Is there life with HIV? Can HIV infection be cured? Early symptoms of HIV. How long do people live with HIV? Rapid test for HIV. How long do children with HIV live and how long do HIV-infected newborns live?

HIV is one of the most serious infectious diseases that can significantly affect the quality and length of life. Statistics on how long and how people live with HIV infection differ depending on many factors, including gender, age of the patient and the presence of concomitant pathologies. The therapy offered by modern medicine is not aimed at recovery, but at stabilizing the patient’s condition. The average life expectancy with HIV ranges from 2-5 to 25 years or more. Patients who are seen by a doctor and take the necessary medications live a full life and experience virtually no restrictions.

Human immunodeficiency virus is an infection that is transmitted through blood and other body fluids. When it enters the body, clinical signs do not appear immediately, and antibodies to it begin to be produced after 2 weeks - 1 year. At the same time, an infected person may not be aware of his illness and may find out about it during a routine blood test.

There are several stages in the development of HIV:

window period - the time from the virus entering the blood to the production of antibodies;
stage of primary infection - characterized by enlarged lymph nodes, stomatitis, rash, and a slight increase in temperature;
latent period - lasts 5-10 days, the only symptom is enlarged lymph nodes;
pre-AIDS - the infection begins to destroy white blood cells, often accompanied by herpes;
AIDS is a terminal stage, occurs with exacerbation of any disease and lack of immune protection.

Important! In recent years, the statistics of infection cases have changed. If in 2000 more than 85% of those infected were under 30 years of age, today the majority of patients (47%) are people aged 30 to 40 years. The number of teenagers has also declined.

How long do people live with HIV?

The leading cause of death among HIV-infected people is AIDS. The disease attacks the cells of the immune system, making the patient especially sensitive to any bacterial or viral diseases. However, modern antiretroviral drugs allow people to lead a full life and cause minimal side effects.

The number of people living with HIV depends on several factors:

taking medications;
gender and age of the patient;
the stage at which the infection was detected;
the presence of concomitant diseases, including viral hepatitis.

If you follow the recommendations and regularly take medications, an infected person can live up to 70-80 years or more. At the same time, a person can lead a full life, experiencing only some restrictions. These measures are designed for the safety of others and to prevent the patient from contracting underlying health conditions.

How quickly do men die from HIV and how long do sick people with HIV live?

Statistics on how long people with HIV live do not depend on gender. However, in Russia there are more infected men: 2.8%, compared to 1.3% of women. These data relate to the age category from 35 to 39 years. After infection, you can live a long and full life, but the prognosis will be as follows:

in the absence of treatment, life expectancy is a maximum of 3-4 years;
in combination with viral hepatitis - 1-2 years;
subject to taking medications - 10-15 years;
with proper treatment and a healthy lifestyle - until old age.

Mortality rates for highly active forms of the disease in late stages tend to 100%. At risk are people who do not take therapy and have bad habits (smoking, alcoholism, drug use). These factors reduce the activity of the immune system and prevent the formation of protective cells. The immunodeficiency virus does not cause death - it is caused by any other diseases, including the common flu or ARVI, which occur with complications.

How quickly do women die from HIV and how long do they live?

The indicators of how long females live with HIV and how infection occurs differ slightly. Women become infected at a younger age, but their lifespan also depends on the medications they take and the presence of aggravating diseases. Statistics on how many years people live with AIDS are disappointing - few people will live more than 1-2 years with such a diagnosis.

A peculiarity of the course of the disease in women is the short incubation period. This is due to hormonal changes in the body during different phases of the menstrual cycle. Thus, during ovulation, the level of immune defense normally decreases - this mechanism is provided to prevent fetal rejection. It is at this time that the immunodeficiency virus is especially active.

The main danger for women infected with HIV is learning about their diagnosis during pregnancy. If the infection occurred in the first trimester, the risk of transmitting the infection to the fetus is 20%, in the second - 30% and in the third reaches 70%. Infection can occur both through the placenta and during breastfeeding. You should not ignore painful sensations during pregnancy - like exacerbation of herpes and other chronic diseases, they can be symptoms of HIV.

How long do children with HIV live and how long do HIV-infected newborns live?

The immunodeficiency virus can be transmitted to a child during pregnancy. This rate is highest in cases where a woman becomes infected directly during this period or does not take antiretroviral drugs. If the mother begins treatment before pregnancy, the chances of giving birth to a healthy child are high.

Until the age of 12, T-lymphocytes in humans are formed in the thymus gland (thymus). Enlargement of this organ should be a reason to test the blood for antibodies to HIV, since it destroys these very cells. In adolescence, the thymus undergoes regression, and then it gradually atrophies.

After birth, a child infected with HIV is underweight. He is also susceptible to various infectious diseases. How long HIV-infected children live depends on the timeliness of diagnosis. Life expectancy with HIV is up to 10-15 years or more, and infection detected in the early stages can be fought until old age.

How long can you live with HIV infection?

How long you can live with HIV infection depends on the patient. The average duration is 10-15 years. Some people live full lives for years and can even give birth to healthy children. There are several factors that cause an exacerbation of the disease, which leads to death:

taking drugs and other addictions;
refusal of therapy;
presence of hepatitis.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome - terminal stage. At this stage, immune protection does not work due to the destruction of T-lymphocytes. The prognosis for such patients often does not exceed 1-2 years; rarely people manage to live more than 3 years.

Principles of treatment

The life expectancy of HIV-infected people directly depends on regular use of medications. Despite the fact that the disease cannot be cured, medications should be taken. In total, several classes of such drugs have been developed in the form of tablets, which are taken several times daily. A minimum of three medications is prescribed. Treatment with antiretroviral drugs has several goals:

reduction of viral load;
preventing the development of the disease to the terminal stage;
preventing the spread of infection.

Without treatment, a person's life expectancy is significantly reduced. Previously, it was believed that procedures and therapy could completely rid a person of the virus. However, research indicates that medications can only prolong the patient's life. Its condition depends on the viral load, that is, on the concentration of the infectious agent in the blood. In some patients it becomes so low that serological tests give a false negative result. There is no medicine that completely rids a person of the virus.

Life expectancy with treatment

In Russia (RF), measures are being taken to identify those infected. In total, more than 1 million people living in the state are registered as carriers of the HIV viral disease. Of these, more than 900 thousand receive therapy according to the accepted regimen.

Life expectancy with HIV varies from 10-15 to 25 years or more. This also depends on the age at which the disease was diagnosed. Although it is impossible to completely cure (cure) HIV, patients have a good chance of living to old age. After treatment, viral load levels decrease, the pathology does not lead to complications and is not transmitted to others.

Reference! Indicators of how long people live with HIV infection depend not only on the use of drugs, but also on the economic situation in the country. Thus, in developed countries with high incomes, if infected at the age of 20, after starting antiretroviral therapy, patients live about 60 years, in middle and underdeveloped countries - 51 years.

HIV without treatment: how long will patients live with HIV infection?

To date, infected people without treatment have a poor prognosis. Those infected with this infection are susceptible to dangerous complications, and the virus in their body gradually progresses. Without therapy, the disease quickly enters the terminal stage, which lasts no more than 1-2 years.

The life expectancy of a patient can be predicted based on two main tests:

the number of CD4 lymphocytes is normally 400-1600 in men and 500-1600 in women, with HIV it can decrease to 200-300;
viral load - this indicator is also checked to assess the effectiveness of treatment.

