AIDS -most dangerous disease

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Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, is a disease of the immune system caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus.) AIDS is defined as a syndrome, which means there are a group of health problems that make up this disease. Being infected with HIV progressively reduces the ability of the immune system to fight these infections. Eventually, these viruses, fungi and bacterial infections make a person very ill and at this stage they are said to have AIDS. There is no cure for AIDS, but antiretroviral therapy (ART) can slow down the HIV virus and also slow down damage to the immune system. The group of viruses, bacterial infections and fungi that cause sickness are referred to as opportunistic infections (O Is). Some O Is are very difficult to treat, but newer drugs prevent and treat these infections and work very well. AIDS research and clinical trials are focusing on new therapies, drugs and treatments to prevent or delay the complications of HIV-related disorders.

Although there is no cure for AIDS, the transmission of HIV is preventable. HIV is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid and breast milk. Therefore, HIV is contracted by sexual contact, sharing of contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, breastfeeding or other exchange of body fluids. Prevention is key to controlling the spread of HIV and AIDS. Health organizations promote safe sex (mainly through use of condoms,) and needle exchange programs in attempts to slow the spread of the virus.

The World Health Organization developed a staging system in 1990 for patients infected with HIV, and updated the system in 2005.

Stage I - HIV infection is asymptomatic and not categorized as AIDS.
Stage II- includes minor mucocutaneous manifestations and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections.
Stage III- includes unexplained chronic diarrhea for longer than a month, severe bacterial infections and pulmonary tuberculosis.
Stage IV- includes toxoplasmosis of the brain, candidiasis of the esophagus, trachea, bronchi or lungs and Kaposi's sarcoma; these diseases are indicators of AIDS.

How HIV Spread ??

HOW DOES HIV SPREAD

Infected person’s blood, semen, vaginal fluid are rich in HIV. However tears, saliva, sweat or urine do not pose any danger?

HIV is transmitted by:

• Unprotected sexual intercourse with infected person (either heterosexual or homosexual)

• Transfusion of infected blood or blood products

• Infected mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth process and through breast – feeding

• Use of infected needles and instruments without sterilization or sharing of needles and syringes by HIV drug addicts

HOW HIV IS NOT TRANSMITTED

There is no risk of contracting HIV infection in daily routine activities and by casual contact with HIV positive person.

AIDS virus is not transmitted through:

• Embarrassing or kissing (social)

• Touching hand shaking or hugging

• Sharing bathroom or toilet

• Coughing, saliva or sneezing

• Eating together or sharing utensils

• Swimming pools

• Sharing clothes

• Mosquito bite, Insect bite or houseflies

• Patient caring

"AIDS, Difficult to get, Impossible to cure but, Easy to prevent"

How Hiv infect

AIDS is caused by HIV, a very fragile RNA type of retrovirus, which like any other microorganism lives inside the living cells of the body. Outside body it doesn’t survive for more than half and hour.

There are two types of HIV virus, i.e. HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is present all over the world and in India more than 80% people are affected by it. HIV-2 is mainly found in Africa and also presents in India. Some people are infected with both the viruses. People only infected with HIV-2 live longer than those infected with HIV-1 and chances of transmission of HIV-2 from mother to child are very rare.

Once in body, HIV attacks CD4 type of White Blood Cells (WBCs) in blood and gradually kills them. 

    

These CD4 type of WBC helps us to fight against various infections. 

Once they are destroyed our body’s resistance to fight infections goes down and person suffers from lots of infections. 

This end stage of HIV infection is called AIDS. It takes many years for AIDS to develop and till that time infected person usually remains healthy.