Hiv Onset And Systems

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How HIV Damages the Immune System

Introduction The basic structure of HIV is similar to that of other viruses (Figure 1 ). HIV has a core of genetic material surrounded by a protective sheath, called a capsid . The genetic material in the core is RNA (ribonucleic acid), which contains the information that the virus needs in order to replicate (make more copies of itself) and perform other functions. You can think of RNA as the set of rules the virus follows in order to...

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extremely high viral load linked to early onset hiv?

I was diagnosed six months ago with hiv. My first labs were a cd4 of 256 with a viral load of nearly two million! Ive not heard of anyone with a viral load that high. My doctor seemed to think it could be the spike that is often seen with a recent...

Response from Keith Henry, M.D.

University of Minnesota, School of Medicine

Viral loads are often high very early after infection (your is high-I have seen up to 20 million copies/ml). If you were recently infected then viral load often will decrease and level off over the following 3 months (CD4 count may also rebound... Read more »

Low CD4s From the Onset of HIV Infection

Before I tested positive for HIV in June 1994, I was receiving HIV antibodytests every 4 to 6 months (because I realized I was in a high-risk group). Mylast negative test was in December 1993. However, when I tested positive inJune, I had a CD4...

Response from Rick Sowadsky, M.P.H.

Nevada State Health Division AIDS Program

Hi. Thank you for your question. There is actually no simple answer to thisquestion. CD4 counts can be highly variable. This is why we look not onlyat absolute CD4 counts, but also trends in these counts over time. We alsolook at CD4... Read more »

Risks and benefits of starting meds at the onset of infection - START study

Hi, Ive been HIV + for five years; my viral load is undetectable and my CD4 count is 1230. I decided to start with my medication regimen (truvada/sustiva) at the time of seroconvertion (viral load was 80,000 and CD4 was about 900. My decision was...

Response from Gerald Pierone, M.D.

AIDS Research and Treatment Center of the Treasure Coast

Hello, and thanks for posting. We don't know the best time to start HIV medication. There has been a trend towards earlier treatment as the medications have improved. The expert panel that formulates the DHHS guidelines was split about evenly... Read more »

Onset of Symptoms

I'm not sure which expert to ask .... you seem the nicest.My partner (I'm a F, partner a M) had extensive blood transfusions in 3/83 (over 20 units) We got married in '91. After being sicker and sicker, starting in '04, he was...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

I am not aware of any data to suggest that having any of these other infections somehow alters the course of HIV infection. Yes, people can be asymptomatic for many years and it depends on their underlying immune system and the type of virus they... Read more »

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connection onset ARS-symptoms and HIV-antibodies

Posted by Dutchman, 2 Replies

Hello all,
I would be very gratefull if someone (who's skilled) can tell if there is indeed a connection between the moment of onset of ARS-symptoms and the moment that HIV antibodies can be detected by a rapid HIV antigen test (Abbott Determine... Read more »

Earliest onset of symptoms?

Posted by GuyInSJ, 2 Replies

Less than 48 hours after performing oral sex (without ejaculation) on an HIV+ guy, I have developed a fever and swollen lymph nodes. I'm still in the 72-hour window for PEP but my understanding is that PEP is generally not recommended in this... Read more »

Onset of ARS symptoms?

Posted by knox1969, 1 Reply

Had a high risk encounter - about five minutes of unprotected receptive anal, no ejaculation (dumb move, I know) - about 48 days ago. A few days ago, about 43 days after the encounter, I noticed swollen glands in my neck. And today noticed them in... Read more »

Immune system & HIV detection

Posted by andypb, 1 Reply

What is compromised/ supressed immune system.

Does compromised/ weak immune system take more time to produce antibody to HIV infection.

Would a Person having as low Cd 4 counts 350 is considered to have compromised immune system.

Do such person with... Read more »

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