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Line 40: − == Natural History == − − After infection with [[HIV]], the virus quickly replicates in lymphatic tissue and travels through the blood to infect most areas of the body. The largest consequence of this is the "hijacking" of certain immune cells, especially so-called T-Helper, or CD-4, cells. Early in the infection, the immune system holds the infection at bay, often causing "Acute Retroviral Syndrome", a flu-like illness. Patients often have swollen lymph nodes. After approximately 8-10 years of infection, the immune system begins to lose its battle. This is primarily seen in the loss of numbers of CD4 cells, however the changes are somewhat more complex. When the CD4 cell level drops low enough, AIDS becomes apparent. − The first symptoms of the illness are generally night sweats, weight loss, and oral thrush.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (view source)
Revision as of 15:51, April 1, 2007
, 15:51, April 1, 2007no edit summary
The illness was first recognized in the early 1980s <ref>Pneumocystis pneumonia -- Los Angeles. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1981;30:250-252)</ref> as gay men presented to their doctors with a rare lung disease called ''Pneumocystis carinii'' pneumonia (PCP). Early on, the syndrome took on a variety of names, including "Gay-related immune deficiency (GRID)". The [[CDC|Centers for Disease Control]] noticed an increase in the requests for the drugs needed to treat this illness and launched an epidemiologic investigation. Although the first cases of the disease probably go back to the 1950s, the epidemic was not recognized until the early 1980s. The early epidemic occurred in two main branches; in the US and other developed countries, and in Sub-saharan Africa. In the US, the early epidemic was primarily spread by homosexual sex, intravenous drug use, and blood transfusions. In Africa, transmission was almost exclusively by heterosexual sex. Currently, most new infections worldwide are spread by heterosexual sex.
The illness was first recognized in the early 1980s <ref>Pneumocystis pneumonia -- Los Angeles. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1981;30:250-252)</ref> as gay men presented to their doctors with a rare lung disease called ''Pneumocystis carinii'' pneumonia (PCP). Early on, the syndrome took on a variety of names, including "Gay-related immune deficiency (GRID)". The [[CDC|Centers for Disease Control]] noticed an increase in the requests for the drugs needed to treat this illness and launched an epidemiologic investigation. Although the first cases of the disease probably go back to the 1950s, the epidemic was not recognized until the early 1980s. The early epidemic occurred in two main branches; in the US and other developed countries, and in Sub-saharan Africa. In the US, the early epidemic was primarily spread by homosexual sex, intravenous drug use, and blood transfusions. In Africa, transmission was almost exclusively by heterosexual sex. Currently, most new infections worldwide are spread by heterosexual sex.
== Natural History ==
After infection with [[HIV]], the virus quickly replicates in lymphatic tissue and travels through the blood to infect most areas of the body. The largest consequence of this is the "hijacking" of certain immune cells, especially so-called T-Helper, or CD-4, cells. Early in the infection, the immune system holds the infection at bay, often causing "Acute Retroviral Syndrome", a flu-like illness. Patients often have swollen lymph nodes. After approximately 8-10 years of infection, the immune system begins to lose its battle. This is primarily seen in the loss of numbers of CD4 cells, however the changes are somewhat more complex. When the CD4 cell level drops low enough, AIDS becomes apparent.
The first symptoms of the illness are generally night sweats, weight loss, and oral thrush.
== Opportunistic Infections (OIs) ==
== Opportunistic Infections (OIs) ==
*Human herpesvirus-8 (causes Kaposi's sarcoma)
*Human herpesvirus-8 (causes Kaposi's sarcoma)
== Dissent ==
== Dissent ==