TODAY NO PEOPLE DIE FROM AIDS IF are observed by a doctor, start treatment on time and do not make mistakes in treatment.

Until recently, AIDS was a deadly disease.
It was called the "plague of the 20th century." AIDS equaled death.
Since 2006 the situation has changed. Now people are not dying with HIV diagnosis. True, they live their entire lives taking medications (antiretroviral drugs) strictly according to the clock. mandatory go to the doctor, get tested, monitor their health status.
Thanks to antiretroviral drugs, HIV infection has changed from a fatal disease to a chronic one.
If HIV infection is detected in time and taken under control, then a person’s life is practically out of danger.
If all rules for taking antiretroviral drugs are followed, an HIV-infected mother will give birth to a healthy child in 99% of cases.

The Sverdlovsk region has a high level of HIV infection. Every day, 25 new cases of HIV infection are detected, in 15 of them the infection occurred more than 10 years ago. The virus is actively transmitted through sexual contact. But the main route of transmission remains parenteral (during injection drug use).

In such conditions, life changes. What to do? How to avoid getting infected with HIV? The main thing is to avoid risky contacts.

Risky contact –this is any sexual contact without a condom . Even if you have a regular partner whose HIV status is unknown, a condom is necessary. After all, everyone could have risky contacts.

How to avoid getting HIV from your partner?

What if you decide to start a family? Have children? In this case, there is a civilized way: get examined, get tested, including for HIV.

The virus does not manifest itself for many years. A person may not know that he has HIV and pass it on to his partners.

For years the disease is asymptomatic, during this period the person feels absolutely healthy.

Currently, there are drugs that inhibit the development of HIV in the body. Their use allows long time maintain the immune system at an indefinite level, but there is no cure yet for a complete cure, so HIV infection is a chronic and serious disease.

In the context of the rapid spread of HIV infection, it is important:

– know everything about HIV/AIDS
– know your HIV status
- give up drugs
– when having sexual intercourse with a partner whose HIV status is unknown, use a condom.

Diagnosis and treatment of HIV are free and carried out at state expense.

WHAT IS HIV?

WHAT IS HIV INFECTION?

HIV infection is a disease caused by a virus after it enters a person. The virus weakens the immune system that performs protective function. Over a period of time (usually several years), the body manages to keep HIV under control. During this period, the infected person feels (and looks) quite healthy, and often is not even aware of his problem.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HIV ENTERS THE HUMAN BODY?

HIV can penetrate various cells of the human body: cells of the nervous system, muscle tissue, gastrointestinal tract. The virus may be in an inactive form in these cells for a long time– months and even years. In fact, the virus uses these cells as a refuge. At this time, the virus cannot be destroyed because it is not accessible to either antibodies or drugs.
Periodically, the virus enters the bloodstream and immediately goes in search of white blood cells, the so-called helper T lymphocytes or CD-4 cells. The virus uses these cells to reproduce.
T-lymphocytes are an important part of the immune system that protects our body from the penetration of various foreign agents: bacteria, viruses, fungi. T-lymphocytes are responsible for the timely replacement of aged cells in various organs our body, promote the healing of wounds on the skin and mucous membranes, and help cope with colds.
But HIV, multiplying inside T-lymphocytes, destroys them. Gradually, the immune system weakens so much that it can no longer protect the body. As a result, a state of immunodeficiency develops, in which a person begins to suffer from various infections.

WHAT IS AIDS?

AIDS – acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

SYNDROME – a series of signs and symptoms indicating the presence of a specific disease or condition.
ACQUIRED - not congenital, but transmitted from person to person, including from mother to child.
IMMUNE – relating to the human immune system, which provides protection against pathogenic bacteria.
DEFICIT – lack of response from the immune system to the presence of pathogens.

AIDS is the final stage of development of HIV infection.
The presence of the virus in the body keeps the immune system in constant tension. The immune system tries to fight the virus, and HIV, in turn, destroys more and more CD-4 cells. The more viruses in the blood, the more T-lymphocytes are affected.
Each organism has its own resources and potential, but they are not limitless. At some point, the body exhausts its resources and ceases to resist foreign agents, and the AIDS stage develops.
The manifestations of AIDS are varied, mainly the so-called opportunistic diseases: Pneumocystis pneumonia, tuberculosis, fungal infections skin and internal organs, herpes, toxoplasmosis, Kaposi's sarcoma and others.

HOW TO NOT GET INFECTED WITH HIV?

