It is difficult to describe all the consequences of HIV infection. This is a complex process of finding a compromise, where much depends on who the message is addressed to. But how not to get stuck in these quicksands and, moreover, how to get out of them without lying, maintaining trust and principles?
When communicating with a person who has just learned of his diagnosis, we emphasize that even with HIV it is possible to lead a normal life, that a 20-year-old person who has been diagnosed with HIV may well live to be 70 years old or even longer. We tell you that modern treatment does not cause any particular inconvenience and has virtually no side effects. The tone of the conversation is lively, as if nothing special is happening, along the way we tediously and repeatedly remind you of the need for adherence to treatment and disclosure of information if required by law.
At the same time, communication with an HIV-negative person is completely different; we explain that HIV is a disease that must be avoided at all costs.
To those who allocate funds for our activities, we say that HIV remains a terrible epidemic and a threat that must be fought to the bitter end at all costs.
We argue among ourselves about whether HIV is a “chronic, manageable disease.” We debate whether the stigma situation is better or worse than before.
How serious is it?
There are even those who consider HIV to be a common disease, which is fundamentally untrue. For example, the World Health Organization states: “Due to its long incubation period, multiple modes of transmission, most commonly sexual, and its potential to undermine our enormous efforts to develop a vaccine and find a definitive cure, HIV is one of the most challenging, serious and possibly , the most devastating infectious disease humanity has ever faced."
In addition, HIV is one of the few diseases that is criminalized and is associated with a range of social problems, which contributes to the further spread of HIV infection and aggravates its consequences. When we talk about HIV, we inevitably encounter questions about inequality and injustice. About shame and self-stigmatization. About difficulties with work and housing, about gender and racial problems, about the availability and inaccessibility of treatment. HIV is undoubtedly a complex, multifaceted disease.
Given its complexity, I'd say there's plenty of room for different opinions about the consequences of infection and the impact of HIV on human life. There is a place for those who have come to terms with their HIV infection. There is also a place for those who climb the barricades and, with varying success, but always ardently and desperately fight the system - that is, HIV.
Personal experience
Our view of HIV is, of course, shaped by our own experiences. In my case everything was simple. I was diagnosed in 1993, and at the same time I became friends with a guy who had advanced AIDS and tried to take care of myself by attending several support groups. Although I remained calm in this valley of death, the feeling of my own mortality followed us relentlessly. To get an idea of what was going on in support groups in the 80s and 90s, just turn on the musical “La Boheme” (Rent). “Will I lose my dignity? Will anyone care? Will I wake up from this nightmare tomorrow? I remember once asking if a dog would be allowed at my deathbed when the time came.
You'll be fine
Whatever you say, living with HIV in 2018 is much easier compared to those terrible times. Indeed, we survivors have scars - both on our bodies and on our souls - but we are alive. And we have the right to instill optimism in those who have recently been diagnosed. We can strive for a normal life. And the campaign helps us with this
Despite or perhaps because of this, my own experience is more indicative of the view of HIV that we tell newly diagnosed people: “You’ll be fine, you’ll be able to live a normal life.” If we wear T-shirts that say “HIV is not a crime” or “I'm not ashamed of having HIV,” we mean we are striving for a normal life. There is nothing wrong with this, even if someone can only dream about it.
HIV is a threat to humanity
At the same time, there are moments that cannot be considered normal. It is not normal for the world to be faced with an infectious disease that kills 1 million people a year and which, 35 years after its discovery, we still cannot cure. There is no room for complacency when the world experiences 1.8 million new infections every year. We need to continue to act and talk about this with all seriousness. And if we manage to live a relatively normal life with HIV, remember that this is rather the exception to the rule and that few - too few - can boast of this. We also need to convey to funders that HIV is still a threat and an insult to humanity, in which case we emphasize how serious the situation is, not how controllable it is.
Ultimately, we must make life with HIV as normal as possible by emphasizing the abnormal nature of the epidemic. This is a difficult process of finding a compromise, but there is no other way. Our community has accumulated solid experience - and in general, we are doing well so far.
HIV is not a barrier to living a full life!
Do you think that HIV and AIDS have the same definition and are no different? You are deeply mistaken - the huge difference between these diseases is sometimes calculated at 12-15 years of life. We invite you to find out the difference between HIV and AIDS, consider their properties and stages.
If HIV is a virus that causes immunity deficiency, then AIDS is a syndrome that results from infection. Simply put, the first is the beginning of the second.
Typically, HIV develops into AIDS 10-12 years after infection. If a person can live a full life with the immunodeficiency virus (except for severe stages of exacerbation), then with the acquired syndrome his life is constantly in danger.
