ARV Therapy to Obstruct the Virus
It does not take long for the HIV virus to damage the cells in the brain. “Usually, after a positive diagnosis is made, the virus can already be found in the brain, even though it may not cause any problems yet. However, symptoms may already appear in people with extremely low immunity. HIV has two effects on the brain. First, the virus causes cognitive disorder, in the form of reduced memory and/or concentration. Second, the infection may cause a variety of symptoms, that include severe headaches, lowered consciousness, seizures and even comas. To ensure early detection of the disease, a doctor will usually request that a patient undergo cognitive screening, in line with their age and educational level. As a follow-up, they will suggest HIV tests be carried out, because the two effects are rarely found in healthy people,” dr. Riwanti said.
HIV sufferers should also beware of the toxoplasma virus, which may enter the body through, among others, the consumption of improperly cooked meat, and inhalation of the virus when cleaning up cat feces. “The virus may get carried in the blood flow, then enter the brain tissue and cause inflammation responses such as an abscess. If the abscess occurs in the site of the brain’s linguistic center, it will cause aphasia (or speech difficulty) and other related problems. To prevent infection by the virus, HIV sufferers with lowered CD4 levels may still keep cats, as long as they do not deal with the animal’s feces,” dr. Riwanti said.
Read: Passive immunization, special protection for vulnerable groups
Brain damage, like much other physical damage, is generally irreversible – and of course, is better prevented than corrected. “It is hard for the brain cells to regenerate, even in a normal situation. Basically, just strive to avoid HIV infection by refraining from performing risky behavior like reusing syringes, getting tattoos or piercings, and having promiscuous sexual relations. If you are already infected, don’t despair, because antiretroviral (ARV) therapy to increase the number of CD4 cells in the body and obstruct the multiplication of the virus is now widely available. Contact HIV health centers to get comprehensive solutions that will improve your post-infection quality of life,” dr. Riwanti said. (est)