Treatment:

When a person without symptoms should receive therapy is controversial. People who are asymptomatic but who have CD4 lymphocyte counts of less than 200 should be on therapy.

Some doctors would also treat individuals with CD4 counts between 200 and 350, but the toxic side effects of the antiretroviral medications has made this less common.

Doctors must consider other factors, such as patient readiness and ability to stick to therapy, before starting antiretroviral therapy.

Support Groups:

See: AIDS - support group

Expectations (prognosis):

HIV is a chronic medical condition that can be treated, but not cured. Combinations of antiretroviral drugs have significantly delayed the progression to AIDS and decreased the incidence of AIDS-related opportunistic infections.

Complications:

People with asymptomatic infection can progress to symptomatic HIV infection and develop opportunistic infections associated with HIV. In addition, pregnant women with asymptomatic HIV infection can still transmit HIV to their fetus.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have HIV and you develop fevers, weight loss, swollen glands, or night sweats. You will need to be checked, and your doctor might need to consider giving you antiretroviral therapy.