Differential Diagnosis of HIV-like Diseases

This assignment delves into the differential diagnosis of three diseases often mistaken for HIV: AIDS, Syphilis, and Systemic Lupus Erythromatoses (SLE). It examines the similarities and differences in their symptoms, transmission routes, and diagnostic methods. The paper emphasizes the importance of understanding these distinctions for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

Running Head: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY
Pathophysiology and pharmacology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
The paper deals with the differential diagnosis of three similar diseases to HIV including
AIDS, Syphilis and Systemic lupus erythromatoses (SLE). Differential diagnosis refers to the
process of distinguishing between different diseases that manifest as similar symptoms.
Similar disease symptoms
HIV is caused by human immunodeficiency virus that suppresses immune system. It is
spread by unprotected sex and the later stage of HIV is known as Acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS). HIV is infection and AIDS is syndrome. On the contrary, syphilis is the
bacterial infection, which is also spread through sexual contact. Both HIV and syphilis are
transmitted by childbirth, anal and vaginal sex. Unlike HIV, syphilis is curable and can be treated
with antibiotics (Seña et al. 2015). SLE is a representative of autoimmune disease and is initiated
by virus. Both HIV and SLE is caused by retroviruses (Kao et al. 2014).
The early symptoms of HIV are flu like symptoms, fever, sores and skin rash and are
followed by many years where there are no symptoms. Symptoms of AIDS are similar to
damaged immune system caused by infection and are manifested after severe infection from HIV
(ElKalmi et al., 2015). Primary syphilis symptoms also manifest as sores around mouth, genitals
and rectum. Secondary syphilis symptoms include severe skin rash and sores. However, there are
no flu like symptoms. Both HIV and syphilis can infect anywhere on the body (Seña et al. 2015).
The similarity between HIV and SLE comes from symptoms including abnormalities in T cell,
i.e, CD4 and CD8 T‡‡ cell dysfunction. Both the diseases lead to changes in the cytokines and
chemokines and polyclonal B cell activation. Skin rashes and ulcers in mouth are also common

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in SLE like HIV (Kao et al. 2014). In some cases the symptoms of syphilis mimics SLE. These
symptoms make the disease appear similar and the diagnosis tricky.
Diagnosis
HIV can be diagnosed by HIV tests involving blood tests and collection of swab of sores
looking for antibodies and viral proteins. A patient with HIV decreases the normal CD4 count
500-1,200. During AIDS, these count drops to 200 (ElKalmi et al., 2015). However, the
diagnosis of syphilis also involves swabbing an open sores and presence of bacteria will rule out
HIV. HIV is diagnosed within days of transmission. AIDS is diagnosed only in later stage of
infection. Whereas, syphilis can be diagnosed after 10-90 days of transmission (Pathela et al.
2015). On the other hand, SLE is diagnosed by blood tests, urinalysis, chest X ray, antibody tests
and blood test. SLE can be ruled out by presence of butterfly rash, physical exam involving loss
of hair, mucous membrane ulcer and arthritis (Kao et al. 2014).

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References
ElKalmi, R.M., Al-Shami, A.K., Alkoudmani, R.M., Al-Syed, T., Al-Lela, O.Q.B. and Patel, I.,
2015. Knowledge, Attitudes and Risk Perceptions towards Human Immunodeficiency Virus and
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Among Health Sciences Students in a
Public University, Malaysia. Nursing, 18, pp.7-6.
Kao, J.K., Fu, C.H., Lee, M.S., Shieh, J.J. and Yang, S.C., 2014. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Misdiagnosed as HIV Infection in a Teenager: A Case Report. The Changhua Journal of
Medicine, 12(2), pp.77-81.
Pathela, P., Braunstein, S.L., Blank, S., Shepard, C. and Schillinger, J.A., 2015. The high risk of
an HIV diagnosis following a diagnosis of syphilis: a population-level analysis of New York
City men. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 61(2), pp.281-287.
Seña, A.C., Zhang, X.H., Li, T., Zheng, H.P., Yang, B., Yang, L.G., Salazar, J.C., Cohen, M.S.,
Moody, M.A., Radolf, J.D. and Tucker, J.D., 2015. A systematic review of syphilis serological
treatment outcomes in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected persons: rethinking the significance of
serological non-responsiveness and the serofast state after therapy. BMC infectious
diseases, 15(1), p.479.