Do people believe these myths about HIV infection? How terrible is HIV and how to live with it You will be fine

Hello everyone, this is Olga Ryshkova. Why know how HIV differs from AIDS? You should be aware of the existence of this virus, ways to prevent infection, and, if it has already happened, about the treatment. And everything else is terminological subtleties and they do not solve the problem. But when I meet questions like “what is worse - AIDS or HIV?”, “is AIDS transmitted through saliva, kiss?”, I see how poorly many of us understand this problem. Let's take a quick look at the difference between these concepts.

• HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus, it is only a pathogen that may or may not enter the body.
• HIV infection is already a disease, the virus entered the body and began its dirty work - to multiply and destroy the cells of the immune system. A person feels healthy for a long time. He is simply a contagious carrier, immunity is strong for several years and resists diseases.
• AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is the last stage of HIV infection. What does it mean? That the virus has already destroyed the immune system, it can no longer protect the body, and for a person the time has come for severe infections, fungal infections and oncology. AIDS is no worse and no better than HIV infection, this is its final part. The transition from the stage of infection, when a person felt healthy, to the stage of illness. Therefore, the abbreviation contains the word "immunodeficiency", this is the stage when there are very few cells of the immune system left.

It's illiterate to say so.

From what has been said, it is clear that it is wrong to say:

• AIDS-infected, people are infected with the virus, not the syndrome.
• You can't get AIDS, you can only get a virus or an infection.
• AIDS is transmitted - the stage of the disease cannot be transmitted, but it can be a virus or an infection.
• The causative agent of AIDS is only the causative agent of HIV infection.
• AIDS is transmitted through the blood - the virus can be transmitted, not the stage of the disease.

Again, I agree, what is the difference between HIV and AIDS - this is terminology and it does not change the essence of the matter, but it's nice when people ask questions correctly and understand what they are talking about.

How to understand that AIDS has begun?

When HIV infection turns into AIDS, symptoms of the following diseases appear - fungal infections of the lungs, candidiasis, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, herpes, cytomegalovirus, lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma. Their manifestation, together with a change in laboratory parameters, indicates that AIDS has begun. The clinic does not depend on gender, in men and women this stage is the same with the predominance of certain pathologies. Many people have infections and normally the body copes with them. But when he cannot fight them because of the destroyed immunity, they become deadly.

How many years does HIV infection turn into AIDS?

A person has a certain number of cells of the immune system. To destroy them, the virus takes an average of 8-10 years. If left untreated, after so many years, HIV infection will enter the final stage.

It used to be, but now things have changed.

In the 80s and 90s of the last century, it was like that, the transition directly to the stage of an advanced disease took as much time as it took to destroy immunity, there was no effective treatment. Today's treatment is so effective that the average life expectancy of an HIV-infected person can be almost the same as any of us. Treatment reduces complications and delays the onset of AIDS.

Moreover, treatment reduces the likelihood of transmission of the pathogen from an HIV-infected person to a healthy person by 90%. That is, an infected person who takes treatment dramatically reduces the ability to infect another person, and this is very important. Authoritative experts say that the current antiviral therapy allows those infected to live, if not up to 80 years, then up to 75, because they will not necessarily have infections and oncology when HIV infection turns into AIDS.

I address HIV-infected people.

With the onset of AIDS, doctors will cope if you do not refuse treatment. But now I want to talk about something else. Infection puts you at a higher risk of heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Even if conscientiously treated, this risk will always be higher than the rest. What does it mean? Quit smoking, your heart is at risk, monitor your cholesterol levels and effectively reduce it under the supervision of a doctor. Move a lot and watch what you eat.

You must understand and accept that some things are not for you. For example, you should not eat undercooked meat, because this is the risk of infection with toxoplasmosis, which is dangerous for you. Eggs that are not hard-boiled, but soft-boiled or in a bag are a danger of salmonellosis. Liver pates, hot dogs - the likelihood of getting sick with listeriosis. You must block all ways for infections to enter your body. Even the simplest - do not forget to wash your hands. What passes by the healthy can be dangerous for you.