Those who do not take medications will live shorter than patients undergoing a full course of therapy. Some infected people learn about their diagnosis from a doctor and refuse to undergo treatment. There are several explanations for this: fear of side effects of drugs, mistrust in the correct diagnosis and financial aspects. For therapy to be effective, the patient must not only take medications, but also give up bad habits.

How long do people live with AIDS?

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is the terminal stage of HIV, so the prognosis for how long people live with AIDS is unfavorable. At this stage, the cells of the immune system are destroyed and dangerous complications develop. Regardless of the effectiveness of treatment, the patient’s life can rarely be extended beyond 6-19 months. However, do not confuse the data on how long people live with AIDS with the prognosis for the presence of HIV infection in the blood.

How life changes after infection

Although the life expectancy of infected people may not change, they are forced to comply with some restrictions. Many people became infected with this disease while following a healthy lifestyle - transmission of the virus also occurs through blood during a number of procedures. The disease is often detected during routine examinations or during HIV testing of donated blood. In the first period, the virus does not cause clinical symptoms for a long time, but can be transmitted to others.

The life expectancy with this diagnosis depends on the patient, his social status and lifestyle. This factor is also related to the age of the patient. Throughout your life you should adhere to a number of recommendations:

periodically take tests for the number of lymphocytes and viral load;
avoid unprotected sex;
prevent blood and other biological fluids from coming into contact with people’s open wounds;
Store hygiene items and shaving accessories separately.

It is worth remembering: if you follow your doctor’s recommendations, you can live for several decades. Despite the fact that HIV is contagious, its transmission in everyday life is excluded. Living together with an infected person is safe. However, after some time, family members should also be examined.

Complications

In the first phase, HIV may be asymptomatic. At the second stage, dermatitis of the skin and mucous membranes, including on the genitals, herpes zoster and viral diseases of the upper respiratory tract are observed. The third stage may be accompanied by tuberculosis, candidiasis, bacterial pathologies (pneumonia, myositis).

The fourth (4) stage of this infection is AIDS. Complications caused by stages 4a, 4b and 4c of HIV include:

pneumonia;
candidiasis of the respiratory and digestive organs;
cerebral (brain) toxoplasmosis;
extrapulmonary forms of tuberculosis, cryptococcosis;
encephalopathy;
septicemia caused by various bacteria, and other diseases.

The last stage of HIV is the fifth. During this phase of the course of HIV, all complications become generalized and cause death.

How long can you live with AIDS?

The prognosis for how long you can live with AIDS does not depend on your quality of life or medication use. Rarely do any patients manage to live more than 2 years. The cause of death is a weakening of the body's immune defense. With the development of HIV infection, T-lymphocytes are affected, the purpose of which is to fight pathogenic microorganisms. It is also important to know that the terminal stages of the disease are more often diagnosed in disadvantaged sections of the population. In addition to exceptions, the causes of persistent progression of infection include drug use, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and other concomitant diseases.

Improved Long-Term Outlook

Modern medicine is working to create the most effective and safe drugs to improve the quality of life of patients with AIDS. Late diagnosis and death due to complications are also common in high-income countries. It is worth understanding that the effectiveness of therapy at the third stage (stage 3) and during the subclinical course of the infection will differ. The main way to prolong the life of a patient with HIV is to make a timely diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

How long do people with AIDS live in developed countries?

How long people living with HIV live also depends on the country in which they live. Data from the UN HIV/AIDS program indicate that in countries of the first type (highly developed), the life expectancy of patients is equal to the total among the population. In underdeveloped countries, the period is reduced by 15-20 years or more. Death rates for people living in low-income areas are due to lack of access to treatment and lack of information about how to prevent the disease. However, even with the necessary therapy, the prospects in third world countries are reduced by an average of 10 years.

Impact of HIV in the long term

The capabilities of modern medicine and the experience of infected people who receive special medications prove that you can live long and fully with HIV. Immune deficiency syndrome is successfully supported by ART (antiretroviral therapy), so the quality of life of patients practically does not deteriorate. For patients, it is possible, among other things, the birth of healthy children, official employment and other aspects.

Reference! A diagnosis of HIV is not a reason for refusal of employment. However, there are a number of professions where this nuance will be important. These include all areas where employees have direct contact with blood and other biological fluids: medicine and laboratory work, the armed forces.

HIV therapy is aimed not only at maintaining the concentration of the virus at a safe level, but also at preventing other infections. Even when the first symptoms of a common cold appear, it is necessary to pay full attention to treatment and take antibacterial drugs. Otherwise, the risk of complications with damage to various organ systems increases.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Prevention of HIV infection in accordance with established rules is carried out at the legislative level. So, there are certain restrictions that patients face. They also eliminate minor risks of transmitting the virus to others. Despite the fact that the most significant method of infection is unprotected sexual contact, patients are prohibited from working in the catering, education and healthcare sectors. The possibility of becoming infected by injection is about 0.3%, but these cases must also be excluded.

Taking care of one's own health is the responsibility of every person. It is worth monitoring your lifestyle and habits to avoid the risk of infection:

have sexual intercourse using mechanical means of contraception;
periodically donate blood for analysis;
treat all open skin lesions with antiseptics;
give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol or drugs);
To improve immunity, pay attention to proper nutrition and an active lifestyle.

If you live a healthy life, follow all preventive measures and avoid risky situations, the risks of contracting this pathology are minimized. However, there remains a minimal possibility of transmission of infection during a donor blood transfusion or hemodialysis procedure. You can lead a full life with HIV, but you must regularly take medications and donate blood for testing. It is worth remembering that there are restrictions for HIV-infected people. The patient is also obliged to notify family members and sexual partners about his diagnosis. Concealing this information, if it leads to infection of someone in the environment, is equivalent to intentional harm to health. There are no contraindications to employment with this diagnosis, but at the time of hiring you must provide a certificate of your health status.

How many people live with HIV is a question that has worried hundreds of people around the world for several decades. It is worth noting that scientists and doctors still do not give an exact answer to this question. And the point is not only that the deadly scourge of our century has not been fully studied and a vaccine for it has not yet been found. In this matter, much depends on the condition of the patient at the time of infection. One thing is certain. How long you can live with HIV infection directly depends on taking care of yourself in terms of nutrition and bad habits.

How long do people with HIV infection live: statistics from the last decade

The level of epidemic danger of contracting a deadly disease in our country is constantly growing. Horrifying data suggests that the disease has gone from being a disease of people in a potential risk group, in other words, marginalized people, to becoming a widespread phenomenon. Absolutely everyone is at risk of infection. After all, the cause of infection is not always an asocial lifestyle. Often a person gets an infection due to an absurd accident.

When thinking about how long you can live with HIV after infection, people often look for information about what the statistics are. Over the past decade it has increased significantly. Doctors still cannot give a definitive answer to the question of how long people live with AIDS, but data suggests that on average this period has increased by five to ten years. In the eighties of the last century, when the disease was first discovered, people had virtually no chance of survival. Initially, few people thought about how long people living with HIV live. This diagnosis sounded like a death sentence. The few years allotted to the infected passed in agony and misunderstanding of what treatment measures to take.

