Is it possible to connect your life with HIV? The danger of HIV infection for the patient and others. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
HIV is an acronym that stands for human immunodeficiency virus, which attacks the human immune system, causing HIV infection.
The last stage of HIV infection is AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
HIV infection and AIDS: what is the fundamental difference between these two conditions?
HIV infection
Incurable infectious disease. It belongs to the group of slow viral infections with a long-term course that affects the immune system.
That is, the virus, having entered the body of a healthy person from a sick person, may not manifest itself in any way for many years.
However, HIV gradually destroys the cells of the immune system, which is designed to protect the human body from all kinds of infections and negative influences.
Therefore, over time, the immune system “loses its ground.”
AIDS
A condition in which the human immune system is practically unable to fight infections, resist the development of cancer cells and various harmful environmental factors. At this stage, any infection, even the most harmless one, can lead to the development of a serious illness, and subsequently the death of the patient from complications, encephalitis or a tumor.
Facts about the disease
Perhaps now there is not a single adult who has never heard of HIV infection. It’s not for nothing that it’s called the “plague of the 20th century.” And even in the 11th century, it moves forward by leaps and bounds, claiming about 5,000 human lives all over the world every day. Although, As a disease, HIV has a not so long history.
It is believed that HIV infection began its “triumphant march” across the planet back in the 70s of the last century, when the first mass cases of infection with symptoms similar to AIDS were described.
However, they started talking about HIV infection officially only in the early 80s of the last century:
- In 1981, two articles were published that described the development of an unusual pneumocystis pneumonia (caused by a yeast-like fungus) and Kaposi's sarcoma (a malignant skin tumor) in homosexual men.
- In July 1982, the term “AIDS” was coined to describe the new disease.
- The human immunodeficiency virus was discovered in 1983 simultaneously in two independent laboratories:
- In France at the Institute. Louis Pasteur under the direction of Luc Montagnier
- In the USA at the National Cancer Institute under the leadership of Gallo Robert
- In 1985, a technique was developed that determined the presence of antibodies to HIV in the blood of patients - an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
- In 1987, the first case of HIV infection in the USSR was diagnosed. The patient is a homosexual man who worked as a translator in African countries.
- In 1988, the World Health Organization declared International AIDS Day on December 1st.
Where did HIV come from? There is no clear answer to this question. However, there are several hypotheses.
The most common theory is that man became infected from a monkey. It is based on the fact that in apes (chimpanzees) living in Central Africa (Congo), a virus was isolated from the blood that can cause the development of AIDS in humans. It is likely that human infection occurred through accidental injury during butchering of a monkey carcass or a human being bitten by a monkey.
However, monkey HIV is a weak virus and the human body copes with it within one week. But for the virus to harm the immune system, it must be transmitted from one person to another within a short time. Then the virus mutates (changes), acquiring properties characteristic of human HIV.
There is also an assumption that HIV existed for a long time among the tribes of Central Africa. However, it was only with the onset of increased migration in the 20th century that the virus spread throughout the world.
Statistics
Every year, a huge number of people around the world become infected with HIV.
Number of HIV-infected people
- Worldwide as of 01/01/2013 amounted to 35.3 million people
- In Russia at the end of 2013 - about 780,000 people, with 51,190 thousand identified between 01/01/13 and 08/31/13
- By CIS countries(data as of the end of 2013):
- Ukraine - about 350,000
- Kazakhstan - about 16,000
- Belarus - 15,711
- Moldova - 7,800
- Georgia - 4,094
- Armenia - 3,500
- Tajikistan - 4,700
- Azerbaijan - 4,171
- Kyrgyzstan - about 5,000
- Turkmenistan - officials say HIV infection does not exist in the country
- Uzbekistan - about 7,800
Mortality
Since the beginning of the epidemic, about 36 million people have died from AIDS. Moreover, the mortality rate of patients is decreasing year by year - thanks to successful highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART or ART).
Celebrities who died from AIDS
- Gia Carangi- American supermodel. She died in 1986. She suffered from a severe form of drug addiction.
- Freddie Mercury- lead singer of the legendary rock band Queen. Died in 1991.
- Michael Wastphal- famous tennis player. He died at the age of 26.
- Rudolf Nureyev- a legend of world ballet. Died in 1993.
- Ryan White- the first and most famous child with HIV infection. He suffered from hemophilia and contracted HIV through a blood transfusion at age 13. The boy, together with his mother, fought for the rights of HIV-infected people all his life. Ryan White died of AIDS in 1990 at the age of 18, but did not lose: he proved to the whole world that HIV-infected people do not pose a threat if basic precautions are taken, and have the right to an ordinary life.
AIDS virus
There is probably no other virus that is studied so thoroughly and at the same time remains a big mystery for scientists, claiming thousands of lives every year, including children. This is due to the fact that the human immunodeficiency virus changes very quickly: 1000 mutations per gene. Therefore, an effective drug against it has not yet been found and no vaccine has been developed. Whereas, for example, the influenza virus mutates 30 (!) less often.In addition, there are several varieties of the virus itself.
HIV: structure
There are two main types of HIV:- HIV-1or HIV-1(discovered in 1983) is the main causative agent of infection. It is very aggressive, causing typical manifestations of the disease. Most often found in Western Europe and Asia, South and North America, Central Africa.
- HIV-2 or HIV-2(discovered in 1986) is a less aggressive analogue of HIV-1, so the disease is milder. Not so widespread: found in western Africa, Germany, France, Portugal.
Structure
HIV- a spherical (spherical) particle having a size from 100 to 120 nanometers. The virus shell is dense, formed by a double lipid (fat-like substance) layer with “spikes”, and under it is a protein layer (p-24 capsid).
Under the capsule are:
- two strands of viral RNA (ribonucleic acid) - a carrier of genetic information
- viral enzymes: protease, intergrase and transcriptase
- p7 protein
The most important feature of retroviruses is the presence of a special enzyme: reverse transcriptase. Thanks to this enzyme, the virus converts its RNA into DNA (a molecule that ensures the storage and transmission of genetic information to subsequent generations), which it then introduces into the host cells.
HIV: properties
HIV is not stable in the external environment:- quickly dies under the influence of a 5% solution of hydrogen peroxide, ether, chloramine solution, 70 0 C alcohol, acetone
- outside the body in the open air dies within a few minutes
- at +56 0 C - 30 minutes
- when boiling - instantly
HIV: features of the life cycle
HIV has a special affinity (prefers) for certain cells of the immune system - helper T-lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, as well as cells of the nervous system, in the membrane of which there are special receptors - CD4 cells. However, there is an assumption that HIV also infects other cells.What are the cells of the immune system responsible for?
T lymphocytes-helpers activate the work of almost all cells of the immune system, and also produce special substances that fight foreign agents: viruses, microbes, fungi, allergens. That is, in fact, they control the functioning of almost the entire immune system.
Monocytes and macrophages - cells that absorb foreign particles, viruses and microbes, digesting them.
The HIV life cycle includes several phases
Let's look at them using the example of a helper T lymphocyte:- Once in the body, the virus binds to special receptors on the surface of the T-lymphocyte - CD4 cells. Next, it penetrates the host cell and sheds the outer membrane.
- Using reverse transcriptase a DNA copy (one chain) is synthesized on the viral RNA (template). The copy is then completed into double-stranded DNA.
- Double-stranded DNA moves into the T-lymphocyte nucleus, where it is integrated into the DNA of the host cell. At this stage, the active enzyme is integrase.
- The DNA copy remains in the host cell from several months to several years, “sleeping,” so to speak. At this stage, the presence of the virus in the human body can be detected using tests with specific antibodies.
- Any secondary infection provokes the transfer of information from the DNA copy to the template (viral) RNA, which leads to further replication of the virus.
- Next, the host cell's ribosomes (protein-producing particles) synthesize viral proteins on the viral RNA.
- Then from viral RNA and newly synthesized viral proteins assembly of new parts of viruses occurs, which leave the cell, destroying it.
- New viruses attach to receptors on the surface of other T lymphocytes - and the cycle begins again.
General diagram of the division of HIV along with a photograph taken under an electron microscope.
HIV infection
Gone are the days when it was believed that HIV infection was a disease that only affected drug addicts, sex workers and homosexuals.Anyone can become infected, regardless of social status, financial income, gender, age and sexual orientation. The source of infection is an HIV-infected person at any stage of the infectious process.
HIV doesn't just fly through the air. It is found in biological fluids of the body: blood, semen, vaginal secretions, breast milk, cerebrospinal fluid. For infection, an infectious dose of about 10,000 viral particles must enter the bloodstream.
