Last Updated on July 29, 2021 by Stacy Sampson, DO
HIV & AIDS STI/STD Brief
These briefs are intended to give readers (specifically those who weren’t aware many of these STIs/STDs existed) an overview of each STI, their commonality, treatment options, and diagnostic tests available.
This information is by no means all-encompassing and The STI Project encourages using these briefs as primers and then further delving into the resources section when subsequent questions arise.
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HIV/AIDS Symptoms, Test & Treatment
Common? Somewhat common – In the United States, more than 980,000 cases of HIV/AIDS have been reported to the government. Around 48,000 people contract HIV in the U.S. annually
Symptoms Some people develop symptoms shortly after being infected, but it usually takes more than 10 years. There are several stages of HIV. The first symptoms may include swollen glands in the throat, armpit, or groin. Other early symptoms include slight fever, headaches, fatigue, and muscle aches. These symptoms may last for only a few weeks. Then there are usually no symptoms of HIV for many years. AIDS symptoms appear in the most advanced stage of infection. In addition to a badly damaged immune system, a person with AIDS may also have thrush, severe or recurring vaginal yeast infections, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, tiredness, dizziness, headaches, rapid weight loss, bruising, severe and frequent infections, rashes, growths, shortness of breath and dry coughing, to name a few.
Cure? No cure – managed with medicine
Bacterial/Viral/ Fungal/Parasitic Viral
Test Blood test, oral swabs
Life-Long? Yes
Life-Threatening? Maybe – but thanks to “cocktails” for the immune system and improved therapies for the symptoms of HIV/AIDS, people are now able to live with the virus for many years. Without treatment, about 25 out of 100 babies born to people with HIV are also infected.
- How to Not Give an Eff about Having an STI
- STI/STD? What Now?
- HIV/AIDS Resources
- STI Reference Guide
- Resources, Information, & HIV Perspectives
- Detailed HIV Signs & Symptoms
- Pictures of HIV
- Other STI Resources
References
- Symptoms
- Earnshaw, Valerie A., et al. “HIV stigma and physical health symptoms: Do social support, adaptive coping, and/or identity centrality act as resilience resources?.” AIDS and Behavior 19.1 (2015): 41-49.
- Lyon, Maureen E., et al. “Advance care planning and HIV symptoms in adolescence.” Pediatrics 142.5 (2018): e20173869.
- Garey, Lorra, et al. “Anxiety, depression, and HIV symptoms among persons living with HIV/AIDS: the role of hazardous drinking.” AIDS care 27.1 (2015): 80-85.
- Webel, Allison R., et al. “A cross-sectional relationship between social capital, self-compassion, and perceived HIV symptoms.” Journal of pain and symptom management 50.1 (2015): 59-68.
- Braksmajer, Amy, et al. “Effects of Discrimination on HIV-Related Symptoms in Heterosexual Men of Color.” American journal of men’s health 12.6 (2018): 1855-1863.
- Testing
- World Health Organization. Guidelines on HIV self-testing and partner notification: supplement to consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services. World Health Organization, 2016.
- Arya, Monisha, et al. “The Promise of Patient-Centered Text Messages for Encouraging HIV Testing in an Underserved Population.” The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care: JANAC 29.1 (2018): 101-106.
- Greensides, Dawn R., et al. “Alternative HIV testing methods among populations at high risk for HIV infection.” Public health reports (2016).
- Granich, Reuben M., et al. “Universal voluntary HIV testing with immediate antiretroviral therapy as a strategy for elimination of HIV transmission: a mathematical model.” The Lancet 373.9657 (2009): 48-57.
- Kalichman, Seth C., and Leickness C. Simbayi. “HIV testing attitudes, AIDS stigma, and voluntary HIV counselling and testing in a black township in Cape Town, South Africa.” Sexually transmitted infections 79.6 (2003): 442-447.
- Treatment
- Cihlar, Tomas, and Marshall Fordyce. “Current status and prospects of HIV treatment.” Current opinion in virology 18 (2016): 50-56.
- Gonzalez, Jeffrey S., et al. “Depression and HIV/AIDS treatment nonadherence: a review and meta-analysis.” Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 58.2 (2011).
- Callaghan, Mike, Nathan Ford, and Helen Schneider. “A systematic review of task-shifting for HIV treatment and care in Africa.” Human resources for health 8.1 (2010): 8.
- Benjamin, Laura A., et al. “HIV, antiretroviral treatment, hypertension, and stroke in Malawian adults: a case-control study.” Neurology 86.4 (2016): 324-333.
- Levi, Jacob, et al. “Can the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target be achieved? A systematic analysis of national HIV treatment cascades.” BMJ global health 1.2 (2016): e000010.
- Prevention
- Cohen, Myron S., et al. “Antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission.” New England Journal of Medicine 375.9 (2016): 830-839.
- World Health Organization. Policy brief: Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations. No. WHO/HIV/2017.05. World Health Organization, 2017.
- Baeten, Jared M., et al. “Use of a vaginal ring containing dapivirine for HIV-1 prevention in women.” New England Journal of Medicine 375.22 (2016): 2121-2132.
- Fowler, Mary G., et al. “Benefits and risks of antiretroviral therapy for perinatal HIV prevention.” New England Journal of Medicine 375.18 (2016): 1726-1737.
- World Health Organization. “Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations–2016 update.” (2016).
- Transmission
- Rodger, Alison J., et al. “Sexual activity without condoms and risk of HIV transmission in serodifferent couples when the HIV-positive partner is using suppressive antiretroviral therapy.” Jama 316.2 (2016): 171-181.
- Landefeld, C. C., et al. “Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Yaounde: Barrier to Care.” AIDS care 30.1 (2018): 116-120.
- Zafer, Maryam, et al. “Effectiveness of semen washing to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and assist pregnancy in HIV-discordant couples: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Fertility and sterility 105.3 (2016): 645-655.
- Cohen, Myron S., et al. “Antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission.” New England Journal of Medicine 375.9 (2016): 830-839.
- Poon, Art FY, et al. “Near real-time monitoring of HIV transmission hotspots from routine HIV genotyping: an implementation case study.” The lancet HIV 3.5 (2016): e231-e238.
