HIV/AIDS and women

Women are the fastest growing segment of people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), yet they often receive this diagnosis when the disease is in its advanced stages. New therapies have caused human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to become a chronic and treatable disease for many of those afflicted. Primary care providers must be cognizant of the initial symptoms to facilitate early diagnosis and prompt treatment for women with HIV. Early signs of HIV in women are subtle. Providers must consider a diagnosis of HIV in women who present with vaginal infections, abnormal pap smears, or sexually transmitted diseases that are unusually severe, recurrent, and resistant to treatment efforts. These signs and symptoms, along with a corroborating history, may be early clues to HIV. Primary care providers, in conjunction with HIV specialists, must strive to decrease the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of the disease in women.