Routes of transmission of HIV infection
- Heterosexual contacts- unprotected vaginal sex.
The risk of infection after one sexual contact with ejaculation ranges from 0.1 to 0.32% for the passive partner (the “receiving” side), and 0.01-0.1% for the active partner (the “introducing” side).
However, infection can occur after one sexual contact if there is any other sexually transmitted disease (STD): syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and others. Since the number of T-helper lymphocytes and other cells of the immune system increases in the inflammatory focus. And then HIV “enters the human body on a white horse.”
In addition, with all STDs, the mucous membrane is prone to injury, so its integrity is often compromised: cracks, ulcers, and erosions appear. As a result, infection occurs much faster.
The likelihood of infection increases with prolonged sexual intercourse: if the husband is sick, then within three years in 45-50% of cases the wife becomes infected, if the wife is sick - in 35-45% of the cases the husband becomes infected. A woman’s risk of infection is higher because a large amount of infected sperm enters the vagina, it stays in contact with the mucous membrane for longer, and the contact area is larger.
- Intravenous drug use
Since drug addicts often use shared non-sterile medical syringes or shared containers for preparing the solution when administering drugs intravenously. The probability of infection is 30-35%.
In addition, drug addicts often engage in promiscuous sex, which several times increases the likelihood of infection for both themselves and others.
- Unprotected anal sex regardless of sexual orientation
- Unprotected oral sex
However, the risk of infection increases if there are jams in the corners of the mouth, and wounds and ulcers in the cavity.
- Children born from HIV-infected mothers
It is possible for a healthy mother to become infected when breastfeeding a sick child, if the woman has cracked nipples and the baby’s gums bleed.
- Accidental injuries with medical instruments, subcutaneous and intramuscular injections
- Blood transfusion and organ transplantation
On a note
The likelihood of infection depends on the initial state of the person’s immune system: the weaker it is, the faster infection occurs, and the more severe the disease. In addition, it matters what the viral load of an HIV-infected person is; if it is high, then the risk of infection increases several times.
Diagnosis of HIV infection
It is quite complex because its symptoms appear a long time after infection and are similar to other diseases. That's why The main method of early diagnosis is testing for HIV infection.Methods for diagnosing HIV infection
They were developed a long time ago and are constantly being improved, reducing the risk of both false negative and false positive results to a minimum. Most often Blood is used for diagnosis. However, there are test systems for detecting HIV in saliva (scraping from the oral mucosa) and in urine, but they have not yet found widespread use.Available three main stages of diagnosis HIV infections in adults:
- Preliminary- screening (sorting), which serves to select presumably infected individuals
- Referential
- Confirming- expert
Some concepts in the context of diagnosing HIV infection:
- Antigen- the virus itself or its particles (proteins, fats, enzymes, capsule particles, and so on).
- Antibody- cells produced by the immune system in response to HIV entering the body.
- Seroconversion- immune response. Once in the body, HIV multiplies rapidly. In response, the immune system begins to produce antibodies, the concentration of which increases over the next few weeks. And only when their number reaches a certain level (seroconversion), they are detected by special test systems. Then the level of the virus drops, and the immune system calms down.
- "Window period"- the interval from the moment of infection to the appearance of seroconversion (on average 6-12 weeks). This is the most dangerous period, since the risk of HIV transmission is high, and the test system gives a false negative result
Screening stage
Definition total antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . It is usually informative 3-6 months after infection. However, sometimes it detects antibodies a little earlier: three to five weeks after dangerous contact.It is preferable to use fourth generation test systems. They have one feature - in addition to antibodies, they also detect the HIV antigen - p-24-Capsid, which makes it possible to identify the virus even before the development of a sufficient level of antibodies, reducing the “window period”.
However, in most countries, outdated third or even second generation test systems (only detect antibodies) are still used, because they are cheaper.
However, they are more often give false positive results: if there is an infectious disease during pregnancy, autoimmune processes (rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis), the presence of the Epstein-Bar virus in the body and some other diseases.
If the ELISA result is positive, then the diagnosis of HIV infection is not made, but proceeds to the next stage of diagnosis.
Reference stage
It is carried out with more sensitive test systems 2-3 times. In case of two positive results, proceed to the third stage.Expert stage - immunoblotting
A method in which antibodies to individual HIV proteins are determined.Consists of several stages:
- HIV is broken down into antigens using electrophoresis.
- using the blotting method (in a special chamber), they are transferred to special strips on which proteins characteristic of HIV are already applied.
- The patient's blood is applied to the strips; if it contains antibodies to the antigens, a reaction occurs that is visible on the test strips.
Therefore there are two options for conducting the expert stage laboratory diagnosis of HIV infection:
| First option | Second option |
Available another sensitive diagnostic method HIV infection - polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - determination of DNA and RNA of the virus. However, it has a significant drawback - a high percentage of false positive results. Therefore, it is used in combination with other methods.
Diagnosis in children born from HIV-infected mothers
It has its own characteristics, since maternal antibodies to HIV may be present in the child’s blood, which penetrate the placenta. They are present from the moment of birth, remaining until 15-18 months of life. However, the absence of antibodies does not indicate that the child is not infected.Diagnostic tactics
- up to 1 month - PCR, since the virus does not multiply intensively during this period
- older than a month - determination of p24-Capsid antigen
- laboratory diagnostic examination and observation from birth to 36 months
Symptoms and signs of HIV in men and women
Diagnosis is difficult because the clinical manifestations are similar to those of other infections and diseases. In addition, HIV infection progresses differently in different people.Stages of HIV infection
According to the Russian clinical classification of HIV infection (V.I. Pokrovsky)HIV infection symptoms
- The first stage is incubation
The virus is actively reproducing. Duration - from the moment of infection to 3-6 weeks (sometimes up to one year). In case of weakened immunity - up to two weeks.
Symptoms
None. You can be suspicious if there was a dangerous situation: unprotected casual sexual contact, blood transfusion, and so on. Test systems do not detect antibodies in the blood. - The second stage - primary manifestations
The body's immune response to the introduction, reproduction and massive spread of HIV. The first symptoms appear within the first three months after infection; they may precede seroconversion. Duration is usually 2-3 weeks (rarely several months).
Flow options
- 2A - Asymptomatic There are no manifestations of the disease. There is only the production of antibodies.
- 2B - Acute infection without secondary diseases It is observed in 15-30% of patients. It occurs as an acute viral infection or infectious mononucleosis.
- Increased body temperature 38.8C and above is a response to the introduction of the virus. The body begins to produce an active biological substance - interlekin, which “gives a signal” to the hypothalamus (located in the brain) that there is a “stranger” in the body. Therefore, energy production increases and heat transfer decreases.
- Enlarged lymph nodes- reaction of the immune system. In the lymph nodes, the production of antibodies by lymphocytes against HIV increases, which leads to working hypertrophy (increase in size) of the lymph nodes.
- Skin rashes in the form of red spots and compactions, small hemorrhages up to 10 mm in diameter, prone to merging with each other. The rash is located symmetrically, mainly on the skin of the torso, but sometimes on the face and neck. It is a consequence of direct damage by the virus to T-lymphocytes and macrophages in the skin, which leads to disruption of local immunity. Therefore, there is subsequently an increased susceptibility to various pathogens.
- Diarrhea(frequent loose stools) develops due to the direct effect of HIV on the intestinal mucosa, which causes changes in the local immune system and also impairs absorption.
- Sore throat(sore throat, pharyngitis) and oral cavity due to the fact that HIV affects the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, as well as lymphoid tissue (tonsils). As a result, swelling of the mucous membrane appears, the tonsils become enlarged, which causes a sore throat, painful swallowing and other symptoms characteristic of a viral infection.
- Enlarged liver and spleen associated with the reaction of the immune system to the introduction of HIV into the body.
- Sometimes autoimmune diseases develop(psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and others). The cause and mechanism of formation are not yet clear. However, most often these diseases occur in later stages.
- 2B - Acute infection with secondary diseases
It is observed in 50-90% of patients. It occurs against the background of a temporary decrease in CD4 lymphocytes, so the immune system is weakened and cannot fully resist “strangers.”
Secondary diseases occur caused by microbes, fungi, viruses: candidiasis, herpes, respiratory tract infections, stomatitis, dermatitis, sore throat and others. As a rule, they respond well to treatment. Then the state of the immune system stabilizes, and the disease moves to the next stage.
- The third stage is long-term widespread enlargement of the lymph nodes
Duration - from 2 to 15-20 years, since the immune system inhibits the reproduction of the virus. During this period, the level of CD4 lymphocytes gradually decreases: at approximately a rate of 0.05-0.07x109/l per year.
