HIV / AIDS
HIV (Human
Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome), a disease that destroys the human immune system, leading
to a range of diseases.
HIV does not
instantly lead to AIDS. A person infected with HIV can lead a healthy lifestyle
for several years before developing AIDS. HIV can be transmitted to another
person when contaminated blood, semen, or vaginal secretions come into contact
with tears on the skin or mucous membranes of an uninfected person.
What are the symptoms of HIV?
Early symptoms of HIV
may resemble those of other conditions such as cold or flu viruses, other
sexually transmitted diseases, other infections such as mononucleosis or
hepatitis. Stress and anxiety can also trigger HIV symptoms in some people.
The intensity of
symptoms can also vary from person to person. Some may experience very severe
symptoms while others experience no symptoms.
General symptoms may
occur within days or weeks of initial exposure to the virus and may include:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Rash
- Headache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Sore throat
These symptoms
usually appear during a period called primary or acute HIV infection.
The following signs
may be warning signs of advanced HIV infection:
- Rapid weight loss
- Dry cough
- Recurring fever or profuse night sweats
- Profound and unexplained fatigue
- Swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin or neck (lymphadenopathy)
- Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week
- White spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat
- Pneumonia
- Red, brown, pink or purple blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose or eyelids
- Memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders
No one should assume
that they are infected with HIV just because of these symptoms. Each of these
symptoms may be associated with other diseases. Because these symptoms are
similar to those of other illnesses, a person may not realize they have HIV
infection. The only way to know if someone is infected is to get tested.
Even if someone
doesn't have symptoms, it's still possible to pass the virus on to others. Once
the virus enters the body, it begins to attack the immune system. The virus
multiplies in the lymph nodes and begins to destroy T cells, which are white
blood cells that coordinate the entire immune system.
A person may not have
symptoms for nine years or more. Meanwhile, the virus continues to multiply and
destroy immune cells.
Can HIV cause other problems?
The advanced stages
of HIV are referred to as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). AIDS
includes all people infected with HIV who have fewer than 200 CD4+ T cells per
cubic millimeter of blood.
This definition also
includes 26 clinical conditions affecting people with advanced HIV infection.
In people with AIDS, these infections are often serious and fatal because the
immune system is so damaged by HIV that the body cannot fight off certain
bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and other germs.
How is HIV transmitted?
The most common ways
HIV is transmitted are:
- Vaginal, oral, or anal sex with someone who is infected with HIV
- Sharing needles or syringes with someone infected with HIV
Infected blood,
semen, or vaginal secretions (including menstrual blood) can enter the body
through the vagina, rectum, mouth, and surrounding tissues. The risk of
infection is increased by the presence of ulcers (caused by herpes, syphilis
and chancroid) on the genitals (vagina, vulva, penis). Sharing personal items
can be risky if they have come into contact with another person's blood, semen,
or vaginal secretions.
HIV is not
transmitted through daily activities or casual contact. Activities such as
hugging, kissing, cuddling, touching, or massaging do not spread HIV except
through contact with a person's blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or breast
milk.
HIV cannot be
contracted:
- Food
- Handshakes
- Coughs or sneezes
- Being around an infected person
- Insect bites
- Using swimming pools or hot tubs
- Toilet seats
- Phones or computers
- Drinking fountains
- Straws, spoons, or cups
How is HIV diagnosed?
Because this disease
has nonspecific symptoms, they are not a reliable way to diagnose HIV
infection. The only way to know if someone has been infected is to take an HIV
test.
HIV tests do not test
for the real HIV virus. One test detects HIV proteins, while the other two
detect HIV antibodies in the blood.
Eliza is the first
part of the HIV test. This test detects the presence of antibodies to HIV in
the blood. Negative results determine that the person is not infected with HIV.
Positive results lead to the second part of the test to confirm the results.
PCR detects specific
DNA and RNA sequences that indicate the presence of HIV in the genetic makeup
of anyone infected with HIV. DNA and RNA of the HIV virus circulating in the
blood. The presence of these "particles" indicates the presence of
the HIV virus.
Testing for HIV
antibodies is the only way to know if a person is infected. However, this HIV
antibody test is only effective after the infected person's immune system has
produced antibodies to HIV.
There is a period of
time between initial infection and the time when anti-HIV antibodies are
detected, which can vary from 2 weeks to 6 months, with an average duration of
3 months. During this period, standard HIV testing is ineffective.
What is the treatment for HIV?
When the HIV/AIDS
epidemic began in the early 1980s, AIDS patients were not expected to live
beyond a few years. Since then, the development of safe and effective drugs has
enabled people living with HIV to live longer and healthier lives.
These drugs can be
divided into three main groups:
- Reverse transcriptase inhibitors - prevent the conversion of reverse
transcriptase (HIV enzyme) from HIV RNA to HIV DNA.
- Protease inhibitors - interfere with the work of the protease enzyme used by
HIV to produce infectious viral particles.
- Fusion inhibitors - interfere with the ability of the HIV virus to fuse
with the cell membrane, thereby blocking entry into the host cell.
Modern drugs can
suppress the HIV virus even to an undetectable level, but are not able to
completely eliminate HIV from the body. These drugs help treat HIV but cannot
cure it. It is important that infected patients continue to take antiretroviral
drugs.
As HIV replicates,
new strains of the virus continue to emerge that may be resistant to
antiretroviral drugs. Most doctors recommend that HIV-infected patients take a
combination of antiretroviral drugs known as HAART.
This drug combination
successfully suppresses the virus and reduces the rate of opportunistic
infections by strengthening the immune system.
Although the use of
HAART can suppress the virus and dramatically reduce HIV/AIDS deaths, the virus
can still be transmitted. HIV-infected people taking antiretroviral drugs can
still transmit HIV to other people through unprotected sex and needle sharing.
Can HIV be prevented?
Not having sex is the
only sure way to avoid HIV transmission.
If you decide to have
sex, to reduce your risk of infection, you should:
- Have sex with only one non-HIV partner who does not share needles or syringes and has sex only with you. These things can be hard to find out about another person.
- Avoid contact with your partner's blood, semen or vaginal secretions.
- Proper use of a latex condom during intercourse greatly reduces the risk of contracting HIV.
- Use a water-based lubricant with a latex condom to reduce the risk of it breaking during vaginal or anal sex.
- Use a male condom or a spermicide-free lubricant for oral sex.
- Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of female condoms or dental pads in preventing HIV transmission.