Routes of transmission of HIV and the spread of AIDS. How do people get infected with AIDS? prevention methods. How is HIV infection transmitted at home?
A person is constantly at risk of contracting various infections that threaten health. However, the most dangerous pathogen can be called HIV. The ways in which this disease spreads are quite varied. To prevent infection, people must be informed and aware of how and in what way HIV and AIDS are transmitted. Increasing the level of consciousness and responsibility instills in a person an attentive attitude to the state of health, both his own and those around him.
Even from school, children should know and clearly understand what HIV infection is. Modes of transmission of the virus should be discussed, especially with adolescents, since it is during this period that some begin to become sexually active, which can cause infection. The routes of HIV transmission are determined by the characteristics of the pathogen, which is not able to live in the environment. That is why the routes of infection with AIDS are associated with biological fluids that are located and secreted in the human body.
How is AIDS transmitted through sexual contact?
According to modern statistics, most cases of AIDS infection occur through sex. However, there are a few caveats here. HIV is transmitted through sexual intercourse only if there is no protection in the form of a condom. Contraception is a guarantee that the infection will not enter the body of a healthy person during rubbing of the genitals, ejaculation or oral sex. Sex with an unfamiliar partner significantly increases the risk of developing such a dangerous disease as AIDS. There are practically no ways of recovery, since this form of pathology is the final stage of the development of HIV infection. The routes of infection and spread of the virus in this case are associated with discharge from the vagina and penis. The concentration of infection in sexual secretions is record high. In some cases, it even exceeds the amount of virus in the blood of a sick person.
The routes of transmission of HIV infection are based on the fact that the causative agent of the disease cannot live outside the human body for more than 2 weeks. This means that the virus remains viable for some time in dried semen or vaginal secretions. Thus, you can become infected not only during sex, but also by wearing the underwear of an infected person. This method of spreading the virus is not one of the main ways of contracting HIV infection. However, it is theoretically possible.
You should also remember that you cannot completely trust condoms. This method of contraception often fails. The routes of HIV infection are sometimes unpredictable. It often happens that at the most unexpected moment the protective equipment breaks. If a partner has AIDS, the discharge from her vagina gets inside the condom and infects the partner. If a man has an HIV-positive status, then if the integrity of the contraceptive is damaged, sperm or discharge from the penis penetrates the vagina and the woman becomes infected.
Sexual transmission of AIDS is the most common. The number of people infected during sex is quite large, since modern society has only recently begun to promote a healthy lifestyle and a conscious attitude towards sexually transmitted diseases. AIDS and HIV infection today attract media attention in all countries of the world. Leading sociological publications point to the following reasons for the increase in cases of infection of people during sexual intercourse:
- increase in crime;
- poverty, low standard of living;
- lack of education;
- spread of drug addiction;
- permissiveness;
- bad Education;
- alcohol abuse;
- fashion for visiting nightclubs;
- · insufficient awareness of the issues of infection with immunodeficiency.
The modes of transmission of AIDS should be open to public discussion. This is the only way to reduce the increase in incidence. In addition, special attention should be paid to the issue of sexual transmission of HIV. Promoting safe sex can save many lives. However, you should always check the integrity of the condom and ensure that it does not break during sex.
The route of HIV infection is through blood
One of the most important physiological fluids of the body is blood. It transports useful substances throughout the body and delivers them to every organ. The routes of infection with AIDS and HIV infection are inextricably linked with it. Approximately 35% of all infections occur through contact with this substance. The fact is that in this biological fluid the virus gets the opportunity to live and actively reproduce, attacking immune cells.
You should definitely know how HIV infection is transmitted through blood. The risk of infection is high when sharing a syringe or needle. This is typical for drug addicts. They do not attach importance to this point; as a result, retrovirus penetration is often observed in this way. Interesting information is that in a syringe or needle the virus can remain viable for up to 2 weeks. Even syringes thrown into the street pose a danger to those who accidentally injure themselves on them. It is necessary to ensure that children, while walking in the yard, do not stumble upon such objects. Curiosity in such cases can end in failure.
The main routes of transmission and infection of the HIV virus and AIDS include infection during a blood transfusion procedure. Medical workers, even in particularly urgent and emergency situations, should not neglect preventive measures. Donor blood must be tested for the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus. Also, doctors and nurses must ensure that needles are changed on time, and that everything that the patient comes into contact with is thoroughly disinfected. This is one of the most effective ways to prevent HIV infection.
There are situations when the blood of an infected person enters the stomach, and from there into the intestines, where it is absorbed, and there is a risk of infection. A possible route of transmission of the HIV infection or AIDS virus is a situation where a retrovirus carrier is bitten by a poisonous insect or snake, and a healthy person, saving the life of the patient, decides to suck out the poison on his own. In this case, a fairly large amount of blood along with the virus enters the stomach. If you do not administer the AIDS vaccine in time, which can only help within 72 hours after the pathogen enters the body, then the risk of infection is very high. However, the likelihood of transmission of infection increases if there is damage to the mucous membrane (for example, peptic ulcer).
The factors and routes of transmission of HIV through blood are quite diverse. You can get infected even by kissing if people have open wounds in their mouths that bleed. The main ways of contracting AIDS through blood also include situations in which a healthy person helps a sick person to stop bleeding. Contact with infected blood is not dangerous only if a healthy person has no damage to the integrity of the skin. Otherwise, the virus may enter the body and the infection process will be impossible to stop. The factors and routes of transmission of HIV infection through blood should be actively discussed in society in order to reduce the increase in the number of infected people in this way.