What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? The syndrome is the last stage of a viral infection, at which any disease that is completely harmless to a healthy person can lead to death.
Remember, HIV and AIDS are not the same thing. The differences between them lie not only in definitions, but also in properties, signs of manifestation, and stages of development.
HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus that weakens the immune system and provokes the development of opportunistic diseases. Once in the body, HIV is integrated into target cells - T-lymphocytes and CD 4.
It differs from AIDS in that it develops before it and literally “leads” the body to this disease.
Attention! HIV is a “slow” virus because its first symptoms may appear several years after infection. About 50% of infected people are unaware of the infection for about 10 years.
When considering how HIV differs from AIDS, it is important to note that the diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is made several years after infection, when serious diseases appear in the body.
The method of transmission of infection is unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner, “blood to blood” and from an HIV-positive mother to her child. The disease is not transmitted by airborne droplets.
Properties of HIV
The immunodeficiency virus consists of an RNA molecule with embedded genetic information. Being a non-living organism, it cannot spread on its own, so it “attacks” human cells and exists inside them.
Some properties of HIV:
- Outside the body, it dies within 24 hours;
- Not transmitted to animals;
- Cannot exist at temperatures above 60°C.
To briefly consider the difference, HIV is a molecule, and AIDS is a syndrome. It is a complex of serious diseases against the background of reduced immunity, unable to fight diseases.
When does HIV become AIDS? After the virus “attacks” lymphocytes and weakens the immune system, it continues to move through the blood to find other cells to reproduce. The body will not have time to produce new lymphocytes, and then their level will decrease. When there are 200 or fewer cells left per 1 mm of blood, the attending physician will make a diagnosis of AIDS.
What is HIV infection?
HIV disease is not the same thing as AIDS. It is important that several months or even years may pass before the first symptoms appear in an infected person. By weakening the immune system and suppressing the body’s vital functions, the virus strengthens and multiplies.
What is worse for a person – HIV or AIDS? The answer to this question is no. Both diseases are dangerous for the body, but if the spread of the virus can be stopped, then AIDS therapy is at the moment not developed.
When considering the routes of transmission, it is important to note the most common one – sexually in 60-65% of cases.
Symptoms of HIV
How and when the immunodeficiency virus will manifest itself in the body depends on concomitant diseases, general condition the patient's body and its individual characteristics.
First symptoms (similar to signs of influenza and ARVI):
- enlarged lymph nodes,
- decreased performance,
- allergic reactions,
- peeling of the skin,
- fatigue,
- loss of appetite,
- high temperature.
Symptoms indicating immunodeficiency in subsequent stages:
- frequent fever
- neurological disorders,
- chronic diseases,
- deterioration of memory function,
- sudden weight loss,
- viral diseases,
- fungal and bacterial infections.
The initial symptoms have a “wavy” character - they can disappear on their own without treatment and return again after 2-3 weeks. The fewer healthy cells left in the body, the more characteristic other symptoms appear. Taking an HIV test is the only way to detect infection.
Stages of development of HIV infection
Diagnosis and treatment of the disease depend on the stage of HIV. The earlier the virus is detected, the more effective subsequent antiretroviral therapy will be.
There are several stages of HIV:
- Incubation period. It begins after infection, is asymptomatic or has symptoms similar to the flu. It is impossible to determine the presence of infection in the body; this period can reach several months.
- Seroconversion. The production of the first antibodies in the body, which makes it possible to detect HIV at this stage of development. The immune system tries to eliminate the virus, which is accompanied by frequent increases in body temperature.
- Asymptomatic period. HIV gradually destroys cells, the number of T-lymphocytes decreases over 5-15 years, and the lymph nodes enlarge. It is important to monitor the level of lymphocytes in order to begin timely treatment.
- The last stage of HIV. AIDS occurs and the body loses its ability to resist any disease.
AIDS
AIDS is an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome that manifests itself in the form of one or more opportunistic diseases. Being a severe form of HIV, it can lead to complete destruction immune system.
The result is death, which can occur even as a result of a common cold. The average life expectancy of a person diagnosed with AIDS ranges from 6 months to 2 years.
The difference between AIDS and HIV is that during infection, the immune system can fight viruses, fungi and bacteria. In acquired syndrome, the immune response function is lost.
HIV will turn into AIDS after some time (10-12 years) if left untreated. Properly formulated antiretroviral therapy will increase the duration and quality of life of an infected person.
What is AIDS?
AIDS is the terminal stage of development of HIV infection. The acquired syndrome gradually destroys the human body, leading to dangerous diseases(pneumonia, tuberculosis, cancer, neuropsychological disorders, etc.).
