HIV V/S AIDS: CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, TREATMENT, TEST, ELIMINATION & MORE

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History

Luc Antoine Montagnier is a French virologist. In 1983, he has discovered HIV that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. In 2008 he was awarded by Nobel Prize in physiology.

AIDS was previously known as Gay-Related Immune Deficiency (GRID). In the early days it is called GRID because when the first few cases of AIDS have emerged, people believed that the disease was only contracted by men who had sex with men.

Later on, in 1983 scientists discovered the virus that causes AIDS called by name HIV.

Today, there are more than 1.1 million people are infected with HIV and more than 700,000 people with AIDS have died since the beginning of the epidemic.

The number of individuals infected with HIV/AIDS continues to extend across the globe. The awareness of HIV/AIDS affects the HIV/AIDS infected patient care.

HIV vs. AIDS: What’s the difference?

HIV is a virus & AIDS is a disorder. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Contracting with HIV can lead to the development of AIDS in the body. HIV attacks the human immune system and causes AIDS.

There is also a distinct virus called HIV-2. It is most typical in a western continent and is turning into additional common in the Asian nation, although numbers there are still relatively small. Small numbers of cases have conjointly been seen in Portugal, France, alternative European countries, and also the Americas.

HIV-2 is been considered to be less harmful than HIV-1, with a lower risk of AIDS and death.

Causes and Infection Risks against AIDS

People who have weakened immune systems are at higher risk of HIV infection.

Anyone can contract HIV. HIV is transmitted in bodily fluids that include:

• ·         Blood
• ·         Semen
• ·         Vaginal and rectal fluids
• ·         Breast milk

When HIV/AIDS 1st appeared within us, it mainly affected men who had sex with men. However, currently, it’s clear that HIV conjointly spreads through heterosexual sex. Anyone of any age, sex, or sexual orientation can be infected by HIV. However, if you have gone through the below situations you are at the greatest risk of HIV/AIDS

If you have unprotected sex: Use a new latex condom every time you have sex. Anal sex is riskier than vaginal sex. Your risk of HIV will increase if you’ve got multiple sexual partners.

If you have an STI: Many STIs produce open wounds on your genitals. These wounds act as doorways for HIV to enter your body.

If you use intravenous drugs: People who use intravenous drugs often share needles and syringes. This exposes them to droplets of alternative people’s blood.

Symptoms of AIDS & Detection

If HIV is found and treated early with antiretroviral medical care, an individual can typically not develop AIDS.

People with HIV might develop AIDS if their HIV isn’t diagnosed till late, or if they know they have HIV but don’t consistently take their antiretroviral therapy. They may conjointly develop AIDS if they need a kind of HIV that’s proof against (doesn’t respond to) the antiretroviral treatment.

Without correct and consistent treatment, people living with HIV can develop AIDS sooner. By that point, the immune system is quite damaged and has a harder time fighting off infection and disease. With the employment of antiretroviral medical care, a person can maintain chronic HIV infection without developing AIDS for decades.

Symptoms found in early days:

 

·         Fever

·         Chills

·         Swollen lymph nodes

·         General aches and pains

·         Skin rash

·         A Sore throat

·         A Headache

·         Nausea

Diagnosis/ Detection:

Several totally different tests are often liable to diagnose HIV. Healthcare suppliers verify that take a look at every person.

The sooner you know you have HIV, the sooner you can get the medical treatment you need.

Testing:

Antibody/Antigen Tests

Antibody/antigen tests are the most commonly used tests. This test can detect HIV as soon as 20 days earlier than antigen tests. This antibody/antigen test can give you a result in 20 days.

These tests check the blood for antigens and antibodies. An antibody is a type of protein the body makes to fight against HIV. An antigen is a part of the virus, it is a rapid diagnostic test.

Antibody Tests

These tests check the blood only for antibodies. After transmission, most of the detectable people develop HIV within 30 to 45 days which can be found in the blood or saliva.

These tests are done using blood checking or mouth swabs testing, and there’s no preparation necessary. Some tests offer ends up in a half-hour or less and may be performed in an exceedingly attention provider’s workplace or clinic. Other antibody tests can be done at home

Oral Quick HIV Test

An oral swab provides ends up in as very little as twenty minutes.