There is only an increase in at least two groups of lymph nodes (LNs) that are not connected to each other for three months, with the exception of the inguinal ones. The size of the lymph nodes in adults is more than 1 cm, in children - more than 0.5 cm. They are painless and elastic. Gradually, the lymph nodes decrease in size, remaining in this state for a long time. But sometimes they can increase again and then decrease - and so on for several years.
- Stage four - secondary diseases (pre-AIDS)
Develops when the immune system is depleted: the level of CD4 lymphocytes, macrophages, and other cells of the immune system drops significantly.
Therefore, HIV, having practically no response from the immune system, begins to multiply intensively. It affects more and more healthy cells, leading to the development of tumors and severe infectious diseases - opurtonic infections (the body can easily cope with them under normal conditions). Some of them occur only in HIV-infected people, and some - in ordinary people, only in HIV-positive people they are much more severe.
The disease can be suspected if there are at least 2-3 diseases or conditions listed at each stage.
Has three stages
- 4A. Develops 6-10 years after infection with a CD4 lymphocyte level of 350-500 CD4/mm3 (in healthy people it ranges from 600-1900CD4/mm3).
- Losing body weight up to 10% of initial weight in less than 6 months. The reason is that the viral proteins invade the body’s cells, suppressing protein synthesis in them. Therefore, the patient literally “dries out before our eyes,” and the absorption of nutrients in the intestines is also impaired.
- Repeated damage to the skin and mucous membranes by bacteria (ulcers, boils), fungi (candidiasis, lichen), viruses (herpes zoster)
- Pharyngitis and sinusitis (more than three times a year).
- 4A. Develops 6-10 years after infection with a CD4 lymphocyte level of 350-500 CD4/mm3 (in healthy people it ranges from 600-1900CD4/mm3).
- 4B. Occurs 7-10 years after infection with a CD4 lymphocyte level of 350-200 CD4/mm3.
Characterized by diseases and conditions:
- Loss of body weight more than 10% in 6 months. There is weakness.
- Increase in body temperature to 38.0-38.5 0 C for more than 1 month.
- Chronic diarrhea (diarrhea) for more than 1 month develops as a result of both direct damage to the intestinal mucosa by the virus and the addition of a secondary infection, usually mixed.
- Leukoplakia is the growth of the papillary layer of the tongue: white thread-like formations appear on its lateral surface, sometimes on the mucous membrane of the cheeks. Its occurrence is a bad sign for the prognosis of the disease.
- Deep lesions of the skin and mucous membranes (candidiasis, lichen simplex, molluscum contagiosum, rubrophytia, lichen versicolor and others) with a protracted course.
- Repeated and persistent bacterial (tonsillitis, pneumonia), viral (cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Bar virus, herpes simplex virus) infections.
- Repeated or widespread shingles caused by the varicella zoster virus.
- Localized (non-spread) Kaposi's sarcoma is a malignant skin tumor that develops from the vessels of the lymphatic and circulatory system.
- Pulmonary tuberculosis.
- 4B. Develops 10-12 years after infection when the CD4 lymphocyte level is less than 200 CD4/mm3. Life-threatening diseases arise.
Characterized by diseases and conditions:
- Extreme exhaustion, lack of appetite and severe weakness. Patients are forced to spend more than a month in bed.
- Pneumocystis pneumonia (caused by a yeast-like fungus) is a marker of HIV infection.
- Often recurrent herpes, manifested by non-healing erosions and ulcers on the mucous membranes.
- Protozoal diseases: cryptosporidiosis and isosporosis (affect the intestines), toxoplasmosis (focal and diffuse brain lesions, pneumonia) - markers of HIV infection.
- Candidiasis of the skin and internal organs: esophagus, respiratory tract, etc.
- Extrapulmonary tuberculosis: bones, meninges, intestines and other organs.
- Common Kaposi's sarcoma.
- Mycobacterioses that affect the skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system and other internal organs. Mycobacteria are present in water, soil, and dust. They cause disease only in HIV-infected people.
- Cryptococcal meningitis is caused by a fungus that is present in the soil. It usually does not occur in a healthy body.
- Diseases of the central nervous system: dementia, movement disorders, forgetfulness, decreased ability to concentrate, slowed thinking abilities, gait disturbance, personality changes, clumsiness in the hands. It develops both due to the direct impact of HIV on nerve cells for a long time, and as a result of complications that develop after illness.
- Malignant tumors of any location.
- Damage to the kidneys and heart caused by HIV infection.
- Fifth stage - terminal
Develops when the CD4 cell count is below 50-100 CD4/mm3. At this stage, all existing diseases progress; treatment of secondary infections is ineffective. The patient’s life depends on HAART, but, unfortunately, it, as well as the treatment of secondary diseases, are ineffective. Therefore, patients usually die within a few months.
There is a classification of HIV infection according to WHO, but it is less structured, so mostly specialists prefer to work according to Pokrovsky’s classification.
The given data on the stages and their manifestations of HIV infection are averaged. Not all patients go through the stages sequentially, sometimes “skipping” through them or staying at a certain stage for a long time.
Therefore, the course of the disease can be quite long (up to 20 years) or short-lived (cases of fulminant course are known, when patients died within 7-9 months from the moment of infection). This is associated with the characteristics of the patient’s immune system (for example, some have few CD4 lymphocytes or initially reduced immunity), as well as the type of HIV.
HIV infection in men
The symptoms fit into the usual clinical picture, without any specific manifestations.HIV infection in women
As a rule, they have menstrual irregularities (irregular periods with intermenstrual bleeding), and menstruation itself is painful.Women have a slightly higher risk of developing malignant tumors on the cervix.
In addition, in them, inflammatory processes of the female genital organs occur more often (more than three times a year) than in healthy women, and are more severe.
HIV infection in children
The course does not differ from that of adults, but there is a difference - they lag somewhat behind their peers in physical and mental development.
Treatment of HIV infection
Unfortunately, there is no drug yet that can completely cure this disease. However, there are medications that significantly reduce the reproduction of the virus, prolonging the life of patients.Moreover, these drugs are so effective that with proper treatment, CD4 cells grow, and HIV itself is difficult to detect in the body even with the most sensitive methods.
To achieve this you The patient must have self-discipline:
- taking medication at the same time
- compliance with dosage and diet
- continuity of treatment
Main directions of treatment
- Prevent and delay the development of life-threatening conditions
- Ensure longer preservation of the quality of life of infected patients
- With the help of HAART and prevention of secondary diseases, achieve remission (absence of clinical symptoms)
- Emotional and practical support for patients
- Providing free drugs
First stage
No treatment is prescribed. However, if there was contact with an HIV-infected person, then chemoprophylaxis is recommended in the first three days after contact.
Second stage
2A. No treatment unless the CD4 count is less than 200 CD4/mm3
2B. Treatment is prescribed, but if the CD4 lymphocyte count is more than 350 CD4/mm3, it is withheld.
2B. Treatment is prescribed if the patient has manifestations characteristic of stage 4, but with the exception of cases when the level of CD4 lymphocytes is more than 350 CD4/mm3.
Third stage
HAART is prescribed if the CD4 lymphocyte count is less than 200 CD4/mm3, the HIV RNA level is more than 100,000 copies, or the patient actively wishes to begin therapy.
Fourth stage
Treatment is prescribed if the CD4 count is less than 350 CD4/mm3 or the HIV RNA number is more than 100,000 copies.
Fifth stage
Treatment is always prescribed.
On a note
HAART is prescribed to children regardless of the stage of the disease.
These are the existing standards for the treatment of HIV infection today. But recent studies have shown that starting HAART earlier produces better results. Therefore, it is likely that these recommendations will be revised soon.
Medicines used to treat HIV
- Nucleoside inhibitors of viral reverse transcriptase (Didanosine, Lamivudine, Zidovudine, Abacovir, Stavudine, Zalcitabine)
- Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (Nevirapine, Ifavirenz, Delavirdine)
- Viral protease (enzyme) inhibitors (Saquinavir, Indinavir, Nelfinavir, ritonavir, nelfinavir)
However, a new drug will soon hit the market - Quad, which promises to radically change the lives of people living with HIV. Because it works faster, it has fewer side effects. In addition, it solves the problem of HIV drug resistance. And patients will no longer have to swallow handfuls of pills. Because the new medicine combines the effects of several drugs to treat HIV infection, and is taken once a day.
Prevention of HIV infection
“It is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it later.”There is probably not a person who disagrees with this statement. This also applies to HIV/AIDS. Therefore, most countries are implementing various programs to reduce the rate of spread of this infection.