How is HIV different from AIDS?
- virus that causes AIDS;
- it is important to support the immune system and suppress the development of the virus;
- you can live for decades while remaining a carrier of the virus
AIDS
- the last stage of HIV infection;
- treatment for all concomitant diseases is required;
- quickly leads to death.
How is AIDS transmitted and how to treat it?
Any infection and AIDS are not compatible. Transmission occurs through the same routes - unprotected sexual contact, through infected blood or from mother to child.
Unfortunately, no treatment for AIDS has been developed at this time. To prolong life, it is important for patients:
- Avoid contact with stray animals;
- Do not communicate with people who have the flu, colds and other diseases transmitted by airborne droplets;
- Give up bad habits;
- Maintain a balanced diet;
- Fulfill physical exercise and much more.
This therapy is aimed at preventing infection with diseases, because any of them can lead to death.
Timely detection and treatment of HIV infection will help prevent the development of AIDS. Remember, your health is in your hands!
Is HIV not as scary as it is made out to be?
I have two news for you: good and bad. I'll start with the good one. In September of this year, the UNAIDS agency (UNAIDS is a UN organization that deals with the problem of HIV/AIDS on a global scale) published new statistics on HIV. Since 2001, the number of reported cases of HIV infection worldwide has dropped by a third. The number of deaths from AIDS has also decreased. In 2001, 2.3 million people died from AIDS and related diseases. In 2012 - 1.6 million people.
As the report says, all this is due to the fact that antiretroviral therapy has become more accessible. More than half of officially registered HIV-infected people are being treated.
Back in 2008, epidemiologists exhaled and said: our fears about the HIV pandemic are greatly exaggerated. The extinction of earthlings from AIDS and related diseases is not expected. Except in Africa. And if we work together as a whole, there is a real chance of stopping the infection.
Modern medicine claims that HIV can be safely classified as a chronic disease, with which, with adequate treatment, one can live a full life. With proper therapy and healthy way An HIV-infected person can live longer than an uninfected person. Speaking medical language, proper therapy will delay the development of immunodeficiency syndrome indefinitely. All in all, HIV is like diabetes, it cannot be cured, but you can live.
In general, HIV is a slow killer and in most cases is in no hurry to bury its owner. The disease develops over 5-10 years. In this case, the carrier of the virus does not experience any particular inconvenience except for enlarged lymph nodes, which do not even hurt. A person may not be aware that they are infected. Obvious symptoms appear only in the last two stages. Without any treatment, an HIV-infected person can live 10 years. Occasionally more.
The modern method of treating HIV is called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART or HART). To suppress and reduce the content of the virus in the body, at least 3 drugs are used. When the concentration of the virus drops, the number of lymphocytes in the blood is restored. The infected person regains almost normal immunity. With a minimum level of virus in the blood, the risk of infecting a partner is greatly reduced and it becomes possible to conceive a healthy child.
There are people who are resistant to HIV infection. These lucky ones have a genetic mutation, which scientists believe appeared about two and a half thousand years ago. What’s strange is that it’s only in Europe. 1% of the European population is completely immune to HIV, 10-15% of Europeans are partially resistant. Among those already infected, about 10% are non-progressors, i.e. They do not develop AIDS for a long time.
Elusive and relentless killer
Now for the bad news. People are dying from AIDS.
Guaranteed. No matter how well a person is treated, AIDS will sooner or later reap its harvest. For comparison: the mortality rate from the most terrible disease of the past, “God’s punishment”, bubonic plague - 95%, from pneumonic plague - 98%. From AIDS - 100%. AIDS makes no exceptions.
Despite the fact that the HIV virus is one of the most studied pathogens of infectious diseases There is no cure for HIV/AIDS. And perhaps it never will appear. The difficulty is that the HIV virus has a high ability to mutate. In fact, there is not one, but four types of HIV viruses: HIV-1, HIV-2, HIV-3 and HIV-4. The most common one, because of which, in fact, the danger of a pandemic arose, is HIV-1. It was opened first - in 1983. HIV-2 is dominant mainly in West Africa. The remaining two varieties are rare. There are dozens of recombinant variants of the virus. If you follow the news, you have probably heard or read about a new variant of HIV-1 that was recently identified in Novosibirsk.
That's not all. Each variety also knows how to mutate and forms more and more new strains in the host’s body. Eventually, a drug-resistant strain appears. Doctors cannot keep up with the fast virus. Developing new vaccines and testing them is long, complex and expensive. That's why Any therapy sooner or later becomes ineffective, and the HIV-infected person will die.
