Real Help on HIV - GetSTDtested.com

Dr. Sabrina Kendrick, Director of the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, provides information on the symptoms of HIV and AIDS.

Real Help on HIV; Sabrina Kendrick, M.D.; Brought to you by getSTDtested.com. There are about fifty thousand new cases per year of HIV in the United States. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS; it also affects the immune system and causes the immune system to become susceptible to infections. Initially, someone who is exposed to HIV may not have any symptoms at all and this may happen over a period of three to six months, after which time the body begins to recognize the virus and develops antibodies. At that time, they will have these flu-like illness and symptoms that will go away and then after the symptoms go away they will not have any symptoms at all and that can go from ten to fifteen years without having any symptoms but the disease process does advance from HIV to AIDS over this time period and then the patient may present with fever, weight loss or wasting, diarrhea, and maybe even pneumonia. Those persons who should be tested for HIV include those who are having unprotected sex, particularly those who have vaginal or anal unprotected sex. HIV is transmitted through unprotected sex or by blood, mainly through sharing needles. HIV is tested conclusively with a laboratory-based blood test. Currently there is no vaccine for the HIV virus, but there are medications that the patient can take that includes a combination of these antiretroviral drugs that make up a cocktail that the patients can take and do well with these medications and live longer with a productive lifestyle. You can prevent transmission of HIV by not participating in risky behaviors which includes using condoms when you have sex and not sharing needles.