HIV can enter the body in three ways.
Sexual route: during any unprotected (without using a condom) sexual contact. Even one single contact can lead to infection. The risk of sexually transmitted infection depends on many factors:
– type of sexual contacts. The most dangerous are anal sexual contacts as the most traumatic. The risk of infection during rape is very high. Oral sexual contact is less dangerous, but there is also a risk of infection in this case.
– the presence of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as well as inflammatory processes leading to disruption of the integrity of the mucous membranes of the genital organs and easier penetration of HIV into the bloodstream. In addition, with STIs, the concentration of the virus in semen and vaginal secretions increases.
– gender: women are more at risk of infection – the risk is 2 times higher than that of men, since there is more virus in semen than in a woman’s vaginal secretion.
– the amount of virus that has entered the body (the risk is higher with multiple unprotected contacts).
– the viral load of an HIV-infected partner (it is higher in the initial period of the disease, in the AIDS stage, and decreases when taking antiretroviral therapy).

Vertical way: HIV can be transmitted from an HIV-positive mother to a child:
– during pregnancy (with placental defects, very high viral load in the mother and reduced immune status);
– during childbirth – upon contact with the mother’s blood during the passage of the birth canal, the risk for the child increases with a long anhydrous period and a high viral load in the mother. The risk of infection of the newborn is reduced if the mother took antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy;
- when breastfeeding.

If an HIV-positive woman was observed by an infectious disease specialist during pregnancy and received preventive treatment, in 99% of cases she will have a healthy child..

Why do you need to examine your partner?

Parenteral route (through blood). When infected blood enters the body of a healthy person directly through damaged skin, mucous membranes and into the blood during the following manipulations:
– when injection drug users use non-sterile equipment (syringes, needles, utensils, filters, etc.);
– when using non-sterile medical instruments;
– during transfusion of infected donor blood, transplantation of donor organs and tissues;
– when applying tattoos, piercings, piercing ears with a non-sterile instrument.

Prevention of parenteral transmission of HIV is very strictly monitored and controlled during donation and in health care settings.
HIV is most often transmitted parenterally when intravenous drug users use unsterile injection equipment.

CAN PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV STATUS HAVE HEALTHY CHILDREN?

The presence of HIV infection in a pregnant woman should not be a key argument in favor of deciding to have an abortion.
Today, medicine knows quite a lot about how to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. HIV-positive women can give birth to healthy, uninfected children.

According to the World Health Organization, the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV without any intervention is 20–45%, while with preventive measures this risk can be reduced to 1–2%.

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV involves taking an HIV-positive pregnant woman special drugs, reducing the concentration of HIV in a woman’s blood, which, in turn, leads to a reduction in the risk of transmitting the virus to the baby (during pregnancy and childbirth).
During pregnancy, every woman is offered two HIV tests. If the test result is positive, preventive chemotherapy is prescribed.
The partner of a pregnant woman should also be tested for HIV. A woman may not be infected, but her partner may be HIV positive and not know it. If both partners get tested for HIV, it can prevent the unborn child from becoming infected.
After the birth of the baby, an HIV-positive woman will have to give up breastfeeding, the virus can be transmitted to a child through microcracks in the mucous membrane oral cavity baby.

HIV is one of the most terrible diseases of our time, which is transmitted from person to person. It is an immunodeficiency virus that ultimately completely suppresses the body's ability to fight foreign pathogens. More recently, a diagnosis of HIV was a death sentence; people died from it. However modern drugs were able to transfer this disease from the category of fatal to the list of chronic. Unfortunately, it is impossible to be completely cured of HIV; the patient is doomed to take special medications according to a schedule for the rest of his life. Therefore, it is very important to protect yourself as much as possible from the risk of contracting this virus. Fortunately, there are not many ways to transmit HIV. To dispel all the myths and help you protect yourself and your loved ones, today we will take a closer look at this topic.

How can you get AIDS?

Even though medical companies annually publish videos and brochures, and also conduct trainings in educational institutions, on the topic of protection from HIV infection, the number of patients is not decreasing. The thing is that many people do not pay attention to the warnings of the Ministry of Health.

However, at the same time, AIDS patients become real outcasts. People stop shaking hands with them and stop communicating, while knowing that it is impossible to become infected in this way.

Agree, this is a real paradox. For fear of contracting HIV infection, people refuse normal communication with people suffering from this disease, but at the same time they are not at all interested in the HIV status of their new acquaintances, about whom they know practically nothing.

HIV infection is also found in saliva. However, there the viruses are in scanty and weakened quantities. Therefore, you will not be able to contract AIDS this way. Unless you drink a couple of liters of saliva from a sick person.

To completely dispel all doubts, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the liquids through which HIV is transmitted. This will solve many of your questions.

Through what liquids can you become infected with HIV?

• Blood;
• Sperm;
• Mother's milk;
• Pre-ejaculatory discharge;
• Vaginal discharge.

As you can see, there are few liquids that transmit AIDS. Therefore, by following the minimum safety rules, you can easily avoid infection.

How can you get HIV through sex?

The most common way of transmitting HIV is through unprotected sex. It is the reluctance of young people to use condoms during sexual intercourse that often becomes the reason for their infection.

