2023-12-01 09:58:50
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it develops into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Retrovirus
HIV belongs to the Retrovirus family. The retrovirus works by converting its RNA into DNA once it is in the host cell, and then incorporates this DNA into the host cell’s DNA, allowing the virus to reproduce.
In normal cells, your DNA tells the cells in your body what RNA to make.
The RNA then makes different proteins that have different functions in the body. Retroviruses work in the opposite way, hence their name, “retroviruses,” meaning backwards.
Once a person is infected with HIV, they use their RNA to direct cells to make DNA that tells the cells to replicate the virus.
Then, once that cell divides as part of normal cell production, this DNA is present in the new cell. This DNA now tells the cell to make the RNA and proteins that make up the virus.
What is the origin of AIDS?
HIV infection in humans came from a species of chimpanzee in Central Africa.
Studies indicate that HIV may have been transmitted from chimpanzees to humans in the late 19th century, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The chimpanzee version of the virus is called simian immunodeficiency virus, and it was likely transmitted to humans when humans hunted chimpanzees for meat and came into contact with their contaminated blood.
Over decades, HIV spread slowly throughout Africa and later to other parts of the world.
The virus has been present in the United States since at least the mid-to-late 1970s.
How do I know if I have HIV?
The only way to know if you are infected with HIV is to get tested.
Symptoms of HIV
Most people experience flu-like symptoms within 2 to 4 weeks following infection, and symptoms may last for a few days or several weeks.
Having these symptoms alone does not mean that you are infected with HIV, as there are other diseases that can cause similar symptoms.
Some people have no symptoms at all, and the only way to know if a person is infected with HIV is to get tested.
What are the stages of HIV?
Acute HIV infection
People have a large amount of HIV in their blood and are highly contagious. Many people experience flu-like symptoms.
If you have flu-like symptoms and think you may have been exposed to HIV, get tested.
Chronic HIV infection
This stage is also called asymptomatic HIV infection or clinical latency.
HIV is still active and continues to multiply in the body. People may not have any symptoms or become sick during this stage but they can transmit HIV. People who take HIV treatment as prescribed may never progress to stage III (AIDS). Without HIV treatment, this stage may last a decade or more, or it may progress faster. At the end of this stage, the amount of HIV in the blood increases (viral load) and the person may move to stage 3 (AIDS).
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
The most severe stage of HIV infection.
People with AIDS can have a high viral load (a large amount of virus) and may easily transmit HIV to others. People with AIDS have severely damaged immune systems and can develop an increased number of opportunistic infections or other serious diseases. Without HIV treatment, people with AIDS usually live regarding 3 years.
World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 of each year, and its purpose is to urge people around the world to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and show international solidarity to combat this epidemic, according to the World Health Organization.
World AIDS Day 2023 came under the slogan of giving leadership to communities, to indicate the pivotal influence that communities have had in shaping the response to HIV and global health in general.
World AIDS Day is an opportunity to reflect on the progress made to date, raise awareness of the challenges that remain in order to achieve the goals of eliminating AIDS by 2030, and mobilize all stakeholders to jointly redouble efforts in order to ensure the success of the HIV response.
HIV has claimed the lives of 40.4 million people, and estimates indicate that the number of people infected with the virus will reach 39 million people at the end of 2022.
In 2022, 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes and 1.3 million people became infected with the virus.
The World Health Organization, the Global Fund and UNAIDS have global HIV strategies that are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of ending the HIV pandemic by 2030.
By 2025, 95% of all people infected with HIV should be diagnosed, and 95% of those infected should be on life-saving antiretroviral therapy.
HIV targets the body’s white blood cells, weakening the immune system. This facilitates the incidence of diseases such as tuberculosis, infections, and some types of cancer.
If people with HIV are not treated, they may develop serious illnesses such as:
Tuberculosis, meningitis, severe bacterial infections, some cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi’s sarcoma.
HIV exacerbates other infections, such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and monkeypox.
Disease transmission
The virus can be transmitted through an infected person’s body fluids, such as blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal secretions. It can also be transmitted during pregnancy and childbirth. The infection is not transmitted through normal daily contact, such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal items, food, or water.
protection
HIV is a preventable disease.
Reduce your chance of getting HIV infection by:
Use a male or female condom to protect once morest infection. Get tested for HIV infection and sexually transmitted infections. Voluntary medical circumcision of males
treatment
The World Health Organization says there is no cure for HIV infection. This infection is treated with antiretroviral drugs that prevent the virus from multiplying in the body.
The organization adds that currently used antiretroviral therapy does not cure HIV infection, but it allows a person’s immune system to become stronger. This helps it fight other types of infections.
Currently, antiretroviral therapy must be taken daily for the remainder of the infected person’s life.
Antiretroviral therapy reduces the amount of virus in a person’s body. This stops the symptoms and allows the person to live a full, healthy life.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies + World Health Organization
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