AIDS-related CMV: how to help yourself.What Is HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. Disease? HIV means Human Immunodeficiency Virus human immunodeficiency virus n. HIV. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) A transmissible retrovirus that causes AIDS in humans. , which is a germ that can enter the body and cause AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) A viral disease of humans caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which attacks and compromises the body's immune system. ). HIV attacks and kills certain cells of the body, especially those that protect us from disease. When too many of these cells have been destroyed, the body becomes weak and the person gets sick. A person with HIV may get very serious diseases that healthy people do not get, such as a rare kind of pneumonia (a disease of the lungs) or some types of cancers. When a person with HIV has one of these diseases, we say the person has AIDS. Even if they do not look or feel sick, people with HIV can pass the virus to other people by having sex and by sharing needles for injecting drugs. Pregnant women can also pass HIV to their babies before they are born. What is CMV CMV cytomegalovirus. CMV abbr. 1. controlled mechanical ventilation 2. cytomegalovirus Cytomegalovirus (CMV) ? People with HIV may get CMV disease. This booklet explains what CMV is. It also talks about medicines that can be used to help treat the disease and steps you can take to keep yourself healthy. CMV is short for cytomegalovirus cytomegalovirus (sī'təmĕg'əlōvī`rəs), member of the herpesvirus family that can cause serious complications in persons with weakened immune systems. , the germ that causes CMV disease. Many people have this germ in their bodies and may never get sick from it. Because people with HIV have weakened immune systems immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. , they may not be able to fight off CMV and can become seriously ill A patient is seriously ill when his or her illness is of such severity that there is cause for immediate concern but there is no imminent danger to life. See also very seriously ill. . Symptoms of CMV CMV disease can damage many parts of the body, including the digestive system and lungs. CMV disease most commonly affects the eyes and can cause blindness if it is not treated. A blood test can be used to find out if you have CMV in your body. Other tests may be used to make sure your symptoms are caused by CMV. An eye exam can show CMV even before symptoms appear. CMV may cause some of the symptoms listed in the box below: Symptoms of CMV eye disease * floating spots before the eyes * hazy vision, as if looking through a screen * blurred or missing areas of vision Symptoms of CMV digestive disease All diseases that pertain to the gastrointestinal tract are labelled as digestive diseases. This includes diseases of the esophagus, stomach, first, second and third part of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, the ileo-cecal complex, large intestine (ascending, transverse and descending * diarrhea * loss of appetite loss of appetite Medtalk Anorexia, see there * fever * blood in the stool * stomach cramps * weight loss * painful swallowing * pain in center of the chest Medicines Can Help Some medicines can help to fight CMV disease. Medicines can be used to: * Keep your immune system stronger. Certain medicines can help the body defend against disease. To keep you healthy, your doctor or clinic nurse may ask you to start taking medicine as soon as you find out you have HIV. * Treat the infection. There are two medicines that may keep CMV disease from getting worse (ganciclovir and foscarnet foscarnet /fos·car·net/ (fos-kahr´net) a virostatic agent used as the sodium salt in the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis and herpes simplex in immunocompromised patients. ). These medicines are injected into a patient's veins. Once you get CMV disease, you may need to continue taking medicine to prevent CMV disease from coming back. How to Help Yourself 1. Keep your immune system as strong as you can. Eat healthy foods. Get enough rest and exercise. Don't use alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs. 2. Make sure you keep your clinic appointments. It's important to get regular checkups to ward off problems BEFORE your eyesight eye·sight n. 1. The faculty of sight; vision. 2. Range of vision; view. is affected. 3. Tell your doctor or nurse about any symptoms of CMV. Sudden changes in vision are important warning signs that should be checked out right away. See box on page 2. 4. Follow your care plan. Take all your medicines as they are prescribed (at the right time and in the right amounts). Be sure you know how to take them. Ask your doctor or clinic nurse if you have any questions. Continue to keep your clinic appointments so that your doctor can check you to make sure that the medicine is working. 5. Tell your doctor or clinic nurse about any side effects Side effects Effects of a proposed project on other parts of the firm. from your medicine. Medicines used to treat CMV disease can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, tiredness, or abnormal bruising bruising discoloration and actual hemorrhage at the site of injury, and a serious disadvantage in the meat trade. In the first 12 hours after injury the bruise is bright red, at 24 hours it is dark red, at 24 to 36 hours it loses its firm consistency and becomes watery and at 3 or and bleeding in some people. Your doctor may have to give you another medicine or change the amount that you take to reduce your side effects. Research: Hope for the Future Scientists are working to find better drugs to treat and prevent CMV disease. Drugs that may work better and are easier to take than the drugs that are now used are being tested in research studies. You may be able to help test one of these new drugs. If you take part in research, you may help yourself--and others with HIV. If you are interested, talk to your doctor or clinic nurse. Or call the numbers on the next page to find out more. Remember: * CMV is a serious disease that can cause blindness and damage to other organs if not treated. * Tell your doctor or clinic nurse right away if you have sudden changes in vision or other symptoms of CMV disease. * Take your medicine as your doctor prescribed. * Be sure to have regular checkups. To Find Out More About CMV Here are some numbers to call to learn more about CMV and how to help yourself: * 1-800-342-AIDS (1-800-342-2437) You can get more information about CMV disease. You can also find out about treatment centers and other help. * 1-800-TRIALS-A (1-800-874-2572) You can find out about testing new drugs. There may be a center near you where you can volunteer for studies that are taking place. * 1-800-AIDS-NIH (1-800-243-7644) Call Monday through Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (eastern time) to find out about studies being done at the National Institutes of Health (NIH "Not invented here." See digispeak. NIH - The United States National Institutes of Health. ) Clinical Center. |
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