To avoid getting HIV infection, you should make it a rule next tip: “Do not have sex without a condom with a partner who has not provided you with a certificate stating that their HIV status is negative.”

About sexual contacts and transmission of HIV infection through them. To dispel them, we will tell you about the likelihood of transmitting HIV infection through one or another method of sexual contact.

Chances of contracting AIDS during sex:

1. Anal sex is considered the most dangerous in this sense. At the same time, the chance of becoming infected is equally high in men and women. During anal sex, the rectum is injured, resulting cracks create the most favorable environment for infection to enter the body.
2. Vaginal sex, if not protected, can also cause AIDS. At the same time, a woman has a higher chance of getting sick, because a man’s sperm contains more viruses. However, if you have one sexual intercourse with a sick partner, there is a tiny chance that you will not get sick.
3. There is also a risk of contracting HIV through oral sex. There may be cracks and cuts in the mouth, and most people also suffer from bleeding gums. Therefore, you can also become infected through the mouth. At the same time, the danger acts in both directions.

If you want to start a family with an HIV-infected person, then this is possible. However, in this case, all sexual contacts should occur only through a condom.

Pregnancy and childbirth: how you can become infected with AIDS

Transmission of AIDS from mother to child is also possible. However, this does not mean that people living with HIV cannot have healthy children. With the right approach to pregnancy and child care, as well as timely consultation with a doctor, you can carry and give birth to an absolutely healthy baby.

It is very important to get tested for HIV during pregnancy. If this disease is detected in the early stages, then with the help of the necessary drugs the mother will not pass on her illness to the child.

To make sure that you can give birth to a healthy child even if infected with HIV, we suggest looking at ways of transmitting the virus to a child. This will help you avoid mistakes when carrying a baby.

How does the transmission of AIDS infection from mother to child occur?

1. Intrauterine infection with HIV infection is the least common. Only 5% of sick children received the infection in this way. Most often, the fetus is affected in sick multiparous mothers.
2. At birth, 15% of babies born to an infected mother become ill. The risk increases with rupture of the membranes and the presence of inflammatory processes in the birth canal. Therefore, such women most often undergo a Caesarean section.
3. 10% of children become ill through breast milk. Therefore, HIV-infected mothers should feed their children formula.

The risk of infection of a child from the mother, provided that all medical requirements are met and medications are taken, is only 20%. Throughout pregnancy, sick women should take medications that will help protect the fetus from infection.

Methods of contracting HIV through blood

HIV infection through blood is also not uncommon. In most cases, this problem occurs due to human inattention, but sometimes it happens completely by accident.

There are several known cases of people becoming infected with HIV through blood transfusions. However, in this case, the responsibility lies with the blood collection station. They must carefully screen those who donate blood for HIV and hepatitis C.

To help you protect yourself, we suggest you review all the ways HIV is transmitted.

Methods of transmission of HIV infection through blood:

• When using one syringe for injections by several people;
• When receiving a blood transfusion that was donated by an HIV-positive person;
• If personal protective equipment was not used when dressing an HIV patient;
• Tattooing and tattooing in the wrong conditions and with unsterile instruments are often the causes of infection;
• Manicure and others cosmetic procedures from a craftsman who neglects the rules for processing tools;
• During a fight, if the blood of a sick person gets into the wound of a healthy one;
• When using someone else's razor and toothbrush.

Such methods of infection are also quite common. However, if you follow basic personal safety rules, you can easily protect yourself from them.

Is it possible to become infected with HIV through food and other household routes?

People are often afraid of communicating with HIV-infected people. Sick people become outcasts. However, this fear is not justified. HIV infection is transmitted only through blood, milk, semen, and vaginal discharge. Therefore, you cannot become infected through normal communication with a sick person. Moreover, by living with him in the same family and following safety rules, you will also remain healthy.

You already know how you can become infected with AIDS. Therefore, we want to dispel some myths about how HIV infection is transmitted.

How to avoid getting HIV:

1. You won't get AIDS by eating one food. Even when biting off one piece of bread, the risk of infection is equal to zero, however, for example, it is easier to become infected with tuberculosis in this way.
2. Handshakes, hugs and being in a closed room with a sick person cannot cause infection.
3. Kissing on the lips, including deep kissing with the tongue, does not cause HIV. However, there is a small chance of infection, purely theoretically, but so far no such cases have been recorded.

As you understand, HIV is not transmitted through skin, saliva, cough or air. Therefore, you can safely communicate with sick people, simply observing safety rules.

HIV is a virus that deprives human body protection by destroying the immune system. This disease became known in the 80s of the 20th century, when scientists found that an adult infected human HIV, the immune system became weak, like that of a newborn.

The disease is called AIDS - immune deficiency syndrome. The human immunodeficiency virus was officially announced in 1983.

The disease is now so widespread that it has become an epidemic. Presumably, 50 million people in the world are currently carriers of the virus.

