HIV/AIDS or sida

HIV destroys CD4 positive (CD4+) T cells, which are white blood cells crucial to maintaining the function of the human immune system. As HIV attacks these cells, the person infected with the virus is less equipped to fight off infection and disease, ultimately resulting in the development of AIDS.

Most people who are infected with HIV can carry the virus for years before developing any serious symptoms. But over time, HIV levels increase in the blood while the number of CD4+ T cells decline. Antiretroviral medicines can help reduce the amount of virus in the body, preserve CD4+ T cells and dramatically slow the destruction of the immune system.

people who are not infected with HIV and generally are in good health have roughly 800 to 1,200 CD4+ T cells per cubic millimeter (mm3) of blood. Some people who have been diagnosed with AIDS have fewer than 50 CD4+ T cells in their entire body.

aids or vih or hiv

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AIDS certainly comes to mind whenever STDs are discussed. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a sexually transmitted disease affecting tens of millions worldwide. It is caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which targets the immune system primarily the CD4+ T cells. HIV can be transmitted through sexual fluids, blood or breast milk.


By bringing down the number of defending cells, HIV permits opportunistic diseases to proliferate. These diseases are caused by pathogens that would have been easily repelled by a healthy person. During the initial infection, flu-like symptoms appear. A very long phase that lacks any noticeable symptom follows the initial manifestations. Without any HIV test kit, this phase can't be detected.

HIV diagnosis is possible through the antibodies that react specifically to HIV or the presence of the viral particles themselves. Antibodies only form around one to three months after viral infection. Taking an HIV test before this time frame will produce a false negative result and possibly a false sense of relief. Fortunately with modern research, HIV can now be detected even before antibody formation. This has been possible by measuring HIV-RNA or p24 antigens, which are unique defining traits of HIV. PCR testing accurate detects viral RNA.

AIDS is the final and most damaging stage of HIV infection. It typically develops more than one decade after infection. A CD4+ T cell count lower than 200 cells per cubic millimeter is the standard way of diagnosing AIDS. All AIDS victims have HIV but not all HIV infection progress to AIDS. When treated, HIV infection may be prevented from becoming AIDS. Rashes, chills, fevers, unusual sweating at night and swollen lymph glands are some manifestations of AIDS. The syndrome can also be diagnosed through the presence of certain serious opportunistic disorders. These include AIDS-related dementia, pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), cryptococcal meningitis and tuberculosis. AIDS also accompany the development of cervical and several other cancers.

There is still a very poor rate of early AIDS/HIV diagnosis especially in the heavily afflicted developing countries. In many cases, HIV only gets identified when full blown AIDS develops. Ironically, there are available HIV home test kits which can detect viral presence in just a matter of ten or fifteen minutes. This HIV test kit can lead to early viral mitigation and the HIV test may in fact prevent the infection from progressing to AIDS.

Despite many years of research, there is still no treatment for completely eradicating HIV and exterminating AIDS. This regrettable phenomenon is brought about by HIV's very high replication and mutation rates, which are ingredients for successful drug resistance. The best that modern medicine can do is to ensure that AIDS patients will live long lives that are as normal as possible. AIDS treatment includes Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Treatment (HAART), treatment for preventing opportunistic conditions and treatment of HIV-related disorders.

HAART is done through the simultaneous intake of at least three different drugs that suppress HIV population. Entry inhibitors, protease inhibitors, nucleoside and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are the drugs used in HAART. Entry inhibitors control HIV by preventing the virus from penetrating into healthy cells, while the other drugs prevent viral replication using varied mechanisms. When performed faithfully, HAART may also dramatically decrease the chance of an HIV-stricken pregnant mother to transmit the virus to her child or pass the infection to an intimate partner. Very effective retroviral therapy may produce a negative result when the patient undergoes a standard HIV home test.

The preventive medicines lower the risk for opportunistic diseases to develop. These medicines essentially work by strengthening the immunity of the compromised patient. Treatments for AIDS-related disorders are taken when preventive medicines fail. To ensure the success of these medical treatments, healthy lifestyle is crucial. This way of living is achieved with healthy and balanced diet, regular exercise, sufficient sleeping hours and abstinence from vices particularly cigarette smoking.

HIV/AIDS is definitely a menace. To spare one's self from falling prey to the incurable tormentor, early detection is a must. This detection can be achieved with a HIV home test. Each HIV test kit only requires a small quantity of blood or oral sample. The whole HIV test may just last a quarter of an hour. With early detection, HIV treatment will guarantee a life completely similar to HIV-negative ones.

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