How many years do people live with HIV infection and AIDS now? For comparison, we can give examples indicating that some patients with this diagnosis were infected even at the time of discovery of the disease. We are talking about carriers of the virus. In their body, the infection does not manifest itself in any way for many years. In this case, HIV without treatment is not dangerous for its carrier. However, other people are at risk of infection. The particular danger here lies in the fact that some carriers of the virus do not know about their diagnosis for a long time. It is not entirely correct to talk about how long a person with HIV lives in this matter. Indeed, in some cases, infected people do not know about their diagnosis throughout their entire lives. Such information becomes known completely by accident, for example, during a routine medical examination or medical examination.

It is important to note that statistics from the last decade indicate that the average life expectancy of AIDS and HIV-infected people with treatment is much longer. Of course, there are situations when the use of special drugs does not give the expected effect, and it is not possible to prolong the asymptomatic stage for a long time. And how long people live with HIV infection while taking therapy (with treatment) directly depends on the characteristics of the human body and the state of his health. This is influenced by concomitant diseases, which in the case of a dangerous disease can develop rapidly, as well as lifestyle. This issue especially concerns drug addicts who use illegal injection drugs. How long can you live with HIV infection (AIDS) with treatment (taking therapy) and using drugs? This question cannot be answered with certainty. But doctors believe that even a ten-year period is out of the question. After all, the effect that specific therapy has for a dangerous illness is almost completely stopped by narcotic substances, which have a detrimental effect not only on the immune system, but also on other vital functions of the body. We are talking about the gastrointestinal tract, central nervous and cardiovascular systems. In other words, if we compare how many years people with HIV infection and AIDS patients live without treatment and injecting drug addicts with ART therapy, the result will not be much different.

It should also be noted that with proper attitude towards one’s own health and treatment, the life expectancy of the infected person increases significantly. There is also still no answer to the question of how many years HIV-infected people live with treatment. But according to statistics, the average duration has increased by at least one decade. There are many cases where infected people lived with an asymptomatic stage for more than twenty to twenty-five years. Since the number of virus cells in the body is successfully maintained at an acceptable level thanks to special therapy. The length of life with HIV and AIDS in this case largely depends not only on her image, but also on the qualifications and experience of the doctor. A medical specialist must select an individual regimen for a patient with a fatal disease, based on his physiological characteristics, as well as qualitative and quantitative analysis for AIDS. How many years people with HIV infection live with a properly selected ART therapy regimen also depends on the psychological state of the patient. After all, frayed nerves lead to constant stress. It, in turn, can develop into prolonged depression or neurosis. This means that the effectiveness of treatment is out of the question. And how long people with HIV infection live, in this case, directly depends on the support that those around them give to those infected and, of course, on the mood in general.

HIV infection: how long can you live without treatment, what does it depend on?

Information about how long you can live with HIV infection without treatment is of interest to many. This is extremely surprising, but the character of a person living in our country is such that he may not always believe in the healing power of medicines. Infected people are actively searching the Internet for information on how to treat the virus with folk remedies. Meanwhile, the precious time allotted for putting irreversible processes in the body to sleep is running out. By the way, this approach to treatment is the main reason why life expectancy with HIV infection in Russia is lower than in a number of European or Western countries.

AIDS dissidents, whose appearance has caused the public to become seriously worried, also bring a certain kind of confusion to this issue. People far from medicine, and even more so from science, began to declare that no virus exists. They, without any evidence, are trying to misinform those infected, saying that the life expectancy of people with HIV and AIDS without therapy can be long. After all, a terrible diagnosis is just an attempt to lure money from the budget to study a non-existent disease and purchase imaginary cures for it. What motivates AIDS dissidents and why they are not stopped even by the fact that hundreds of people die every year from a terrible incurable disease is not entirely clear. After all, any specialist in the field of medicine can tell you that the average life expectancy of AIDS patients and HIV-infected people in Russia is much longer if they carefully monitor their health and follow all doctor’s orders, and also take medications. We are talking about antiretroviral drugs and medications for diseases associated with the disease.

The prognosis for living with HIV without proper treatment is, to put it mildly, disappointing. What will happen to the body if after infection you do not take medicine for a long time? Initially, the virus will enter the stage of primary manifestations; most likely, it will be detected during this period. How long can you live with HIV without treatment at this time? Since a certain amount of time must pass from the moment the virus is detected until the appropriate medications are prescribed, there is no need to talk about prescribing special therapy during this period. The further stage is the safest, we are talking about the asymptomatic period. How many years do HIV-infected people live without treatment in this case? No one will give a definite answer to this question. Only one thing is clear to medical experts. Living with this devastating disease without taking ART therapy during such a period is something like being on a powder keg. It seems warm and comfortable, but it is impossible to guess at what moment a powerful explosion will occur that will cost lives. And in the case of this dangerous disease, we are talking about life. How long a person with HIV will live without therapy in this case - a year, two or ten - is unknown. But more often than not, the infection begins to manifest itself in all its glory, moving into the stage of secondary ailments. And this period already directly threatens the condition of almost all vital systems of the human body, and not just the immune system. This stage is a kind of point of no return. Many patients become actively interested in ART therapy already when the latent period is over. Of course, doctors will be able to increase the life expectancy of an HIV-infected person in this case, but the measures will be late and not very effective. In this way, the patient will be able to gain at most a few years. And then the virus will enter the stage of concomitant infections. They also affect vital systems and organs, as a result of which the patient’s condition gradually worsens and death occurs. One of the most dangerous stages of the disease is 4b. At this stage, the fatal disease has already turned into AIDS. The patient's body is affected by terrible ailments. These are syphilis, tuberculosis, Kaposi's sarcoma and so on. How many people live with HIV 4b is a question that essentially does not require an answer. In this case, everything is calculated not in years, but in months. Although official medicine knows of cases with a relatively favorable outcome, when with the help of ART therapy it was possible to slightly slow down the development of the virus at stage 4b.

How many years can a person with HIV infection live if he did not take medications until the stage of concomitant infections. No one can give exact dates, since this is influenced by several factors. This is both the state of health at the time of infection and the state of immunity. Lifestyle also plays an important role here. However, there are no cases where the patient was not treated and lived with such a disease for more than twelve years. Unless, of course, we are talking about carriers of the virus, in whom the disease may not manifest itself in any way for many years.

Living with HIV without treatment (without therapy) is a dangerous game with death. In this case, you cannot hesitate, because if the disease progresses to the stage of secondary manifestations, therapy may turn out to be ineffective or completely powerless. And the answer to the question of how long HIV-infected people live without treatment after infection will be disappointing in this case.

This terrible AIDS: how long do HIV-infected people live with treatment?

How long people live with HIV during treatment is a question that also worries many. People who care about their health and understand perfectly well that this issue cannot be avoided without medical intervention, want to know what the life expectancy is with HIV during treatment. This depends on several factors. What exactly are we talking about? First of all, about the state of the human body when infected. How many years does a person with AIDS live if he was healthy at the time of infection? Of course, it is rare to talk about ideally good health in the modern world. And in this case everything is relative. But if a person at the time of infection did not have any chronic or advanced pathologies, led a healthy lifestyle and took care of himself, then the chances that the course of the disease will be milder are much greater. How long people with HIV live while taking therapy largely depends on their subsequent behavior. It is very important to visit a doctor on time and get tested. Using quantitative diagnosis of infection, specialists are able to determine how the disease behaves and what the future prognosis is. And most importantly, with the help of such an analysis, the doctor will be able to select the course of necessary therapy that will help to significantly increase the life span of HIV-infected people.