There is no medicine that can restore human immunity yet, so the only way to fight HIV is prevention.

In the human body, nature has a mechanism through which immune cells produce antibodies that can resist microorganisms with foreign genetic information. When antigens enter the body, lymphocytes begin to work in it. They recognize the enemy and neutralize it, but when the body is infected by the virus, the protective barriers are destroyed and the person can die within a year of infection. However, there are cases when infected people lived up to 20 years, since HIV is a “slow” virus, the symptoms of which may not appear for more than 10 years and the person remains unaware of his or her health status.

After entering the body, viral cells attach to blood cells and spread through the bloodstream throughout the body, affecting the lymph nodes, since these are where immune cells are found in greater numbers. The immune system is unable to adequately respond to the attacks of the virus, since it does not recognize it, and HIV slowly destroys immune cells, and when their number decreases to a minimum and becomes critical, AIDS is diagnosed - last stage diseases. This stage lasts from 3 months to two years. During this period, AIDS progresses and affects the mucous membranes, lungs, intestines, and nervous system. This happens because the protective barrier in the form of immune cells is destroyed and the body cannot resist pathogens. As a result, a person dies not from HIV, but from another secondary infection.

The most common cause of AIDS is pneumonia and intestinal disorders with diarrhea that continues for several months, as a result of which the person begins to sharply lose weight and the body becomes dehydrated. As a result of research, scientists have found that the causes of intestinal disorders in AIDS are fungi of the genus Candida, salmonella, as well as tuberculosis bacteria and cytomegalovirus. Often, an organism weakened by the effects of HIV becomes infected with meningitis, encephalitis, and a brain tumor develops. A person’s intellectual abilities decrease, the brain atrophies, and dementia develops. In those infected, the mucous membranes are affected, erosions and cancerous tumors appear on the skin.

According to the updated version of the classification, HIV goes through 5 stages of development:

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1. The incubation period is up to 90 days. Clinical manifestations none.
2. Appearance primary symptoms, which are divided into periods A, B, C. Period 2A - no symptoms. Period 2B - the first manifestations of infection, similar to the course of other infectious diseases. 2B - manifests itself in the form of sore throat, herpes, candidiasis, pneumonia, but at this stage of development of the disease, infections respond well to treatment. Period 2B lasts 21 days.
3. The disease progresses and a short-term enlargement of the lymph nodes occurs. The duration of the period is from 2-3 to 20 years. At this time, the number of lymphocytes decreases.
4. Destruction of T-4 lymphocytes and, as a consequence, the development of cancer and infectious diseases. At this stage, symptoms may periodically subside on their own or with medication. The fourth stage includes periods A, B and C.
   • 4A - mucous membranes and skin are affected by bacteria and viruses, and the number of upper respiratory tract diseases increases in humans.
   • 4B - skin diseases continue to progress and are also affected internal organs, nervous system, noticeable weight loss begins.
   • 4B - the disease is life threatening.
5. The destruction in the body is irreversible. A person dies within 3–12 months.

HIV has no symptoms of its own and can masquerade as any infectious disease. At the same time, blisters, pustules, lichen appear on the skin, seborrheic dermatitis. The virus can only be detected using tests: HIV test. When a virus is detected as a result of a blood test, the person becomes HIV seropositive, which means: antibodies to the virus have formed in the person’s body, but the disease has not yet manifested itself. However, HIV cannot be detected immediately after infection. It can appear only after a few months, so the person does not know about his disease.

More about the disease

Viruses are constantly present in the life of every person. These are FLU, herpes, hepatitis, retrovirus AIDS and other viral and infectious diseases. All viruses cause complications on the human body and therefore require antiviral therapy. There are a huge number of viruses and they constantly mutate, so there is no one most effective drug that can cope with any infection. Different antiviral drugs are used to combat each virus. The action of antiretroviral drugs is based on the mechanism of stopping the “stamping” of AIDS virus cells.

Antiretroviral drugs are divided into main groups:

• Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs): zalcitabine, stavudine and others. These drugs are highly toxic, but most people infected with HIV tolerate them well. Side effects are observed in 5% of infected people.
• Protease inhibitors (PI): Ritonavir, Nelfinavir, Lapinavir and others.
• Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs): Delaverdine, Efavirenz. These drugs are effectively used in combination with NRTIs. Side effects from taking this type of drug are observed on average in 35% of infected people.

The virus, destroying the immune system, destroys barriers to other viruses and infections. In order to prevent the development of opportunistic infections, that is, those that are constantly present in the body of any person and are considered conditionally pathogenic, preventive (prophylactic) therapy is used in a person infected with a virus using antimicrobials, which have no effect on the virus, but suppress opportunistic microflora.

In addition to opportunistic infections, a person with a retrovirus is constantly threatened by other infectious diseases, to prevent which vaccination (immunization) is used. However, it is effective only at the initial stage of the disease, when the immune system is still functioning normally, so HIV-infected people are recommended to be vaccinated against influenza and pneumococci.