The natural route of transmission of HIV from mother to child
It often happens that newborn children become infected with AIDS. This is due to the fact that an infected mother during childbirth or during natural feeding can transmit the retrovirus to her baby. Doctors call this a natural way of contracting immunodeficiency. During the birth of a baby, a woman’s genitals are very sensitive. The vaginal walls crack and the vaginal opening is often torn. In this case, the newborn comes into contact with biological fluids. The pathogen enters the baby’s body through his own reproductive tract. To reduce the chances of possible infection, obstetricians advise performing a caesarean section on pregnant women who suffer from this disease.
A common route of transmission of HIV infection is breastfeeding. This is due to the fact that the virus actively multiplies in the secretion of the mammary glands. The pathogen penetrates into milk, breastfeeding becomes unsafe for the baby. AIDS-positive mothers are strictly prohibited from breastfeeding their babies. The risk of infection is almost 100%. It is better to replace breast milk with adapted formulas for newborns.
Is HIV transmitted through airborne droplets?
Some people have an obsessive fear of contracting AIDS. They protect themselves in every possible way from any suspicious contacts. You can often hear questions about whether immunodeficiency is transmitted through airborne droplets. Scientists have long confirmed that the likelihood of contracting the virus in this way is reduced to zero. This is due to the fact that infection requires close contact with the blood or sexual secretions of a retrovirus carrier.
AIDS is one of the most sexually transmitted diseases. Accordingly, infection in this way is the most likely and dangerous at the same time. HIV cannot be transmitted through airborne droplets. You can safely communicate with infected people without fear of infection. However, with closer relationships, you need to adhere to preventive standards.
You can become infected with immunodeficiency in several main ways, so everyone needs to remember the basic rules for preventing the disease and try to avoid ways of spreading AIDS.
The year 1978 was officially marked by the discovery of the stamp of one of the most dangerous viruses in the world - HIV. Until now, scientists have not been able to overcome the deadly infection, which destroys the human immune system. However, there is therapy that can prolong the patient’s life as much as possible (up to 15 years from the date of acquisition of the virus). There are several ways of infection, so to prevent a death sentence, it is necessary to become familiar with them and adhere to preventive measures.
Medicine knows three main ways HIV infection enters the body:
- Sexual(if sexual intercourse occurred without barrier contraception).
- Parenteral(in case of contact with contaminated blood).
- Vertical(the process of infection from mother to child, namely in the prenatal period, during childbirth and during feeding).
Attention! HIV infection cannot be transmitted through saliva during a kiss. Despite the fact that the virus is transmitted through most human fluids (sperm, vaginal secretions, blood), its concentration in saliva is minimal.
During sexual intercourse
It has been determined that it is through unprotected sexual intercourse that HIV infection most often occurs. Semen or vaginal secretions contain a sufficient amount of virus to be transmitted to a healthy person. Therefore, if sexual intercourse occurs without using a condom (the main means of barrier contraception that can protect against a deadly virus), then 100% infection can be confirmed. Once the virus enters the body, it is no longer possible to eliminate or block it.
It is important! A sufficient amount of the virus for infection is contained in menstrual blood. If it comes into contact with the genital mucosa of a healthy person (if there are wounds), infection will occur..
Oral and anal sex – what are the dangers?
Don't forget that oral and anal sex are not safe. During oral contact, if there is damage to the mucous membrane, HIV can easily enter the body. Therefore, any oral sex with a carrier of the virus increases the risk of infection.
Anal sex is considered more dangerous. At the peak of HIV intensification, homosexuals were the main carriers of the virus. This is explained by the fact that the rectum (namely its mucous membrane) can be easily injured upon penetration, therefore, a favorable condition is created for the virus to directly enter the bloodstream.
Risk factors for sexually transmitted infection
If a person has STDs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis, then the likelihood of infection is five times greater. In addition, women are the main risk group; they are much more likely to become infected with HIV. This is explained by the fact that the area of the mucous membrane (through which penetration into the body occurs) is much larger than in men.
Is it dangerous! The concentration of the immunodeficiency virus is higher in semen, so it is more dangerous for a woman to have sex with a sick man. In addition, vaginal secretions contain much less HIV infection.
When a woman has inflammatory processes, unprotected sexual intercourse is prohibited in order to avoid infection with dangerous infections, as well as HIV. It has been established that when diagnosed with uterine erosion, a woman becomes infected with the virus much more often. HIV infection poses a particular danger to women during menstruation.
Infection through the parietal route
The virus enters through the use of a contaminated syringe. Mostly drug addicts who practice injections with one syringe are at risk. Contact of a needle with infected blood, and then with healthy blood, leads to HIV infection.
Note! HIV infection through the use of a disposable needle has today decreased due to the minimum prices for disposable syringes.
In medical practice, there have been cases of infection during surgical interventions, blood transfusions, and injections. However, in the modern world there is practically no such possibility. All blood donors undergo detailed testing for the presence of infection (in particular HIV and hepatitis viruses). For injections, only disposable syringes are used. When performing surgical procedures, instruments are used that undergo thorough sterilization and disinfection (several stages of processing).
Statistics! Almost half a percent of virus carriers are medical workers who became infected through careless contact with infected blood. Infection cannot be ruled out even if blood with the virus gets into the eyes.