HAART only reduces the concentration of the virus in the body and keeps it at a minimum level. Doctors have not learned how to completely remove the virus from the body. The virus infects not only lymphocytes, but also other cells with a long lifespan. A similar tank for antiviral drugs invulnerable. In these impregnable fortresses, HIV lies dormant for years, waiting in the wings.
In addition, HAART drugs are extremely toxic. Side effects Anti-HIV therapies could be as deadly as AIDS itself. These include liver necrosis, toxic epidermal necrolysis (Lyell's syndrome), lactic acidosis and other diseases with a high probability of death.
There are cases of people becoming infected with two different strains of the HIV virus. This is the so-called superinfection. The causes and methods of its occurrence have not yet been found. The double set of viruses is more resistant to drugs. Superinfected people die much faster.
HIV is not easy to diagnose. There are 3 methods for diagnosing HIV: PCR, ELISA and immunoblot. PCR analysis is the earliest diagnosis of HIV; it can be taken as early as 2-3 weeks after the suspected infection. However, PCR often deceives and gives a false negative result. For ELISA analysis you will have to wait about a month. Here the situation is the opposite of PCR: ELISA can be positive in people with tuberculosis, multiple blood transfusions, and oncology. The most accurate analysis is immunoblot. To be absolutely sure, you need to get tested once a year.
Is AIDS a disease of decent people?
HIV came to the former USSR in 1986. As you know, there was no sex in the USSR, there was no drug addiction and there were no homosexuals either, so they didn’t pay attention to the virus special attention. In general, compared to the rest of the world (AIDS and related diseases in Europe by that time had already become, as doctors carefully put it, a significant cause of mortality among the population from 20 to 40 years old), the situation in the USSR was rosy. There are less than a thousand identified cases in the entire Union.
And those are mostly students who became infected from Africans. The belief that HIV is a disease of drug addicts, homosexuals and prostitutes also played a big role. To a decent person there is nothing to be afraid of. Some even perceived HIV as a new Stalin, who is carrying out a kind of cleansing of society from the marginalized. And then the USSR collapsed, and with it the epidemiological service. In 1993-95, HIV declared itself quite aggressively with outbreaks in Nikolaev and Odessa. Since then it has been impossible to stop him.
Here is the ITAR-TASS infographic for 2012:
A few more statistics if you're not tired. According to 2013 data, 719,455 HIV-infected people were recorded in Russia. Over the past 5 years, their number has doubled. HIV statistics in Russia rival those in Africa. And the saddest thing is, successfully . The real number of infected people in Russia may be about a million people. And these are not gays, drug addicts or prostitutes (although they are still considered a high-risk group). Doctors say that HIV in Russia has a respectable face: the face of a socially secure, often family man aged from 20 to 40 years. Up to 45% of infections occur not through infections through syringes or anal sex, but through heterosexual contact. Due to the illusion of safety, people are reluctant to get tested and treated. So it turns out that in main risk group in modern Russia got the same ones decent people who believe that they have nothing to fear.
Doctors believe that the reason for this, frankly speaking, catastrophic situation is lack of a comprehensive program to combat AIDS. Academician Pokrovsky is convinced that a systematic preventive campaign among the population is needed. First of all, Russians need to be convinced that HIV can reach anyone, regardless of their level of decency. Secondly, explain the need for protection and regular testing. Third, make prevention and testing easily accessible.
This year, 185 million rubles have been allocated from the budget for HIV prevention. True, the competition for holding an information campaign was announced on October 8. The results of the competition will be announced on November 13. Prevention, therefore, will take a little over a month. And it should be carried out within a year, to be honest. So, most likely, the history of 2011 will repeat itself. Then the prevention took 37 days. No testing or real help it didn't turn out. The money was spent on television commercials and promotion of the Ministry of Health website about HIV. So much for fighting AIDS the Russian way.
What do HIV and Elvis Presley have in common?
No, Elvis was not infected with HIV. But like Presley, HIV has had a profound impact on modern culture. Like Presley, HIV has become a source of various rumors, plausible and not so plausible theories, guesses and versions. This is typical for modern world, where there are a lot of people who want to make money/become famous and have access to the Internet. Or maybe they're just being honest?
There is a whole movement to deny HIV/AIDS, the so-called “AIDS dissidents”. Among them are many famous scientists and even Nobel laureates. For example, Kary Mullis, who received the Nobel Prize for guess what? For the invention of the PCR method! If you remember, this is one of the methods for diagnosing HIV.