Since HIV-infected people cannot resist infections, the Salmonella bacterium poses a serious danger to them, so it is necessary to avoid eating raw eggs and thermally poorly processed poultry meat. People infected with HIV should also be careful when visiting many countries where infection with tuberculosis is possible.

Symptoms of HIV in early and late stages in men and women

Women are more susceptible to HIV disease because their immunity is weaker than that of men at different periods of life. This is the period of pregnancy and menstruation. HIV is dangerous not only for a woman, but also for her child, as it can be transmitted during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

To prevent this, women need to be aware of the early symptoms of HIV disease. In the early stages, symptoms of HIV in women include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin itching, rashes, sore throat, muscles and joints. Ulcers appear in the mouth, and the lymph nodes in the neck, groin and armpit become enlarged. Since similar symptoms of HIV are characteristic of other infectious diseases, the cause can only be determined through tests.

In the later stages, HIV manifests itself in women with the appearance of ulcers and ulcers on the genitals, lesions of the oral mucosa with formations similar to ulcers due to stomatitis, herpes worsens, warts form, the menstrual cycle is disrupted and sexual dysfunction develops. Anorexia cannot be ruled out. Due to the destruction of the immune system, they develop oncological diseases: cervical cancer, lymphoma, sarcoma.

With this course of the disease, life expectancy is rapidly reduced. In this state, a woman can no longer live a normal life, as she is bedridden. The course and symptoms of the disease in men are somewhat different from women. Usually, in the early stages, the infection manifests itself with symptoms similar to ARVI: increased body temperature, fever. At the initial stage (about 20 days after infection), among other symptoms of HIV, a characteristic rash appears. The first symptoms quickly pass and an asymptomatic period begins.

The enlarged lymph nodes characteristic of HIV infection also disappear. When the disease reaches late stage development, the man begins to experience a constant feeling of fatigue, he is bothered by incessant diarrhea, and white spots appear in the mouth, while swelling of the lymph nodes lasts for several months. All of these symptoms in men and women infected with HIV occur due to the destruction of immune cells by the virus.

For the same reason, wounds in HIV patients do not heal for a long time, and their gums bleed. Due to the development of the virus, ARVI, tuberculosis, and pneumonia become constant companions of an HIV-infected person. Tests are done to determine the level of viral load, or the amount of virus in the blood. Based on the test results, doctors determine the rate of spread of the virus throughout the body. Test indicators may change throughout life, but if the load is consistently high over several months, this is a signal of the progress of the disease.

To obtain reliable information about the condition of an infected person, a blood test is used to determine the immune status (immunogram). Analyzes and tests will not be able to give an exact answer to the question: how long to live, since each person develops the virus individually and, accordingly, there may be differences in the symptoms of HIV.

How HIV is transmitted: main risk groups and HIV vaccinations

Today, HIV has been well studied and the development of the disease has been learned to be contained.

However, this does not make it any less dangerous, and therefore every person should know how HIV is transmitted and what to do to avoid becoming infected with it.

People who frequently change sexual partners, practice homosexual intercourse, anal sex, and use the services of prostitutes are at risk of becoming infected with HIV, first of all. And given how popular such relationships have become in the modern world, the risk of infection has increased and HIV can also be transmitted to people with high social status. The virus enters the body through blood, milk from mother to child, semen and vaginal discharge.

HIV is not transmitted through saliva, feces and urine, so the household route of infection is excluded and exists only hypothetically.

Since the virus is unstable and dies when boiled for 1 minute or at 57 degrees after 30 minutes, it is enough to follow basic precautions in everyday life to prevent HIV from being transmitted. People who use drugs are at risk for HIV infection. narcotic drugs intravenously, since in a state of drug intoxication the sense of danger is dulled and the sharing of syringes is not excluded.

It is rare, but it is possible that HIV is transmitted through a transfusion of contaminated blood, since the virus does not immediately show its activity after entering the human body and can be detected using tests: HIV tests. Healthcare workers working with open wounds of patients are at risk of infection. After infection, the body begins to produce antibodies, they are detected during analysis, and the person is considered HIV seropositive. However, this only means that HIV may be present in the blood.

If a blood test reveals HIV seropositivity, you need to protect yourself from infections that become deadly for the infected person with vaccinations against influenza and pneumococcus. However, only a doctor should determine the timing of immunization, since HIV-infected people have a higher risk of developing side effects. To decide on the possibility of vaccination, doctors prescribe tests to determine immune status.

AIDS: what it is, its diagnosis and modes of transmission

If a person is diagnosed with HIV infection, this does not mean that he has AIDS, since AIDS is the fifth and final stage of the disease, which can occur 20 years after infection. AIDS is diagnosed in a person when the immune system is destroyed and can no longer resist viruses and infections.