Vertical infection
Most people, to the extent of ignorance, believe that an infected mother always gives birth to an infected child. However, scientists have found that in this case only 30% of sick children are born, the remaining 70% remain unaffected by the virus. Mostly, infection occurs transplacentally, during the passage of the baby through the birth canal, as well as during breastfeeding.
It is worth considering that a child born from an infected mother is not diagnosed with HIV until the age of three. During these years, antibodies to the virus from the mother may remain in the child’s blood. After three years, when they disappear, the child is considered healthy. If the child’s body produces antibodies to a viral infection, the diagnosis of HIV is confirmed.
An increased risk of infection occurs if the mother experiences the following:
- HIV or the final stage - AIDS, manifests itself painfully in a woman;
- inflammatory processes are observed in the reproductive system;
- an increased concentration of the virus is noted in vaginal secretions;
- negative social status (a woman leads an unhealthy lifestyle, eats poorly, refuses necessary therapy).
Reference! If the baby is not full term or is post-term, then the likelihood of infection is very high.
How can you not get infected?
There are many myths that claim false ways of contracting HIV. To dispel misconceptions, you should familiarize yourself with detailed information.
False route of infection | Why can't you get infected with HIV? |
---|---|
Handshake, hug, touch | If a healthy and infected person does not have lesions on the skin that are accompanied by bleeding, then infection is impossible. Thus, intact mucous membrane and skin are a guarantee of health |
Kisses | Despite the fact that saliva is a liquid where the virus can be activated, its quantitative indicator is not capable of infecting another person |
Household items (dishes, bed linen, personal items, etc.) | HIV infection, to the extent of its danger to the body, is not able to exist for a long time in the external environment |
Public places | Visiting public places, for example, baths, saunas and other establishments does not pose a risk of HIV infection, even if it was visited by a sick person |
Dental services and manicure | This possibility cannot be excluded when instruments come into contact with blood. However, in history there has not been a single case of infection by this route, since the death of the virus occurs during disinfection |
In order to promptly consult a doctor in case of infection and apply the necessary therapy, you need to know the primary symptoms of HIV, a video will tell you about it.
Video - First symptoms of HIV
Prevention of infection
Upon penetration into the body, the virus is activated in all biological fluids. But a sufficient amount to infect a healthy person can only be in semen, vaginal discharge (menstrual blood), blood, and breast milk. Therefore, there are several points of prevention:
- Avoid contact with biological fluids.
- Have sex only with trusted partners or always use barrier contraception.
- For injections, use only disposable syringes.
- If this is a medical worker, then special protective methods must be used with infected materials (blood, semen).
- During pregnancy, if a woman is a carrier of the virus, then special therapy is carried out to prevent infection of the fetus.
- To prevent the baby from becoming infected during the birth canal, specialists perform a caesarean section.
Attention! Women diagnosed with HIV are strictly prohibited from breastfeeding. It is best to raise a child on artificial nutrition.
If you suspect HIV or a risk factor for infection, you should urgently contact a specialist for further examination of the body. Suspicion should be raised by any atypical colds (thus, HIV manifests itself in the first stages). It is recommended to undergo an HIV test every six months, so that if the diagnosis is confirmed, timely use of ART therapy and slow down viral processes in the body. Otherwise, if you refuse therapy, life expectancy is reduced significantly. Provided that therapy is used and a healthy lifestyle is followed, an HIV carrier can live a little more than fifteen years (cases of twenty years have been reported).
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To date, there is no consensus on the origin of the human immunodeficiency virus.
Viruses like human immunodeficiency virus(HIV), occur naturally and cause disease in animals. The immunodeficiency virus of monkeys (green monkeys, macaques and rhesus monkeys), the feline sarcoma virus and others are known.
This allows us to talk about the natural nature of the origin of this virus, which, perhaps, under the influence of some external factors, has changed and become dangerous to humans.
Routes of transmission of infection HIV is contained in all organs and tissues of an infected person, as well as in all human fluids and secretions, however, its highest concentration is found in blood, semen, female genital secretions and breast milk, and saliva, tears, and urine contain small amounts virus that cannot lead to infection.
HIV infection through blood can occur through the transfusion of infected blood, its components and drugs, as well as through contaminated medical and other instruments that damage the integrity of the skin (manicure items, ear piercing needles, cutting instruments for circumcision, razor blades, needles with acupuncture, etc.).
It must be emphasized that it is not necessary that blood be visible on the listed items. These may be small amounts invisible to the naked eye. It should be noted that infection occurs when the blood of an infected person enters (injected) into the body of another person.
Blood transfusion is important in the transmission of HIV through this route: when the blood of a person living with HIV is introduced into the bloodstream of another person. Infection can occur when using the same syringe for injections. Sharing drugs with the same syringe plays a special role in the spread of HIV infection.
In this case, simultaneous infection of several people who use this syringe can occur. Since drug use occurs daily and group members may change, this route of HIV transmission has a snowball pattern with the number of new HIV infections increasing exponentially: 1:5:25, etc.
In this regard, very rapid growth rates of HIV infection are observed in countries where HIV is primarily spread through drug use. This situation is typical for all countries of the former USSR, including Kyrgyzstan, as well as for some countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Asia.
HIV is transmitted in only 3 ways:
Through blood (using contaminated instruments, transfusion of infected blood and
its drugs, donor organ transplantation);
during sexual contact with a person living with HIV;
from infected mother to child.