The therapy itself should be discussed separately. It is the only modern way to contain the virus for a long time. We are talking about prolonging the asymptomatic stage as much as possible. How long people with AIDS live with treatment depends on many factors. In order to understand this, you need to understand what kind of medications are taken as part of such treatment. Antiretroviral therapy is based on a number of drugs. Treatment has several goals. Virological focus - direct impact on the virus. This is necessary to ensure that a person does not develop AIDS (everyone knows how long to live with the disease at this stage). ART therapy helps combat concomitant illnesses. Another direction of such treatment is immunological. After all, how long an HIV-infected person can live directly depends on the state of his immune system. In this case, drugs are prescribed that maximally restore the immune system and increase the number of CD-4 cells.

How people live with HIV infection directly depends on the behavior of the virus in the body. All attempts by scientists to develop a vaccine or cure for this terrible disease are in vain due to the fact that the virus has a high degree of mutagenicity. Even under the most unfavorable conditions, it is able to change the composition of RNA, thereby remaining resistant to any drugs. So why do doctors, in this case, say that with the help of antiretroviral therapy it is possible to live with HIV into old age? The fact is that the complex effect of several drugs on the virus makes it possible to cope with mutagenicity. As a result, the immune system returns to relative normality. The number of beneficial CD-4 cells increases, which means that the fight against the virus is ongoing.

How long people live with HIV treatment also depends on the correct treatment regimen. It all depends on the doctor’s experience, as well as on correct diagnosis. When selecting an ART regimen, several factors are taken into account. Important in this case is the state of the infected person’s body, his lifestyle, as well as test results. Based on this data, the specialist prescribes a regimen, after which its effectiveness is checked. This takes into account the patient’s well-being and changes in test results. If the scheme turns out to be ineffective, it is replaced. This is extremely important, because the length of life with HIV depends on the combination of medications.

We should return to the previous topic, since the question voiced in it is pressing for many infected people and their loved ones. How many years have they lived with HIV, taking therapy and following all the doctor’s instructions? The average has increased by at least eight to ten years in recent years. This means that with successful development of events, you can live with this disease for more than twenty years. Unfortunately, this does not apply to all infected people. After all, how many years a person can live with AIDS and HIV largely depends on their lifestyle.

How to live with HIV for a long time: it all depends on your mood and lifestyle

How long people living with HIV live on average depends on a number of factors. In addition to taking antiretroviral drugs, which must be carried out strictly according to the instructions, you should regularly visit your doctor. When registering, each patient is given a special leaflet in which everything is described in detail. Of course, the doctor prescribes appointments for the patient after a certain time. However, if your health worsens, a person should seek medical help before your appointment.

How long do people who eke out a marginal existence live with HIV infection? The answer is no. Even ART treatment is powerless here. Therefore, in order to avoid the rapid development of complications, you should completely change all your views. The correct behavior in such a situation is to give up all destructive habits that have a detrimental effect on your overall health. This includes alcohol, the use of nicotine-containing products and drugs.

Some experts in the field of studying this disease believe that you can live with HIV into old age according to the principle: movement is life. A sedentary person should be told a resounding no. Frequent walking and being outside, physical activity, stress on the body through sports, if this does not harm the current state of health, are in most cases welcome. It is also important to review your diet. Less harmful fats, more healthy carbohydrates, complete refusal to eat fatty foods and strict limitation of sweets, fried and starchy foods.

How many years do people with AIDS live is a difficult question to which it is not always possible to give a clear answer. It is also important to take into account that this is to some extent influenced by the psycho-emotional state of a person, as well as the support of loved ones.

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How long do people with HIV and AIDS live?

Living with AIDS - characteristics of the disease

The first case of the disease was registered 25 years ago and since then the disease has claimed a huge number of lives (about 25 million!). AIDS is regarded as one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is often interpreted as the greatest threat of our time. Therefore, it is quite natural that the question of how many people live with AIDS and HIV infection is, as before, very relevant.

This disease is caused by the penetration of the HIV virus (human immunodeficiency virus), which manifests itself in a number of symptoms and infectious diseases. This is damage to the human immune system, which is unable to respond to the most common diseases.

The HIV virus infects T cells, which are part of the immune system that recognizes foreign particles in the body. They are formed in the thymus gland and belong to specific cellular immunity. Upon contact with foreign substances, they cause a various strong immune response and immediately remember the given antigen. Upon re-invasion, T cells recognize foreign compounds and initiate an appropriate immune response.

The HIV virus, unlike other viruses, changes the structure of affected cells by using its own code for the genetic material of the infected cell. He becomes an integral part of it. The virus is latent (i.e., dormant) for some time, and then forces T cells to produce more virus particles that enter the blood. This is how an infected person becomes contagious and develops AIDS.

The effectiveness of the immune system gradually decreases after HIV infection, and the person becomes more vulnerable to various infections and cancer.

People infected with HIV do not always get AIDS. It is reported that approximately 20% of those infected develop only minor symptoms, and a similar percentage of infections may be asymptomatic.

There is currently talk of an AIDS pandemic. The disease killed 2.1 million people worldwide in 2007, with the majority of these deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Although developed countries carry out research every year to find treatments and preventive measures for AIDS, which cost huge sums of money, there is still no cure or vaccine for this deadly disease, and its incidence is still very high. The disease affects a large percentage of the world's population every year, regardless of social status and position in society...

Today, with the help of treatment, it is only possible to slow down the course of the disease and improve the quality of life of people affected by HIV. Antiretroviral drugs, however, are very expensive and not available in many countries (people in developing countries are most affected by AIDS).

Despite the fact that the HIV virus is very sensitive and can be easily neutralized by general disinfectants and physical influences, there are 3 ways of its transmission.

HIV is found in body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk. To transmit an infection, a certain minimum amount of fluid must enter a healthy body, which is referred to as the infectious dose.

The risk of transmission is present in the following circumstances:

Unprotected sexual intercourse. This path is one of the most common. There is a much greater risk of transmitting HIV infection from man to woman, because semen contains a much larger number of infectious particles than vaginal secretions, and women are more susceptible to infection. Previously, AIDS was designated as a disease of homosexuals, because HIV transmission through anal intercourse is the simplest. Today we know that normal sexual intercourse and even oral sex are risky. In addition, the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases may increase the risk of transmission of the HIV virus due to disruption of the epithelial barrier or the development of genital ulcers.
Blood. The transmission of HIV through blood transfusion is currently practically impossible, since since 1987 each blood donor has been specially monitored. Most often, however, transmission occurs through the exchange of needles among people with HIV infection, especially among drug addicts. You should also be careful when sharing razors, toothbrushes, and other toiletries. All surgical instruments, such as tattoo needles, etc., must be properly disinfected, otherwise there is also a risk of transmission of infection.

An effective prevention is protected sexual intercourse using a condom.

Interrupted sexual intercourse or the use of hormonal contraceptives is not sufficient protection.

Anyone in contact with an HIV-infected person should use their own toiletries, and women with AIDS should not breastfeed their children.

Despite the fact that we are talking about a “modern” disease, a number of different myths are spreading among the population throughout the country.

Most of them relate to the transmission of the disease, which often makes the lives of AIDS patients much more difficult. Many people tend to think that they can become infected, for example, by shaking hands, hugging, during a shared visit to the pool, using the same toilet, while being in a crowd with HIV-positive people, by kissing...

In African countries, on the contrary, one can encounter a superstition that sexual intercourse with a virgin can cure AIDS, which is quite likely one of the reasons why the disease is so widespread on this continent.

