Acute HIV infection
Alternative names:
primary HIV infection; HIV seroconversion syndrome, acute
retroviral syndrome
Treatment:
People with HIV infection
need to receive education about the disease and treatment
so they can be active partners in decision-making with the
health care provider. Studies are currently underway to try
to determine if early aggressive antiviral therapy is beneficial.
Certain healthful practices should be followed in the early
stages of HIV infection:
- Stress should be
kept to a minimum
- Avoid exposure people with acute
infectious illnesses
- Get adequate exercise
but do not over-do (don't wear yourself out)
- Maintain a nutritious diet with adequate caloric intake
- Avoid settings, situations, and so on that may lead to
depression. Maintain
positive social contacts, hobbies, interests, and pets.
- Practice safer sex. The disease is highly infectious in
the first month after infection.
Support group:
The stress of illness can often be reduced by joining a support
group, where members share common experiences and problems.
See AIDS - support group.
Expectations (prognosis):
HIV is a long-term medical condition that can be treated
but not yet cured. There are effective means of preventing
complications and delaying (but not preventing) progression
to AIDS. At the present
time, not all cases of HIV have progressed to AIDS, but time
has shown that the vast majority do.
Complications:
Calling your health care provider:
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if
you have had a possible or actual exposure to AIDS
or HIV infection; or
if you are at risk and have had symptoms suggestive of acute
HIV infection.
Update Date: 02/09/00
Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director,
Utah Health Informatics and adam.com
editorial
|