Sexual transmission of infection
The virus is transmitted from man to woman and from woman to man through any type of sexual contact. The presence of inflammatory diseases of the genital organs, including infections, increases the risk of infection.A particular risk is having multiple sexual contacts with different people, as this increases the risk of meeting an HIV-positive partner. Of particular risk are unprotected (without using a condom) homosexual sex among men and forced sexual intercourse.
The risk of transmission of the virus during homosexual sexual contact is significantly higher than during heterosexual contact. This is associated with a higher degree of injury. Due to the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the female body, women are more susceptible to HIV infection. Economic, social and cultural factors also increase women's vulnerability.
Prescribing preventive treatment against HIV infection to an HIV-positive pregnant woman during pregnancy can significantly reduce the risk of infection of the child.
HIV can be transmitted from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. The risk of having a child with HIV depends on the stage of the disease in the mother, the presence of inflammatory diseases of the genital organs, the course of pregnancy and timely antiretroviral treatment.
HIV infection is not transmitted:
In case of household contacts,
when kissing,
cough,
sneezing,
When shaking hands,
using the toilet,
bathhouse,
swimming pool,
In public transport,
through bedding,
dishes,
through books and stationery,
Through insect bites
through pets, etc.
Factors of vulnerability to HIV infection
There are many reasons why people become vulnerable. All these reasons can be divided into (1) individual and (2) social and legal1) Individual reasons are reasons that are associated with the fact that people do something that is dangerous for them, or do not do something necessary to ensure their safety. For example, people may inject themselves with drugs (that is, do something dangerous) without first sterilizing the syringe (that is, without ensuring their safety).
Common individual causes of infection in Kyrgyzstan:
Use of unsterile syringes, needles, drug solution for administration;
Failure to use a condom during sexual intercourse.
There are also factors (circumstances) that create or increase risks:
The person did not know what to do to protect himself from HIV infection;
The man knew what needed to be done, but did not attach any importance to it, thinking that it would not affect him. Intoxication or drug use increases the risk of dangerous behavior.
The man knew what needed to be done and was serious about it, but did not have the power to take the necessary steps. For example, a woman knew that her husband had sex with other women and tried to persuade him to use a condom, but he rudely interrupted all her attempts to talk about it and did not agree to use protection.
The man used drugs by injection and became infected with HIV. He was informed about this during HIV testing and warned about the need to inform his sexual partner and to take measures to protect against sexual transmission of HIV. However, he did not inform his wife about this and did not use a condom during sexual intercourse. His wife was also infected with HIV and found out about it when she was tested for HIV during pregnancy. Her husband's relatives did not allow her to visit a doctor during pregnancy or receive preventive treatment. She gave birth to an HIV-infected child (case report, Kyrgyzstan).
2) Social reasons why people cannot get from society what they need to protect themselves from HIV.
Common social causes of infection in Kyrgyzstan:
Lack of opportunity to obtain information: they don’t teach this at school; leaders attend the seminars, not those who are primarily concerned; TV is scary acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), but doesn't tell you what to do. That's why people don't know what to do to protect themselves from HIV.
Inability to buy protective equipment: in many villages it takes a day to get to a place where you can buy a condom. A drug user does not buy himself a clean syringe because he does not have money or is afraid of getting caught by the police. The man knew what needed to be done, but for certain reasons he did not do what was needed.
Lack of access to medical care. The man found out that sexually transmitted infections(STI) increase the risk of contracting HIV, but did not see a doctor because of fear of disclosing the diagnosis, lack of time or money to visit a doctor, and also because such services are not provided in the area, for example, in rural areas. These reasons can be eliminated.
3) Legal reasons are reasons that arise as a result of unlawful actions of other persons and which create a threat of contracting HIV or STIs.
More often these are situations of sexual violence, which can also occur in the family. A victim of violence cannot provide himself with protection from infection.
The situation with bride kidnapping or marrying off a girl without her consent is close to this. The girl does not know her husband and his behavior in the previous period; she cannot demand evidence from him about his state of health; she cannot insist on using a condom.
Marital infidelity. Having sexual contacts on the side, including commercial contacts, he (she) does not take measures to protect his partner from HIV infection. In this case, there may be two aspects: (1) the spouse who remains faithful does not know (does not want to know) about his partner’s betrayal and trusts him; (2) the spouse who remains faithful knows (guesses) about his partner’s infidelity, but does not dare talk to him about it; (3) he talks, insists on using a condom, but is refused; (4) the spouse insists on using a condom, but receives violence.
One of the spouses (sexual partners) uses drugs by injection and does not inform their partner about this and does not take measures to protect themselves and their partner from infection.
The human immunodeficiency virus primarily affects cells of the immune system. HIV enters a human cell (lymphocyte), and with the help of its enzymes is integrated into its genetic apparatus.As a result, the affected cell begins to produce viruses itself at a rate of 1 million viruses per day. Thus, it loses its functions and dies over time. New viruses leave the cell and infect new lymphocytes.
As soon as the number of cells of the immune system decreases to a certain level, the body cannot resist infectious diseases and other external influences, and the AIDS stage begins.
Fig. 10. The mechanism of HIV reproduction
Manifestations of the disease
A feature of HIV infection is a long latent period, when only laboratory methods can determine that a person is infected with HIV. It is impossible to determine by appearance whether a person has HIV or not. He may look and feel well but still transmit HIV to others.The manifestations of HIV infection are very diverse, however, there is a certain periodicity in the development of the disease. Initially, a person does not feel that an infection has occurred, but even the most modern laboratory research cannot establish the presence of the virus in the body.
