AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is a condition where the immune system, damaged by the HIV virus, can no longer protect the body from opportunistic infections and tumors. While HIV and AIDS are related, they are different conditions with very specific sets of signs and symptoms. Most people experience symptoms of HIV infection before the onset of AIDS. Early symptoms of HIV include persistent fevers, rashes, swollen lymph nodes and sore throat. As HIV progresses, it destroys the immune system, paving the way for opportunistic infections. These opportunistic infections are the first signs of full-blown AIDS.
Opportunistic Infections
Opportunistic infections are pathogens that are normally kept at bay when the immune system is healthy. There are several infections common to AIDS: pneumocystis carinii, thrush, toxoplasmosis and Kaposi's sarcoma. While these are not the only infections, these infections occurred in several of the first cases discovered in the United States.
Pneumocystis Carinii
Now called pneumocystis pneumonia, it is one of the many pulmonary infections caused by bacteria that already exists in the lungs. Prior to effective treatment, it was one of the major causes of death in the . In non-Western countries, it is still the first sign of AIDS in untested individuals.
Thrush
Thrush is a candida infection on the mouth, throat and tongue. The candida fungus occurs naturally in the body, but when the immune system is compromised, the fungus grows uncontrollably.
Toxoplasmosis
Caused by a parasite found in cat feces, in people with healthy immune systems it causes flu-like symptoms or no symptoms at all. In people with HIV, toxoplasmosis can be fatal.
Kaposi's Sarcoma
Until the advent of AIDS, Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) was a relatively rare and slow-acting skin cancer found in older men of Mediterranean descent. In most cases, victims of KS usually died of old age before dying of KS. In people with AIDS, the disease is more aggressive with lesions appearing on the skin and in the mouth, digestive and respiratory tracts.
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