Wikipedia does not provide a clear explanation for this amazing fact. But he only notes that Mullis is not a specialist in the field of virology. Or Heinz Ludwig Saenger, former, as Vicki, professor of virology and microbiology, emphasizes. Or Etienne de Harvin, again former Professor of Pathology. Actively denies the viral nature of AIDS and former president South Africa Thabo Mbeki, successor to Nelson Mandela. As the press wrote, his anti-AIDS policy led to the death of 330 thousand people.
Dissidents believe that HIV does not cause AIDS. AIDS is a non-communicable disease. Development over 5-10 years is an unusually long time for an infection. The causes of AIDS are malnutrition, drugs, stress, anal sex, difficult living conditions, etc. That is why AIDS has chosen Africa, where 70% of the population lives below the poverty line. That is why, despite the supposedly terrible virus, the population of Africa during the official AIDS epidemic, contrary to all forecasts, doubled.
Moreover, dissidents argue that highly toxic HAART drugs may be the cause of the development of AIDS symptoms. It kills what is supposed to save. Some people believe that HIV/AIDS, like swine flu, is a hoax. Pharmacists and officials invented AIDS in order to make money by selling expensive, very expensive drugs. Judge for yourself: the annual cost of therapy ranges from 10 to 15 thousand dollars. But these drugs must be taken for life.
In a word, HIV and the AIDS it causes are an ideal disease for making money. Otherwise, why are companies that produce HAART drugs so eager to remain monopolists in the market? Why are HAART drugs still imported into Africa and India from developed countries, and not produced in Africa and India itself? After all, this would reduce the cost of treatment tenfold. And there are many more reasons why.
There are opinions that HIV/AIDS is an artificially created virus. The latest biological weapon, created specifically to save white humanity from the uncontrollably reproducing blacks. As an argument, the story of a study of syphilis in Tuskegee (USA, Alabama) is cited. In 1932-1972. doctors observed the natural progression of syphilis in African Americans.
Study participants (read: test subjects) did not receive any treatment. Despite the fact that in 1947 penicillin, an effective cure for syphilis, had already appeared. In the case of HIV, the experiment is being carried out on a planetary scale. It has been proven that blacks are more likely to get AIDS. In the United States, blacks make up almost half of AIDS patients - 43.1%. It is unusual for a virus to be so racially selective. And while Africa's population continues to grow, the AIDS epidemic could have far-reaching demographic consequences.
HIV is really doing a cleansing in Africa: a 15-year-old African has a 50/50 chance of dying from AIDS before turning 30. It's a real Russian roulette. HIV is systematically killing Africa's able-bodied population of reproductive age: those who can work and have children. Experts believe that the food crisis in southern Africa in 2002 and 2003 was not caused by drought. The real reason is weakening agriculture. Workers are dying from AIDS.
Who will win: HIV or us?
Of course, compared to the pneumonic plague or the Spanish flu, HIV is just a baby. Compare: in 1918-1919. 50-100 million people died from the Spanish flu. In just one year, the Spanish flu killed about 5% of the world's population. Pneumonic plague was responsible for the first known pandemic. In 551-580 the so-called “Justinian Plague” captured the entire civilized world of that time and carried away more than 100 million people. The “achievements” of HIV pale against the background of these greedy and quick killers: in the 32 years after its discovery, HIV killed “only” 25 million people. According to 2012 data, there are about 32 million HIV-infected people in the world. Even if you add up all past and potential victims, HIV barely reaches half the Spanish flu's record.
However, both the Spanish flu and the plague, having gathered their harvest, left the scene. HIV is in no hurry. He has ruled the planet for 32 years and has no plans to leave. For 32 years, scientists have been struggling to find a cure or vaccine and are losing the competition with the virus. HIV constantly mutates, changes masks, but his essence remains the same - an inexorable killer.
The most terrible feature of HIV is that the virus is directly related to the basis of human existence: reproduction (except for the artificially man-made way of spreading the virus through syringes). The only one absolutely reliable way protect yourself from HIV infection by abstaining from sex and having children. In other words, refuse to procreate.
Who will win this terrible game “HIV vs humanity” is unknown. Do not forget that besides HIV, there are a couple of other serious candidates for killers of earthlings: nuclear weapons and environmental disaster. Perhaps the question is no longer whether our civilization will perish or survive, but what will destroy us first.
In this article we will consider the question: “Can HIV infection be cured?” You will learn about the types, diagnosis and prognosis of this pathology. Let's start with the fact that the disease is possible when the body is infected with the immunodeficiency virus. HIV infection is dangerous because the patient experiences a strong suppression of the body’s protective properties, which can lead to a number of problems. This list includes secondary infections, malignant tumors, and so on.
