Blurred vision, brain damage due to hiding HIV for 10 years

Recently, the Tropical Disease Center, Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi) has just provided emergency care to a female patient NTB (37 years old, from Ninh Binh) infected with late-stage HIV.

Accordingly, Ms. B. suffered from severe headaches, dizziness, blurred vision in her right eye, and nausea for months, and went to see an ophthalmologist and neurologist. The patient was examined at many medical facilities but hid that she had HIV.

The patient was tested at many medical facilities but hid that he had HIV. (Illustration photo).

At the Tropical Disease Center, through testing, doctors discovered that Ms. B. was infected with HIV and had a severe opportunistic infection, causing brain and meningeal damage. At this time, the patient's health was seriously declining, with CD4 cells below 200/mm3. Although the disease was in the late stages, Ms. B. still did not want to cooperate with treatment.

Associate Professor Do Duy Cuong - Director of the Center for Tropical Diseases said that when the test confirmed HIV infection, the patient shared that she had contracted the disease from her husband 10 years ago. Ms. B. was afraid of being discriminated against, so she hid her health condition and did not take medication. Currently, the patient is receiving active treatment and her condition is progressing better.

Dr. Cuong said that if treated early, patients can immediately apply special treatment regimens to avoid complications. Because the disease progresses to a late stage, treatment is difficult, expensive, and takes a long time.

For the disease of the century, medical staff must have the skills to consult, examine and treat wholeheartedly, apply new methods and techniques with the spirit of always respecting, not discriminating, keeping identity confidential, gradually improving the quality of life and longevity of HIV-infected patients.

Through the treatment process, most patients will return to normal health and can start a family, have children who are not infected with HIV and continue to contribute to their families and society. In fact, many people who have spent decades being monitored and treated at the Center are now healthy and have a very high rate of viral suppression, specifically over 98%.

In addition, there are still many cases where patients do not tell their doctors that they are HIV positive, making diagnosis and treatment difficult. Hiding the disease increases the risk of HIV exposure for medical staff when caring for the sick.

Le Trang

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/mo-mat-ton-thuong-nao-vi-giau-benh-hiv-suot-10-nam-post261148.html