How AIDS Affect Women Different From Men?

Do you know that 30.8 million adults around the world are living with HIV and AIDS among which half are women?

The main reason behind AIDS is damage to the natural defenses against the disease because of HIV.

HIV is a virus that infects the cells, which are responsible to make up the human body and replicate within those cells.

HIV greatly damages the immune system, which is mainly responsible for protecting your body against the diseases.

Particularly HIV attacks a special type of immune system cells known as CD4 lymphocytes. HIV makes you to become ill more and more often several years after getting infected.

AIDS one of the particular stages of HIV infection. AIDS can be noticeable when the number of cells in your body drops below a certain level.

If you don’t receive any drug treatment for HIV infection, it ultimately leads to AIDS in about 10 years. This period depends on the diet that you are having. Malnutrition can cause well progression of AIDS and also death.

Taking antiretroviral medications can prolong the period between the HIV infection and AIDS. Also, combination therapy works effectively and a person with HIV can live long time before it becomes AIDS.

AIDS in women:

AIDS epidemic has a unique impact on women. Usually, women are at greater risk of heterosexual transmission of HIV. Studies showed that women are at twice the risk of infecting with HIV when compared to men.

The percentage of women living with HIV/AIDS greatly varies among various regions of the world. Areas like Europe and Oceania, there is relatively low percentage of people infected with HIV. But, in areas like sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, percentage of people with HIV is significantly higher.

In United States Hispanic women and African American women account for 80% of AIDS cases. Almost, men and women tend to suffer from very similar AIDS related conditions and symptoms. But, there are few variations between men and women when comes to opportunistic infections and antiretroviral medications.

Opportunistic infections that are affecting the women include: pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), cancerous changes in the cervix and recurrent vaginal yeast infection.

Also, the side effects of antiretroviral medications can vary from men to women. For example, Nevirapine is a drug used to prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child and also it is used in combination therapy to prevent HIV/AIDS.

Sometimes, it can also cause some sever side effects such as liver toxicity and skin rash, which can lead to life-threatening action.

There are various preventive technologies that can benefit you in preventing HIV.

1. Female condom

It is the only HIV prevention method presently available for women. They can greatly help you to protect yourself from becoming infected against HIV infection if used consistently and correctly.

2. Antiretroviral drugs

The drug named as post-exposure prophylaxis helps to decrease the possibility of infection after the exposure to HIV.

3. Vaginal gel or cream

Vaginal gel or cream named as Microbicide applied around the vagina can help you protect against HIV.