The disease can take different forms. HIV infection is detected in the following ways:
- antibody detection;
- detection of viral RNA.
Treatment is currently provided in the form of a complex of special antiretroviral drugs. The latter are able to reduce the reproduction of the virus, which contributes to speedy recovery. You can learn more about everything that was said in this part by reading the article to the end.
HIV infection
In order to answer main question(“Can HIV infection be cured?”), you need to understand what kind of disease it is. One thing that can be said about this virus is that it progresses very slowly, and the entire threat comes from the cells of the human immune system. For this reason, the immune system is slowly but surely suppressed. As a result, you can “earn” acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (popularly called AIDS).
The human body ceases to resist and protect itself from various infections, resulting in diseases that do not develop in a person with a normal immune system.
Even without medical intervention, a person infected with HIV can live up to 10 years. If the infection has acquired the status of AIDS, then the average life expectancy is only 10 months. It is also important to point out that when undergoing a special treatment course, life expectancy increases significantly.
The following are factors that affect the rate at which the infection develops:
- state of the immune system;
- age;
- strain;
- presence of concomitant diseases;
- nutrition;
- therapy;
- medical care.
In older people, HIV infection develops more rapidly, insufficient medical care and related infectious diseases- This is another reason for the rapid development of the disease. So, can HIV infection be cured? It is possible, but it takes a lot of time for the treatment process itself and even more for rehabilitation.
Classification
HIV infection is considered the plague of the 21st century, but virologists already know that there is no single causative agent of this disease. In this regard, much has been written scientific works, which may subsequently give results and allow us to answer in detail the question: “What are the types of HIV infection?”
What is known so far? The types of terrible disease differ only in the location of the source in nature. That is, depending on the region, there are types: HIV-1, HIV-2, and so on. Each of them spreads in a specific area. This regional division allows the virus to adapt to local unfavorable factors.
In science, the most studied type of HIV-1 is, but how many of them there are is a question that remains open. This happened because there are many blank spots in the history of the study of HIV and AIDS.
Stages
Now we will try to understand the question of how many people live with HIV infection. To do this, we will look at the stages of the disease. For convenience and better clarity, we will present the information in the form of a table.
Incubation (1) | This period lasts from 3 weeks to 3 months. During the incubation period, it is clinically impossible to detect this disease. |
Primary manifestations (2) | This stage can take several forms; it is already possible to clinically detect HIV infection. |
Stage 2.1 | It occurs without any symptoms. It is possible to detect the virus because antibodies are produced. |
Stage 2.2 | It is called “acute”, but it does not cause secondary diseases. Some symptoms may appear that may be confused with those of other diseases. |
Stage 2.3 | This is another type of “acute” HIV infection; it contributes to the occurrence of side diseases that can be easily treated (sore throat, pneumonia, candidiasis, and so on). |
Subclinical stage (3) | At this point, a gradual decrease in immunity occurs; as a rule, there are no symptoms of the disease. Possible enlarged lymph nodes. The average duration of the stage is 7 years. However, there have been cases where the subclinical stage lasted more than 20 years. |
Secondary diseases (4) | There are also 3 stages (4.1, 4.2, 4.3). Distinctive feature- weight loss, bacterial, fungal and viral infections. |
Terminal stage (5) | Treatment of HIV infection at this stage does not lead to any positive results. This occurs due to irreversible damage internal organs. The person dies a few months later. |
Thus, with proper and timely treatment, proper nutrition and lifestyle, you can live a full, long life (up to 70-80 years).
Symptoms
Now we will talk in more detail about the symptoms that accompany this disease.
Early symptoms of HIV infection:
- fever;
- rashes;
- pharyngitis;
- diarrhea.
At later stages, some other diseases may appear. They arise as a result of decreased immunity. These include:
- angina;
- pneumonia;
- herpes;
- fungal infections and so on.
After this period, the latent stage will most likely begin. It leads to the development of immunodeficiency. Now immune cells are dying. On the body you can notice signs of the disease - inflamed lymph nodes. It is also important to note that each organism is individual; the stages may occur in the order given above, but some steps may be missing. The same can be said about symptoms.
HIV in children
In this section you will find out whether HIV infection in children can be cured. First, let's talk about the causes of infection. These include:
- infection in the womb;
- use of unprocessed medical instruments;
- organ transplantation.
Regarding the first point, the probability of transmitting the infection is 50%. Treatment during pregnancy is a condition that significantly reduces the risk of infection. Now about the risk factors:
- lack of treatment;
- premature birth;
- natural childbirth;
- uterine bleeding;
- taking drugs and alcohol during pregnancy;
- breast-feeding.
