What are HIV and AIDS?

HIV is the acronym for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is estimated that roughly 34 million people in the world have HIV.

There are two types of HIV, HIV-1 and HIV-2. The term “HIV” primarily refers to HIV-1. HIV-2 is found primarily in some countries in Africa. Both types of HIV damage a person’s body by destroying specific blood cells, called CD4+ T cells, which are crucial to helping the body fight diseases.

A few weeks after being infected with HIV, some people develop flu-like, short lived (a week or two) symptoms, but it is not uncommon for a person to not have any symptoms at all. A person infected with HIV may appear and feel healthy for several years after getting infected.Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a lot like other viruses, including those that cause flu or the common cold. But there is an important difference between them. Over time, human immune system will clear most viruses out of body, but that isn't the case with HIV – the human immune system can't seem to be able to get rid of it. Scientists are still trying to figure out why.

What scientists do know is that HIV can hide for long periods of time in the cells of human body and that it attacks a key part of its immune system – so called T-cells or CD4 cells. The primary function of these cells is to fight infections and disease, but HIV invades them, uses them to make more copies of itself, and then destroys them.

Over time, HIV can destroy so many of your CD4 cells that body can't fight infections and diseases anymore. When that happens, HIV infection is said to be developed into AIDS.

AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrom. A breakdown of integral parts of this acronym might be useful to understanding it:

A – Acquired – AIDS is not inheritable condition. You acquire AIDS after birth.

I – Immuno – It affects immune system, the primary purpose of which is to fight off diseases.

D – Deficiency – You get AIDS when your immune system is "deficient," or isn't working the way it should.

S – Syndrome – A syndrome is a collection of symptoms rather than a single disease, because it is a complex illness with a wide range of complications and possibilites of infections.

AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection, when a person’s immune system is damaged to the point of not being able to fight off even the normally mild infections. Before the development of certain medications, people with HIV could progress to AIDS in just a few years. Currently, people with HIV can live much longer before they develop AIDS. This is because of “highly active” combinations of medications that were introduced in the mid 1990s.

It is important to point out that there still exists no cure for HIV. Highly Active Anti Retro Viral therapy (also known as HAART) can only slow progression from HIV infection to AIDS and dramatically improve the health of people living with HIV, but it is still not a cure.

References:

• UNAIDS (2011) 'UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report 2011' - 2011
• UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic' - 2010
• WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF (2011) 'Global HIV/AIDS Response: Epidemic update and health sector progress towards Universal Access 2011' - 2011
• Cairns, Gus. HIV and AIDS: Sharing Knowledge, Changing Lives.www.aidsmap.com

How is HIV spread?

The following information is meant to clarify some common misunderstanding about ways of spreading HIV. We will first point out how HIV isNOT spread:

• By air or water. You CANNOT acquire HIV by beeing in the same room with an HIV patient.
• By insects bites, including mosquitoes. Studies have shown no evidence of HIV transmission from insects.
• By saliva, tears, or sweat. There is no documented case of HIV being transmitted by these body fluids.
• Casual contact like shaking hands or sharing dishes.
• Closed-mouth or “social” kissing.

HIV is spread primarily by:

• Unprotected sex. Not using a condom when having sex with a person who has HIV. All unprotected sex with someone who has HIV contains some risk, but some behaviors are more dangerous than others. Per instance, unprotected anal sex is riskier than unprotected vaginal sex (which might explain the common misconception of AIDS originating from homosexuals – not true), or unprotected oral sex can also be a risk for HIV transmission, but it is a much lower risk than anal or vaginal sex.
• By sharing needles, syringes, rinse water, or other equipment used to prepare drugs for injection.
• By so called vertical transmition - being born to or breastfeeding from an infected mother can lead to infection.
• By contaminated needle or a sharp object. Although the risk of this mode of transmition is a lot lower than ones we just mentioned, it is still significant. This risk pertains mainly to healthcare workers.
• By transfusion of contaminated blood, blood products, or organ/tissue transplant. The risk of being contaminated in this fashon is extremely low due to rigorous testing, but in war-torn countries is much higher (which is the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• By using a contaminated needle during tattooing or body piercing. Also extremely unlikely, but still presents a potential risk of HIV transmission
• By contact of open wound with contaminated blood or other body fluids.