However, we will talk about what everyone can do. After all, it doesn’t take much effort to protect yourself and your loved ones from this plague.
Preventing HIV/AIDS among people at increased risk
Heterosexual and homosexual contacts- The surest way is to have one sexual partner whose HIV status is known.
- Engage in casual sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal) only using a condom. The most reliable are latex ones with standard lubricant.
But the likelihood of infection is still reduced to almost zero if you use a condom correctly: you must put it on before sexual intercourse, make sure that there is no air left between the latex and the penis (there is a risk of rupture), and always use a condom in accordance with the size.
Almost all condoms made from other materials do not protect against HIV at all.
Intravenous drug use
Drug addiction and HIV often go hand in hand, so the most reliable way is to stop taking intravenous drugs.
However, if you still choose this path, you must take precautions:
- Individual and single use of sterile medical syringes
- Preparation of solution for injection in sterile individual containers
- using a self-insemination kit (HIV-negative partner)
- sperm purification followed by insemination (both partners are HIV positive)
- in vitro fertilization
Taking medications:
- HAART (if necessary) for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes depending on the stage of pregnancy
- multivitamins
- iron supplements and others
It is important to take all the necessary tests on time: determine the viral load, CD4 cell level, smears, and so on.
Medical staff
There is a risk of infection if the activity involves penetration through natural barriers (skin, mucous membranes) and manipulations during which they come into contact with biological fluids.
Prevention of infection
- use of protective equipment: glasses, gloves, mask and protective clothing
- promptly dispose of the used needle in a special puncture-proof container
- contact with HIV-infected biological fluid - chemoprophylaxis - taking complex HAART according to the regimen
- contact with a suspected infected body fluid:
- skin injury (puncture or cut) - the bleeding does not need to be stopped for a few seconds, then treat the injury site with 700C alcohol
- contact with biological fluid on undamaged areas of the body - wash with running water and soap, then wipe with 700C alcohol
- contact with eyes - rinse with running water
- in the mouth - rinse with 700C alcohol
- on clothes - remove them and soak them in one of the disinfectants (chloramine and others), and wipe the skin underneath with 70% alcohol
- for shoes - wipe twice with a rag soaked in one of the disinfectant solutions
- on walls, floors, tiles - pour disinfectant solution for 30 minutes, then wipe
How is HIV transmitted?
A healthy person becomes infected from an HIV-infected person at any stage of the disease when an infectious dose enters the bloodstream.Methods of transmission of the virus
- Unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-infected person (heterosexual and homosexual contacts). Most often - in people who are promiscuous. The risk increases with anal sex, regardless of sexual orientation.
- When using intravenous drugs: sharing a non-sterile syringe or container for preparing a solution with an HIV-infected person.
- From an HIV-infected woman to her child during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
- When healthcare workers come into contact with contaminated biological fluid: contact with mucous membranes, injections or cuts.
- Blood transfusions or organ transplants from HIV-infected people. Of course, the donor organ or blood is tested before medical procedures. However, if it falls during the window period, the test produces a false negative result.
Where can you donate blood for HIV?
Thanks to special programs, as well as laws adopted to protect HIV-infected people, information is not disclosed or transferred to third parties. Therefore, there should be no fear of status disclosure or discrimination if the result is positive.There are two types of free blood donation for HIV infection:
- Anonymous The person does not give his name, but is assigned a number by which you can find out the result (for many this is more comfortable).
- Confidential Laboratory staff become aware of the person's first and last name, but they maintain medical confidentiality.
- at any regional AIDS center
- in a city, regional or district clinic in anonymous and voluntary testing rooms, where blood is drawn to detect HIV infection.
In addition, you can get tested at a private medical center, which is equipped with special equipment, but most likely for a fee.
Depending on the capabilities of the laboratory, the result can be obtained on the same day, after 2-3 days or after 2 weeks. Considering that testing is stressful for many people, it is better to clarify the timing in advance.
What should you do if you test positive for HIV?
Usually when you test positive for HIV infection doctor anonymously invites the patient to his place and explains:- course of the disease itself
- what research still needs to be done?
- how to live with this diagnosis
- what treatment to take if necessary, and so on
Must be determined:
- CD4 cell level
- presence of viral hepatitis (B, C, D)
- in some cases, p-24-Capsid antigen
How can you avoid becoming infected with HIV?
- when coughing or sneezing
- for insect or animal bites
- through shared tableware and cutlery
- during medical examinations
- when swimming in a pool or pond
- in the sauna, steam room
- through a handshake, hug and kiss
- when using a shared toilet
- in public places
Who are HIV dissidents?
People who deny the existence of HIV infection.Their beliefs are based on the following:
- HIV has not been identified clearly and indisputably
In fact, there are plenty of photographs taken under an electron microscope.
- Patients die faster when treated with antiviral drugs than from illness
This is partly true, since the very first drugs did cause a large number of side effects. However, modern medicines are much more effective and safer. In addition, science does not stand still, inventing more effective and safe means.
- Considered a global conspiracy of pharmaceutical companies
If this were so, then pharmaceutical companies would disseminate information not about the disease itself and its treatment, but about some kind of miracle vaccine, which, by the way, does not exist to this day.
- They say that AIDS is a disease of the immune system, not caused by a virus
They say it is a consequence of immunodeficiency that developed as a result of stress, after strong radiation, exposure to poison or strong drugs, and some other reasons.
Here we can contrast the fact that as soon as an HIV-infected patient starts taking HAART, his condition improves significantly.
All these statements mislead patients, therefore they refuse treatment. Whereas, when started on time, HAART slows down the course of the disease, prolonging life and allowing HIV-infected people to be full-fledged members of society: to work, give birth to healthy children, live in a normal rhythm, and so on. Therefore, it is so important to detect HIV in time and, if necessary, start HAART.
How long do people live with HIV? The relevance of this question is simply undeniable, but it is difficult to give an unambiguous answer. Medicine is currently unable to cure people infected with the immunodeficiency virus, but scientists are making progress. At this time, doctors are able to control the amount of HIV in the body. A healthy lifestyle and medications significantly prolong the life of patients.
Why is HIV dangerous?
To understand how many years people live with HIV and what the prospects for an infected person are, you first need to understand what causes human immunodeficiency. This pathogen is quite young. It was discovered only in the 80s of the last century. By itself it is not lethal. HIV affects only one type of cell in the human body - T-leukocytes. However, they are a key element of the immune system. Because of this, the body cannot resist various infections. They are the final cause of death. AIDS patients die from pneumonia, cancer, hepatitis, tuberculosis, candidiasis and other diseases.
Stealth of infection
The virus appears in the body unnoticed and does not manifest itself for a long time. Therefore, it is quite difficult to say exactly how many infected people in the world are - how many are living with HIV and are completely unaware of it. Once in the body, the pathogen begins to constantly and asymptomatically increase its population, while destroying healthy cells of the immune system. Whether a person is infected is determined using a special blood test. Important indicators are the level and number of T-leukocytes in the blood. The lower threshold for the immune system is 200 leukocyte cells per milliliter of blood. If there are fewer of them, the body’s defenses stop working completely. Normally, this figure is 500-1500. At a level of 350 T-leukocytes, it is necessary to begin active antiretroviral treatment aimed at suppressing the pathogen and reducing its concentration in the blood. The answer to the question of how many people live with HIV directly depends on the degree of regularity and quality of therapy.
Evolution of infection
There are five periods ranging from two weeks to one year after infection is called the window period. It ends when antibodies to HIV appear in the blood. If a person has a weakened immune system, this stage does not last longer than six months.
- hives;
- low-grade fever;
- stomatitis;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes: they enlarge and become painful.
The final stage of this stage is characterized by the maximum concentration of antibodies and virus in the blood.
Next, the disease enters a stage called the latent period. As a rule, it lasts 5-10 years. Usually the only manifestation of HIV at this stage is periodic enlargement of the lymph nodes. They become dense, but not painful (lymphadenopathy).
This is followed by a stage called pre-AIDS. Its duration is 1-2 years. At this stage, serious suppression of cellular immunity begins. A person can be tormented by herpes (with frequent relapses). Ulcerations of the mucous membranes and genital organs do not heal for a very long time. Stomatitis is observed and candidiasis of the genital organs and oral mucosa is observed.
Next comes the terminal stage - AIDS itself. It is accompanied by the generalization of opportunistic tumors and infections. The prognosis at this stage is usually negative. At this stage, even the common flu can kill a person.
How is HIV transmitted?
