HIV

In 1982, scientists were able to figure out, that the main cause of AIDS is a virus that infects cells of the human immune system, making them unable to defend the body against disease. The second decade of human existance we try to fight this primitive, but the crafty microbe – the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Immunodeficiency virus belongs to the lentivirus (slow virus), a subgroup of retroviruses. It is depicted as an anti-submarine mine, which is located on the surface of glycoprotein “mushrooms” that serve as a master key for the virus to penetrate cells of human blood. Although the human cell is 100 000 times carries more genetic information, the virus of HIV gains the victory capturing the cells and destroying them.

The salvation from the virus means that infection occurs only in certain situations, and it can be prevented. Even if HIV has penetrated the body, modern medicine is capable of stopping its reproduction.

All registered cases of HIV infection in the world are distributed in the ways of infection as follows:

• sexual transmission – 70-80%;
• injecting drug users – 5.10%;
• occupational infection of health workers – less than 0.01%;
• transfusion of infected blood – 3-5%;
• by pregnant or nursing mother to child – 5.10%.

In different countries and regions different ways of transmission are dominated (homosexual, heterosexual, injecting drug use).

Many also say that the AIDS problem is not only medical but also psychological and social problem.

People living with HIV, become literally outcasts, some people are even afraid to talk to the people sick with AIDS. Most of the time people have a stereotypic idea, that the people disease with HIV/AIDS are either drug addicts or prostitutes, that they deserve such a destiny and unworthy of simple sympathy.

The main aim of the treatment of HIV-infected patients is to maintain health and well-being by such means as proper nutrition, avoidance of severe stress, a healthy lifestyle, as well as regular monitoring of health status by medical specialists.

If you or your beloved ones have been diagnosed with “HIV”, you should contact a qualified technician as soon as possible. It should also be remembered that to put a diagnosis on their own after a HIV test is not possible (there is a high percentage of false positive and false negative results).

The main goal of HIV treatment is to inhibit viral replication in the body. To do so, a series of antiviral drugs have been developed and many drugs now undergo clinical trials. HIV is a retrovirus, so these drugs are called antiretrovirals. These drugs attack the virus (which is in human cells) by blocking the action of its enzymes, and thus not allowing the virus to multiply. Considering the operating principle of antiretroviral, drugs are divided into several classes: reverse transcriptase inhibitors (Lamivudine, Zidovudine, Abacavir, Tenofovir, etc.), protease inhibitors (Ritonavir, Indinavir, Amprenavir, Nelfinavir, etc.), inhibitors of fusion / entry (Enfuvirtide) , and intergrase inhibitors.

The word “inhibitor” means “linger or stop.” The virus can not replicate at blocking enzymes that provide the process. Various drugs inhibit the virus at different stages of its life cycle. As a rule, the patient should simultaneously apply several different classes of antiretroviral drugs. Combination therapy reduces the risk of resistance.

Antiretroviral therapy should be used only by prescription, under the supervision of a specialist and in strict accordance with the instructions. The basis for treatment is a scrupulous implementation of all recommendations of the physician, regular use of antiviral drugs, and health monitoring. Failure to comply with medication regime may lead to the fact that drugs no longer bring any result, that is, the body develops resistance.

Symptoms of HIV (HIV manifestations) are not expressed outwardly, but the human immune system reacts to a virus infiltratedly. When introducing the virus into the body, most people have a period of acute infection: the amount of virus in the blood (viremia) is rapidly increasing, and the number of CD4 lymphocytes is reduced by 20-40%.

This period is clearly observed only in 20-30% of newly infected. They can have high temperature, swollen lymph nodes, symptoms of a cold or sore throat (“seroconversion illness”). The acute period soon passes – 6-8 weeks after the introduction of the virus to the body, antibodies to HIV begin to develop. The amount of virus is greatly reduced and the number of CD4 lymphocytes is reduced to 80-90% of previous levels.

HIV continues to multiply, producing millions of new virions every ady , and the immune system is actively fighting an infection, keeping it under control. The person who is fighting the disease is often not even aware of it, because it does not show any symptoms. The process of the immune system and fight against the virus continues to the stage when the virus takes over the protective forces of organism. At this stage AIDS begins.

The complex of symptoms that manifest that adults are infected with HIV:

• Unexplained progressive weight loss (weight loss of more than 10%).

Feverish, with an increased temperature up to 38 ° C and above, of unknown origin.

• There has been previously marked sweating, especially at night.
• Persistent (permanent progressive) cough of unknown origin.
• Diarrhea of ​​unknown origin.
• Not previously experienced significant weakness, fatigue.

The presence of the patient at least one of these pathological features detected by objective examination.

• Changes in the skin and mucous membranes (herpetic rash, leukoplakia, fungal infections, warts, etc.).
• Poliadenopatia lymphoma.
• Repeated pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis.
• Encephalopathy (under the age of 50 years).
• Kaposi’s sarcoma.