Nucleic Acid Test (NAT)

NAT is highly sensitive testing that is used to detect HIV and other STIs. This test is quite expensive. This test is for people who have early symptoms of HIV. This takes a look at doesn’t explore antibodies; it’s for the virus itself. It takes from 10 to 20 days to detect HIV in the blood. This takes a look at is typically accompanied or confirmed by associate degree protein take a look at.

Families and Children: Treatment & Prevention

Use a brand new condom every occasion you have got sex. Use a new condom every time during your anal or vaginal sex. Women can use a female condom. If using lubricant, make sure it’s water-based. Oil-based lubricants can break them out. During oral sex use a dental dam it’s a piece of medical-grade latex.

Daily dosages PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV

Pre-exposure bar (or PrEP) is when people who are at very high risk for HIV take HIV medicines daily to lower their possibilities of obtaining infected. PrEP will stop HIV from seizing and spreading throughout your body. It is surprisingly effective for preventing HIV if used as prescribed, but it’s rife less effective once not taken consistently. Daily PrEP reduces the danger of obtaining HIV from sex by more than 90%. Among those who inject medication, it reduces the danger of getting HIV by more than 70%. Your risk of obtaining HIV from sex will be even lower if you combine PrEP dosage with condoms and additional preventive ways.

Consider the drug Truvada

Truvada drug will cause serious & deadly side effects. These embody a buildup of carboxylic acid within the blood (lactic acidosis) and liver issues.

The drug Truvada will scale down the danger of sexually transmitted HIV infection in people at extremely high risk. You need to require it daily. It doesn’t avoid further STIs, so you still ought to practice safe sex.

Tell your sexual partners if you have got HIV

To avoid transmission it’s important to inform all of your current and past sexual partners that you’re HIV-positive. They ought to be tested.

Use a fresh needle

If you employ a needle to inject medications, make assured it’s hygienic and do not share it. Take benefit of needle exchange programs in your community and consider seeking help for your drug use.

If you are pregnant, get medical aid quickly

If you are HIV-positive, you will pass the infection to your baby. However, if you receive treatment throughout maternity, you’ll cut your baby’s risk considerably.

Myths and Facts about AIDS & Transmission of AIDS

Advancements to prevent HIV

1) Viral load in semen rapidly rebounds to infectious levels during HIV treatment breaks

Increases in viral load (an Infectious agent load) in both blood and bodily fluid semen were observed within two weeks of treatment interruption. Four weeks once stopping medical care, all participants had detectable viruses in their bodily fluids. Viral load in semen peaked at more or less 16,000 copies, high enough for transmission to sexual partners.

2) You may have an undetectable viral load, but your partner may still need PrEP or PEP

Partner created headlines by demonstrating that there have been no transmissions from an HIV-positive partner who was on antiretroviral medical care and virally suppressed in nearly 60,000 acts of condomless sex. This information allowed the researchers to determine the utmost attainable probability of transmission, and to announce that, possibly, the possibility of an HIV-positive partner with a fully suppressed viral load of below 200 copies passing on HIV was zero.

3) HIV transmission via breastfeeding, despite undetectable viral load

A major topic of scientific discussion over the last year has been whether or not “undetectable = untransmittable” applies to breastfeed similarly to sexual transmission. While we have got good proof that people who take their HIV treatment methodically and have had an undetectable viral load for many months do not pass HIV on to their sexual partners, it’s been less clear whether this is also true for mothers living with HIV who breastfeed their babies.

4) A Chinese Scientist He Jiankui defends human embryo by editing genes

It was the invention of an influential gene-editing tool, CRISPR, which is inexpensive and easy to deploy, that made the birth of humans genetically changed in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) center. A team at the Southern University of Science and Technology, in Shenzhen, has been recruiting couples in a trial to create the first gene-edited babies. They planned to eliminate a gene called CCR5 in hopes of rendering the offspring proof against HIV.

References

[1] https://www.avert.org/hiv-transmission-prevention/myths