In 80% of cases, HIV is transmitted sexually through semen and vaginal secretions, in almost 10% - through syringes, about 10% of cases - transmission of the virus occurs from mother to newborn child, including through breast milk. Medical workers become infected with HIV in 0.01% of cases.

Please note

In everyday life, you cannot become infected with HIV through dishes, in a swimming pool or bathhouse, or by coughing or sneezing, but you can, for example, in a tattoo parlor if the instruments are processed in violation of the technology, since the virus is contained in the blood.

Timely diagnosis of HIV is crucial, since if the disease is detected early stage, the destructive effect of the virus and its transition to the AIDS stage can be noticeably stopped and prevent it from quickly destroying the immune system. However, due to the lack of symptoms, diagnosis at the first stage of the disease is almost impossible and difficult at the second stage.

You can suspect infection with the AIDS virus if there is unmotivated fatigue and a short-term rise in body temperature to 39 degrees. In this case, a person experiences a sharp weight loss due to diarrhea syndrome. For such symptoms, it is necessary to laboratory research exclude HIV infection.

Symptoms of AIDS in women and men, its treatment and prevention

In women, the symptoms of AIDS differ from those in men. As a rule, HIV in women manifests itself as vaginal diseases and dysfunction genitourinary system, for example, relapses of candidiasis (thrush) occur. Herpes may worsen, and ulcers and warts appear on the mucous membranes of the genital organs. Regardless of the time of day or season, a woman experiences symptoms of fever with profuse sweating.

Please note

A characteristic symptom of AIDS is loss of appetite and weight loss, an irresistible desire to sleep due to a constant feeling of fatigue.

Symptoms of AIDS in men are disguised as FLU: the temperature rises, the person experiences chills, headache of different intensity. A rash appears on the skin, and skin discoloration occurs in some areas. Lymph nodes in the neck, groin area and under the armpits enlarge and become hard to the touch, but not painful.

Appetite disappears, weight decreases and the person constantly feels tired. Such acute period lasts about two weeks, and then the symptoms disappear for several months or even years. This is misleading and the man continues to live his normal life, allowing the virus to continue to destroy the immune system. When the last stage of the disease occurs in a man, all chronic infectious diseases become aggravated.

HIV may not show symptoms for a long time if a man's immune system is strong. However, the rash appears within 2 weeks after infection.

Treating AIDS symptoms initial stages possible with the help antiviral drugs. However, over time, the immunodeficiency virus gets used to antiviral drugs and therapy becomes ineffective.

Increasing the dose of drugs only leads to an overdose and increased side effects. AIDS cannot be cured, but at some stage antiviral medications have the effect of stabilizing the symptoms of the disease. To strengthen the immune system when treating AIDS symptoms, homeopathic medicines are used to help the body resist secondary infection. To strengthen the immune system, immunomodulators and immunosubstitutes are used. However, when treating AIDS, it is necessary to really select effective drugs, which provide not only a psychological effect, since one’s own immunity gradually weakens.

In addition, when using immunomodulators, it is necessary to take into account that these drugs are not harmless, since an overdose of them can cause reverse effect, which is doubly dangerous with AIDS. Therefore, doctors carry out therapy with immunomodulators in cycles. Humanity has not yet learned to treat HIV and AIDS, but maintains the virus in a state of sluggish disease modern medicine This may be why it is important to diagnose the virus promptly and begin to suppress its symptoms.

Prevention of HIV and AIDS

The best treatment is to avoid getting AIDS. The largest percentage of infection occurs during sexual intercourse, since the mucous membranes and urethra have a high degree of permeability to the virus. Those who practice anal intercourse are at great risk, since the intestinal walls are very vulnerable.

According to WHO, 75% of those infected are homosexuals and women who have anal sex with men. Avoiding anal intercourse reduces the risk of HIV infection. Since the virus also enters the body through the blood, you should not take risks and visit dubious tattoo parlors, random dental clinics, manicure rooms where the technology for processing instruments is violated.

It is necessary to get tested regularly if your sexual partners change frequently. Domestic transmission route AIDS is practically excluded, since the virus is quickly destroyed in the external environment. However, when using a razor and personal hygiene items, infection is possible. Therefore, you should not use other people’s objects in a hostel environment.

It is not for nothing that the human immunodeficiency virus has such a name, because it is a purely human pathology that is not dangerous for other mammals. There are, however, a couple of variations of this virus, which, according to special studies, affect African monkeys (HIV-2) and possibly chimpanzees (HIV-1), but they have nothing to do with humans, being transmitted only within the species. For human race The danger is precisely HIV infection, which opens the way into the body for many dangerous viruses and bacteria. Therefore, you should not treat it carelessly. But you can protect yourself from this terrible disease only by knowing how HIV infection is transmitted from person to person.