After a “window period”, which lasts about 3 months on average, antibodies to HIV appear in the blood. Soon after infection, a flu-like condition may develop, i.e. body temperature rises, lymph nodes enlarge, headache, weakness, malaise are felt, and a rash may appear on the body.
These signs quickly pass, and the person feels completely healthy. Many people with HIV are subsequently unable to pinpoint the exact time they became infected, especially when opportunities for infection occurred multiple times.
Despite feeling quite well, the disease progresses imperceptibly and steadily, the virus multiplies and attacks the human immune system. During this period, the lymph nodes enlarge again, the patient loses weight, infectious diseases develop, which are rare in people with a normally functioning immune system, and malignant tumors develop, for example, brain lymphoma, etc.
The disease occurs with periods of improvement, but the next exacerbation of the disease is more severe than the previous one, the condition gradually worsens, and AIDS itself begins. The patient, despite a good appetite, loses weight and becomes completely exhausted.
Development of infection:
It is almost impossible to determine when the infection occurred, except in cases where the person knows for certain that he had (and when it was) sexual contact or used drugs together with people living with HIV(PLHIV).
After 3 to 6 months, special medical tests will be able to determine whether a person is infected with HIV or not. The person himself looks healthy and feels as usual. Medical tests at this time determine whether a person’s blood contains HIV antibodies - proteins that are produced by the body in response to the introduction of the virus.
The window period is the period from the moment the virus enters the body until antibodies appear. This period lasts from 2 weeks on average to 3 months. It is essential in HIV testing and counseling. If less than 2 weeks have passed since the supposedly dangerous situation in terms of HIV infection, the person being examined is offered a re-examination after 3-6 and 12 months.
Several years may pass between the appearance of antibodies in the blood and the appearance of the first signs of AIDS (comorbidities). For people who do not use drugs, take care of their health, and have a positive attitude, this period can last more than ten years. For people who use drugs, eat poorly, do not follow the recommended regimen, and do not take measures to prevent other diseases, from the appearance of antibodies in the blood to the appearance of the first signs of the disease can take from one to three years.
Detection of HIV infection
HIV infection may not manifest itself in any way for a long period (up to 10 or more years). A person with HIV looks and feels healthy, but can transmit the infection from the moment the virus enters the body. The diagnosis of HIV infection is made only on the basis of a laboratory blood test for the presence of antibodies to HIV.HIV counseling and testing
Testing is a blood test for the presence of antibodies to HIV. It must always be carried out voluntarily on the basis of informed consent. In rare cases provided for by law, testing is carried out forcibly (against the will of the person being examined), but it is carried out only by court decision, on the basis of a decision of an investigator or prosecutor.At all stages of HIV testing (except compulsory), a person can refuse to undergo further testing and receive its results.
Children under 16 years of age are tested for HIV on the basis of their informed consent with the consent of their parents or legal representatives who may be present during such testing.
An important element of HIV testing is counseling, during which the person being tested is explained the testing procedure, the consequences of obtaining a positive result, information about HIV infection is provided, and moral and psychological support is provided in case of a positive result.
HIV testing and counseling is free in most cases. It can be taken at any medical institution. The fact of applying for testing and its results constitute confidential information and are not subject to disclosure.
In addition, you can take the test anonymously, i.e. on conditions when personal data (last name, first name, patronymic, year of birth, passport details, place of residence) are not indicated. In this case, the person being tested for HIV is assigned a personal number, and he can find out the test result over the phone.
HIV testing results
Routine HIV testing looks for antibodies in the blood, which are special proteins produced in the body in response to the introduction of the human immunodeficiency virus. This takes a certain time, so immediately after infection there are no antibodies yet and the test result will be negative (window period).A negative result indicates that there are no antibodies to HIV in the person's blood. This result is obtained if (1) the person is not infected with HIV; (2) if the person is infected with HIV but is in the window period.
To exclude the fact of infection (especially if a dangerous situation has occurred), it is necessary to re-examine for HIV after 3 and 6 months.
A positive HIV test result indicates that the tested person has antibodies to HIV in the body. This means that the person has HIV infection.
Why you need to get tested for HIV
To know your HIV status.
If a person is HIV negative
He will receive information about the routes of HIV transmission and methods of protection, will be able to assess his own risk of infection, and will also receive advice and recommendations that will help him make decisions (change behavior) to prevent HIV infection.
If a person is HIV positive
He will be under the supervision of a doctor, will receive timely counseling, psychological support and the opportunity to meet other people living with HIV, as well as organizations working in this area;
if necessary, will receive special medications that suppress the replication of the virus and delay the development of AIDS;
will receive advice and recommendations on how to prevent the possible transmission of HIV to others through sexual contact or injecting drugs;
Special treatment given to a pregnant woman will reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to the child.
For people living with HIV, it is important to know their status in order to take comprehensive measures for family planning or to prevent transmission of HIV from an infected mother to her child, including preventive treatment with antiretroviral drugs.
Currently, effective methods for treating HIV and preventing opportunistic infections exist and are available in the Kyrgyz Republic, which will prolong life and improve its quality for PLHIV.
Knowing one’s HIV status will also allow a person, if necessary, to join programs to support PLHIV, prevention programs for key populations, and receive medical, social and legal assistance provided for by the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic.
