HIV/AIDS: What Is HIV And What Leads To AIDS?
When talking about HIV/AIDS, one should make a distinction between HIV and AIDS. HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is the virus, while AIDS, which stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is the syndrome. This kind of virus attacks the body’s immune system, our natural defense against pathogens, infections, and illnesses. More specifically, it attacks and destroys CD4, a type of white blood cell also called the T-helper cell, that gives you an indication of the health of your immune system and leads the attack against infections or illnesses. So, the lower the CD4 cell count, the weaker the immune system. This means that people infected with HIV will find it harder to fight off infections and diseases without a proper treatment.
If this virus is left untreated, 10 to 15 years will be enough for the immune system to be so severely damaged that it can no longer defend itself at all. And eventually, opportunistic infections or cancers take advantage of your weak immune system and signal that you have AIDS, which is the last stage and the most severe phase of HIV. However, the rate at which HIV progresses varies in people of different ages and their general health.
How is HIV transmitted?
The human immunodeficiency virus is transmitted through certain body fluids from a person who has HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, pre-seminal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk.
Infection can be spread when the above-mentioned fluids are directly injected into the bloodstream using a needle or syringe, or are in contact with a mucous membrane or damaged tissue.
Ways through which HIV is transmitted are through sexual intercourse without using protection or taking medicines to prevent or treat HIV, using not sterilized drug tools, such as needles, or syringes with an HIV-positive person, through blood transfusion or organ or tissue transplant, and from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, labor, or breastfeeding.
To read more about ways through which HIV is spread, read here.
HIV/AIDS symptoms
HIV symptoms vary in different persons. Some may not really feel any symptoms at all. But, with time, the infection becomes more severe and cause common changes.
When talking about HIV/AIDS symptoms, we have to divide them into three stages of infection. Usually, people who get through these three stages didn’t receive treatment. Being treated can slow or prevent progression from one stage to the next.
Some of the most common symptoms of a person infected with the human immunodeficiency virus are as below:
Headache
Fever
Diarrhea
Nausea and vomiting
Sore throat
Fatigue
Swollen lymph nodes
Weight loss
To know more about symptoms of every stage of HIV infection, read here.
HIV prevention
1. Abstain
2. Get tested
3. Safe sex
4. Limit your number of sexual partners
5. Get tested for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
6. Avoid alcohol and drugs
7. Get the proper prenatal care throughout your pregnancy
8. Medicines
To read more about HIV prevention, read here.
HIV testing
HIV testing can detect infection, however, it can’t show for how long one has been infected with the virus or if the person has reached the AIDS stage.
There are three types of HIV tests available, which are:
Nucleic acid test (NAT)
The nucleic acid test is a test which detects the genetic material of a microorganism in the blood. NAT can show either a positive or a negative result or the amount of virus in the blood. The latter one is measured through the Viral Load Tes (HIV RNA), which is a type of nucleic acid test. NAT is usually done in the first stages of infection before the body has started producing antibodies in response to the virus.
Antigen/antibody test
An antigen/antibody test searches for both HIV antibodies and antigens. When your body is exposed to bacteria or viruses, your immune system produces antibodies to fight them off.
So, the HIV p24 antigen test detects the p24 protein on average 10 to 14 days after infection with the virus. One barrier of this type of test is that levels of the p24 protein peak at around 3 to 4 weeks after exposure to the virus and cannot be usually detected after 5 to 6 six weeks.
However, there is a more advanced HIV test, which combines a p24 antigen test and an antibody test. The combination of the two detects the p24 antigen levels with the accuracy of the newer antibodies.
Antibody test
Antibody tests detect the antibodies a.k.a the white blood cells which protect your body against infections. An antibody test is the fastest method to detect HIV infection. This kind of test uses blood from your vein or finger or oral fluid oral. Nevertheless, tests that use blood from veins detect the virus sooner than two latter methods.
This kind of test is also called immunoassay or ELISA test. It is generally very accurate, but it doesn’t catch early infections.
However, there are options for taking a test in the privacy of your own home. Currently, there are two home HIV tests: the OraQuick In-home HIV test and the Home Access HIV-1 Test System. In case you purchase your test online, make sure the test is FDA-approved.
To read more about HIV testing, you can find detailed information here.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article: text, graphics, images, and other materials contained are strictly for informational purposes only. The Content is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Please ALWAYS seek the advice of a qualified health provider with all the questions that you have related to, or about, a medical condition.