Do you think that HIV and AIDS have the same definition and are no different? You are deeply mistaken - the huge difference between these diseases is sometimes estimated at 12-15 years of life. We offer to find out what is the difference between HIV and AIDS, to consider their properties and stages.

If HIV is a virus that provokes a deficiency of immunity, then AIDS is a syndrome that leads to an infection. Simply put, the first is the beginning of the second.

Usually HIV turns into AIDS 10-12 years after infection. If a person can fully live with an immunodeficiency virus (with the exception of powerful stages of exacerbation), then with an acquired syndrome, his life is constantly in danger.

What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? The syndrome is the last stage of a viral infection, in which any disease that is completely harmless to a healthy person can be fatal.

Remember, HIV and AIDS are not the same thing. The differences between them are not only in definitions, but also in properties, signs of manifestation, stages of development.

HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus that weakens the immune system and provokes the development of opportunistic diseases. Once in the body, HIV is embedded in target cells - T-lymphocytes and CD 4 .

It differs from AIDS in that it develops before it and literally “leads” the body to this disease.

Attention! HIV is a “slow” virus because its first symptoms may appear several years after infection. About 50% of infected people are unaware of the infection for about 10 years.

Considering the difference between HIV and AIDS, it is important to note that the diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is made several years after infection, when serious diseases appear in the body.

The mode of transmission of infection is unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner, "blood to blood" and from an HIV-positive mother to her child. The disease is not transmitted by airborne droplets.

Properties of HIV

The immunodeficiency virus consists of an RNA molecule with embedded genetic information. Being an inanimate organism, it cannot spread on its own, therefore it “attacks” human cells and exists inside them.

Some properties of HIV:

• Outside the body, it dies after 24 hours;
• Not transmitted to animals;
• Cannot exist at temperatures above 60°C.

In a nutshell, HIV is a molecule and AIDS is a syndrome. It is a complex of serious diseases against the background of reduced immunity, unable to fight diseases.

When does HIV turn into AIDS? After the virus "attacks" the lymphocytes and weakens the immune system, it will continue to move through the blood to find other cells to multiply. The body will not have time to develop new lymphocytes, and then their level will decrease. When 200 or less cells remain per 1 mm of blood, the attending physician will make a diagnosis - "AIDS".

What is HIV infection?

HIV disease is not the same as AIDS. It is important that several months and even years may pass before the first symptoms appear in an infected person. By weakening the immune system and suppressing the vital activity of the body, the virus strengthens and multiplies.

What is more terrible for a person - HIV or AIDS? The answer to this question is no. Both diseases are dangerous for the body, but if the spread of the virus can be stopped, then there is no therapy for AIDS at the moment.

Considering the ways of transmission, it is important to note the most common - sexually in 60-65% of cases.

HIV symptoms

How and when the immunodeficiency virus will manifest itself in the body depends on concomitant diseases, the general condition of the patient's body, and its individual characteristics.

The first symptoms (similar to those of influenza and SARS):

• enlarged lymph nodes
• decrease in performance
• allergic reactions,
• skin peeling,
• fast fatiguability,
• loss of appetite,
• heat.

Symptoms indicating immunodeficiency in later stages:

• frequent fever,
• neurological disorders,
• chronic diseases,
• deterioration in memory function,
• drastic weight loss
• viral diseases,
• fungal and bacterial infections.

The initial symptoms are "wave-like" in nature - they can disappear on their own without treatment and return again after 2-3 weeks. The less healthy cells remain in the body, the more characteristic other symptoms appear. Getting tested for HIV is the only way to detect infection.

Stages of development of HIV infection

The stage of HIV depends on the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The sooner the virus is detected, the more effective subsequent antiretroviral therapy will be.