HIV treatment:
All over the world, significant work is being done to create effective drugs to treat HIV infection and AIDS. Doctors can already stop the virus from reproducing, but so far there is no cure for the disease. Treatment is expensive and difficult
for the patient. The problem is low adherence to treatment, when medications are taken irregularly or the patient refuses treatment. However, proper treatment can significantly prolong the life of a person living with HIV and improve its quality;
Currently, free HIV treatment is available to everyone in need. Preventative treatment is also available for pregnant women to prevent transmission of HIV to their newborn baby.
At the AIDS stage, people can receive treatment for concomitant diseases (tuberculosis, pneumonia and others).
Prevention of HIV infection
HIV is transmitted in only three specific ways.Young people can protect themselves from HIV by:
Abstaining from sexual intercourse until later in life
having one faithful and uninfected sexual partner
Always use a condom every time you have sex
using only sterile medical instruments
The first three methods of protection against sexual transmission are called the ABC strategy (English abbreviation) or GDP (in Russian: abstinence - fidelity - condom). Timely detection and treatment of STIs is also important for the prevention of sexual transmission.
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV: treatment of a pregnant woman living with HIV with antiretroviral drugs, certain tactics for managing childbirth, prescribing special treatment for the child immediately after birth, as well as avoiding breastfeeding such children, which can significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission (from 30 up to 1%).
HIV is very unstable in the external environment and quickly dies from exposure to high temperature and disinfectants. Currently, the necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety of medical procedures - all donated blood is tested for HIV, proper sterilization and use of medical instruments is monitored, pregnant women living with HIV receive preventive treatment to prevent transmission of the virus to the child.
Bashmakova L.N., Batalgazieva K.N., Gorkina V.A., Baltieva V.G.
HIV infection is a plague not only of the 20th, but also of the 21st century. Every year, the number of people infected with HIV, unfortunately, is steadily growing. Doctors around the world are sounding the alarm, calling on humanity to use common sense - the infection is spreading at cosmic speed, and now there are very few areas left without at least one sick person. However, despite the scale of the disaster, every attempt and compliance with precautions increases the chances of victory in this fight for the life and health of the population of the entire globe.
To know how to effectively fight the disease and prevent infection, it is important to first learn what HIV is. The ways of transmission of this infection, its differences from AIDS, symptoms and basic precautions are the topic of our conversation today. So...
What is HIV?
The abbreviation HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. Already based on the name, it becomes clear that pathogenic bacteria attack the immune system. The target is leukocytes, which help eliminate various harmful microorganisms and fungi from the body. Once the number of white blood cells decreases, a person becomes extremely susceptible to various types of infectious diseases.
People with HIV are doomed to death, since the immunodeficiency virus acts throughout life, and a person can die even from the most primitive ARVI. However, it is possible to survive with HIV infection for two to three years, or for ten years.
Are HIV and AIDS the same thing?
HIV should not be confused with AIDS. AIDS is the very last stage of the disease we are considering. The acronym stands for “acquired immunodeficiency syndrome,” and the statement that you can become infected with this disease is completely false. It is HIV that causes AIDS, so it is quite possible to eliminate the signs of the syndrome, but alas, it is possible to cure the virus itself. In this regard, AIDS is considered fatal, since it occurs at the very end of the disease and invariably leads to a tragic end.
Source or carrier of HIV infection
HIV-infected people are called carriers of this virus, regardless of the stage of the disease, be it the incubation or terminal period. Infection from the source of the disease is possible at any stage of the disease, but the greatest likelihood is contact with the carrier at the end of incubation and at a later date. Only a person can be HIV-infected.
Now that we have figured out what HIV is and who can become a carrier of the virus, let’s consider possible ways of contracting this infection.
Routes of HIV transmission
HIV infection can be transmitted in only three ways:
- From mother to newborn.
- Sexually.
- Through blood.
Theoretically, there is another way of infection - transplantation and transplantation of various organs and tissues from one person to another, as well as artificial insemination of women. However, due to careful testing and numerous checks of biological material, the possibility of infection with the virus is thus reduced to absolute zero.
Note that the paths mentioned above are listed from least common to most relevant. Let's consider each of them separately.
Transmission of HIV from mother to newborn
HIV infection can occur both during pregnancy and childbirth, and subsequently during breastfeeding. This method of infection is currently the least possible of the three above, since modern medicine offers various preventive measures based on the use of chemotherapy. They reduce the risk of having HIV-infected children by several percent. As for breastfeeding, only artificial formula is used.
HIV infection can be confirmed in a child only after he reaches 1.5 years of age. However, it is possible to obtain some information earlier, during the first month of the baby’s life. To do this, the child's blood is taken for analysis, but the result will be only 90% reliable.
In this regard, every pregnant woman should be required to undergo an HIV test in order to avoid aggravation of the situation and transmission of infection to the fetus through inaction or, conversely, undesirable effects on the body of certain medications, the use of which is unacceptable in the above conditions.
Sexual transmission of HIV
Unprotected sexual intercourse is a real scourge among homosexuals, drug addicts, prostitutes, as well as those who practice casual sex. The risk of infection among representatives of this contingent is off the charts. Moreover, HIV is no less common in women than in men. According to statistics, more than 85% of respondents were infected through sexual contact. If, before contact with the carrier, a person already had any inflammatory diseases, then the risk of infection increases several times.