Considering these factors, you can reduce the risk to 10-20 percent. Treatment for HIV infection is certainly necessary. At this stage of medical development, there is no medicine that completely eliminates HIV. However, proper treatment can significantly improve the patient’s condition and makes it possible to live a full and happy life.
Diagnostics
Why is disease diagnosis needed? Of course, to make a final and accurate diagnosis. If your fears are confirmed, you should immediately go to the doctor. There is no need to hesitate here: the sooner you start treatment, the fewer problems there will be in the future. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.
It is also important to know that many diseases can be hidden under the mask of HIV infection, which can be eliminated quite quickly with the help of medicine. In which country is HIV treatment treated? In all cases, you just have to go to a special institution where you need to get tested. When you receive an answer in your hands, if the result is positive, do not hesitate, go to a specialist.
To confirm the diagnosis, you need to undergo a rapid test to detect infection. If it gives a positive result, then further research is carried out in the laboratory, where the stage is detected using ELISA or PCR methods.
Express test
A rapid test for HIV infection is currently the most common method that allows you to identify the disease at home yourself. Remember, until recently it was necessary to donate blood from a vein, but now you go to the pharmacy and find out the result 5 minutes later. You can also order a rapid HIV test via the Internet.
The test requires just a drop of blood from your finger. Don’t forget that you need to wash your hands, for a puncture it is better to use a “doll” (purchased at a pharmacy), wipe your finger with alcohol. The HIV test is a real breakthrough in diagnosing this disease. The thing is that HIV may not manifest itself at all. The infection penetrates the cells and begins to destroy them, and when there are few healthy ones left, the body is no longer able to resist. This stage is called AIDS, and this disease is very dangerous.
- wash your hands with soap;
- wipe dry;
- open the package with the dough;
- massage the finger you will be piercing, treat it with alcohol;
- make a puncture and place your finger over the blood reservoir;
- drop 5 drops of solvent into a special container;
- We wait 15 minutes.
Treatment
Treatment of HIV infection is carried out using special antiretroviral drugs. It is necessary to start treatment as early as possible, this helps to delay the development of AIDS. Many people ignore treatment because the virus has not shown itself for a long time. This should not be done, because sooner or later the body will give up. It should be remembered that the virus has the most negative impact on the immune system, without treatment you will soon have to wait for a whole string of serious and unpleasant diseases.
To prevent the development of AIDS, doctors try to suppress the virus. From the first day of detection of the disease, the patient must take special antiviral drugs that have a detrimental effect on life cycle pathogen. That is, under the influence of antiretroviral drugs, the virus cannot fully develop in the human body.
A feature of HIV infection is rapid adaptation to unfavorable environment. For this reason, after taking the same medicine for a long time, the virus gets used to it and adapts to it. Then doctors resort to a trick - combining antiviral drugs. This is necessary so that it is impossible to develop resistance to them.
Drugs
In this section we will talk about what drugs are used to treat HIV infection. It was previously mentioned that therapy is carried out using antiretroviral drugs. In total, there are 2 types of them:
- reverse transcriptase inhibitors;
- protease inhibitors.
The standard treatment regimen involves taking two drugs of the first type and one of the second. They are prescribed only by a qualified, experienced doctor. The first type includes the following drugs:
- "Epivir."
- "Retrovir".
- "Ziagen".
The second type includes:
- "Norvir."
- "Ritonavir."
- "Invirase".
Do not self-medicate; take medications in the dosage and according to the regimen prescribed by your doctor.
Is it possible to be completely cured?
So, can HIV infection be completely cured? At the moment, no remedy has yet been developed that would get rid of the virus 100%. However, medicine does not stand still; perhaps a miracle drug for HIV infection will soon be developed.
Currently, medicine will help those infected to live a long and happy life by maintaining their health with antiviral drugs.
Which doctor should I contact?
A doctor who treats HIV infection is an infectious disease specialist. If you suspect immunodeficiency, you should contact this specialist. Where can I find it? Reception should be carried out in each clinic. If the medical institution to which you are geographically attached does not have this doctor, then feel free to contact the regional hospital.
You can list all your complaints to an infectious disease specialist, and he will prescribe special blood tests. Further clinical observation will be carried out. This is a mandatory part if the diagnosis is confirmed.
It is also important to know that there are anonymous AIDS centers everywhere. Help and initial consultation with an infectious disease specialist can also be obtained there.
Forecasts
How long do people live with HIV infection? If treated, it is possible to live up to 80 years with this disease. The earlier you start treatment, the easier it is to prevent the development of AIDS, which is the cause of death in this disease.
