Signs of HIV infection

Regarding the suspected HIV infection among a number of people in Kim Thuong commune (Tan Son district, Phu Tho province), Dr. Luong Truong Son, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Malaria - Parasitology - Entomology in Ho Chi Minh City, and head of the Dong Dieu dermatology clinic, stated that when infected with the HIV virus, patients go through three stages.

The first stage is acute infection, usually 2-6 weeks after exposure or infection. At this time, the patient has a few early symptoms that can be recognized.

In the second stage, the patient shows no symptoms at all. This stage lasts for a long time, sometimes many years. In the final stage, the patient develops AIDS with severe immunosuppression, leading to numerous opportunistic infections.

The first stage is also known as the window period. Therefore, patients can recognize abnormal bodily conditions based on some early signs such as fever, fatigue, body aches, sore throat, headache, nausea, diarrhea, etc., to consider the possibility of HIV exposure.

According to Dr. Hoang Hai Ha, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital 09 (Hanoi), HIV exposure is a term used to describe contact between the mucous membranes or skin of a non-infected person and the blood, tissue, or bodily fluids of another person, leading to the risk of HIV infection.

To determine with the utmost accuracy whether a person is HIV-positive immediately after a potentially infectious act, a test is necessary. However, this method often takes a long time to get results.

Therefore, to avoid the possibility of testing positive for the disease, it is best to treat exposure within the first 72 hours after any risky behavior such as being pricked by a needle during medical procedures like injections or blood tests; wounds from scalpels or sharp instruments causing bleeding; skin injuries from broken blood or fluid containers from an infected person; blood or fluids from an HIV-positive person splashing onto damaged skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, throat); sexual contact with an HIV-infected person, etc.

Dr. Hoang Hai Ha further explained that the HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment protocol lasts one month. Afterward, patients are retested after 3 and 6 months.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment can be administered at home, but requires close monitoring for any problems that may arise, and immediate medical attention is necessary if complications occur. The response to the medication, as well as any complications, depends on how each individual reacts to the drug.

Patients may experience only mild effects such as transient itching or nightmares, but severe effects can also include widespread burns and ulcers, skin burns, fever, burns from hot water, and in more serious cases, respiratory failure, cardiovascular collapse, and bone marrow failure.

These side effects also depend on the specific type of post-exposure prophylaxis medication. Currently, there are many types of post-exposure prophylaxis medications, but the appropriate treatment depends on the individual's test results, medical conditions, and overall health status. Each type will have different side effects.

The cost of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) medication is still subsidized by the state; if patients purchase it themselves, the price ranges from 1.1 to 1.7 million VND. When engaging in risky behavior, individuals can go to any provincial or district-level preventive health center for prompt PEP treatment.