Likewise, it is not true that tattoos and piercings are completely safe and that the disease only spreads among homosexuals and drug addicts.

Signs and symptoms of AIDS

Immediately after infection, the HIV virus usually remains dormant and thus does not show any symptoms, but this does not mean that it is not contagious at this stage.

After some time, often several years, the virus becomes active. It begins to multiply and infect T-lymphocytes (one of the types of white blood cells), thus reducing the body's defenses. The first symptoms usually include enlarged lymph nodes in several parts of the body (neck, armpits, groin area...), fever, inflammation and rash. Nausea, vomiting, headache and muscle pain, and stomach upset may also occur.

In the second phase of the disease, most of these symptoms disappear, and the so-called asymptomatic phase.

Typically, after about 10 years of age, the HIV virus enters the third phase (the disease progresses faster in children than in adults). During this period, the immune system becomes seriously damaged and is easily susceptible to various infections and cancer.

At the fourth stage, the full development of AIDS occurs.

How many years can you live with AIDS and HIV infection?

The average life expectancy of people infected with the HIV virus without initiation of therapy is estimated at 9-11 years. Once diagnosed with AIDS in areas without good medical care, life expectancy ranges from 6 to 19 months. It has been proven that treatment using antiretroviral therapy can extend the life of HIV-infected people by up to 20 years. It is believed that this period should gradually increase in the coming decades due to scientific research in this area.

Even though this is an incurable disease, it must be detected at an early stage. This will allow timely treatment to begin, aimed at alleviating symptoms and continuing a person’s full life.

Current treatment for HIV infection consists of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which has been used since 1996 and is considered very effective.

How is life with HIV different from the life of a healthy person?

Living with HIV is quite a difficult experience; just the thought of such a diagnosis causes horror and drives you into a stupor. Most people do not know what this disease is, so they are afraid to even stand next to a sick person. Not every HIV infection ends in the development of AIDS.

The human immunodeficiency virus is a pathogen that devours immune cells, leaving the body defenseless against bacteria, viruses and fungi. A simple runny nose or an insect bite can be fatal for such a patient. The disease itself progresses very slowly; in the initial stages there are not even any visible symptoms, and the person’s immunity gradually weakens.

HIV infection was first learned about in the 80s, but today even a schoolchild knows the ways of transmitting and preventing HIV infection. Such a massive information campaign is completely justified, because every year the number of patients increases, and the disease spreads exponentially. At the moment, despite all the efforts of doctors on the planet, treatment methods to increase the life expectancy of those infected have not been found. The only thing that remains is to teach people to avoid factors that provoke the development of the disease.

Despite the fact that there is not yet a single treatment regimen for the human immunodeficiency virus, and in all cases the disease leads to death, it is noted that the life expectancy of a person with HIV is not much different from the life expectancy of a healthy person. If you constantly use antiretroviral drugs, which are used to treat infected people, it is possible to live up to 60-70 years.

It is sometimes difficult for some people to live to be 45 even without HIV, and besides, no one knows what lies ahead; perhaps he will die at 25 from a car accident or at 18 from a drug overdose. This fact should reassure all patients, but you should not think that living with HIV is so easy. A person facing an illness will have to completely change his life. Treatment for HIV is a long and grueling process, and the patient’s life expectancy directly depends on how carefully he adheres to medical recommendations.

Today, much experience has already been accumulated in the treatment of HIV-infected patients, so it is possible to live for a long time with immunodeficiency not only in developed countries, but also in third world countries. For example, in Africa there have been repeated outbreaks of the virus, and, as statistics say, if a person is constantly injected with antiretroviral drugs, a patient infected at 25 years old can have a life expectancy of 50 to 72 years.

Most people mistakenly believe that it is possible to prevent the virus with vaccines, but this is not true. To date, there is no vaccination against this disease, although doctors do not stop working on its production. The main problem that they constantly face is that no one knows what exactly needs to be stimulated in the human body so that it itself begins to fight retrovirus cells. Constant failures do not stop scientists, and doctors still achieved small results by combining cytomegalovirus cells with HIV cells. As a result, they received mutant genes that began to devour themselves. So far, this vaccine has only been tested on monkeys, but there are huge hopes for positive results.

No matter how terrible HIV infection is considered, there are cases of miraculous healing in medicine. Doctors still cannot understand how this happened, but exceptions do occur. The famous patient Timothy Ray Brown, having learned about his disease, participated in a bone marrow transplant experiment, and the operation yielded results. The patient was then able to successfully live without antiretroviral drugs, without experiencing typical symptoms of the disease. Despite the good news, doctors are in no hurry to draw conclusions; it is likely that the virus has not disappeared, but has simply decreased its activity for some time and is waiting for a new provoking moment.

Today, the diagnosis that has earned trust among patients is a blood test for HIV. Additionally, there is a special kit for testing human saliva for the presence of antibodies to the virus; such diagnostics can be carried out at home. In developed countries of Europe and America, the sale of express tests is allowed, which do not require the involvement of laboratories in the study. If a person has a suspicion that he has been infected, he can take the test anonymously, without visiting a medical facility.

Based on the results obtained, if a virus is detected, a person should seek competent treatment, the regimen of which is selected on an individual basis, but the main drug is always an antiretroviral drug. This medication is aimed at stopping the activity of the virus that has entered the human body. When the reproduction of the virus is stopped, the body is able to recover a little and, accordingly, the patient’s life expectancy increases.

Taking into account the fact that HIV symptoms are almost impossible to independently detect without laboratory tests, the patient is constantly required to undergo examinations at an AIDS treatment center so as not to miss the moment when the activity of the virus slows down. When such a moment occurs, the principle of treatment is radically changed for the person, adding a maximum of drugs that strengthen the immune system and help the body fight the pathogen.

In order to increase the effectiveness of treatment, the patient must:

give up all bad habits;
constantly exercise;
eat right;
engage in mental work;
take vitamins.

By following such a simple list, you can significantly improve the quality of your life and help doctors cure you. Bad habits prevent medications from being absorbed into your body. Exercising speeds up your metabolism and improves your body's endurance. As for proper nutrition, it is important to exclude low-quality foods that may contain pathogens. Vitamins will strengthen the protective properties of your body and saturate it with the micro- and macroelements necessary for full functioning. Mental work and doing what you love will help drive away dark thoughts from you. It is thanks to mental work that your psychological health will be normal, and this is also one of the most important aspects of HIV treatment.

Although maintenance therapy is effective, like any medicine, this regimen may cause side effects. Among them it is worth noting:

nausea;

vomiting;

constipation;

diarrhea;

flatulence;

abdominal pain;

heartburn;

loss of appetite;

blood pressure surges;

temperature rise;

malfunctions of the liver, kidneys and pancreas.

The presence of the above side effects will significantly complicate treatment and bring a lot of suffering to the patient. But the patient is forced to consciously take even such measures in order to prolong his existence at least for a short time.

Few people know, but the concept of HIV is not only a medical term, it also has legal implications. Taking into account the fact that there is no vaccine or uniform treatment principle yet, intentionally contracting HIV infection is a crime and can result in imprisonment for the patient. There are costs to HIV-infected people crossing borders. It would seem that the infected are already suffering from constant medical research and treatment, but the costs haunt them even from the side of the law. For example, if an HIV-infected tourist is in a foreign country, he will be deported to his homeland.

