By Olumide T. Agunbiade
The war against HIV/AIDS is far from being over. This is
because, globally, more than 34 million people now live with HIV/AIDS and the
number keeps increasing.
Medical experts tell us that though there's no cure for
HIV/AIDS yet, when detected early, HIV can be managed and prevented from
progressing to AIDS. The Director-General of the National Agency for the
Control of AIDS, Prof. John Idoko, advises every sexually active person to
regularly undergo HIV screening, so that they will know their HIV status.
Epidemiologist and Deputy Director, HIV/AIDS Division,
Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Segilola Araoye, recommends being tested at
least once a year if you do things that can transmit HIV infection, such as
injecting drugs or steroids with used injection equipment; having sex for money
or drugs; having sex with an HIV infected person; having more than one sex
partner since your HIV test; and having a sex partner who has had other sex
partners since your last HIV test.
Experts say you are more likely to be infected with HIV if
you have ever shared injection drug needles and syringes; have ever had sex
without a condom with someone who had HIV; have ever had a sexually transmitted
disease like Chlamydia or gonorrhoea; received a blood transfusion or a blood
clotting factor between 1978 and 1985; and if you have ever had sex with
someone who has done any of those things.
And if you happen to be one of those people who still dither
about having HIV screening, here are the symptoms to look out for as you wonder
whether or not you are HIV-positive.
The first one is fever. Family doctor, Eugene Osazie, says
within a month or two of HIV entering the body, 40-90 per cent of people
experience flu-like symptoms known as “acute retroviral syndrome.” She also
notes that sometimes, HIV may not manifest for years. “As such, many people may
even be HIV-positive without being aware,” she says.
She notes that such fever may be accompanied by certain
symptoms such as fatigue, swollen lymph glands, and a sore throat, which may
last for a few weeks. “By this time, the virus is moving into the blood stream
and starting to replicate in large numbers,” Osazie warns.
She also warns that when HIV enters the bloodstream, it
begins to attack certain white blood cells known as CD4 cells — the specialised
cells that are a part of our immune system. “The immune system then produces
antibodies to fight off infection. When you take an HIV test, doctors are
actually looking for the presence of these antibodies, which confirm that HIV
infection has occurred,” Osazie counsels.
Again, you should be worried if you now feel fatigued by
simple activities that you were used to, such as walking; or if you feel pain
in the joints and muscles, among others.
