HIV is an infection by the human immunodeficiency virus that can be transmitted through sexual contact, contact with infected blood, or during birth from mother to child. It weakens the immune system and the infection can lead to other illnesses at which point it is called AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
HIV is an infection of the human immunodeficiency virus. Having unprotected sexual intercourse is the main cause of the disease. The infection can also spread by sharing needles, contact with infected blood, or during birth from mother to child. New cases of infection are high amongst men who have sex with men and drug users. The virus infects the immune system and can lead to further infections or even cancer years after the initial infection. At this stage the disease is called AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
Infection via risky sexual contact (unsafe sex without a condom or barrier, anal intercourse, and sperm or blood in the mouth) or via an insertion wound from an infected needle rarely shows any sign of symptoms. It’s typical for flu-like symptoms to occur, including fever, throat and limb pains, as well as swollen lymph nodes 1-6 weeks after the infection. After that, symptoms fade. There are various tests to determine if you have been infected that can reveal if you have been infected or not after several weeks. An HIV infection can be a heavy burden for the victim and their close ones. The current therapies can significantly delay the onset of AIDS and allow for an almost normal life. In order to reduce your risk of an HIV infection, the following points should be followed: always have safe sex with a condom or barrier, don’t allow sperm or blood into the mouth, and be careful with contact with blood and use of syringes. Pregnant women need to take special precautions (treatment of mother and child with medication, birth via C-section, no breastfeeding of the child) to prevent infecting the child.
If risk of infection has occurred, you should seek a specialist (a doctor specializing in infectology or internal medicine) to discuss further steps. An accurate measurement of blood levels is always necessary to be able to start therapy with special medication. This medication will keep the weaknesses in the body’s immune system stabil and delay the onset of AIDS (such as resulting infections or cancers). Unfortunately there is not yet a cure for HIV/AIDS, but a normal life expectancy can be achieved through treatment.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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