HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus was first discovered in the US in 1981. HIV is a virus that attacks those cells in our bodies that fight infection and disease. Makes the victim more vulnerable to disease. Usually after acquiring this virus, the patient lives with it for 3-4 years without any symptoms until the immune system finally weakens. Soon, the patient begins to develop different diseases and finally dies from a disease, or in most cases, from some cancer.
AIDS is the last stage of HIV. If HIV is not treated, the patient develops AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). This is the stage when the patient’s immune system has been completely damaged.
HIV TRANSMISSION
Since HIV is a virus, its ways of transmission are also quite similar to other viruses. Some ways in which HIV can be transmitted to our body are through:
(I) Sexual intercourse: The most common form of transmission is sexual intercourse with someone already infected. This virus is present in body fluids such as semen and saliva. Apart from that, it is also found in the reproductive tract of the vagina. That’s why having sex with an HIV-positive man or woman can transfer this virus to your body. Explain why prostitution is becoming one of the main causes of AIDS.
(II) Injection needles: Sharing dirty or used injection needles can also spread this virus. You can introduce this virus into our bloodstream and infect us. This is why drug users are more likely to be HIV positive, and disposable syringes are used in all hospitals.
(III) Mother-to-child transmission: If the mother is HIV positive during pregnancy, she could transmit this virus to her unborn child. This is the reason why there have been several cases of young children testing HIV positive.
(IV) Blood transfusions: Receiving a transfusion of contaminated or infected blood can introduce HIV into your body.
HIV SYMPTOMS
Depending on the stage of infection, the symptoms of HIV vary. There are usually three phases of symptoms listed below:
(I) Acute HIV: This is the primary stage of infection and symptoms develop after two to three weeks of being infected. Common symptoms are fever, headache, rash, diarrhea, cough, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes.
(II) Chronic HIV: This is the latent stage when there are no particular symptoms. This stage lasts a few years in many people, and then they develop even more serious diseases due to the failure of the immune system.
(III) Symptomatic HIV: This is the stage where the virus continues to multiply in the system and destroy cells. Most of the symptoms such as fatigue, diarrhea, oral candidiasis, weight loss and pneumonia appear at this stage.
(IV) Development of AIDS: Finally, the final stage comes when the victims have developed AIDS and their immune system has been permanently damaged. At this stage, the patient becomes more vulnerable to infections. The usual symptoms are fever, chronic diarrhea, prolonged fatigue, weakness, weight loss, and white patches on the tongue or in the mouth.
HIV treatment
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As of today, there is no vaccine for HIV. However, certain medications can prevent a patient from reaching the final stage of AIDS development.
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