HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS

HIV is the most deadly, endangering and major global public health issue which killed 40.1 million [33.6–48.6 million] people so far (WHO, 2022). HIV infection can not be completely cured, but it has become manageable chronic health condition. Increasing access to effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care can enable people with HIV to live long and healthy lives.

What is HIV?

It is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This virus normally attacks the immune system and weakens people’s defense against many infections and some types of cancer. The infected people gradually become immunodeficient due to destruction and impairment of the function of immune cells. Immune function is typically measured by CD4 cell count. On the otherhand, people with healthy immune systems can more easily fight against this virus (WHO, 2022).

AIDS

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the most advanced stage of HIV infection (WHO, 2022). AIDS can take many years to develop if HIV is not treated, depending on the food habit, lifestyle, genetic characteristics and other factors of individuals. People with AIDS may develop certain cancers, infections or other severe long-term clinical manifestations (WHO, 2022).

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms of HIV are related to the progress and the stage of infection. After initial infection people tend to be most infectious in the first few months. However, they can not realize it at the beginning stage (WHO, 2022).

  • People may experience no symptoms or an influenza-like illness including fever, headache, rash or sore throat in the first few weeks after initial infection.
  • At the advanced stage, the immune system becomes weak and people can develop swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea and cough.
  • At the more advanced stage without treatment, they could also develop severe illnesses such as tuberculosis (TB), cryptococcal meningitis, severe bacterial infections, and cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Transmission of HIV

HIV can be transmitted via the exchange of a variety of body fluids from infected people, such as

  • blood,
  • breast milk,
  • semen and vaginal secretions,
  • from a mother to her child during pregnancy and delivery.

No transmission of HIV

Individuals cannot become infected through ordinary day-to-day contact such as 

  • kissing,
  • hugging,
  • shaking hands, or
  • sharing personal objects,
  • food or water. 
  • People with HIV who are taking ART and are virally suppressed do not transmit HIV to their sexual partners. 

Risk factors contributing to HIV

  • Having condomless anal or vaginal sex;
  • Having another sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and bacterial vaginosis;
  • Harmful use of alcohol and drugs in the context of sexual behaviour;
  • Sharing contaminated needles, syringes and other injecting equipment and drug solutions when injecting drugs;
  • Having unsafe injections, blood transfusions and tissue transplantation, and medical procedures that involve unsterile cutting or piercing; and
  • Experiencing accidental needle stick injuries, including among health workers.

HIV Diagnosis

Following procedure can be used to diagnose HIV (WHO, 2022):

  • Rapid diagnostic tests provide same-day results.
  • Use HIV self-tests to test themselves.
  • However, no single test can provide a full HIV positive diagnosis;
  • Requires confirmatory testing by a qualified and trained health or community worker at a community centre or clinic.
  • WHO prequalified tests can detect HIV infection with great accuracy
  • Antibodies testing.
  • In most cases, people develop antibodies to HIV within 28 days of infection.
  • Testing is not simple and efficient for the babies born to HIV-positive mothers.
  • Rapid antibody testing is not sufficient to identify HIV infection for children less than 18 months of age;
  • Virological testing must be provided as early as birth or at 6 weeks of age.
  • Current new technologies can perform this test at the point of care providing same-day results;

Treatment

  • Early access to use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs);
  • Timely, accurate and continuous support and treatment can improve the health of people with HIV;
  • Treatment can prevent HIV transmission.

References

WHO, 2022. HIV. 9 November 2022. Last accessed on 10/11/2022. Url: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids.