What is HIV?
Human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV, is a type of virus that attacks and damages the immune system of the affected individual. It is a lifelong condition with no permanent cure. The HIV virus attacks the T-cells or CD4 cells, a type of immune cell, that helps the body fight infection. And with time the HIV virus kills more and more CD4 cells, making the body vulnerable to different types of diseases and ailments. An individual with HIV has a really low CD4 cell count in comparison to someone with no virus in their body.
To check if the person has HIV virus in their body, several types of tests can be used, and which test is best suited for the individual is determined by the healthcare professional. Some of the most common HIV diagnostic tests are the Nucleic Acid Test (NAT), Antibody Test, Antigen Test. Once these tests are administered and a prognosis is made, various treatment options are shared. HIV does not have a cure, but there are ways it can be kept under control and let the individual lead a near-normal life.
What causes HIV?
Like many other viruses, the HIV virus also came from a chimpanzee in Central Africa. According to various studies, it is believed that the HIV virus may have jumped from chimps to humans back 1800s. But it wasn’t until the 70s, that HIV actually got extremely widespread in the United States and slowly spread all across the globe. The eighties UK HIV epidemic is still one of the ghastliest epidemics to date, which led to around 35 million deaths, 70 million infections.
How do you contract HIV?
Although HIV is a communicable disease and all of us are equally susceptible to getting infected by it, contrary to popular belief, we cannot simply contract HIV by merely touching or kissing someone with the virus. For someone to contract HIV, an exchange of bodily fluid is a must. These bodily fluids include semen, blood, vaginal and rectal fluids, and breast milk.
Some of the common ways HIV is spread from an individual to another are:
Through unsafe sex (Vaginal and Anal)
Oral Sex, if the individual has the virus and has open sores and bleeding gums
Sharing needles, syringes, etc.
Through exposure to blood, semen, vaginal and rectal fluids
During pregnancy and childbirth
During breastfeeding
Through blood transfusions
It is also important to note that one cannot transfer the HIV virus to another through the following methods:
Kissing
Saliva
Tears or Sweat
Sharing food and drinks
Sharing the same living space
By skin-to-skin contact
Air or Water
How is HIV different from AIDS?
One of the most important that comes to all of our minds is when does HIV become AIDS and how is HIV any different from AIDS.
AIDS, also known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is the advanced stage of HIV infection. People with HIV can develop AIDS, but not all HIV cases develop to this level. While with proper treatment, HIV has a near-normal life expectancy, AIDS if left untreated has a life expectancy of over 3 years.
AIDS is observed in HIV patients whose CD4 cell count has fallen below 200 levels as well as among those who develop opportunistic infection or cancer. And individual living with AIDS is vulnerable to various serious illnesses.
Signs and Symptoms of HIV infection
In the first few weeks after the transmission of the virus, the infected person starts to show quite a few common symptoms and signs of HIV. But more often than not, these symptoms get brushed off as merely the flu or other similar illness.
Some of these symptoms include:
Swollen lymph nodes
Fever and chills
Aches and pain
Headache
Nausea
Skin rash
Upset stomach etc.
If someone has these symptoms and has recently taken part in activities like unprotected sex or other causes of HIV transmission, then it is strongly advised to get themselves checked by a professional and seek medical counsel. It is better to get an early diagnosis than to let the condition worsen.
Treatment and Prognosis of HIV
Indeed, there aren’t any permanent cures or treatments for the HIV virus, but with the advancement of medical science, some temporary treatments have come forward. Antiretroviral therapy, a combination of daily medications that stop the virus from reproducing, is the main treatment for the HIV virus and extremely helpful in containing the disease from developing into AIDS.