It is known that AIDS is one of the most terrible diseases of our time. Therefore, absolutely everyone needs to know how its pathogen is transmitted in order to avoid infection and so that the question of how many people live with HIV does not become urgent and pressing. This information will also not hurt in order not to humiliate patients again. The pathogen enters the body during unprotected sexual intercourse, during repeated use of a syringe, during blood transfusion, through breast milk. Many people mistakenly believe that AIDS is a disease of drug addicts and homosexuals. However, this is just a stereotype. Anyone can become infected with this disease. No one is immune from this. Many people become infected through contact with the blood of a patient or during donor collections.
As already mentioned, AIDS is a very dangerous disease. However, it is impossible to reliably predict how long people with HIV will live. Even approximate data does not exist. After all, each organism is individual. Some die 3-5 years after infection, others live for decades.
Very average statistics can give a very rough idea of how long people live with HIV. On average, this period is from 5 to 15 years.
The life expectancy of patients cannot be reliably measured for several reasons. Firstly, it is no secret that many of the first infected are still alive. That is, for more than 30 years. However, this period is not a limit. Only time will tell how long people can live with an HIV diagnosis.
Secondly, medicine and science do not stand still. Since the discovery of the virus (in 1983), effective drugs have been developed that make it possible to stop the development of HIV. Proper drug therapy can prolong the patient's life. Work to create a cure for AIDS does not stop. New, more effective therapies are constantly emerging that help prevent the evolution of HIV infection into AIDS. Potent medications block the substances the virus needs for development, thereby preventing the disease from progressing.
Third, although infection with the human immunodeficiency virus is not a death sentence, the disease is very serious. How long you can live with HIV largely depends on the rhythm and quality of life of the patient. And she is not easy. You need to constantly check the level of T-leukocytes with a doctor, maintain your health, lead a correct lifestyle - there should be no bad habits. If the level of immunity decreases, it is necessary to undergo courses of appropriate therapy. Even not very serious illnesses should never be left to chance. They need to be treated on time. Children with HIV should also follow these instructions. How long they live also depends on the characteristics of a particular organism and the timeliness of therapy.
Precautionary measures
People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) need to be careful in their daily lives so as not to infect others and their loved ones. You should avoid unprotected sexual intercourse, do not breastfeed children, and do not reuse needles or other sharp objects. It is also necessary to prevent sperm, blood, and vaginal secretions from coming into contact with the mucous membranes and wounds of healthy people.
How is HIV not transmitted?
Many people mistakenly believe that people living with HIV are extremely dangerous to others. However, the virus is not transmitted through:
- air;
- clothes and towels;
- handshakes (if there are no open wounds on the skin);
- bites of mosquitoes, mosquitoes and other insects;
- any kisses (in the absence of bleeding cracks and damage to the lips and mouth);
- dishes;
- toilet, bathroom, etc.
Therefore, it is almost impossible to become infected at home.
Classes of drugs for treating HIV
There are three classes of medications to treat HIV. Therapy is based on the simultaneous use of three medications from two different classes. This combination is necessary so that the pathogen does not get used to the drugs. If the chosen course of treatment is effective, it is prescribed for the rest of your life.
What to do to survive with HIV
Those infected should do everything to strengthen their immunity. You need to try to eliminate stress, as well as negative thoughts about how many people live with HIV. A lot depends on your inner mood. You also need to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, eat well (diet with plenty of protein), and take vitamin and mineral complexes. All this helps the body cope better with the disease. You also need to keep your body in good athletic shape or at least exercise regularly. You should not abuse alcohol - it weakens the immune system and reduces the effectiveness of medications. It is also recommended to quit smoking. If you have HIV infection, you should never use drugs. Firstly, against the background of this disease, narcotic substances themselves significantly reduce life expectancy. Secondly, the drugs are incompatible with most antiretroviral medications.
I have HIV! What will my life be like with HIV? This question immediately puzzles a person who learns about his diagnosis. The patient has no idea how he will live further. However, being sick is not a shame! To be among those infected means to be careful. Life with the virus will be different, but not guaranteed to be worse. Much depends on the patient himself; only he is able to really help himself in a difficult life situation. And yet, how to live if you have HIV?
Did you find out your diagnosis? The main rule is not to fall into despair and depression.
How can you live safely and happily with HIV? To do this, you need to know how to support yourself and not harm others. HIV infection is currently incurable, but diagnosis is not a sentence that comes into force immediately. In Russia, people live on average 70 years. Those infected usually live to 63 years of age, and this rate is constantly progressing.
If you follow medical advice and fight for yourself, a person with HIV-positive status can safely live a long and happy life. Every day today is worth its weight in gold. Every year, new drugs are released that help achieve positive results in the treatment of disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. Someday the panacea will recede.
Rules for an HIV-infected person
Living with HIV in modern society is not always easy. Not only the patient’s way of thinking changes, but also the people with whom he lived, communicated, studied, and made friends.
The primary issue that arises is the safety of healthy family members and the entire person’s environment. At the same time, a huge responsibility is imposed on the infected person. A sick person tries to live fully with HIV and at the same time not become a threat to society.
However, there are a huge number of people living with this diagnosis. For all of them, HIV infection was the beginning of a new life, but not all of them accepted this situation and, by changing their own lifestyle, controlled a serious illness. How can you be among the strong and overcome a difficult path with dignity?
Joining an HIV group is positive, other people's experiences can help you too Get rid of fears
To overcome the initial shock of diagnosis, it is important to acknowledge it. Thanks to the fruits of modern technology, it is much easier for a sick person today to find the necessary information about the disease.
Social media support can play an important role in the process of accepting the situation. There are communities on the Internet of people who became infected with HIV at different points in their lives. Here you can get acquainted with the real attitude towards HIV-infected people: a conscious society is ready to help the sick, respect the rights of the patient and not pity, but support.
After realizing what has happened, the infected person is faced with two main fears:
- fear about your health;
- fear about the health of loved ones (husband, spouse, children, parents, etc.).
Indeed, there are cases when people living in the same house with an HIV-infected person become infected with the virus. We'll talk about how to prevent this later.
Now let’s look further, deeper into the problem and touch on fears about our own health. To overcome emotions, you need not only to operate with information, but also to believe in your bright future. Under no circumstances should you complain about how you managed to get infected, putting an end to your own life. We need to get together! If you can’t do this yourself, you need to contact a psychiatrist.
And the most important thing that the patient must understand is that in order to maintain health, you need to start treatment immediately, even if you do not at all believe in a favorable prognosis.
Life with HIV starts with food
HIV is not the flu, and the approach to this disease is regular and comprehensive. Link No. 1 in this chain is the patient’s nutrition. This is not about traditional calorie counting and dieting. In most cases, patients will have to completely change their eating habits and review their diet. So, planning a patient’s daily menu is based on the following five steps:
- Eat fruits and vegetables, drink less juices. Include dried, fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits in your diet. Choose products of different colors.
- Include grains in your menu. Give preference to whole grains (buckwheat, whole wheat, oats).
- Enrich your diet with dairy products and dairy substitutes. When choosing a substitute, make sure it is fortified with vitamin D and calcium.
- Don't exclude animal products from your menu. We are talking about lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs.
- Add a small amount of fats and oils to your diet (15-30 ml daily). Preference can be given to olive, rapeseed, and nut oils.
As you can see, the diet of a sick person cannot be called strict. In the case of HIV, as, in principle, with influenza, chickenpox, and respiratory infections, it is important to eat a balanced and regular diet.
To exercise every day
There is no need to talk about the positive effect of morning exercises. Physical exercise will not only strengthen your immune system, but also help you overcome depression and recharge your energy for the whole coming day.
Nothing harmful
This point is not only about excluding unhealthy foods from the infected person’s diet (fried and fatty foods, fast food, sweet carbonated drinks, etc.). An HIV patient will have to give up bad habits: do not smoke or drink alcohol.
The fact is that the human immune system after infection is incredibly stressed. The effectiveness of the treatment and further prognosis will depend on the patient’s immunity status. There is no need to further test the strength of the body’s protective function.
Important! Taking drugs while sick is also unacceptable.
You need to completely eliminate drugs, alcohol and cigarettes from your life In the mornings and evenings
It is important for HIV-infected people to adhere to special prevention, which, first of all, involves maintaining personal hygiene every day. This aspect is very important, since multiplying bacteria can lead to the development of secondary diseases, which progress very quickly against the background of weak immunity.
In addition, the patient should use public transport less often and visit crowded places, and should always wash their hands after using the toilet and going outside.
As you can see, a sick person does not have to follow any special technique - everything is quite simple.
