Is vasculitis like AIDS?

Condition analysis:
No. Vasculitis involves the immune system being over-active. AIDS is an acquired disease where the immune system is under-active. AIDS can also be transferred to others whereas vasculitis cannot.

Instructions:
Here are 5 things you should know about vasculitis:
1. Vasculitis is inflammation of blood vessels. The body’s immune system regulates inflammation.

2. Vasculitis is a family of multiple different diseases. The types of vasculitis differ in whom they affect and the organs they involve. Some forms are mild. Others are more severe.

3. Vasculitis can affect any of the body’s blood vessels. In vasculitis, the blood vessel walls can thicken, leading to vessel narrowing or blockage. If the flow in a blood vessel with vasculitis reduces or stops, the tissues that receive blood from that vessel begin to die. Vasculitis can also weaken blood vessels, leading to enlargement of the vessel (called an aneurysm) or disruption of the blood vessel wall, with bleeding into the surrounding tissue. In some forms of vasculitis, inflammation can occur in tissues other than blood vessels.

4. Symptoms of vasculitis vary. They can include nasal congestion joint pain, mouth ulcers, hearing loss, skin lesions, headache, vision problems, numbness, weakness, cough, shortness of breath, fever, weight loss and many others symptoms.

5. Vasculitis is treatable. The type of treatment will depend on the form of vasculitis, the affected organs and disease severity. The main goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation in the affected blood vessels and tissues. Doctors aim to reduce or halt the immune response that is causing the inflammation.