There is currently no drug that eliminates HIV infection 100%. The average life expectancy of HIV-infected people is 12 years. But it is worth remembering that a lot depends on your efforts.
Prevention
Above we described how HIV-infected people are treated in Russia, and now we will name the main preventive measures. In Russia, as in other countries, it is used integrated approach. The main means of therapy are antiviral drugs.
- lead a safe and orderly intimate life;
- be sure to treat sexually transmitted diseases;
- avoid contact with other people's blood;
- use disposable sealed syringes (do not use if packaging is damaged).
These simple rules will help avoid such a serious disease as AIDS. Follow them and be healthy!
Hello everyone, Olga Ryshkova is with you. Why know how HIV differs from AIDS? You should know about the existence of this virus, ways to prevent infection, and, if it has already happened, about treatment. And everything else is terminological subtleties and they do not solve the problem. But when I come across questions like “which is worse - AIDS or HIV?”, “Is AIDS transmitted through saliva, a kiss?”, I see how poorly many of us understand this problem. Let's briefly understand the difference between these concepts.
- HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus; it is only a pathogen that may or may not enter the body.
- HIV infection is already a disease; the virus entered the body and began its dirty work - to multiply and destroy cells of the immune system. A person feels healthy for a long time. He is simply an infectious carrier, his immunity is strong for several years and he resists diseases.
- AIDS is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and is the last stage of HIV infection. What does it mean? That the virus has already destroyed the immune system, it can no longer protect the body and for humans the time has come for severe infections, fungal infections and oncology. AIDS is no worse or better than HIV infection, this is its final part. The transition from the infection stage, when a person felt healthy, to the disease stage. That's why the abbreviation contains the word "immunodeficiency", this is the stage when there are very few cells of the immune system left.
It’s ignorant to say that.
From what has been said it is clear that it is wrong to say:
- AIDS-infected people are infected with a virus, not a syndrome.
- You cannot become infected with AIDS, you can only get it from a virus or infection.
- AIDS is transmitted - the stage of the disease cannot be transmitted, but a virus or infection can.
- The causative agent of AIDS is only the causative agent of HIV infection.
- AIDS is transmitted through blood - it is the virus that can be transmitted, not the stage of the disease.
Again, I agree that the difference between HIV and AIDS is the terminology and it does not change the essence of the matter, but it’s nice when people ask questions correctly and understand what they are talking about.
How to understand that AIDS has begun?
When HIV infection turns into AIDS, symptoms of the following diseases appear - fungal infections of the lungs, candidiasis, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, herpes, cytomegalovirus, lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma. Their manifestation, together with changes in laboratory parameters, indicates that AIDS has begun. The clinical picture does not depend on gender; in men and women, this stage occurs in the same way with the predominance of certain pathologies. Many people have infections and normally the body copes with them. But when he cannot fight them due to a destroyed immune system, they become deadly.
How many years does it take for HIV infection to develop into AIDS?
A person has a certain number of immune system cells. On average, it takes the virus 8-10 years to destroy them. If left untreated, after so many years, HIV infection will reach its final stage.
That was the case, but now everything has changed.
In the eighties and nineties of the last century, this was the case; the transition directly to the stage of an advanced disease took as long as it took to destroy the immune system; there was no effective treatment. Today's treatment is so effective that the average life expectancy of an HIV-infected person may be practically no different from any of us. Treatment reduces the number of complications and delays the onset of AIDS.
Moreover, treatment reduces the likelihood of transmission of the pathogen from an HIV-infected person healthy person by 90%. That is, an infected person who takes treatment sharply reduces the ability to infect another person, and this is very important. Authoritative experts say that current antiviral therapy allows those infected to live, if not up to 80 years, then up to 75, because they will not necessarily have infections and oncology when HIV infection turns into AIDS.
I appeal to HIV-infected people.
Doctors will cope with the onset of AIDS if you do not refuse treatment. But now I want to talk about something else. The infection puts you at higher risk of developing heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Even if treated conscientiously, this risk will always be higher than that of others. What does it mean? Stop smoking, your heart is at risk, monitor your cholesterol levels and effectively reduce it under the supervision of a doctor. Move a lot and watch what you eat.
You must understand and accept that some things are not for you. For example, you should not eat undercooked meat, because there is a risk of contracting toxoplasmosis, which is dangerous for you. Eggs that are not hard-boiled, but soft-boiled or in a bag, are a danger of salmonellosis. Liver pates and hot dogs are a risk of getting listeriosis. You must block all ways for infections to enter your body. Even the simplest thing - don’t forget to wash your hands. What passes by healthy may turn out to be dangerous for you.