Living with HIV: the patient's responsibility
Despite the fact that HIV treatment is often accompanied by a high degree of discrimination against patients, a person with a positive HIV status should be aware of the importance and necessity of antiviral therapy for the disease. The main goal of treatment is to reduce the number of viral particles in a person’s blood, strengthen the immune system and control AIDS.
In this section, one cannot fail to mention the high degree of responsibility that a pregnant woman diagnosed with HIV assumes. Of course, girls with an infectious dose in their blood are not doomed to infertility. However, the patient must understand that the child can become infected during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Such an unfavorable outcome is observed in 1% of cases, however, it exists.
Another area of responsibility that should be included here is the safety of others, because HIV is a contagious disease. This will be discussed in more detail below.
Keep others safe
The first thing worth emphasizing is the need for the patient to use a condom during sexual intercourse. This precaution plays an important role in ensuring the safety of others and the infected person. In the latter case we are talking about sexually transmitted diseases. When a disease affects a sick body, a person’s condition deteriorates sharply, and the disease rapidly progresses.
Maintaining good hygiene and using personal hygiene products will provide additional safety.
Is it possible to become infected with HIV in beauty salons during manicures, pedicures, piercings or tattoos?
There is a risk of transmission of infection during the mentioned manipulations. It can be minimized only through special processing of the tools used in the work.
Is it possible to become infected with HIV during a fight?
An unusual question. But oddly enough, the possibility of transmission of the virus during a fight cannot be ruled out. The statement is relevant when the blood of an infected person comes into contact with an open wound of a healthy person.
HIV treatment prognosis
In the fight against the disease, antiviral therapy is used today, which is aimed at preventing the development of AIDS (blood disease, progression of secondary diseases and other disorders) and prolonging the patient’s life. However, HIV is not yet classified as a curable pathology.
With the start of therapy, the patient is advised to follow medical recommendations. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle combined with drug treatment gives the infected person the strength to fight the disease. Provided that medications are systematically taken and medical recommendations are followed, the patient can prolong his life by an average of two decades.
Which doctor should I contact?
Which doctor should I see if I am HIV positive? An infectious disease specialist specializes in providing HIV care. The first person to listen to the patient is often the therapist.
Modern advances in treatment
There are currently 4 revolutionary methods of treating HIV.
- Vaccine(facilitates treatment, helps reduce drug dosage, provides an immune response of leukocytes). In addition to the main one, there is also a recently developed second vaccine - Renum, which is also applicable only in tandem with an antiviral course. The good result demonstrated by the described method gives hope for the possibility of complete control over viral particles.
- Implant(a revolutionary method of taking the drug: the medicine is placed under the skin in the form of a cylinder, from which the substance enters the blood gradually). This approach to treatment significantly simplifies treatment: it allows you to take medications irregularly.
- Blood and bone marrow. There is information about a single case of complete recovery from infection. The patient had blood cancer; he underwent a bone marrow transplant from a donor who possessed one of the main “weapons” against HIV – innate immunity. It is believed that only 1% of people on the planet belong to the group of such lucky people.
- Antiviral therapy. Nowadays it's a classic, but it was once revolutionary.
What determines life expectancy
The life expectancy of a person with HIV depends on the following factors:
- type of infection;
- amount of virus;
- the patient's attitude towards his health;
- presence of bad habits;
- treatment systems;
- level of immunity;
- condition of other organs and blood (kidneys, liver, etc.);
- the presence of concomitant diseases;
- psychological state;
- nutrition;
- the patient's lifestyle.
Today, innovative therapeutic methods have emerged that slow down the development of this insidious disease. Practice demonstrates cases where HIV-infected people restored their physical condition and returned to their normal lives.
Work to create improved means to combat HIV continues to this day. Perhaps in a couple or three years, scientists will invent a drug that will kill the virus or at least make it possible to guarantee “keep it in check.”
How many years do HIV-infected people live without treatment?
According to statistics, in the absence of treatment, HIV leads the patient to the grave 10-12 years after infection. This indicator applies to residents of developed countries. In third world countries this figure is reduced by several years.
Impact of HIV in the long term
If we touch on the topic of the impact of HIV in the long term in Russia or throughout the world, the most important thing to mention is the risk of reducing the life expectancy of the population. Many infected people die much earlier than their potential life span.
Another aspect is the decline in the birth rate. HIV-positive women rarely give birth (for obvious reasons), however, the number of infected people has been growing over the years.
Your beauty will remain if you start treatment right away The psycho-emotional state of the world population is also under threat. Not all HIV patients are able to fully live side by side with the disease, regardless of the existing restrictions. In addition, believing that he will not live long, the patient often commits suicide.
At the moment, it is possible to protect the world’s population from such “prospects” only through prevention, which involves the use of protective equipment during sexual intercourse and other measures.
AIDS
How to detect AIDS? The question is irrelevant, since in this case we are talking about the thermal stage of HIV. Even before the development of AIDS, a person is guaranteed to learn about his discovered disease. It is easy to identify a serious illness: a person’s immunity “gives up”, all organ systems suffer (digestive system, intestines, central nervous system, etc.), and oncology develops.
When an illness is discovered in the thermal stage, it can be said that the person will die in a few years. Unfortunately, today there is no need to think about long-term life with AIDS.
Bottom line
It is impossible to say exactly how long a person with HIV or AIDS will live. Yes, we are talking about a very insidious disease, which is not easy to live with. Antiviral treatment, although not able to completely rid the patient of the “sore”, significantly prolongs the patient’s life.
A patient who wants to live a full life with a difficult diagnosis must understand a very important thing. It is very important not only to promptly respond to the emerging symptoms, but also to immediately begin treatment, that is, switch to taking antiviral drugs. Under such circumstances, the patient has a chance to live about 30 years (this is if real cases are taken into account), however, modern forecasts say that the life span of treated patients is not limited.
It is clear that the figure of 20-30 years was announced by practicing doctors. And it is quite real, because we are talking about a “young disease”. And at the moment there is no way to operate with real examples of virus carriers who have lived to be half a century old.
However, in reality, there are no restrictions on the life expectancy of a patient who systematically takes medications.
HIV is one of the most serious infectious diseases that can significantly affect the quality and length of life. Statistics on how long and how people live with HIV infection differ depending on many factors, including gender, age of the patient and the presence of concomitant pathologies. The therapy offered by modern medicine is not aimed at recovery, but at stabilizing the patient’s condition. The average life expectancy with HIV ranges from 2-5 to 25 years or more. Patients who are seen by a doctor and take the necessary medications live a full life and experience virtually no restrictions.
Human immunodeficiency virus is an infection that is transmitted through blood and other body fluids. When it enters the body, clinical signs do not appear immediately, and antibodies to it begin to be produced after 2 weeks - 1 year. At the same time, an infected person may not be aware of his illness and may find out about it during a routine blood test.
There are several stages in the development of HIV:
- window period - the time from the virus entering the blood to the production of antibodies;
- stage of primary infection - characterized by enlarged lymph nodes, stomatitis, rash, and a slight increase in temperature;
- latent period - lasts 5-10 days, the only symptom is enlarged lymph nodes;
- pre-AIDS - the infection begins to destroy white blood cells, often accompanied by herpes;
- AIDS is a terminal stage, occurs with exacerbation of any disease and lack of immune protection.
Important! In recent years, the statistics of infection cases have changed. If in 2000 more than 85% of those infected were under 30 years of age, today the majority of patients (47%) are people aged 30 to 40 years. The number of teenagers has also declined.
How long do people live with HIV?
The leading cause of death among HIV-infected people is AIDS. The disease attacks the cells of the immune system, making the patient especially sensitive to any bacterial and viral diseases. However, modern antiretroviral drugs allow people to lead a full life and cause minimal side effects.
The number of people living with HIV depends on several factors:
- taking medications;
- gender and age of the patient;
- the stage at which the infection was detected;
- the presence of concomitant diseases, including viral hepatitis.
If you follow the recommendations and regularly take medications, an infected person can live up to 70-80 years or more. At the same time, a person can lead a full life, experiencing only some restrictions. These measures are designed for the safety of others and to prevent the patient from contracting underlying health conditions.
How quickly do men die from HIV and how long do sick people with HIV live?
Statistics on how long people with HIV live do not depend on gender. However, in Russia there are more infected men: 2.8%, compared to 1.3% of women. These data relate to the age category from 35 to 39 years. After infection, you can live a long and full life, but the prognosis will be as follows:
- in the absence of treatment, life expectancy is a maximum of 3-4 years;
- in combination with viral hepatitis - 1-2 years;
- subject to taking medications - 10-15 years;
- with proper treatment and a healthy lifestyle - until old age.