There are several stages of HIV:

1. Incubation period. It begins after infection, is asymptomatic or coincides with the symptoms of the flu. It is impossible to determine the presence of infection in the body, this period can reach several months.
2. Seroconversion. The production of the first antibodies in the body, which makes it possible to detect HIV at this stage of development. The immune system tries to eliminate the virus, which is accompanied by a frequent increase in body temperature.
3. Asymptomatic period. HIV gradually destroys the cells, the number of T-lymphocytes decreases over the course of 5-15 years, while the lymph nodes increase. It is important to control the level of lymphocytes in order to start timely treatment.
4. The last stage of HIV. AIDS occurs, the body loses the ability to resist any disease.

AIDS

AIDS is an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome that manifests itself in the form of one or more opportunistic diseases. Being a severe form of HIV, it can lead to the complete destruction of the immune system.

The result is a fatal outcome, which can occur even as a result of a common cold. The average life expectancy for a person diagnosed with AIDS is 6 months to 2 years.

The difference between AIDS and HIV is that when an infection occurs, the immune system can fight viruses, fungi, and bacteria. With acquired syndrome, the function of the immune response is lost.

HIV will turn after some time (10-12 years) into AIDS if left untreated. Properly formulated antiretroviral therapy will increase the duration and quality of life of an infected person.

What is AIDS?

AIDS is the terminal stage of the development of HIV infection. The acquired syndrome gradually destroys the human body, leading to dangerous diseases (pneumonia, tuberculosis, cancer, neuropsychological disorders, etc.).

How is HIV different from AIDS?

• the virus that causes AIDS;
• it is important to support the immune system and suppress the development of the virus;
• you can live for decades, remaining a carrier of the virus

AIDS

• the last stage of HIV infection;
• treatment for all concomitant diseases is required;
• quickly leads to death.

How is AIDS transmitted and how is it treated?

Any infection and AIDS are not compatible. Transmission occurs in the same ways - unprotected sexual contact, through infected blood or from mother to child.

Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for AIDS. To prolong life, it is important for patients to:

• Avoid contact with homeless animals;
• Do not communicate with people who have the flu, colds and other diseases transmitted by airborne droplets;
• To refuse from bad habits;
• Adhere to a balanced diet;
• Do exercise and more.

This therapy is aimed at preventing infection with diseases, because any of them can lead to death.

Timely detection and treatment of HIV infection will prevent the onset of AIDS. Remember, your health is in your hands!

In this article, we will consider the question: “Can HIV infection be cured?” You will learn about the types, diagnosis and prognosis of this pathology. Let's start with the fact that the disease is possible when the body is affected by the immunodeficiency virus. HIV infection is dangerous because the patient has a strong depression protective properties organism, which can lead to a number of problems. This list includes secondary infections, malignant tumors, and so on.

The disease can take many forms. Detect HIV infection in the following ways:

• detection of antibodies;
• detection of viral RNA.

Treatment is currently presented in the form of a complex of special antiretroviral drugs. The latter are able to reduce the reproduction of the virus, which contributes to a speedy recovery. You can learn more about everything that was said in this part by reading the article to the end.

HIV infection

In order to answer the main question (“Is it possible to cure HIV infection?”), it is necessary to understand what kind of disease it is. It can also be said about this virus that it progresses very slowly, the entire threat falls on the cells of the human immune system. For this reason, immunity is slowly but surely suppressed. As a result, you can "earn" the syndrome of acquired immunodeficiency (popularly called AIDS).

The human body ceases to resist and defend itself against various infections, resulting in diseases that do not develop in a person with a normal immune system.

Even without medical intervention, a person infected with HIV can live up to 10 years. If the infection has acquired the status of AIDS, then the average life expectancy is only 10 months. It is also important to point out that with the passage of a special treatment course, life expectancy increases significantly.

The following are factors that affect the rate of infection:

• the state of the immune system;
• age;
• strain;
• the presence of concomitant diseases;
• nutrition;
• therapy;
• medical care.