A little about HIV itself

Humanity learned about the immunodeficiency virus at the end of the twentieth century (1983), when at the same time this virus was discovered in two scientific laboratories. One of them was located in France (Louis Pasteur Institute), the other in the USA (National Cancer Institute). A year earlier, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which, as it turned out later, was the final phase of HIV infection, received its current name.

When a new unknown retrovirus was isolated and given the name HTLV-III, it was also suggested that this virus could be the cause of such a terrible disease as AIDS. Further research confirmed this hypothesis, and humanity learned about new danger, capable of killing without weapons.

HIV is one of the types of viral pathologies characterized by a sluggish course. The incubation period, lasting from 3 weeks to 3 months, and the latent stage, which can last 11-12, and sometimes more years, occur without any obvious symptoms. However, during this period, the immune system is almost completely destroyed.

Disorder in the immune system and its inability to protect the body from foreign invasion make it possible for even infections that are actually unable to be active in the body to penetrate into its depths and actively multiply. healthy body. For example, the causative agents of Pneumocystis pneumonia can manifest themselves only against the background of a significantly weakened immune system, which is extremely rare (mainly due to HIV). The same can be said about the oncological pathology called Kaposi's sarcoma, the development of which requires an almost complete absence of immunity.

The human immunodeficiency virus itself is considered unstable. It cannot exist outside the host’s body (in this case, an infected person is considered both the carrier and the source of infection), however, in each specific case, the virus is slightly modified, which allows it to survive and excludes the possibility of inventing an effective antiviral vaccine.

Where are viral elements concentrated in the body? Well, of course, first of all it is blood, which is why the probability of infection through this important physiological fluid is so high (more than 90%). In 1 ml of blood, up to 10 doses of a viral component that can cause infection can be detected. A similar concentration of viral particles can also be found in seminal fluid(sperm) in men. Breast milk and vaginal discharge in women are characterized by a slightly lower content of viral cells.

The virus is capable of nesting in any physiological fluids, including saliva and cerebrospinal fluid, but its concentration there is negligible, as is the risk of infection with their participation.

Having isolated the virus and studied it, scientists came to the conclusion that it is possible to destroy viral cells by exposing them to high temperatures and certain chemicals. If the reservoir with the virus is heated above 57 degrees, the virus will die within half an hour. When boiling the liquid in which the virus cells are placed, it will take no more than 1 minute to completely destroy them. Chemicals, such as alcohol, ether and acetone, are also enemies of HIV, which makes possible use these substances and high temperatures for disinfection.

Alas, none of these methods of combating HIV infection are applicable to humans. It is impossible to boil blood to kill all the viruses in it without changing the very structure of the liquid. And a person cannot drink the amount of alcohol that would cope with the infection without consequences. All that people can do so far is to protect themselves from infection entering the body or to somewhat slow down the development of the virus until it reaches the AIDS stage.

But in order to protect yourself effectively, you need to know how HIV infection is transmitted. After all, whoever is forewarned is, as they say, forearmed.

How is HIV infection transmitted?

The human immunodeficiency virus is a terrible and insidious disease, for which there is currently no effective treatment. But there are a lot of different rumors around HIV. Some say that the virus itself is not so terrible if you can live with it quietly for more than 10 years. Real danger, in their opinion, represents only the last stage of the disease - AIDS, when various pathologies develop in the body, most of them having a complicated course.

Others are terrified of contracting HIV infection, believing that any contact with an infected person carries great danger. This leads to neurotic disorders and depression, because an infected person himself may not even suspect that he is a carrier, not to mention other people who do not notice any changes in the virus carrier. The presence of the virus in the body can only be determined diagnostically by conducting a special blood test for antibodies to HIV.

In principle, there is some truth in both opinions. But both a careless attitude towards the problem of HIV and excessive concern for one’s health to the detriment of human relations And mental health are extremes that will benefit neither one nor the other.

HIV has 3 main routes of transmission, which are worth paying close attention to, because it is in these cases that the risk of infection is especially high:

• During sexual intercourse (sexual or contact route of transmission),
• When manipulating blood (parenteral route),
• During pregnancy, labor and breastfeeding (vertical transmission of infection).

In other cases, the possibility of getting HIV is so small that even doctors do not consider these routes as dangerous.

Having learned how HIV infection is transmitted, you can take all measures to block any routes for infection to enter the body. One should not think that only those people who, by virtue of their professional responsibilities are forced to come into contact with infected people or are related to virus carriers in some way. You can become infected with the human immunodeficiency virus even if you have a virus-negative partner.

On the other hand, some couples, in which one of the partners is a virus carrier, live quite happily because they are careful in sexual contacts. Thus, consideration for others and caution are important conditions that help stop the spread of this terrible disease.

How is HIV infection transmitted from a man?

