HIV-Aids

AIDS, also known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is a condition that typically affects the immune cells of the body and is caused by the HIV human immunodeficiency virus.

In simple terms, this affects the immune system of the body and makes it less capable of defending against other harmful bacteria and microbes. As a result of this, the body gets prone to different infections and allergies.

When HIV is not treated and left for years, it damages the immune system further to AIDS.

Even though it is considered a form of taboo, HIV or AIDS is not contagious through direct contact. However, it can spread from internal body fluid contact, like semen, saliva, urine, and so on.

The issue only transmits from an infected person to a healthy one during sex. In addition, this is the reason why it is commonly listed as a type of STI.

Another common method of transfer is during blood transfusion through needles and syringes. The issue can occur in a child even before childbirth when the pregnant mother is HIV positive, or during childbirth, or when breastfeeding.

To this day, there is no standard remedy to cure HIV/AIDS. However, some treatments can control the symptoms. Doctors typically give a suitable remedy to control the damage of the virus on the immune system and prevent it from spreading in your body.

Symptoms

The signs of HIV and AIDS will vary and depend on which stage of the infection you are in right now.

• Primary Infection Or Acute HIV

When you have the infection, it often causes a flu-like fever within the next 2 or 4 weeks. Medicines to get rid of the fever may have little to no effect at all.

Often, in this stage, there are very few symptoms to be able to understand that someone has HIV or AIDS.

Some of the mild issues that may occur are-

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle cramps
• Rashes
• Sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Cough

• Latent Infection Stage- Chronic HIV Stage

This is a latent stage of the disorder in which people barely have any visible signs or clues about the disorder. You still have the HIV disorder, but the number of WBCs starts to reduce rapidly, and their normal functions become erratic.

• Symptomatic HIV Infection

This is the stage where HIV rapidly kills immune T cells of the body and causes mild to severe infections.

Some of the issues can include-

• Pneumonia
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Yeast infections

Progression From HIV To AIDS

Having AIDS means that your immune system is barely functional anymore and is not able to defend itself against simple infections like a viral fever or flu.

However, thanks to the improvement in antiviral medicines and treatments, the cases of death because of AIDS have significantly reduced globally.

When you do not get rid of the HIV, it often transforms into AIDS over several years, sometimes even decades. As per the scientists’ view, you only get AIDS when your body has a very low count of CD4 cells.

Typically, in a person suffering from AIDS, their number will be less than 200.

Some of the signs that you are having these infections are-

• Cold sweats
• Chills
• Recurring fever
• Severe diarrhea
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Fatigue
• Weaknesses
• Rapid weight loss
• Skin rashes

Cause

HIV, as we told you above, does not merely transmit through skin-to-skin contact.

However, it only gets to a healthy person from internal contact or touch, like-

• Sex
• Use of needles by the infected person
• Blood transfusion from the infected person
• During pregnancy
• Child delivery
• Breastfeeding
• Use of illegal drugs

Risk Factors

• Having other STIs like syphilis or gonorrhea that cause sores in the body, which allow HIV to enter.
• Not using condoms during intimacy
• Not replacing needles after use
• Blood transfusion from an unknown or unverified person

Infections That Are Common To People With HIV/ AIDS

• Pneumocystis pneumonia or PCP
• Candidiasis
• Tuberculosis
• Cytomegalovirus
• Meningitis
• Toxoplasmolysis

Cancers That Typically Affect People With HIV/ AIDS

• Blood cancer
• Blood vessel cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Uterine cancer
• Penis cancer
• Testicular cancer

Use Of Medicines To Cure HIV/ AIDS

The doctors will give you a certain type of prescription medicine known as PrEP. This can be taken in the form of an oral pill or as injections. Some of the common oral medicine brands are-

• Truvada
• Descovy

The aim of using such medicines and injections is to reduce the chances of having AIDS in people who already have HIV that has been diagnosed.

As per health studies at the FDA, the use of such PrEP pills can reduce the chances of having AIDS by more than 95%. Use of injections reduces your chance of having AIDS by 75%.

The first approved drug from the US FDA is cabotegravir with its brand name Apretude. This medicine is generally given in the form of an injection for direct action in the patient.

• Dose

The ideal dose is given by the doctors depending on the severity of HIV, chances of having AIDS, and other health issues.

The doctors will suitably match the dose to avoid chances of any side effects. The most common way is to visit a healthcare expert who will give the vaccination to a patient.

As per FDA guidelines, the dose is-

• Once a month for the first 2 to 3 months
• Thereafter, once every 2 months

Despite taking this vaccine or using any other pill, you still need to keep following the safety tips to reduce the chances of having HIV.

Measures To Avoid Having HIV Or AIDS

• Avoid using needles more than once
• Avoid blood transfusion
• Using condoms during sex
• Get in touch with your doctor if you have HIV and get pregnant right away.

Final Thoughts

So, as you can see in this article, we have given you a fair bit of information about a disorder sometimes thought of as taboo in our society. You should now have a very clear idea about the difference between HIV and AIDS and some common remedies for them.