In older people, HIV infection develops more rapidly, insufficient medical care and concomitant infectious diseases are another reason for the rapid development of the disease. So, can HIV infection be cured? It is possible, but it takes a lot of time for the process of treatment and even more for rehabilitation.

Classification

HIV infection is considered the plague of the 21st century, but virologists already know that there is no single causative agent of this disease. In this regard, much has been written scientific works, which, perhaps, will subsequently give a result and allow a detailed answer to the question: “What types of HIV infection are there?”

What is known at the moment? Types of a terrible disease differ only in the location of the focus in nature. That is, depending on the region, there are types: HIV-1, HIV-2, and so on. Each of them leads its distribution in a particular area. This regional division allows the virus to adapt to local adverse factors.

In science, the type of HIV-1 has been most studied, and how many of them there are in total is a question that remains open for now. This happened because there are many blank spots in the history of the study of HIV and AIDS.

stages

Now we will try to deal with the question of how many people live with HIV infection. To do this, we will consider the stages of the disease. For convenience and better clarity, we will present the information in the form of a table.

Thus, with proper and timely treatment, proper nutrition and lifestyle, you can live a full long life (up to 70-80 years).

Symptoms

Now we will talk in more detail about the symptoms that accompany this disease.

Early symptoms of HIV infection:

• fever;
• rashes;
• pharyngitis;
• diarrhea.

In later stages, some more diseases may join. They occur as a result of a decrease in immunity. These include:

• angina;
• pneumonia;
• herpes;
• fungal infections and so on.

After this period, most likely, the latent stage will begin. It leads to the development of immunodeficiency. Now the immune cells are dying. On the body, you can notice signs of the disease - inflamed lymph nodes. It is also important to note that each organism is individual, the stages may go in the order given above, but some stages may also be missing. The same can be said about the symptoms.

HIV in children

In this section, you will learn whether HIV infection in children can be cured. First, let's talk about what are the causes of infection. These include:

• infection in the womb;
• use of raw medical instruments;
• organ transplant.

As for the first point, the probability of transmitting the infection is 50%. Treatment during pregnancy is a condition that greatly reduces the risk of infection. Now for the risk factors:

• lack of treatment;
• premature birth;
• natural childbirth;
• uterine bleeding;
• taking drugs and alcohol during pregnancy;
• breast-feeding.

Given these factors, you can reduce the risk by up to 10-20 percent. HIV treatment is definitely needed. At this stage in the development of medicine, there is no medicine that completely eliminates HIV. However, proper treatment can significantly improve the patient's condition and make it possible to live a full and happy life.

Diagnostics

Why is a disease diagnosed? Of course, to make a final and accurate diagnosis. If the fears are confirmed, it is urgent to go to the doctor. There is no need to delay here: the sooner you start treatment, the less problems there will be in the future. In no case should you self-medicate.

It is also important to know that many diseases can be hidden under the mask of HIV infection, which can be eliminated quite quickly with the help of medicine. Which country treats HIV infection? In all, you just have to go to a special institution where you need to take tests. When you get an answer in your hands, with a positive result, do not hesitate, go to a specialist.

To confirm the diagnosis, you need to pass a rapid test to detect infection. If he gave a positive result, then further research is carried out in the laboratory, where the stage is detected using ELISA or PCR methods.

Express test

A rapid test for HIV infection is currently the most common method that allows you to identify an illness at home on your own. Remember, until recently, for this it was necessary to donate blood from a vein, but now I went to the pharmacy - and after 5 minutes I found out the result. An express HIV test can also be ordered online.

All you need to do the test is a drop of blood from your finger. Do not forget that you need to wash your hands, for a puncture it is better to use a “pupa” (bought at a pharmacy), wipe your finger with alcohol. The HIV test is a real breakthrough in the diagnosis of this disease. The thing is that HIV may not manifest itself at all. The infection penetrates the cells and begins to destroy them, and when there are few healthy ones left, the body is no longer able to resist. This stage is called AIDS, and this disease is very dangerous.