Due to legal restrictions, the patient, despite his level of qualifications and achievements in a particular field, cannot work as a doctor and have contact with young children. Due to numerous scandals and protests, patients were even banned from visiting public baths and saunas. Of course, people’s fear of contracting a terrible disease is understandable, but despite the extensive range of information, there are still stupid prejudices regarding those infected. These prejudices, in their own way, also shorten the lives of patients, because not everyone can cope with the contempt of their environment and the emotional stress that they constantly experience. A huge number of infected people do not wait for treatment to take effect, but commit suicide.

The life of those infected is already hard work, and the impact from society only makes their situation worse. Each person can make a contribution to prolonging the lives of people who find themselves in this difficult situation by being tolerant of their illness. You can become infected with the immunodeficiency virus only through anal, vaginal or oral sex. It is almost impossible to catch AIDS or HIV through injections; the probability of such infection is 0.3%. That is why listen only to reliable facts and do not be biased towards people. Who knows what awaits you tomorrow, perhaps after some time you yourself will dream of understanding society and suffer from the disdainful attitude of once close and familiar people.

Answers to any questions

When a person hears a diagnosis of HIV, they most often perceive it as a death sentence. A positive test result can cause a severe blow to the psyche of the patient. Often a person takes hasty actions, trying to protect himself and his loved ones from problems. The first thought that arises in people’s heads is how to continue to live with HIV infection, what will others think, how will they treat you? Living with the virus is possible. Of course she won't be the same as before. But following all the doctors’ recommendations will allow you to live a long and relatively happy life.

The abbreviation HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus . Infection is possible in several ways:

Unprotected sexual contact;

Through human milk during breastfeeding;

Through blood;

Through damaged mucous membranes and skin.

The immunodeficiency virus is not fatal. The danger of death arises due to the fact that the virus attacks the cells of the immune system. Subsequently, the immune system is suppressed and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) develops. With AIDS, the body is unable to defend itself against viruses and infections, and opportunistic diseases occur that are unusual for people with normal immunity. It is opportunistic diseases that cause human death. Timely and correct antiretroviral therapy can significantly prolong a person’s life.

How long can you live with HIV?

Predict how long a person diagnosed with HIV will live impossible. There are no specific numbers. If the doctor voiced any specific deadlines, then this only means that he is illiterate and incompetent.

Each person's body is individual. Of course, compliance with doctors’ recommendations, a healthy lifestyle and a psychologically positive attitude play an important role in prolonging life. Compliance with these components will allow the patient to live a happy and long life, right up to old age.

It must be remembered that An HIV-positive test result does not mean that death will soon occur..

What to do and how to live?

Living with the virus is possible and can be quite rewarding. Of course, first of all, it is very necessary to psychologically accept this fact. Realize that this is not a death sentence. A positive attitude can prolong life.

Secondly, you need change lifestyle. You should eat right, exercise, eliminate bad habits from your life, and protect yourself during sexual intercourse. And of course, another important step is a timely medical examination and monitoring the state of the immune system. If the body's immune function is significantly reduced, antiretroviral therapy is necessary. With the development of concomitant diseases, timely and correct treatment is necessary.

Drug treatment

Many people are skeptical about taking medications. Of course, it is possible to live with HIV without taking medications, but this will significantly shorten your life expectancy. Drug treatment is necessary. After receiving a positive result, you must consult a doctor immediately.

The doctor will conduct the necessary examinations and prescribe treatment to prevent the development of AIDS. Comprehensive treatment can slow down the progression of HIV infection and keep it in remission for a long period, thereby prolonging a person’s life. Modern therapy is based on taking drugs that suppress the development of the virus. Also, do not forget about the treatment of concomitant diseases, for example, a common flu virus without appropriate treatment can kill an HIV-positive patient.

Self-help for HIV

Drug therapy can bring positive results only in combination with a healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude on the part of the patient. Without a doubt, being diagnosed with HIV leads a person to depression. Negative thoughts and depressed mood predominate.

The lack of positive emotions aggravates the condition, making it vulnerable to viruses and infections. In this case, psychotherapy can help. With the help of psychotherapists and psychologists, you can change your attitude towards your illness and yourself in general. You can also chat with fellow sufferers on thematic forums.

Experts will teach you how to perceive the virus simply as a chronic disease that needs to be constantly treated. Psychotherapists will help you understand that life goes on and you need to do everything possible to make it colorful and bring a lot of pleasure.

The lifestyle of an HIV patient should be healthy. To do this, you need to follow simple and completely achievable rules:

It is necessary to give up bad habits, they disrupt the protective function of the body;

Exercising helps strengthen the immune system and helps get rid of depression;

Proper nutrition is the key to health. You need to eat healthy food, rich in proteins and vitamins. The diet should include meat, dairy and fish dishes. Fresh vegetables and fruits are a source of vitamins.

Protected sex will help protect your partner from contracting HIV. It will also prevent infection with other viruses, such as syphilis.

Compliance with all these rules in combination with medications will help to significantly prolong life.

The question of how to live with HIV infection and whether it is possible is relevant and, unfortunately, does not lose its prevalence. There is only one possible answer: it is possible and necessary to live with HIV infection. An HIV-infected person has many opportunities to help himself. With the help of doctors and their efforts, a person can live a long and happy life. Meet old age surrounded by a loving family.

How is HIV infection treated?

The sensational reports about the cure for HIV in the media did not leave anyone indifferent: after all, this meant that the terrible infection could be defeated, that HIV was curable. Not only patients, but also specialists have many questions about treatment for HIV in the body, because it is not so easy to treat this monster. The article will discuss whether HIV can be cured.

How does HIV affect the immune system?

Over the years of the spread of the HIV epidemic, significant information has been accumulated about the virus itself, the mechanism of its reproduction in the body and its effect on immune cells. It has been proven that the target cells for HIV are T lymphocytes that have CD4 receptors. Attaching to these receptors, the virus penetrates the lymphocyte with the help of its enzymes, inserts itself into its genome, and “forces” it to produce similar virions.

In this case, the lymphocyte is destroyed, and the newly formed viruses are introduced into new lymphocytes. As a result of this endless process, the number of CD4 cells falls, the viral load (the number of copies of the virus in 1 ml of blood) increases. The aggression of the virus continues until all T-lymphocytes are destroyed, which means the body is completely defenseless against any infection, which immediately develops - the disease goes into the AIDS stage.

Scientists have proposed treating HIV infection with drugs that block the mechanisms that ensure the virus multiplies (receptors and enzymes): as a result, the virus cannot attach to a lymphocyte, penetrate inside the cell and multiply.

block the reproduction of HIV, reduce the viral load to undetectable;

restore the number of CD4 lymphocytes to provide immune protection to the body;

prevent the development of AIDS, thereby increasing the length and quality of life;

reducing the potential danger of the infected person to others;

reduce the risk of infection for the fetus from an infected mother.

Antiviral drugs that have a selective effect on the mechanisms of virus reproduction belong to different groups. It turned out that the use of one drug that blocks one of the conditions for HIV reproduction, or two drugs, is ineffective.

Since 1996, the simultaneous use of 3 drugs with different points of application has been proposed. This “triple” antiretroviral therapy (ART) has proven to be the most effective and is widely used.

It is these three drugs that are used to treat patients with HIV infection. Since one of the properties of HIV is its high ability to mutate, the virus develops resistance to drugs in some patients. In such cases, it is necessary to change medications and apply a different treatment regimen. Combination therapy of 3 drugs reduces the likelihood of resistance developing.

