HIV infection at stage 3 of development is an intermediate stage between the time when the disease is still in principle curable, and AIDS. The considered period of time is the most dangerous for the body. The pronounced symptoms of infection, observed at stages 1 and 2, go into a latent state, but the disease itself does not disappear, progressing and causing new pathologies in the body.
On average, the duration of stage 3 does not exceed 6-7 years, but in some patients the disease can be asymptomatic for at least 20 years.
- The lymph nodes are enlarged;
- The immune system is weakened, the virus spreads throughout the body, provoking the development of dangerous diseases;
- Regular decrease in the number of CD4 lymphocytes.
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Unfortunately, these characteristic signs are not enough for a patient to see a doctor. Most often, an increase in lymph nodes is attributed to other less dangerous diseases, the infection of which is weakened by HIV infection of the body, occurs approximately in this period.
Many specialists pay close attention to these symptoms only when three or more groups of enlarged lymph nodes located in different places are found in a patient. In this case, the patient is invited to undergo appropriate diagnostics, during which the latent stage of HIV is detected.
A patient who does not observe signs of HIV in himself often does not think about the danger this infectious disease and he himself, as its carrier, pose to others. He leads a normal life, not knowing that he is a potential spreader of the disease. The duration of the latent stage depends on the strength of the immune system and the strength of the body.
Inquiring about how long HIV patients live, one should pay special attention to the fact that the third stage of the disease is considered fatal, but it is still not possible to exclude a lethal outcome.
Death can occur due to pulmonary tuberculosis, the development of disseminated herpes zoster, and even pneumonia. In the third stage of HIV, a progressive decrease in body weight is often observed, on average, the patient loses up to 10% of his usual weight. Such a significant weight loss is most often due to prolonged diarrhea, the causes of which remain unexplained for more than 1 month.
Patients may experience discomfort in the oral cavity due to developed candidiasis. A direct consequence of infection is leukoplakia, peripheral neuropathy, a localized form of Kaposi's sarcoma, bacterial sinusitis, pyomyositis.
The disease may not progress for 12 or more years, which means that the person will be completely healthy outwardly. A strong body, supported by the necessary drug therapy, is able to fight infection for a long time. In medical practice, there are cases when a patient lives without knowing about his diagnosis until his death, which occurs due to natural causes and has nothing to do with this disease.
Latent stage of HIV in children
Infection of a child with HIV infection most often occurs in the womb, or in the process of transfusing the blood of a sick person to him. At the latent stage, the disease is relatively short - several months and even weeks after infection. At the same time, the signs of HIV in a child are more pronounced - the entire skin, or its individual sections, mucous membranes is affected.
Sustaining the life and health of an HIV-infected child is extremely difficult. If the disease was not detected at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd stages, there is practically no chance of recovery. Having passed all three stages of infection, the body stops fighting, the child is diagnosed with AIDS.
Phases of development
The third stage of the development of the disease is also known as persistent generalized lymphadenopathy. For the most accurate determination of the main causes of the disease, its signs and consequences, the division of the considered period of time into separate phases is used:
- A person loses weight but loses less than 10% of their total body weight. This phase is characterized by damage to the skin and mucous membranes by a pathogenic fungus, viruses and bacteria. As a result of the activity of pathogenic organisms, herpes zoster, pharyngitis, sinusitis develop;
- The patient loses weight sharply. Body weight is reduced by more than 10% of the original weight. There is prolonged diarrhea. Loose stools disturb the infected for 1 month, while the reason for this behavior of the stomach remains unclear. If a person is weakened by other diseases, then the presence of HIV infection in the body can serve as an impetus for serious damage to internal organs, skin and mucous membranes.In severe cases, a malignant tumor is diagnosed - Kaposi's sarcoma;
- Patients develop pneumonia, the Candida fungus affects the internal organs, and above all, the esophagus, intestines. An extrapulmonary form of tuberculosis may develop, the central nervous system is affected, viruses, fungi and bacteria provoke the appearance of pustules on the skin, ulcers and tumors. The result of this phase is the diagnosis of AIDS in a patient.
Unfortunately, the presented description of the development of the third stage of the disease does not always correspond to reality. In most cases, the disease is asymptomatic, these signs are not taken seriously enough. During the transition to the latent stage, the immune system still copes with the disease on its own and therefore the person does not feel serious changes.
Naturally, the immune system is not capable of suppressing the virus, but it can contain its harmful effects for 10-15 years.
Diagnosis, treatment, prevention
Diagnosis is made by taking blood from a vein to detect antibodies to the virus. A positive test result is a reason for an immune system blot. The disease is incurable, but if it is detected in a latent stage, it is likely that the patient will be able to lead a full life and even live to old age.
Treatment of HIV infection at the latent stage is carried out in three directions:
- Etiotropic therapy. Drugs are used that act on the causative agent of the disease. For this purpose, the following are used: Acyclovir, Riboverin, Suramin, Azidomitin, Interferon;
- Pathogenetic therapy. A group of drugs that affect the immune system, stimulate its work and prevent the further development of the disease are used. In order to correct immunity, thymomimetics Timalin, Thymosin, T-activin and Timostimulin are used;
- Getting rid of opportunistic conditions. The patient is prescribed a large number of antibiotics and immunoglobulins. So, pneumocystis pneumonia is treated with Biseptol and 1-difluoromethylornithine, Acyclovir, Zavirax and Virolex are used to treat herpes. Skin ulcers and erosions are treated with Amphoterricin B, Kaposi's sarcoma is treated with Vincristine, Epidodovillotoxin.
The drugs and medicines mentioned above may well cope with some forms of HIV manifestation at the latent stage, but they cannot completely cure the disease. As mentioned above, using them within a specified period of time allows you to slow down the development of the disease, but the infection will still remain in the body and continue its pathological effects on it.
Timely detection of an HIV-infected person can not only prevent the further spread of the disease, but also increase his life expectancy.
There is no need to wait for the next medical examination or hospital admission to take an HIV test. You need to see a doctor if you have the following symptoms:
- Swollen lymph nodes;
- Sudden weight loss;
- Constant feeling of fatigue, weakness.
In addition, there is disability, insomnia, apathy, lack of appetite. The latent stage may be accompanied by fever and disorders of the digestive system, in particular, diarrhea. The nature of these conditions cannot be identified for a long time, as a result, the prodromal period, when effective help can still be provided to the patient, ends, and HIV passes into the fourth (thermal) stage of development, or AIDS, as already mentioned above.
If a disease is detected at the third stage preceding AIDS, one should not despair. According to scientists, patients who managed to reach this particular period in the development of the disease and not experience a clear feeling of discomfort may well continue to lead their usual way of life. They will not be able to recover from the virus, but it is quite possible to prevent the disease from spreading throughout the body and leading to death.
With the help of the drugs described above, it is possible to stop the development of the disease for 5, 10, 20 or more years. If you follow the recommendations of a doctor with a diagnosis of HIV, you can live almost your whole life, of which there are a great many examples.