• wash your hands with soap;
• wipe dry;
• open the package with the test;
• massage the finger that you will pierce, treat it with alcohol;
• make a puncture and place your finger over the blood reservoir;
• drip 5 drops of solvent into a special container;
• waiting 15 minutes.

Treatment

Treatment of HIV infection is carried out with the help of special antiretroviral drugs. It is necessary to start treatment as early as possible, this helps to delay the development of AIDS. Many people ignore treatment, because the virus did not show itself for a long time. This should not be done, because the body will give up sooner or later. It should be remembered that the virus has the most negative effect on the immune system, without treatment, you will soon have to wait for a whole string of serious and unpleasant diseases.

To prevent the development of AIDS, doctors try to suppress the virus. From the first day of detection of the disease, the patient must take special antiviral drugs that adversely affect the life cycle of the pathogen. That is, under the influence of antiretroviral drugs, the virus cannot fully develop in the human body.

A feature of HIV infection is a rapid adaptation to an unfavorable environment. For this reason, after taking the same medicine for a long time, the virus gets used and adapts to it. Then doctors resort to tricks - a combination of antiviral drugs. This is necessary so that it is impossible to develop resistance to them.

Preparations

In this section, we will talk about what drugs treat HIV infection. It was previously mentioned that therapy is carried out with the help of antiretroviral drugs. In total, 2 types can be distinguished:

• reverse transcriptase inhibitors;
• protease inhibitors.

The standard treatment regimen involves taking two drugs of the first type and one of the second. They are prescribed only by a qualified experienced doctor. The first type includes the following drugs:

• "Epivir".
• "Retrovir".
• "Ziagen".

The second type includes:

• Norvir.
• "Ritonavir".
• "Invirase".

Do not self-medicate, take the drugs in the dosage and according to the scheme prescribed by the attending physician.

Is it possible to fully recover?

So, can HIV infection be completely cured? At the moment, a tool has not yet been developed that would eliminate the virus by 100%. However, medicine does not stand still, perhaps a miracle drug for HIV infection will soon be developed.

Currently, medicine will help to live a long and happy life for those infected, maintaining their health with antiviral drugs.

Which doctor should I contact?

A doctor who treats HIV infection is an infectious disease specialist. If you suspect an immunodeficiency, you should contact this specialist. Where to find it? Reception should be conducted in each clinic. If the medical institution to which you are territorially attached does not have this doctor, then feel free to contact the district hospital.

The infectious disease specialist can list all complaints, he will prescribe special blood tests. Follow-up follow-up will follow. This is a mandatory part if the diagnosis is confirmed.

It is also important to know that there are anonymous AIDS centers everywhere. Help and initial consultation with an infectious disease specialist can also be obtained there.

Forecasts

How many people live with HIV infection? If treated, then with this disease it is possible to live up to 80 years. The earlier you start treatment, the easier it is to prevent the development of AIDS, which is the cause of death in this disease.

Now there is no drug that eliminates HIV infection by 100%. The average life expectancy of HIV-infected people is 12 years. But it is worth remembering that a lot depends on your efforts.

Prevention

Above, we told how HIV-infected people are treated in Russia, and now we will name the main preventive measures. In Russia, as in other countries, an integrated approach is applied. The main treatment is antiviral drugs.

• lead a safe and orderly intimate life;
• be sure to treat sexually transmitted diseases;
• avoid contact with other people's blood;
• use of disposable sealed syringes (do not use if the package is damaged).

These simple rules will help to avoid such a serious disease as AIDS. Follow them and stay healthy!

It is difficult to describe all the consequences of HIV infection. This is a complex process of finding a compromise, where much depends on who the message is addressed to. But how not to get bogged down in these quicksands and, moreover, how to get out of them without lying, maintaining trust and principles?