Mortality rates for highly active forms of the disease in late stages tend to 100%. At risk are people who do not take therapy and have bad habits (smoking, alcoholism, drug use). These factors reduce the activity of the immune system and prevent the formation of protective cells. The immunodeficiency virus does not cause death - it is caused by any other diseases, including the common flu or ARVI, which occur with complications.
How quickly do women die from HIV and how long do they live?
The indicators of how long females live with HIV and how infection occurs differ slightly. Women become infected at a younger age, but their lifespan also depends on the medications they take and the presence of aggravating diseases. Statistics on how many years people live with AIDS are disappointing - few people will live more than 1-2 years with such a diagnosis.
A peculiarity of the course of the disease in women is the short incubation period. This is due to hormonal changes in the body during different phases of the menstrual cycle. Thus, during ovulation, the level of immune defense normally decreases - this mechanism is provided to prevent fetal rejection. It is at this time that the immunodeficiency virus is especially active.
The main danger for women infected with HIV is learning about their diagnosis during pregnancy. If the infection occurred in the first trimester, the risk of transmitting the infection to the fetus is 20%, in the second - 30% and in the third reaches 70%. Infection can occur both through the placenta and during breastfeeding. You should not ignore painful sensations during pregnancy - like exacerbation of herpes and other chronic diseases, they can be symptoms of HIV.
How long do children with HIV live and how long do HIV-infected newborns live?
The immunodeficiency virus can be transmitted to a child during pregnancy. This rate is highest in cases where a woman becomes infected directly during this period or does not take antiretroviral drugs. If the mother begins treatment before pregnancy, the chances of giving birth to a healthy child are high.
Until the age of 12, T-lymphocytes in humans are formed in the thymus gland (thymus). Enlargement of this organ should be a reason to test the blood for antibodies to HIV, since it destroys these very cells. In adolescence, the thymus undergoes regression, and then it gradually atrophies.
After birth, a child infected with HIV is underweight. He is also susceptible to various infectious diseases. How long HIV-infected children live depends on the timeliness of diagnosis. Life expectancy with HIV is up to 10-15 years or more, and infection detected in the early stages can be fought until old age.
How long can you live with HIV infection?
How long you can live with HIV infection depends on the patient. The average duration is 10-15 years. Some people live full lives for years and can even give birth to healthy children. There are several factors that cause an exacerbation of the disease, which leads to death:
- taking drugs and other addictions;
- refusal of therapy;
- presence of hepatitis.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome - terminal stage. At this stage, immune protection does not work due to the destruction of T-lymphocytes. The prognosis for such patients often does not exceed 1-2 years; rarely people manage to live more than 3 years.
Principles of treatment
The life expectancy of HIV-infected people directly depends on regular use of medications. Despite the fact that the disease cannot be cured, medications should be taken. In total, several classes of such drugs have been developed in the form of tablets, which are taken several times daily. A minimum of three medications is prescribed. Treatment with antiretroviral drugs has several goals:
- reduction of viral load;
- preventing the development of the disease to the terminal stage;
- preventing the spread of infection.
Without treatment, a person's life expectancy is significantly reduced. Previously, it was believed that procedures and therapy could completely rid a person of the virus. However, research indicates that medications can only prolong the patient's life. Its condition depends on the viral load, that is, on the concentration of the infectious agent in the blood. In some patients it becomes so low that serological tests give a false negative result. There is no medicine that completely rids a person of the virus.
Life expectancy with treatment
In Russia (RF), measures are being taken to identify those infected. In total, more than 1 million people living in the state are registered as carriers of the HIV viral disease. Of these, more than 900 thousand receive therapy according to the accepted regimen.
Life expectancy with HIV varies from 10-15 to 25 years or more. This also depends on the age at which the disease was diagnosed. Although it is impossible to completely cure (cure) HIV, patients have a good chance of living to old age. After treatment, viral load levels decrease, the pathology does not lead to complications and is not transmitted to others.
Reference! Indicators of how long people live with HIV infection depend not only on the use of drugs, but also on the economic situation in the country. Thus, in developed countries with high incomes, if infected at the age of 20, after starting antiretroviral therapy, patients live about 60 years, in middle and underdeveloped countries - 51 years.
HIV without treatment: how long will patients live with HIV infection?
To date, infected people without treatment have a poor prognosis. Those infected with this infection are susceptible to dangerous complications, and the virus in their body gradually progresses. Without therapy, the disease quickly enters the terminal stage, which lasts no more than 1-2 years.
The life expectancy of a patient can be predicted based on two main tests:
- the number of CD4 lymphocytes is normally 400-1600 in men and 500-1600 in women, with HIV it can decrease to 200-300;
- viral load - this indicator is also checked to assess the effectiveness of treatment.
Those who do not take medications will live shorter than patients undergoing a full course of therapy. Some infected people learn about their diagnosis from a doctor and refuse to undergo treatment. There are several explanations for this: fear of side effects of drugs, mistrust in the correct diagnosis and financial aspects. For therapy to be effective, the patient must not only take medications, but also give up bad habits.
How long do people live with AIDS?
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is the terminal stage of HIV, so the prognosis for how long people live with AIDS is unfavorable. At this stage, the cells of the immune system are destroyed and dangerous complications develop. Regardless of the effectiveness of treatment, the patient’s life can rarely be extended beyond 6-19 months. However, do not confuse the data on how long people live with AIDS with the prognosis for the presence of HIV infection in the blood.
How life changes after infection
Although the life expectancy of infected people may not change, they are forced to comply with some restrictions. Many people became infected with this disease while following a healthy lifestyle - transmission of the virus also occurs through blood during a number of procedures. The disease is often detected during routine examinations or during HIV testing of donated blood. In the first period, the virus does not cause clinical symptoms for a long time, but can be transmitted to others.
The life expectancy with this diagnosis depends on the patient, his social status and lifestyle. This factor is also related to the age of the patient. Throughout your life you should adhere to a number of recommendations:
- periodically take tests for the number of lymphocytes and viral load;
- avoid unprotected sex;
- prevent blood and other biological fluids from coming into contact with people’s open wounds;
- Store hygiene items and shaving accessories separately.
It is worth remembering: if you follow your doctor’s recommendations, you can live for several decades. Despite the fact that HIV is contagious, its transmission in everyday life is excluded. Living together with an infected person is safe. However, after some time, family members should also be examined.
Complications
In the first phase, HIV may be asymptomatic. At the second stage, dermatitis of the skin and mucous membranes, including on the genitals, herpes zoster and viral diseases of the upper respiratory tract are observed. The third stage may be accompanied by tuberculosis, candidiasis, bacterial pathologies (pneumonia, myositis).
The fourth (4) stage of this infection is AIDS. Complications caused by stages 4a, 4b and 4c of HIV include:
- pneumonia;
- candidiasis of the respiratory and digestive organs;
- cerebral (brain) toxoplasmosis;
- extrapulmonary forms of tuberculosis, cryptococcosis;
- encephalopathy;
- septicemia caused by various bacteria, and other diseases.
The last stage of HIV is the fifth. During this phase of the course of HIV, all complications become generalized and cause death.
How long can you live with AIDS?
The prognosis for how long you can live with AIDS does not depend on your quality of life or medication use. Rarely do any patients manage to live more than 2 years. The cause of death is a weakening of the body's immune defense. With the development of HIV infection, T-lymphocytes are affected, the purpose of which is to fight pathogenic microorganisms. It is also important to know that the terminal stages of the disease are more often diagnosed in disadvantaged sections of the population. In addition to exceptions, the causes of persistent progression of infection include drug use, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and other concomitant diseases.
Improved Long-Term Outlook
Modern medicine is working to create the most effective and safe drugs to improve the quality of life of patients with AIDS. Late diagnosis and death due to complications are also common in high-income countries. It is worth understanding that the effectiveness of therapy at the third stage (stage 3) and during the subclinical course of the infection will differ. The main way to prolong the life of a patient with HIV is to make a timely diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
How long do people with AIDS live in developed countries?
How long people living with HIV live also depends on the country in which they live. Data from the UN HIV/AIDS program indicate that in countries of the first type (highly developed), the life expectancy of patients is equal to the total among the population. In underdeveloped countries, the period is reduced by 15-20 years or more. Death rates for people living in low-income areas are due to lack of access to treatment and lack of information about how to prevent the disease. However, even with the necessary therapy, the prospects in third world countries are reduced by an average of 10 years.
Impact of HIV in the long term
The capabilities of modern medicine and the experience of infected people who receive special medications prove that you can live long and fully with HIV. Immune deficiency syndrome is successfully supported by ART (antiretroviral therapy), so the quality of life of patients practically does not deteriorate. For patients, it is possible, among other things, the birth of healthy children, official employment and other aspects.
