HIV and AIDS | Overview, causes, symptoms, and treatments -sciences



HIV is a virus that targets and alters the immune system, increasing the risk and impact of other infections and diseases. Without treatment, the infection might progress to an advanced disease stage called AIDS.


What is HIV?


Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks immune cells called CD4 cells, which are a type of T cell.
These are white blood cells that move around the body, detecting faults and anomalies in cells as well as infections. When HIV targets and infiltrates these cells, it reduces the body's ability to combat other diseases.

This increases the risk and impact of opportunistic infections and cancers. However, a person can carry HIV without experiencing symptoms for a long time.

HIV is a lifelong infection. However, receiving treatment and managing the disease effectively can prevent HIV from reaching a severe level and reduce the risk of a person passing on the virus.



What is AIDS?


AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. Once HIV infection develops into AIDS, infections, and cancer pose a greater risk.

Without treatment, HIV infection is likely to develop into AIDS as the immune system gradually wears down. However, advances in ART mean than an ever-decreasing number of people progress to this stage.

By the close of 2015, around 1,122,900 people were HIV-positive. To compare, figures from 2016 show that medical professionals diagnosed AIDS in an estimated 18,160 people.



Causes


People transmit HIV in bodily fluids, including:\


  1. blood
  2. semen
  3. vaginal secretions
  4. anal fluids
  5. breast milk

In the United States, the main causes of this transfer of fluids are:


anal or vaginal intercourse with a person who has HIV while not using a condom or PrEP, a preventive HIV medication for people at high risk of infection
sharing equipment for injectable illicit drugs, hormones, and steroids with a person who has HIV

A woman living with HIV who is pregnant or has recently given birth might transfer the disease to her child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
The risk of HIV transmitting through blood transfusions is extremely low in countries that have effective screening procedures in place for blood donations.



Progression to AIDS




The risk of HIV progressing to AIDS varies widely between individuals and depends on many factors, including:

  1. the age of the individual
  2. the body's ability to defend against HIV
  3. access to high-quality, sanitary healthcare
  4. the presence of other infections
  5. the individual's genetic inheritance resistance to certain strains of HIV
  6. drug-resistant strains of HIV


Symptoms



For the most part, infections by other bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites cause the more severe symptoms of HIV.
These conditions tend to progress further in people who live with HIV than in individuals with healthy immune systems. A correctly functioning immune system would protect the body against the more advanced effects of infections, and HIV disrupts this process.


Early symptoms of HIV infection



The early symptoms of HIV infection may include:

  1. fever
  2. chills
  3. joint pain
  4. muscle aches
  5. a sore throat
  6. sweats. particularly at night
  7. enlarged glands
  8. a red rash
  9. tiredness
  10. weakness
  11. unintentional weight loss
  12. thrush


Late-stage HIV infection



Symptoms of late-stage HIV infection may include:

  1. blurred vision
  2. diarrhea, which is usually persistent or chronic
  3. a dry cough
  4. a fever of over 100 °F (37 °C) lasting for weeks
  5. night sweats
  6. permanent tiredness
  7. shortness of breath, or dyspnea
  8. swollen glands lasting for weeks
  9. unintentional weight loss
  10. white spots on the tongue or mouth


During late-stage HIV infection, the risk of developing a life-threatening illness increases greatly. A person with late-stage HIV can control, prevent and treat serious conditions by taking other medications alongside HIV treatment.


Prevention




Preventing OIs is key to extending life expectancy with late-stage HIV. Aside from managing HIV viral load with medications, a person who lives with the disease must take precautions, including the following steps:


  1. Wear condoms to prevent other STIs.
  2. Receive vaccinations for potential OIs. Discuss these with your primary care physician.
  3. Understand the germs in your surrounding environment that could lead to an OI. A pet cat, for example, could be a source of toxoplasmosis. Limit exposure and take precautions, such as wearing protective gloves while changing the litter
  4. Avoid foods that are at risk of contamination, such as undercooked eggs, unpasteurized dairy and fruit juice, or raw seed sprouts.
  5. Do not drink water straight from a lake or river or tap water in certain foreign countries. Drink bottled water or use water filters.
  6. Ask your doctor about work, home, and vacation activities to limit exposure to potential OIs.
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