Transmission of HIV through blood
Infection with HIV infection through blood is the most common way of acquiring the disease. You can “earn” a dangerous virus through:
Shared use of disposable syringes and needles;
Non-sterile surgical instruments;
Violation of hygienic rules for the operation of cosmetology and dental equipment;
Transfusion of blood and plasma without prior testing.
How not to get infected with HIV
To be fully educated on this issue, you should know how you can’t get HIV. We described the routes of transmission of the virus above, but now let us remember factors that should in no way affect the position of an infected person in society:
Bodily contact, including kissing, provided that there are no open scratches, wounds, or abrasions on the skin;
Food and drinking liquids;
Household items;
Public toilets, showers, swimming pools, seats and handrails in transport;
Cough, sneezing, sweat, tears, breathing;
Animals and insects, including blood-sucking ones.
Despite this, there are many myths that you can catch the virus at any time. Even if you sleep with an infected person in the same bed and eat from the same plate, you will never be able to become infected with HIV - transmission routes work exclusively in three cases already known to us.
Conditions for HIV infection
Despite the ease with which one can catch a known virus, during its transmission certain conditions must be met:
The infection must enter the endangered organism with special biological secretions that have an increased concentration of bacteria;
For the lesion to grow, penetration into the body itself is necessary. If the covers are not damaged, this is simply impossible.
The virus is present in all fluids that the human body is capable of producing. But at the same time, its concentration in some secrets is much greater than in others. For example, saliva, sweat, tears. If urine enters a foreign body, it cannot transmit HIV. The route of transmission is not important only if the surface of the skin or mucous membranes is not damaged. In other cases, whole liters of such liquids will be required to infect a healthy body.
But secretions such as sperm, pre-ejaculate, vaginal secretions, as well as breast milk and blood already pose a potential danger. After any of the mentioned liquids enters a fertile environment, the level of susceptibility of the affected organism comes into force. The virus will manifest itself in any case, but how early depends on genes, a person’s susceptibility to various diseases, the presence of aggravating conditions and other factors.
Symptoms of HIV
Now let's talk about how the virus can manifest itself externally. Despite the fact that in most cases it is impossible to determine HIV in men or women in the initial stages, there are still some symptoms associated with this disease.
Each organism is individual, so identifying characteristic signs is quite problematic. The latest HIV statistics indicate that the first symptoms can be detected both two weeks after infection and two months later. In some cases, symptoms can disappear for an indefinite period, only to subsequently reappear with renewed vigor.
If you experience symptoms such as:
Enlarged lymph nodes;
Regular occurrence of herpes;
Increased body temperature;
Stomatitis;
Dermatitis;
Dramatic weight loss;
Frequent respiratory diseases;
Feverish manifestations;
Indigestion;
Candidiasis and vaginal inflammation in women,
But you shouldn’t blame everything on various viral and colds. Carefully analyze your recent behavior and the presence of possible factors that could contribute to infection with the virus, and go to the doctor, and then donate blood for HIV.
It is worth remembering that the virus behaves very secretively in the initial stages. Even laboratory tests are unable to recognize a hidden infection. And only after a few years the disease can manifest itself so clearly that doctors no longer have any doubts about the person’s infection.
How long do people live with HIV?
This question is the most pressing for those who have received an HIV-positive result. If we compare the capabilities of modern medicine with what was available 10-15 years ago, it is easy to notice that infected citizens have begun to live somewhat longer. However, the main criterion for this was not only the improvement of medications and technologies, but also the recognition and acceptance by patients of some undeniable requirements regarding the new way of life, which they now have to comply with.
The results of studying the life expectancy of HIV-infected people cannot be subsumed under any possible logical pattern. Some carriers of the virus can live to a ripe old age, while others do not last even 5 years. If we average all the indicators, it turns out that HIV-infected people live about 10-12 years, but all the boundaries are so blurry and relative that there is no point in clearly stating the duration.
The only thing that can help prolong the patient’s life is strict adherence to the following rules:
Eliminate (or at least significantly limit) the amount of nicotine, alcohol and drugs consumed;
Exercise regularly, ideally go in for sports;
Take vitamin complexes and means to strengthen the immune system;
Switch to a healthy diet;
Visit your healthcare professional regularly.
Although it is too early to talk about a complete victory over the virus, the fact that scientists are currently able to control it speaks for itself.
Ways to protect yourself from HIV infection and precautions
Knowledge is the most important weapon against HIV. We already know the routes of transmission of infection, so now all that remains is to add to this awareness. Preventive measures to prevent infection with the virus are as follows:
Using condoms during sexual intercourse. Do not allow your partner’s sperm, blood, or vaginal fluid to enter your body;
Choose your sexual partners carefully. The more third-party and unprotected sexual relationships your boyfriend or girlfriend has, the higher the likelihood of getting an infection;
Be faithful to your partner yourself;
Avoid group sex;
Do not take other people's personal hygiene items (razors, toothbrushes);
Be extremely careful and attentive in unfamiliar public places;
Watch what your children play with. There are frequent cases of used syringes being found on sites and in sandboxes;
Use only sterilized surgical instruments and syringes no more than once. Demand the same from tattoo artists and cosmetologists whose services you have applied for;
If you are a pregnant woman suspected of having the immunodeficiency virus, do not be lazy to donate blood for HIV. If you receive a positive result, seek help from a specialist. He will prescribe the necessary medications to minimize the risk of giving birth to an unhealthy child.