Reference! A diagnosis of HIV is not a reason for refusal of employment. However, there are a number of professions where this nuance will be important. These include all areas where employees have direct contact with blood and other biological fluids: medicine and laboratory work, the armed forces.
HIV therapy is aimed not only at maintaining the concentration of the virus at a safe level, but also at preventing other infections. Even when the first symptoms of a common cold appear, it is necessary to pay full attention to treatment and take antibacterial drugs. Otherwise, the risk of complications with damage to various organ systems increases.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
Prevention of HIV infection in accordance with established rules is carried out at the legislative level. So, there are certain restrictions that patients face. They also eliminate minor risks of transmitting the virus to others. Despite the fact that the most significant method of infection is unprotected sexual contact, patients are prohibited from working in the catering, education and healthcare sectors. The possibility of becoming infected by injection is about 0.3%, but these cases must also be excluded.
Taking care of one's own health is the responsibility of every person. It is worth monitoring your lifestyle and habits to avoid the risk of infection:
- have sexual intercourse using mechanical contraception;
- periodically donate blood for analysis;
- treat all open skin lesions with antiseptics;
- give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol or drugs);
- To improve immunity, pay attention to proper nutrition and an active lifestyle.
If you live a healthy life, follow all preventive measures and avoid risky situations, the risks of contracting this pathology are minimized. However, there remains a minimal possibility of transmission of infection during a donor blood transfusion or hemodialysis procedure. You can lead a full life with HIV, but you must regularly take medications and donate blood for testing. It is worth remembering that there are restrictions for HIV-infected people. The patient is also obliged to notify family members and sexual partners about his diagnosis. Concealing this information, if it leads to infection of someone in the environment, is equivalent to intentional harm to health. There are no contraindications to employment with this diagnosis, but at the time of hiring you must provide a certificate of your health status.
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 infected with the immunodeficiency virus. HIV infection is dangerous because the patient experiences a strong suppression of the body's protective properties, which can lead to a number of problems. This list includes secondary infections, malignant tumors, and so on.
The disease can take different forms. HIV infection is detected in the following ways:
- antibody detection;
- detection of viral RNA.
Treatment is currently provided in the form of a complex of special antiretroviral drugs. The latter are able to reduce the reproduction of the virus, which promotes 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 (“Can HIV infection be cured?”), you need to understand what kind of disease it is. One thing that can be said about this virus is that it progresses very slowly, and the entire threat comes from the cells of the human immune system. For this reason, the immune system is slowly but surely suppressed. As a result, you can “earn” acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (popularly called AIDS).
The human body ceases to resist and protect itself from 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 when undergoing a special treatment course, life expectancy increases significantly.
The following are factors that affect the rate at which the infection develops:
- state of the immune system;
- age;
- strain;
- 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 treatment process itself 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, many scientific works are being written, which may subsequently give results and allow us to answer in detail the question: “What are the types of HIV infection?”
What is known so far? The types of terrible disease differ only in the location of the source in nature. That is, depending on the region, there are types: HIV-1, HIV-2, and so on. Each of them spreads in a specific area. This regional division allows the virus to adapt to local unfavorable factors.
In science, the most studied type of HIV-1 is, but how many of them there are is a question that remains open. This happened because there are many blank spots in the history of the study of HIV and AIDS.
Stages
Now we will try to understand the question of how many people live with HIV infection. To do this, we will look at the stages of the disease. For convenience and better clarity, we will present the information in the form of a table.
Incubation (1) | This period lasts from 3 weeks to 3 months. During the incubation period, it is clinically impossible to detect this disease. |
Primary manifestations (2) | This stage can take several forms; it is already possible to clinically detect HIV infection. |
Stage 2.1 | It occurs without any symptoms. It is possible to detect the virus because antibodies are produced. |
Stage 2.2 | It is called “acute”, but it does not cause secondary diseases. There may be some symptoms that may be confused with those of other diseases. |
Stage 2.3 | This is another type of “acute” HIV infection; it contributes to the occurrence of side diseases that can be easily treated (sore throat, pneumonia, candidiasis, and so on). |
Subclinical stage (3) | At this point, a gradual decrease in immunity occurs; as a rule, there are no symptoms of the disease. Possible enlarged lymph nodes. The average duration of the stage is 7 years. However, there have been cases where the subclinical stage lasted more than 20 years. |
Secondary diseases (4) | There are also 3 stages (4.1, 4.2, 4.3). A distinctive feature is weight loss, bacterial, fungal and viral infections. |
Terminal stage (5) | Treatment of HIV infection at this stage does not lead to any positive results. This occurs due to irreversible damage to internal organs. The person dies a few months later. |
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.
At later stages, some other diseases may appear. They arise as a result of decreased immunity. These include:
- angina;
- pneumonia;
- herpes;
- fungal infections and so on.
After this period, the latent stage will most likely begin. It leads to the development of immunodeficiency. Now 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 occur in the order given above, but some steps may be missing. The same can be said about symptoms.
HIV in children
In this section you will find out whether HIV infection in children can be cured. First, let's talk about the causes of infection. These include:
- infection in the womb;
- use of unprocessed medical instruments;
- organ transplantation.
Regarding the first point, the probability of transmitting the infection is 50%. Treatment during pregnancy is a condition that significantly reduces the risk of infection. Now about the risk factors:
- lack of treatment;
- premature birth;
- natural childbirth;
- uterine bleeding;
- taking drugs and alcohol during pregnancy;
- breast-feeding.
Considering these factors, you can reduce the risk to 10-20 percent. Treatment for HIV infection is certainly necessary. At this stage of medical development, 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 disease diagnosis needed? Of course, to make a final and accurate diagnosis. If your fears are confirmed, you should immediately go to the doctor. There is no need to hesitate here: the sooner you start treatment, the fewer problems there will be in the future. Under no circumstances 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. In which country is HIV treatment treated? In all cases, you just have to go to a special institution where you need to get tested. When you receive an answer in your hands, if the result is positive, do not hesitate, go to a specialist.
To confirm the diagnosis, you need to undergo a rapid test to detect infection. If it gives 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 the disease at home yourself. Remember, until recently it was necessary to donate blood from a vein, but now you go to the pharmacy and find out the result 5 minutes later. You can also order a rapid HIV test via the Internet.
The test requires just a drop of blood from your finger. Don’t forget that you need to wash your hands, for a puncture it is better to use a “doll” (purchased at a pharmacy), wipe your finger with alcohol. The HIV test is a real breakthrough in diagnosing 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 dough;
- massage the finger you will be piercing, treat it with alcohol;
- make a puncture and place your finger over the blood reservoir;
- drop 5 drops of solvent into a special container;
- We wait 15 minutes.
Treatment
Treatment of HIV infection is carried out using 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 has not shown itself for a long time. This should not be done, because sooner or later the body will give up. It should be remembered that the virus has the most negative impact on the immune system; without treatment, you will soon have to wait for a whole series 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 rapid adaptation to an unfavorable environment. For this reason, after taking the same medicine for a long time, the virus gets used to it and adapts to it. Then doctors resort to a trick - combining antiviral drugs. This is necessary so that it is impossible to develop resistance to them.
Drugs
In this section we will talk about what drugs are used to treat HIV infection. It was previously mentioned that therapy is carried out using antiretroviral drugs. In total, there are 2 types of them:
- 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 medications in the dosage and according to the regimen prescribed by your doctor.
Is it possible to be completely cured?
So, can HIV infection be completely cured? At the moment, no remedy has yet been developed that would get rid of the virus 100%. However, medicine does not stand still; perhaps a miracle drug for HIV infection will soon be developed.
Currently, medicine will help those infected to live a long and happy life by 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 immunodeficiency, you should contact this specialist. Where can I find it? Reception should be carried out in each clinic. If the medical institution to which you are geographically attached does not have this doctor, then feel free to contact the regional hospital.
You can list all your complaints to an infectious disease specialist, and he will prescribe special blood tests. Further clinical observation will be carried out. 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 long do people live with HIV infection? If treated, it is possible to live up to 80 years with this disease. The earlier you start treatment, the easier it is to prevent the development of AIDS, which is the cause of death in this disease.
There is currently no drug that eliminates HIV infection 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 described 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 used. The main means of therapy are antiviral drugs.
- lead a safe and orderly intimate life;
- be sure to treat sexually transmitted diseases;
- avoid contact with other people's blood;
- use disposable sealed syringes (do not use if packaging is damaged).
These simple rules will help you avoid such a serious disease as AIDS. Follow them and be healthy!