When communicating with a person who has just found out about his diagnosis, we emphasize that even with HIV it is possible to lead a normal life, that a 20-year-old person who has been diagnosed with HIV may well live up to 70 years and even longer. We say that modern treatment does not cause any particular inconvenience and has virtually no side effects. The tone of the conversation is lively, as if nothing special is happening, along the way we are tediously and repeatedly reminded of the need for adherence to treatment and disclosure of information if required by law.

At the same time, communication with an HIV-negative person is completely different; we explain that HIV is a disease to be avoided at all costs.

To those who allocate funds for our activities, we say that HIV remains a terrible epidemic and a threat that must be fought at all costs to the bitter end.

Among ourselves, we argue about whether HIV is a "chronic controlled disease." We debate whether the stigma situation is better or worse than before.

How serious is it?

There are even those who consider HIV to be a common disease, which, in principle, is not true. For example, the World Health Organization states: “Because of the long incubation period, the multiple modes of transmission, most commonly sexual, and the ability to undermine our tremendous efforts to develop a vaccine and find a definitive cure, HIV is one of the most complex, serious, and possibly , the most devastating of all infectious diseases that mankind has ever faced.

In addition, HIV is one of the few diseases that is criminalized and is associated with a number of social problems, which contribute to the further spread of HIV infection and exacerbate its consequences. When talking about HIV, we are inevitably confronted with questions about inequality and injustice. About shame and self-stigmatization. About difficulties with work and housing, about gender and racial problems, about the availability and inaccessibility of treatment. HIV is undoubtedly a complex, multifaceted disease.

Given its complexity, I would say that there is enough room for different opinions about the consequences of infection and the impact of HIV on a person's life. There is a place for those who have come to terms with their HIV infection. There is also a place for those who climb the barricades and with varying success, but invariably ardently and desperately fight the system - that is, HIV.

Personal experience

Our view of HIV is, of course, shaped by our own experiences. In my case, everything was simple. I was diagnosed in 1993 and simultaneously became friends with a guy who had advanced AIDS and tried to take care of myself by attending several support groups. Although I remained calm in this valley of death, a sense of our own mortality followed us relentlessly. To get an idea of ​​what was going on in support groups in the 80s and 90s, it is enough to turn on the musical La bohème (Rent). “Will I lose my dignity? Will anyone care about this? Will I wake up tomorrow from this nightmare? I remember once I asked if the dog would be allowed to my deathbed when the time was right.

Everything will be ok

Whatever you say, living with HIV in 2018 is much easier compared to those terrible times. It is true that we survivors have scars, both on the body and on the soul, but we are alive. And we have the right to inspire optimism in those who have been diagnosed recently. We can strive for a normal life. And this campaign helps us

Despite or perhaps because of this, my own experience is more in favor of the view we have of HIV for newly diagnosed people: “You will be fine, you will be able to live a normal life.” If we wear T-shirts that say “HIV is not a crime” or that I am “Not ashamed of having HIV”, we mean that we are striving for a normal life. There is nothing wrong with this, even if someone can only dream about it.

HIV is a threat to humanity

At the same time, there are some moments that cannot be considered normal in any way. It is not normal for the world to be confronted with an infectious disease that kills 1 million people a year and that, 35 years after its discovery, we have no cure. We cannot be complacent when there are 1.8 million new infections every year in the world. We need to continue to act and talk about it in all seriousness. And if we manage to live a relatively normal life with HIV, remember that this is more of an exception than the rule and that few - too few - can boast of it. We also need to convey to funders that HIV is still a threat and an insult to humanity, in which case we emphasize how serious the situation is, not how much it can be controlled.

Ultimately, we must make living with HIV as normal as possible by emphasizing the abnormal nature of the epidemic. This is a complex process of finding a compromise, but there is no other way. Our community has accumulated solid experience - and in general, we are doing well so far.

HIV is not a barrier to a fulfilling life!