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Suggest Treatment For Swollen Nodes In A HIV Positive Person
Question: My son is HIV positive & has Hep C. For the last week he has had to swollen knots, that are red & look like they infected on the inside of his lower right arm. They look like spider bites, & are very painful. Today he has another one on his outside wrist. Can you help me?
Brief Answer:
Examination and investigations need for diganosis
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
You had not mentioned anything about his present CD4 count, whether it increasing with treatment or not, and his viral load and the ART drugs he is on and how long he is on this drugs. These will be useful to give more details about the condition of your son.
When there is a fall in immunity, there is every chance for new opportunistic infection and lymph node enlargement.
The knot like thing may be due to lymph adenitis or lymphangitis or a condition called erythema nodosum or some other problem. A detailed examination along with the investigatory findings only one can tell about the lesion because any type of manifestation can occur with HIV disease. Sometimes a biopsy from the lesion may be needed to confirm the diagnosis. On the basis of outcome of these results, one can plan the treatment.
Sometimes, if ART is recently started and his CD4 is getting better then these lesions may be due to Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS).
If you consult somebody who had good experience with the management of HIV disease, he/she can guide you better.
Wish him a speedy recovery.
Dr S.Murugan
Examination and investigations need for diganosis
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
You had not mentioned anything about his present CD4 count, whether it increasing with treatment or not, and his viral load and the ART drugs he is on and how long he is on this drugs. These will be useful to give more details about the condition of your son.
When there is a fall in immunity, there is every chance for new opportunistic infection and lymph node enlargement.
The knot like thing may be due to lymph adenitis or lymphangitis or a condition called erythema nodosum or some other problem. A detailed examination along with the investigatory findings only one can tell about the lesion because any type of manifestation can occur with HIV disease. Sometimes a biopsy from the lesion may be needed to confirm the diagnosis. On the basis of outcome of these results, one can plan the treatment.
Sometimes, if ART is recently started and his CD4 is getting better then these lesions may be due to Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS).
If you consult somebody who had good experience with the management of HIV disease, he/she can guide you better.
Wish him a speedy recovery.
Dr S.Murugan
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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