HIV Infections

HIV Infection

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency virus ) is a virus which damages the immune system , and makes the body susceptible to infections and diseases5

HIV has in the last 30 years , become one of the biggest challenges that medicine and research is facing5

By destroying cells of the body 's immune system , HIV gradually makes the body prone to infections , which the immune system can otherwise usually combat5 . The advanced stages of HIV infection are termed AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome5 . The Centre of Disease Control defined AIDS as the stage where

the body 's T helper cells , are fewer than 200 per cubic millimeter of blood5 . The usually count in healthy individuals is above 10005 . At this stage , `the opportunistic infections ' like cancers and other diseases occur easily , since the immune system that defends that body starts crippling5 . They are called `opportunistic ' because they take advantage of the body 's weakened immune system5 . People with HIV are likely to develop cancers which are usually difficult to treat5 The opportunistic infections include vomiting , nausea , cramps , temporary loss of vision , confusion and memory loss , lack of coordination seizures , fever and even coma5

Children with HIV have almost the same symptoms as adults3 . They may though , develop bacterial infections like conjunctivis , ear infections and tonsillitis3

HIV spreads through body fluids , mostly semen and blood . A blood test can be used for diagnosis . Presence of HIV antibodies means a person is HIV positive5 . A person can be screened directly for HIV genetic material5 . For treatment , anti-retroviral drugs are administered5

The most common mode of transmission is unprotected sexual intercourse5 Having intercourse with a person whose HIV status is unknown puts one at a great risk of infection5 . Drug abuse has become very common in the recent years . The use of intravenous syringes and needles among drug users has spread the virus even more5 . A drug user with HIV may transmit it to another using the same needle5 . HIV can also be transmitted through unscreened blood5 . The blood of a person with HIV is infected Before , blood was usually transfused without effective screening . With early researches , it was discovered that screening of blood should be made mandatory . In developing countries , till today , screening of blood is an expensive and a difficult task . Things in first world countries are different . Mostly though , the risk of getting HIV from blood transfusions is very low5

Demographics show that the sub-Saharan region in Africa has the highest number of people with HIV12 . North Africa is probably the worst-hit12 Infection is concentrated in the socially and economically productive groups aged 15-45 , with slightly more women infected than men12 ' In the infection itself , there is a span of about 8 to 10 years where no symptoms occur5 . More persistent and rigorous symptoms appear later5 . A person may not be aware about the infection , but even in this time of no apparent activity , the virus is multiplying actively , destroying the immune system5 . So a person , at this stage can transmit the virus...