HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. People who have the virus have weakened immunity and are thus vulnerable to infectious diseases and cancer. When people with the virus develop certain cancers or infections, they are said to have AIDS. You can also tell if one has AIDS if their CD4 count is less than 200. When HIV enters a person`s body, it attacks and exterminates CD4 cell which is one type of white blood cells in the body. The main function of this cell in the body is to fight diseases which mean once the CD4 count, the body is prone to illness. You can now your CD4 count by visiting a medical practitioner who will test your blood.
It does not mean that if you have HIV you have AIDS. It sometimes takes many years for people with HIV to develop AIDS. Up to date there is no cure for HIV and AIDS. However, you can have a normal lifespan with minimal interruptions if you use HIV-AIDS treatment drugs easily available these days. It is possible to stay health and stay longer especially if you are diagnosed with HIV in its early stages. Government are working hard to ensure easy access to testing, to ensure people are tested in the earliest stages. In Australia, the ministry of health recently allowed sell of HIV home testing kits to enable people test for HIV from the convenience of their homes.
Before you start contradicting AIDs defining illness you need to know your status if you have a virus. Some HIV symptoms can appear within a month from the day of infection. Whereas some flu-like symptoms may appear, it may take many years for HIV-INFECTED infected people to start feeling ill.
As days go by, with the virus in the body other HIV symptoms may be seen. Both man and woman experience yeast infection in the thrush, women may also develop vaginal yeast infections or the pelvic inflammatory disease.
With time as HIV develops to AIDS people may experience the symptoms that seem not to fade away that include profuse sweating while sleeping, feeling tired, weight loss, swollen glands, oral thrush, and fever. You should not at all wait for this symptoms to appear before you are tested for HIV. As noted above the earlier you are tested for HIV, the better, you will be able to manage yourself and possibly live a normal lifespan.
The good thing is testing has been made easy just like testing for pregnancy. You can now do an HIV test at home with HIV home testing kits that are available easily. Get tested today and live positively with HIV and AIDS.