Good news is the HIV cannot reproduce outside the human body. Outside of it, virus lives just as long as contaminated blood preserves moisture. Numerous studies have shown that drying of even high concentrations of HIV reduces the amount of infectious virus by 90 to 99 percent within several hours. Since the HIV concentrations used in laboratory studies are much higher than those actually found in blood or other specimens, drying of HIV-infected human blood or other body fluids reduces the theoretical risk of environmental transmission to that which has been observed - essentially zero.

References:

• Cairns, Gus. HIV and AIDS: Sharing Knowledge, Changing Lives. Retrieved on February 16, 2012 from www.aidsmap.com
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved on February 16, 2012 from www.cdc.gov

How is AIDS treated

Although there is no cure for AIDS, HIV infection can be prevented, and those living with HIV can take antiretroviral drugs to prevent or delay the onset of AIDS. However, in many countries across the world access to prevention and treatment services is limited. Global leaders have pledged to work towards universal access to HIV prevention and care, so that millions of deaths can be averted.

Antiretroviral treatment can significantly prolong the lives of people living with HIV. Modern combination therapy is highly effective and someone with HIV who is taking treatment could live for the rest of their life without developing AIDS.

An AIDS diagnosis does not necessarily equate to a death sentence. Many people can still benefit from starting antiretroviral therapy even once they have developed an AIDS defining illness. Better treatment and prevention for opportunistic infections have also helped to improve the quality and length of life for those diagnosed with AIDS.

Treating some opportunistic infections is easier than others. Infections such as herpes zoster and candidiasis of the mouth, throat or vagina, can be managed effectively in most environments. On the other hand, more complex infections such as toxoplasmosis, need advanced medical equipment and infrastructure, which are lacking in many resource-poor areas.

It is also important that treatment is provided for AIDS related pain, which is experienced by almost all people in the very advanced stages of HIV infection.

References:

• International HIV and AIDS Charity. Retrieved on February 16, 2012 from www.avert.org

How can HIV be prevented?

Because the most common ways HIV is transmitted is through anal or vaginal sex or sharing drug injection equipment with a person infected with HIV, it is important to take steps to reduce the risks associated with these. They include:

• Know your HIV status. Everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should be tested for HIV at least once. If you are at increased risk for HIV, you should be tested for HIV at least once a year.
• If you have HIV, you can get medical care, treatment, and supportive services to help you stay healthy and reduce your ability to transmit the virus to others.
• If you are pregnant and find that you have HIV, treatments are available to reduce the chance that your baby will have HIV.

Locate a HIV testing site

• Abstain from sexual activity or be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner.
• Limit your number of sex partners. The fewer partners you have, the less likely you are to encounter someone who is infected with HIV or another STD.
• Correct and consistent condom use. Latex condoms are highly effective at preventing transmission of HIV and some other sexually transmitted diseases. “Natural” or lambskin condoms do not provide sufficient protection against HIV infection.
• Get tested and treated for STDs and insist that your partners do too.
• Male circumcision has also been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission from women to men during vaginal sex.
• Do not inject drugs. If you inject drugs, you should get counseling and treatment to stop or reduce your drug use. If you cannot stop injecting drugs, use clean needles and works when injecting.
• Obtain medical treatment immediately if you think you were exposed to HIV. Sometimes, HIV medications can prevent infection if they are started quickly. This is called post-exposure prophylaxis.
• Participate in risk reduction programs. Programs exist to help people make healthy decisions, such as negotiating condom use or discussing HIV status. Your health department can refer you to programs in your area.