By Angel Maria Siji, 15th Dec 2022
Fig. 1. “A Person Holding Red Ribbon Associated with Supporting People with Chronic AIDS .” 10 Facts About HIV/AIDS Everyone Should Know, Charlotte Libov and Becky Upham, 22 Nov. 2022, www.everydayhealth.com/hiv-aids/10-hiv-aids-facts-everyone-should-know.aspx.
ABSTRACT
A few weeks ago, on the 1st of December, the world commemorated World AIDS day. It was first established in 1988 in response to the increasing necessity for awareness of the AIDS pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) described the day as an important opportunity to demonstrate international solidarity and remember those who lost their lives to any AIDS-related illnesses. The purpose of this article is to spread awareness regarding this growing issue, especially among young adults and students today who are more exposed to the risk of becoming victims of such diseases.
HIV & AIDS – Transmission and Causes
Human Immunodeficiency Virus, more commonly known as HIV, causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The virus attacks cells in the body that play important roles in our immune system (immunodeficiency). Thus, a person becomes more susceptible to infections and diseases like life-threatening cancers, influenza, pneumonia, etc. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.
HIV can be transmitted via the exchange of body fluids like:
Blood
Breast milk
Semen and vaginal secretions
For the transmission to occur, HIV must get into the bloodstream of the individual through mucus membranes (like the inside of the mouth, penis, vagina, or rectum), damaged or injured tissues, or by direct injections (from a needle or syringe). Such transmissions occur when an individual has unprotected sex with someone who is HIV-positive, by the sharing of infected needles between drug users, during pregnancy and/or breastfeeding, and, less commonly, by receiving blood transfusions contaminated with the virus.
It is important to note that the virus cannot spread through sweat, saliva, or urine. In other words, HIV can spread from a mother to her child during pregnancy or breastfeeding but activities with ordinary day-to-day contact such as hugging, hand-shakes, or even kissing do not lead to the virus’ transmission.
Symptoms
There are various levels of HIV symptoms but it can be divided into 3 main stages.
Stage 1: Within 2 to 3 weeks, infected individuals show flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, and mouth ulcers. The amount of time these can last is unclear. Some may not even show these symptoms.
Stage 2: The virus has multiplied but is still at low levels. There are no particular symptoms associated with this stage. This is called chronic HIV infection and without proper treatment, individuals can remain stagnant in this stage for 10-15 years. But some may move on to the next stage faster than this.
Stage 3: The virus has multiplied enough to considerably weaken the immune system. The individual now progresses to AIDS and this is the last stage of the infection. It is commonly associated with symptoms like weight loss, night sweats, sores in the mouth, anus, or genitals, and neurological disorders.
Diagnosis and Treatment
HIV is normally diagnosed with blood tests. This involves testing for antibodies to the virus in the blood system of infected individuals. Since these antibodies can take between 6 weeks to 6 months to form, follow-up tests are required. The large waiting period for such tests and the delayed appearance of symptoms are key reasons for the vast spread of the disease.
Following a positive diagnosis, treatment will be provided to the individual to manage the disease. This consists of various antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. Although this life-long treatment cannot cure the individual of the disease, it suppresses the production of the virus, allowing the immune system to recover and regain the full capacity to ward off other potentially harmful infections.
Prevention
The spread of HIV can be successfully prevented by limiting exposure to risk factors. Key factors that contribute to HIV prevention include:
Male/female condom use
Counseling sessions regarding AIDS/STIs
Use of ARV drugs for prevention
Reducing/eliminating Mother-to-child transmission of HIV
All need to understand these risk factors. Failing to do so could lead to this life-long disease with no determined cure as of now. In response to the rising prevalence of AIDS and other STIs (sexually transmitted infections) in today’s society, WHO has come up with various strategies to achieve goals related to controlling the spread of such diseases. WHO has taken up the task of providing sufficient care and treatments required by various communities across the globe. Nonetheless, our cooperation with the health sector is key to defeating this disease.
Works Cited
“AIDS.” Ucsfhealth.org, University of California San Francisco , www.ucsfhealth.org/conditions/aids.
“HIV.” Edited by WHO, World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 9 Nov. 2022, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids.
“HIV/AIDS: Medlineplus Medical Encyclopedia.” Edited by Jatin M. Vyas et al., MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 10 Apr. 2022, medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000594.htm.
“A Person Holding Red Ribbon Associated with Supporting People with Chronic AIDS .” 10 Facts About HIV/AIDS Everyone Should Know, Charlotte Libov and Becky Upham, 22 Nov. 2022, www.everydayhealth.com/hiv-aids/10-hiv-aids-facts-everyone-should-know.aspx.
“What Are HIV and AIDS?” Edited by HIV.gov, HIV.gov, 15 June 2022, www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/about-hiv-and-aids/what-are-hiv-and-aids.
“World AIDS Day 2022.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 1 Dec. 2022, www.who.int/campaigns/world-aids-day/2022.
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