), there are very harmful ones that cause cancer and precancerous erosions of the cervix.

Studies have shown that in women infected with HIV, HPV occurs 10 times more often than in HIV-negative women, especially in HIV-infected women, whose CD4 counts are less than 500 cells / μl. In another study, 77% of HIV-positive women were found to be infected with HPV.

HPV is very common among HIV plus women. Therefore, his treatment should be started immediately to avoid the spread of virus damage and serious complications.

In HIV-infected women, human papillomavirus is 30 times more likely to cause cervical cancer.

Usually HPV is asymptomatic, but sometimes it can manifest as white small growths (warts) or spots on the vagina or around the anus. Also HPV can be accompanied by discomfort, painful sensations during sexual intercourse. The doctor usually diagnoses HPV by performing a smear, a biopsy, a colposcopy (examination of the entrance to the vagina, the walls of the vagina and the vaginal part of the cervix with the help of magnifying devices).

Ways to treat HPV

Warts can be removed by cauterization, freezing, cutting, chemical processing (specifically designed for this purpose!), Medication treatment.

Inflammation of the pelvic organs

Inflammation of the pelvic organs (PID) is a very serious complication (especially in HIV-infected women, in which the body’s defenses are very low), caused by an untreated vaginal or cervical infection. If left untreated, the bacterium can move from the vagina or cervix through the urethra and fallopian tubes to the ovaries and surrounding tissues. PID may be the cause of a violation (clumping of the fallopian tubes, which leads to ectopic pregnancy) reproductive (ability to birth) function and can even lead to death. Most cause PID chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Treatment of PID requires a very strict strong course of antibiotics and women with HIV often require surgical intervention.

The main symptoms of PID are:

• fever,
• increasing discomfort in the vagina,
• wavy pain in the lower abdomen from moderate to strong,
• bleeding,
• nausea,
• frequent pain when urinating,

But in many cases, there are no symptoms and the woman does not suspect that the inflammation is progressing.

Since gynecological infections are the first and most common problem in HIV-infected women, it is therefore necessary to regularly undergo examinations of the vagina and cervix.

Women with HIV are not recommended to use the IUD (intrauterine device) as a contraceptive; Spiral is a direct route to infection and disease of the pelvic organs.