HIV - Aids : What You Don't Know About HIV - AIDS

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and leads to the development of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS. AIDS is not a disease itself but a failure of the immune system which leads to a collection of rare, life-threatening opportunistic infection.

It became a topic of concern among healthcare professionals in the early 80s, when research on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like genital herpes was at its peak. In terms of the number of people infected, HIV is down in the list of 10 most common STDs followed by genital herpes, but its danger is far more real to people compared to many other diseases.

Since AIDS was first recognised on 1st December 1981 it is estimated to have killed 25million people. HIV/AIDS is now pandemic which means it has spread across whole continents and in this case the world. It is thought that at the moment there are 40million people worldwide, living with HIV, 70% of them living in sub-Saharan Africa. Although HIV and AIDS are a major problem in developing countries and a leading cause of death it still has a massive impact here in the UK: about 63,500 people are now living with HIV.

HIV is a pathogen which is an organism that causes infectious disease; more specifically it is a retrovirus which means it breaks down DNA in cells and reassembles it in order to make copies of itself. HIV is such a problem for a number of reasons: firstly it can mutate easily so it is difficult for the body to recognise and it is difficult to develop a vaccine, secondly it attacks T-helper lymphocyte cells which are a vital part of the body's immune system.

HIV is transferred through the direct exchange of:

* Blood
* Semen
* Vaginal fluid
* Pre-ejaculate
* Breast milk

It can be transmitted by:

* Unprotected sexual intercourse
* Contaminated needles
* Breast milk
* Vertical transmission (from the mother to the baby at birth)
* Blood transfusions or blood products

HIV can't survive outside the body or be carried in a vector so it is only transferred through direct contact. However, it is present in bodily fluids as both a free virus and within infected immune cells. Saliva, sweat and urine do contain HIV if the person is infected but not in a high enough quantity to transfer the infection.

Symptoms of HIV:

* Fever
* Swollen glands
* Sore throat
* Rash
* Painful muscles and joints
* Headache
* Nausea and vomiting
* Ulcers
* Flu-like symptoms.

There are 4 stages in HIV infection, these are:

1. The Incubation Phase:

This stage is often asymptomatic and normally lasts 2-4 weeks.

2. Acute HIV Infection:

In this stage you develop an influenza-like illness with symptoms such as fever, weight loss, thrush and neurological symptoms. These symptoms are very non-specific so it is often not recognised as an HIV infection and can be diagnosed incorrectly as a more common infection with similar symptoms. The virus replicates rapidly and there is a marked drop in the number of T-helper lymphocytes. This stage lasts for at least a week and more normally a month.

3. Latency Stage:

The body's natural, strong immune defence reduces the number of viral particles in the blood and the infection seems to clear. This stage can last any time between 2 weeks and 20 years.

4. AIDS:

The T-helper lymphocytes decline in number so cell-mediated immunity is lost. This allows opportunistic infections to occur such as tumours, tuberculosis and pneumonia and it is these infections that actually kill the person.