Medicines do not rid the body of the virus, but they also do not allow it to multiply at tremendous speed. The viral load is reduced to undetectable levels. Due to the production of new blood cells, the number of CD4 lymphocytes gradually returns to its original level during treatment.

This means that the prescribed antiviral drugs do not have a direct effect on T-lymphocytes: by blocking the reproduction of the virus, they prevent the destruction of newly formed immune cells by viruses.

Indications for prescribing antiviral therapy are:

decrease in CD4 lymphocytes below 500 cells;

manifestations of opportunistic infections regardless of the level of immune cells and viral load;

prevention of HIV transmission to the fetus during pregnancy.

Immune status (CD4 count) may be affected;

stress;

bad habits (use of drugs, alcohol, smoking);

any infection;

bad environment.

Therefore, the doctor takes into account the dynamics of changes in the number of cells in combination with other factors.

Many experts believe that HIV is most effectively treated starting from the early stages of HIV infection, including its acute phase. The later the use of ART is started, the more difficult it is to achieve a good result.

One of the indications for ART is pregnancy, since treatment significantly reduces the likelihood of HIV transmission to the fetus. Treatment regimens have been developed for pregnant women, since not all drugs can be used during pregnancy. This is also taken into account when prescribing treatment for women of childbearing age with HIV infection who are planning pregnancy.

ART will be effective if the treatment principles are followed:

timely initiation of treatment (with a CD4 lymphocyte count of at least 350);

use of a complex of drugs (at least three) from different groups;

adherence to treatment.

Adherence is understood as strict compliance with all conditions for the use of drugs by the patient himself, and avoidance of skipping medications. You will have to take the medications (more than once a day) for the rest of your life. This requires the right attitude of the patient, willpower, and psychological support in the family.

Poor adherence increases the development of viral resistance to antiretroviral drugs, rendering treatment futile. The virus resumes active reproduction and destruction of immune cells. The effectiveness of ART (up to 80%) can be counted on only with 100% compliance with all conditions and medication schedule.

Many infected people are concerned about finding the most effective drug. It should be understood that there is no universal treatment regimen. Therapy is selected individually for each person. If the immune status is very low, drugs are additionally prescribed to prevent opportunistic infections (against tuberculosis, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, etc.).

Only a doctor knows how to treat HIV, which drugs are combined with each other, which ones are more likely to develop resistance, and what side effects may occur.

Many infected people try to boost their immunity using traditional medicine recipes. This tactic is dangerous because of its consequences: time will simply be lost to carry out effective ART, since the mechanism of development of immunodeficiency is associated with the action of viruses, immunomodulators (immunostimulants) will not help.

If opportunistic infectious diseases are present, they are treated in accordance with protocols, regardless of ART. If tumors develop, radiation therapy may be performed. Immunomodulatory drugs are not indicated.

Monitoring the effect of ART

To monitor the effectiveness of treatment, quarterly laboratory monitoring is carried out: the viral load and the number of CD4 cells are checked. With effective therapy within 3-6 months. the number of immune cells will increase noticeably, and the number of copies of the virus in 1 ml decreases by 100 rubles. and more.

To ensure successful treatment, the following points are important:

healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits;

the patient’s mood, belief in the success of treatment;

psychological support in the family, in special groups of socio-psychological support (if necessary, consultation with a psychologist);

exclusion of stressful situations.

If the viral load increases and the number of CD4 lymphocytes decreases, it means that the treatment complex is not suitable or the virus has developed resistance to the drugs, and at least 2 drugs in the treatment regimen must be replaced. The sensitivity of the virus to drugs is tested using a special laboratory method.

Is HIV infection curable?

There is hardly a person who is not interested in the question: is HIV curable? Experts around the world still consider HIV infection an incurable disease, although they are trying to develop both a vaccine against HIV and new methods and means of treatment. Some developments give hope that a solution to the problem will be found.

Research has proven that there are people who cannot be infected with HIV, people with a genetically determined accelerated or, conversely, reduced rate of development of HIV infection. Interracial differences have also been identified, both in matters of infection and in the progression of the disease. The Negroid race is most susceptible to HIV, the Caucasian race is less susceptible, and the Mongoloid race is the least susceptible.

About 1% of people are not affected by HIV due to a gene mutation. Geneticists are studying this mutation and trying to find a way to use it in other infected individuals. It is assumed that cells will be collected from the infected patient, which will be processed using genetic engineering methods and returned to the patient.

Radiologists are working on a method of treatment at an early stage of the disease by targeting damaged cells with radio wave radiation.

It is still difficult to say how effective the latest developments will be.

Unique cases of cure

Cases of documented cures for HIV have become known throughout the world.

The first report that an adult was cured of HIV infection for the first time came from Germany. The “Berlin patient,” who became infected at age 30, received ART for 10 years. Then, after diagnosing him with acute leukemia, and with no effect from conventional treatments for the malignant blood disease, he underwent a bone marrow transplant.

The donor was a person with natural resistance to HIV. After 2 bone marrow transplant operations, the patient became HIV-free. In the absence of treatment with antiviral drugs for 6 years, the cured person does not have a recurrence of HIV infection.

In the United States, there have been 2 cases of children becoming infected with HIV from mothers who did not receive preventive treatment. The children received massive antiviral therapy with 3 drugs for a month, and not just one, as is customary. No HIV activity was detected after treatment.

The Pasteur Institute analyzed 70 cases of early use of antiviral therapy (from 35 days to 10 weeks after infection). They all stopped taking medications for various reasons. Most developed a recurrence of infection. But in 14 patients (10 men and 4 women) there was no relapse. They have negligible amounts of HIV and do not need ART treatment.

Experts believe that early use of drugs matters. But the issue still requires study.

How long can you live

Any person who learns about HIV infection experiences great anxiety. He is overwhelmed by panic and despair. Naturally, everyone has a question: how many people live with HIV?

It is difficult to accurately answer the question about life expectancy with HIV infection:

Some infected people, having become infected back in the 80s, are alive, although the average life expectancy is 5-15 years. How long they will live is unknown.
Effective treatment methods have appeared and have been used for more than 10 years; they slow down the progression of the disease. Without treatment, patients in the AIDS stage live an average of 1.5-3 years.
Scientists from many countries are working on the problem of treating the infection. It is possible that new means and methods of treatment will soon appear that will allow those infected to live into old age.

Timely initiation and proper administration of antiviral treatment allows HIV infection to be transferred from a series of fatal diseases to a chronic one. HIV infection is no longer a death sentence. It is important to diagnose the disease as early as possible, monitor the state of immunity and start ART in a timely manner.

It is clear that this did not happen by itself. Prevention and control of HIV in Russian healthcare is one of the priorities. Over the past 10 years, the state program implemented by the Ministry of Health has brought Russia into the group of world leading countries where the transmission of HIV to children has practically stopped.

What kind of help can a person with HIV expect? How to accept your diagnosis and is it possible to build a happy family? AiF told about this Alexey Lakhov, Deputy Director for External Relations, Non-Profit Partnership “E.V.A.”, helping families with HIV patients.

The road to life

Yulia Nikolaeva, AiF: Alexey, what should a person who has received a positive HIV test do?

