|
Part1:
Natural History and Classification of HIV Disease
|
Time
|
Stage
|
Symptoms
|
|
0
|
Initial
infection
|
None
|
|
1-4 weeks
|
Seroconversion
|
Rash,
fever
|
|
0-4 years
|
Asymptomatic
|
None
|
|
1-6 years
|
Symptomatic
|
Mild
|
|
4-10 years
|
AIDS
|
Moderate
- Severe
|
These changes are caused by the continuous damage to the immune system
by HIV over many years.
We measure these changes in 3 ways:
1.
Examining the patient for signs of immune deficiency
2.
‘Viral load tests’: measuring the amount of virus in 1ml of blood
3.
CD4+ve lymphocyte count:
·
these
are the main target for HIV
·
they
also control the body’s defence against infection
|
Time
|
Stage
|
Viral Load
|
CD4 count
|
|
0
|
Initial
infection
|
-
|
600-1200
|
|
1-4 weeks
|
Seroconversion
|
Millions
|
50-400
(variable)
|
|
0-4 years
|
Asymptomatic
|
Thousands
|
400-600
|
|
1-6 years
|
Symptomatic
|
Thousands
|
200-500
|
|
4-10 years
|
AIDS
|
Thousands
|
0-300
|
|