The most important danger of HIV infection is that the virus does not manifest itself in any way for a very long time. During this period, the carrier of the disease can infect other people without suspecting anything about their condition. That is why it is important to know about the existence of a disease such as HIV, the ways of its spread and the precautions that must be taken in order to fully protect yourself and your loved ones from harm.
AIDS is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a deadly disease caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). At the moment, humanity does not have a medicine that can defeat this disease. That is why prevention is considered the basis of the fight.
Scientists first started talking about AIDS only in the 1980s, although the virus began to manifest itself back in the 1930s in West Africa. There is also data on prostitutes in the United States who showed signs of the disease in the 1970s. Then doctors did not pay much attention to these cases, considering them to be rare forms of pneumonia. The next time AIDS patients were found was in 1978 among homosexuals in Sweden and the United States, as well as heterosexual men in Haiti and Tanzania.
It is worth noting that AIDS and HIV are not synonymous. AIDS is a much broader concept, meaning a deficiency of immunity; it can occur against the background of chronic debilitating diseases, when exposed to radiation energy, due to the use of certain hormonal and medicinal drugs. Now the name is used to refer only to the manifest or last stage of HIV infection.
Routes of HIV transmission
The source of HIV infection can be an asymptomatic virus carrier or a person with AIDS. The main mechanism of infection transmission is blood contact. Routes of infection:
- Sexual - with any type of sex, regardless of a person’s orientation. The greatest risk occurs during vaginal and anal sex, however, it is also possible to become infected with AIDS during oral sex.
- Hemotransfusion - after transfusion of blood, plasma, platelets, erythrocytes, leukocytes or other components of the blood of an AIDS patient to a healthy person.
- Instrumental or injection, typical for drug addicts who share needles. However, this method of infection also occurs in medical institutions where medical staff do not comply with the rules and regulations for the use of syringes, needles and other medical instruments. This route of transmission of the virus has led to the distribution of disposable syringes, which is the prevention of AIDS.
- Perinatal - from an infected mother to the fetus, including the passage of the child through the birth canal.
- Milk – through breast milk contaminated with HIV, you can also become infected with AIDS.
- Transplantation is the transplantation of infected bone marrow, internal organs, or artificial insemination with infected sperm.
- Domestic and professional, when infection occurs through damaged skin and mucous membranes that come into contact with some secretions of AIDS patients.
However, HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva, tears, food, water or air. Saliva is dangerous if it contains blood.
Signs and symptoms
HIV is a very insidious infection that, when it enters the human body, may not manifest itself in any way. Reproduction of the immunodeficiency virus most often does not cause any symptoms of AIDS in the infected person. The only reliable way to determine it is to take an HIV test.
Only in some cases, signs of AIDS are observed in the patient within a short period of time after infection. Primary symptoms:
- temperature rise to 37-38°C;
- enlargement of several lymph nodes;
- the appearance of pain when swallowing;
- red spots on the skin and mucous membranes;
- prolonged diarrhea.
Often people do not pay attention to such symptoms, considering the disease to be a common cold or mild poisoning. Moreover, the primary signs of AIDS quickly disappear, although the virus itself leads an active life inside the human body. On average, HIV goes undetected for 10-12 years until it begins to manifest itself in full force.
As HIV infection progresses, accompanied by a weakening of the immune system, the first real signs of AIDS appear in the patient. First of all, these are diseases that pass quickly and without consequences in healthy people, which can lead to a dangerous and even fatal condition in an HIV patient. Symptoms of AIDS are such regularly occurring diseases as tuberculosis, herpes, pneumonia, cytomegalovirus infection, and others related to opportunistic infections. It is these illnesses that in most cases lead to dire consequences. In addition, symptoms include dementia, prolonged fever, subacute encephalitis, sepsis, weight loss, and cough.
AIDS - the last stage of HIV infection - has three clinical forms:
- onco-AIDS, manifested in the form of brain lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma;
- neuro-AIDS is characterized by damage to the nerves and central nervous system;
- infectious AIDS, the symptoms of which are numerous infections.
Treatment
Timely diagnosis of the disease plays an essential role in the fight against AIDS. If you start HIV therapy before it has time to destroy a person’s immune system, patients have the opportunity to postpone the last stage of the disease for a long time and prolong their normal life. Scientists have developed special treatment regimens that can significantly slow down the development of the disease. The most popular antiretroviral and other drugs to fight AIDS:
- zidovudine;
- zalcitabine, stavudine and didanosine;
- trimethoprim, pentamidine, foscarnet, ganciclovir, fluconazole;
- saquinavir, indinavir, ritonavir;
- nevirapine and nelfinavir.
AIDS prevention
HIV prevention is the most effective means in the fight against AIDS. Prevention includes the need to:
- have only one sexual partner;
- avoid sexual relations with unfamiliar and suspicious people, prostitutes, drug addicts;
- have no group contacts;
- use condoms;
- do not use other people’s machines, razors, toothbrushes, used medical devices;
- insist on disposable instruments in the office of a dentist, gynecologist, cosmetologist and other specialists.
The fight against AIDS must be carried out in the form of preventive measures by the healthcare sector. Medical prevention includes:
- examination of people at risk, blood donors;
- promotion of sex with a condom;
- testing all pregnant women for HIV antibodies;
- control of childbearing and avoidance of breastfeeding in infected women.
In hospitals and other medical institutions, AIDS prevention involves.