HIV/AIDS is a threat to global as well as national economy by
destroying human capital. It is the most
dangerous roadblock in a nation’s economic growth. Although we are heard about HIV/AIDS but yet to take precautions to
minimize it’s spreading. Even many of us
do not know some minor points about HIV/AIDS
and prevention of it’s transmission and also the reduction of its risky
behaviours in case of an infected person.
Here is some important points regarding HIV/AIDS
DEFINITION OF HIV/AIDS
HIV stands for **human
immunodeficiency virus** that causes AIDS.
H: HIV infects only Human
Beings.
I: Immunodeficiency virus weakens the immune
system and increase the risk of infection.
V: Virus attacks the body.
AIDS stands for **acquired
immune deficiency syndrome** & refers to the most advanced stage of
HIV infection.
*A:
*Acquired(not inherited) to differentiate from a genetic or
inherited condition that caused immune dysfunction.
I:
Immune, because it attacks the immune system and increases
susceptibility to infection.
D: Deficiency of certain white blood cells
in the immune system.
S: Syndrome, meaning a group of symptoms
or illness that occurs together, as result of HIV infection.
*DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIV, HIV INFECTION AND
AIDS*
HIV is the virus that causes infection.The HIV positive person might have no signs of
illness but can still infect others.When the immune system becomes affected by HIV, the
illness progress to AIDS.AIDS is a serious group of illness and opportunistic
infections that develop after being for a long period of time.Most HIV-infected people will develop AIDS after
being infected for a period of time, which can be several months to more
than 15 years.
TYPES OF HIV:
HIV-1 and HIV-2 are two types of
virus. Both types are transmitted the
HIV/AIDS is a threat to global as well as national economy by
destroying human capital. It is the most
dangerous roadblock in a nation’s economic growth. Although we are heard about HIV/AIDS but yet to take precautions to
minimize it’s spreading. Even many of us
do not know some minor points about HIV/AIDS
and prevention of it’s transmission and also the reduction of its risky
behaviours in case of an infected person.
Here is some important points regarding HIV/AIDS
DEFINITION OF HIV/AIDS
HIV stands for **human
immunodeficiency virus** that causes AIDS.
H: HIV infects only Human
Beings.
I: Immunodeficiency virus weakens the immune
system and increase the risk of infection.
V: Virus attacks the body.
AIDS stands for **acquired
immune deficiency syndrome** & refers to the most advanced stage of
HIV infection.
*A:
*Acquired(not inherited) to differentiate from a genetic or
inherited condition that caused immune dysfunction.
I:
Immune, because it attacks the immune system and increases
susceptibility to infection.
D: Deficiency of certain white blood cells
in the immune system.
S: Syndrome, meaning a group of symptoms
or illness that occurs together, as result of HIV infection.
*DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIV, HIV INFECTION AND
AIDS*
HIV is the virus that causes infection.The HIV positive person might have no signs of
illness but can still infect others.When the immune system becomes affected by HIV, the
illness progress to AIDS.AIDS is a serious group of illness and opportunistic
infections that develop after being for a long period of time.Most HIV-infected people will develop AIDS after
being infected for a period of time, which can be several months to more
than 15 years.
TYPES OF HIV:
HIV-1 and HIV-2 are two types of
virus. Both types are transmitted the
same way, and both are associated with similar opportunistic infection &
AIDS. HIV-2 is less easily transmitted
than is HIV-1, and it is less pathogenic, meaning that the period between
initial infection and illness is longer.
As the disease advances, HIV-2 infectiousness seems to increase;
however, the duration of HIV-2 infection is shorter. In some areas, a person can be infected with
both HIV-1 and HIV-2.
SYMPTOMS OF AIDS:
The
major symptoms of HIV infections are as follows:
Fevers, Sweating(particularly at night), Swollen glands, Chills, Weakness, Weight Loss.Pulmonary Infection, Gastrointestinal Infections, Neurological Disease, Tumors and Malignancies.
Routes of HIV transmission
HIV can be transmitted through
blood, sexual contact, injection drug use and from HIV infected mother to child
(also known as parental or vertical transmission). The most common route of HIV transmission is
through sexual contact especially heterosexual intercourse.
-
*Blood to
blood transmission:*
o
Transfusion with infected body.
o
Direct contact with infected blood
-
*Sexual
Contact:*
o Unprotected
sexual intercourse(v*ginal, oral and anal)
o Direct
contact with infected body fluids like semen and cervical and v*ginal secretions
-
Drug Use
o Drug
injections with infected needles and syringes.
-
*Parental
or Vertical Transmission*
o From
HIV-infected mother to their infants(MTCT) during pregnancy, child birth or
breastfeeding.
HIV cannot be transmitted by
Coughing
or sneezing, Insect
bites, Touching
and hugging, Drinking
water or preparing or eating food, Kissing, Going
to a public bath, Shaking
hands, Working
or going to school with an HIV-infected person, Using
telephones, Sharing
cups, glasses, plate or other utensils.
Certain Private and Public strategies can be adopted to prevent
HIV infection.
Private Strategies: Accept
only HIV screened blood for transfusionAbstain
from sexual contactsLimit
sexual activities to those in which the sex organ, v*gina, mouth and rectum
have no contact with the partner’s sexual organ, v*gina, mouth and rectum(“out
course”) Have sex only in a mutually monogamous
relationship with an uninfected partner.Do not
inject drugUse
only clean unused equipmentsKnow
your HIV status, if positive, use PPTCT(Prevention from Parent To Child
Transmission)
Public Strategies: Screen
all blood and blood products for HIV infectionPromote
abstinence or monogamous relationships between uninfected partners.Educate
about the risks of infections
through drug use with contaminated
syringesProvide
access to clean and sterilized syringes.Provide
access to family planning to prevent unintended pregnancies.
-
*Parental
or Vertical Transmission*
o From
HIV-infected mother to their infants(MTCT) during pregnancy, child birth or
breastfeeding.
HIV cannot be transmitted by
Coughing
or sneezing, Insect
bites, Touching
and hugging, Drinking
water or preparing or eating food, Kissing, Going
to a public bath, Shaking
hands, Working
or going to school with an HIV-infected person, Using
telephones, Sharing
cups, glasses, plate or other utensils.
Certain Private and Public strategies can be adopted to prevent
HIV infection.
Private Strategies: Accept
only HIV screened blood for transfusionAbstain
from sexual contactsLimit
sexual activities to those in which the sex organ, v*gina, mouth and rectum
have no contact with the partner’s sexual organ, v*gina, mouth and rectum(“out
course”) Have sex only in a mutually monogamous
relationship with an uninfected partner.Do not
inject drugUse
only clean unused equipmentsKnow
your HIV status, if positive, use PPTCT(Prevention from Parent To Child
Transmission)
Public Strategies: Screen
all blood and blood products for HIV infection Promote
abstinence or monogamous relationships between uninfected partners.Educate
about the risks of infections
through drug use with contaminated
syringes Provide
access to clean and sterilized syringes.Provide
access to family planning to prevent unintended pregnancies.
