The
Effects of HIV on the Body
Once the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) enters your body, it launches a direct attack on your immune
system. It gradually weakens your natural defenses against disease and
infection and can affect every part of your body. Find out how.
Effects
of HIV/AIDS on the Body
The human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV) seeks and destroys CD4+ cells, a type of T lymphocyte (T cell). T cells
are critical to the immune system. They’re responsible for warding off diseases
and most infections, including viral infections.
HIV targets the type of cells that
would normally fight off an invader like HIV. As the virus replicates, it
damages or destroys the infected CD4+ cell and produces more virus to infect
more CD4+ cells. Without treatment, this cycle continues in most infected
people until the immune system is badly compromised, leaving them open to many
serious infections and illnesses. Many of the illnesses that people compromised
immune systems get are rare in people with functioning immune systems.
How quickly the virus progresses
varies from person to person. Factors like your age, overall health, and how
quickly you’re diagnosed and treated can make a difference.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS) is the final stage of HIV. At this stage, the immune system is severely
weakened, and the risk of contracting opportunistic infections is much greater.
Not everyone with HIV will go on to develop AIDS.
Importantly, many of the effects described here
are related to the failure of the immune system in progressing HIV and AIDS.
Many of these effects are preventable with early antiretroviral treatment,
which can preserve the immune system. However, for anyone without access to
effective antiretroviral treatment, these effects remain possible
Immune
System
Your
immune system prevents your body from acquiring the diseases and infections
that come your way. White blood cells defend you against viruses, bacteria, and
other organisms that can make you sick.
When HIV enters the body, it goes
straight for the CD4+ T cells that are a lynchpin for the operation of the
entire immune system. As the virus infects and kills more of these T cells,
your immune system grows weaker, and you become more susceptible to illness.
Early on, symptoms may be mild
enough to be dismissed. Within a few months of becoming infected, most people
experience a flu-like sickness that lasts a few weeks. Symptoms may include:
- fever
- chills
- night sweats
- diarrhea
- headache
- muscle aches
- joint pain
- sore throat
- rash
- swollen lymph glands
- mouth or genital ulcers
The first stage of HIV is called the
acute infection stage. The virus reproduces rapidly at this stage. You may not
have much in the way of serious symptoms, but there are usually large
quantities of virus in your blood.
Many people are unaware of their HIV
status at this point, but the risk of transmission during the acute infection
stage is very high. Acute infection may cause flu-like symptoms, including
decreased appetite, headache, night sweats, and others.
The next stage is called the
clinical latent infection state. On average, it lasts 8 to 10 years. In some
cases, it lasts much longer than that. You may or may not have symptoms during
this stage.
As the virus advances, CD4 count
decreases more drastically. This can lead to symptoms like:
- fatigue
- shortness of breath
- cough
- fever
- swollen lymph nodes
- weight loss
- diarrhea
If HIV infection advances to AIDS,
the body becomes prone to opportunistic infections. People with advanced
HIV/AIDS are at increased risk of a number of infections, including a herpes
virus called cytomegalovirus. It can cause problems with your eyes, lungs, and
digestive tract.
Kaposi’s sarcoma, another possible infection,
is a cancer of the blood vessel walls. It’s rare among the general population,
but common in people who are HIV-positive. Symptoms include red or dark purple
lesions on the mouth and skin. It can also cause problems in the lungs,
digestive tract, and other internal organs.
HIV/AIDS also puts you at higher
risk of developing lymphomas. An early sign of lymphoma is swollen lymph nodes.
Respiratory
and Cardiovascular Systems
HIV
increases the risk of colds, influenza, and pneumonias. According to the American Lung Association,
HIV/AIDS can lead to opportunistic lung diseases. Without preventive treatment,
people with advanced HIV are susceptible to tuberculosis, pneumonia, and a
disease called pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). PCP causes trouble
breathing, cough, and fever.
HIV raises the risk of pulmonary
arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH s a type of high blood pressure in the
arteries that supply the lungs. It puts added strain on the heart.
If you have HIV and have become
immunocompromised (have a low T cell count), you’re susceptible to tuberculosis
(TB), a leading cause of death in people who have AIDS. TB is an airborne
bacterium that affects the lungs. Symptoms include chest pain and a bad cough
that may contain blood or phlegm. Symptoms can linger for months.
Digestive
System
A
common HIV-related infection is called candidiasis. Symptoms include
inflammation of and a white film on the tongue. It can also cause inflammation
of the esophagus, which can make it difficult to eat. Another viral infection
that affects the mouth is oral hairy leukoplakia, which causes white lesions on
the tongue.
Salmonella infection is spread through
contaminated food or water and causes diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
Anyone can get it, but if you have HIV, you’re at higher risk of serious
complications from this infection.
Consuming contaminated food or water
can also result in a parasitic intestinal infection called cryptosporidiosis.
It affects the bile ducts and intestines. It can be particularly severe and
cause chronic diarrhea in people who have AIDS. Cryptosporidiosis infection can
occur in people with effective immune systems, but it can become a chronic
problem in people with CD4 levels under 200.
HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN)
is when the filters in your kidneys become inflamed, making it harder to remove
waste products from your bloodstream.
Problems with your digestive tract
can decrease your appetite and make it difficult to eat properly. Weight loss
is a common side effect of HIV.
Central
Nervous System
There
are significant neurological complications of AIDS. Even though HIV doesn’t
generally directly infect nerve cells, it does infect the cells that support
and surround nerves in the brain and throughout the body.
All of the mechanisms of
HIV-associated neurologic damage aren’t completely understood, but it’s likely
that infection of these support cells contribute to nerve injury. Advanced HIV
infection can damage nerves (neuropathy). Small holes in the conducting sheaths
of peripheral nerve fibers (vacuolar myelopathy) can cause pain, weakness, and
difficulty walking.
HIV/AIDS can cause HIV-associated
dementia or AIDS dementia complex, two conditions that seriously affect
cognitive function.
Toxoplasma encephalitis is another
possible complication of advanced HIV. People with AIDS are at increased risk
of inflammation of the brain and spinal cord due to this parasite found
commonly in cat feces. Symptoms include confusion, headaches, and seizures.
Some common complications of AIDS
include memory impairment, anxiety, and depression. In very advanced cases,
hallucinations and frank psychosis can occur. Some people experience headaches,
balance issues, and vision problems.
Skin
One
of the more obvious signs of HIV/AIDS can be seen on the skin. A weakened
immune response leaves you more vulnerable to viruses like herpes. Herpes can
cause you to develop sores around your mouth or genitals.
People with HIV are at increased
risk of shingles, which is caused by herpes zoster, the virus that gives you
chickenpox. Symptoms of shingles include a painful rash, often with blisters.
A viral skin infection called
molluscum contagiosum involves an outbreak of bumps on the skin. Another
condition is called prurigo nodularis. It causes crusted lumps on the skin, as
well as severe itching.