Alexey Lakhov: First of all, you need to find out whether there really is a disease (false-positive test results also occur). To do this, you need to contact the Center for Prevention and Control of AIDS, which is located in each region. The address of the nearest center can be found on the o-spide.ru portal in the “Where to contact” section. After confirming the diagnosis, an examination is prescribed to assess the patient’s condition in more detail in order to select the optimal treatment for him. Antiretroviral drugs are used for this. They suppress the reproduction of the HIV virus in the body to such an extent that it can no longer be detected in the blood. The patient's life prognosis is the same as that of people without HIV.

- It turns out that people don’t die from HIV now?

Only ignoring the diagnosis and deliberately refusing treatment can lead to death. Those who are treated live as long as healthy people. And thanks to the fact that they undergo regular examinations (at least twice a year), it turns out that HIV-positive people take even better care of their health than non-sick people!

- But the drugs are quite expensive?

In Russia, HIV treatment is absolutely free. Since 2017, the Ministry of Health has again switched to centralized procurement of drugs in order to provide all those in need. Thanks to this measure, as well as through the formation of a patient register, which will be prepared by the ministry in the near future, it will be possible to significantly increase the coverage of HIV patients with therapy. Funds for this have already been budgeted for next year.

Alone in the field...

- Nevertheless, society often does not treat such people in the best way.

This is complete ignorance. The fact of the matter is that modern drugs can reduce the viral load to zero. That is, an HIV-positive person no longer infects anyone.

But how can a person cope with his own emotions? Upon hearing the diagnosis, many experience shock and even lose interest in life.

You must try to accept your diagnosis and learn to live with it. Self-help groups help people with HIV infection with this - they can be found on social networks, on the basis of public organizations, and in some AIDS centers. Psychological and emotional support is also provided by “peer consultants”, people who themselves have HIV and have learned to live with this diagnosis.

- Young people who want to have a family and children often become infected with HIV.

And this is quite possible! If you take antiretroviral therapy, you can have a healthy child. Timely initiation of chemoprophylaxis can reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child to almost zero. Russia, represented by the Ministry of Health, very actively supports international programs to prevent the transmission of HIV to children from infected mothers. And these programs really work. Here's a fact: the number of HIV-infected women increases by 10% annually, but the number of children with HIV does not. Since mothers with HIV infection cannot breastfeed, they are provided with free formula feeding. Moreover, children with HIV infection began to be actively taken into families. The Republican Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital in Ust-Izhora has a department for children with HIV infection - something like an orphanage. There are almost no patients there anymore - more than 100 kids have found adoptive parents.

Help "AiF"

To reduce the further spread of HIV infection and eliminate the transmission of HIV to children, the Russian Ministry of Health has developed and is implementing programs to increase coverage of ARV prevention. The risk of vertical transmission of HIV infection from mother to child has decreased in the Russian Federation to 2%, therefore, in 98% of cases, healthy children are born from HIV-infected mothers.

Patient stories

At least to space

Yaroslava Medvedev, 40 years old:

I had exactly the same story that couldn’t seem to end well. I used drugs for many years. And in 2010 I decided to change my life. I was 34 years old then. I learned about my disease from an infectious disease doctor at a district clinic, who had previously treated me for hepatitis. She referred me to the AIDS center. When I left the clinic, I burst into tears. I walked down the street, and it felt like it was written on my forehead what was wrong with me, and everyone understood it. I called my mom, she supported me and calmed me down. I registered with the AIDS center, went for examinations every six months, but I have not yet been prescribed treatment. And in 2013 I got a job at NP “E.V.A”. Now I am the coordinator of one of the projects, I am a 3rd year student at the Institute of Psychology and Social Work. I recently married the man I love. As soon as we met, I confessed to him that I had HIV infection. He said that he doesn’t care because he loves me, we will die on the same day and what difference does it make? But I started taking antiretroviral therapy because I can’t afford the slightest possibility of infection. I want to say to everyone who has received such a diagnosis: this is not the end of life. In our country, HIV infection has been excluded from the list of fatal diseases since 2010. This is an ordinary chronic sluggish disease. If a person goes to the doctor and receives medications, he lives as long as a person without HIV infection. If you don’t know that I have HIV, then you can at least send me into space based on all other health parameters.

Plus to minus

Anastasia Mokina, 30 years old:

I learned about the diagnosis in 2010. Six months before that, my man was diagnosed with HIV. This was quite unexpected. We thought for a long time about where. They decided that he could have become infected when he got tattoos from some strange artists a few years ago. He went to register at the AIDS center, and I went there to get checked. The first analysis showed nothing. And six months later it turned out to be positive. I also started going to self-help groups, which helped me a lot. We got married then - the illness brought us together. Although later they broke up. Now I have an HIV-negative young man, we have been living together for 4 years. We are planning a child. There is no reason to treat HIV-positive people like some kind of lepers, we are exactly the same people as everyone else.

Happiness is in children

Elena Ivanova, 29 years old, two sons - 4 years and 1 year:

I dated a young man who was addicted to drugs. When he was admitted to the hospital one day, our mutual friends told me that he had been diagnosed with HIV, so I should get tested. That's how I found out that I was sick too. At the AIDS center I met an equally HIV-positive young man. We got married and really wanted children. When I found out about pregnancy, I was very happy. At two years old, the child was deregistered - he turned out to be completely healthy. The husband died in an accident. She got married a second time. At the very beginning of the relationship, I told him about my diagnosis (my husband is HIV-negative), and he reacted completely calmly. Now our child is one year old, and he is also healthy. I do computer design and organize support groups for HIV-positive people.

How long do people with HIV infection live: statistics from the last decade

HIV infection: how long can you live without treatment, what does it depend on?

The prognosis for living with HIV without proper treatment is, to put it mildly, disappointing. What will happen to the body if after infection you do not take medicine for a long time? Initially, the virus will enter the stage of primary manifestations; most likely, it will be detected during this period. How long can you live with HIV without treatment at this time? Since a certain amount of time must pass from the moment the virus is detected until the appropriate medications are prescribed, there is no need to talk about prescribing special therapy during this period. The further stage is the safest, we are talking about the asymptomatic period. How many years do HIV-infected people live without treatment in this case? No one will give a definite answer to this question. Only one thing is clear to medical experts. Living with this devastating disease without taking ART therapy during such a period is something like being on a powder keg. It seems warm and comfortable, but it is impossible to guess at what moment a powerful explosion will occur that will cost lives. And in the case of this dangerous disease, we are talking about life. How long a person with HIV will live without treatment in this case - a year, two or ten - is unknown. But more often than not, the infection begins to manifest itself in all its glory, moving into the stage of secondary ailments. And this period already directly threatens the condition of almost all vital systems of the human body, and not just the immune system. This stage is a kind of point of no return. Many patients become actively interested in ART therapy already when the latent period is over. Of course, doctors will be able to increase the life expectancy of an HIV-infected person in this case, but the measures will be late and not very effective. In this way, the patient will be able to gain at most a few years. And then the virus will enter the stage of concomitant infections. They also affect vital systems and organs, as a result of which the patient’s condition gradually worsens and death occurs. One of the most dangerous stages of the disease is 4b. At this stage, the fatal disease has already turned into AIDS. The patient's body is affected by terrible ailments. These are syphilis, tuberculosis, Kaposi's sarcoma and so on. How many people live with HIV 4b is a question that essentially does not require an answer. In this case, everything is calculated not in years, but in months. Although official medicine knows of cases with a relatively favorable outcome, when with the help of ART therapy it was possible to slightly slow down the development of the virus at stage 4b.