So, the greatest chance of introducing HIV infection into your body is observed during sexual intercourse. This applies to both heterosexual and homosexual couples. In sex, a man always acts as the introducing party. And often it is men who are the “customers” of love affairs. Therefore, the risk of infection from a man is higher than from a woman.

This is also facilitated by the fact that the content of virus cells in sperm is almost 3 times higher than in the vaginal secretions of women. Even a minimal amount of sperm on the penis can cause infection female body, but removing it from there is very difficult due to the structural features of the female genital organs, which are located deep inside. Conventional douching after sexual intercourse does not guarantee the removal of the virus from the body.

Please note that sex with an HIV-positive partner does not necessarily result in infection. In order for the virus to become active, it must enter the bloodstream. It can enter the bloodstream only through damage to the skin and mucous membranes. Usually, during sexual intercourse, microcracks form on the vaginal mucosa, which do not pose a danger to the woman until some infection, for example, the human immunodeficiency virus, gets into her bowels. If there are no microdamages, and the woman has thoroughly cleaned the vagina after intercourse, infection may not occur.

The danger for women is posed by infectious and inflammatory processes in the vagina, which make the mucous membrane more vulnerable and permeable to all kinds of bacteria and viruses. The likelihood of violating the integrity of the mucous membrane during sexual intercourse is high with inflammation of the internal genital organs and venereal diseases. In the latter case, partners can simply exchange “sores,” which will only worsen the situation for both.

But so far we have been talking about classic sexual intercourse between a man and a woman. However, in our time, a certain perverted form of it is very actively practiced - anal sex, when the penis is inserted not into the vagina, but into the rectum through the anus. Some people consider this method as an opportunity to protect against unwanted pregnancy without the use of contraceptives.

It must be said that such intercourse is not only unnatural, but also poses a great danger in terms of the spread of HIV infection. And all because the delicate tissue of the rectum and anus is susceptible to damage even more than the inner lining of the vagina, which is protected by the mucous secretion produced in it, which softens friction.

The rectum in nature is intended for other purposes. It does not belong to the reproductive organs and does not produce a special lubricant that protects the walls from friction and damage. Therefore, during anal sex, there is a high probability of damage to the tissues of the anus and intestines due to strong friction, especially if intercourse is performed in a rough manner.

At the same time, the man, again, suffers less, because if there is no damage to the penis, then he is unlikely to be able to become infected from an HIV-positive partner. Moreover, penile hygiene is much easier than cleansing the internal reproductive organs in a woman. But if a woman had anal sex with an HIV-positive man, then her probability of infection is almost 100%.

Knowing how HIV infection is transmitted is also very important for homosexual couples, and we have many of them, because persecution of people with non-traditional orientation has long been a thing of the past. For homosexual couples, the main source of sexual satisfaction is anal sex, in which the risk of infection is incredibly high.

Oral sex with an HIV-positive man (the penis is inserted into the mouth of a partner or homosexual partner) can also pose some danger to partners. The fact is that various microdamages can also occur in the oral cavity, provoked by rough or spicy foods, inflammatory processes in tissues, etc. If infected sperm gets on the wounds, it risks transmitting the virus into the bloodstream, from where it can no longer be removed.

And even if there were no wounds on the mucous membranes of the mouth, they may end up in the esophagus and stomach. In such cases, the danger comes from swallowing sperm, which many women do not disdain, having read information about the beneficial composition of seminal fluid and its effect on youth and beauty.

As you can see, sexual transmission of HIV is quite common. It is not without reason that almost 70% of infections are attributed to this factor. Another interesting fact is that despite the fact that a woman is at greater risk during sexual intercourse, the prevalence of the virus among men and women is approximately the same. And the reason for this is promiscuous sexual relations with a large number partners, an increase in the number of homosexual couples, the practice of group sex.

There is something to think about. But preventing HIV from entering the body during sexual intercourse is not so difficult if you use high-quality condoms every time, if you know that your partner is a carrier of the virus. And even if there is no information about the health status of your sex partner, you should not exclude the possibility of carrying the virus. But you should protect yourself from possible infection, insisting on protected sex using a condom.

You can practice unprotected sex only with a regular partner in whom you are 100% confident. But here, too, there is no need to discount the possibility of infecting a partner in other ways (for example, through blood during surgical intervention, if surgical instruments were not sufficiently disinfected, or after visiting the dentist). It would be a good idea to take an HIV test after each such intervention, but practice shows that this recommendation is implemented very, very rarely.

How is HIV infection transmitted from a woman?

Although the likelihood of catching HIV from a representative of the fairer sex is less, it should not be ruled out either. After all inflammatory pathologies genital organs, weakening their tissues, occur not only in women, but also in men. Therefore, after sex with an HIV-positive partner, a man with inflammation or mechanical trauma to the penis, leading to damage to its tissues, can also discover HIV in himself over time.

Therefore, we can say with confidence that sex with a condom protects not only the woman, but also the man from infection. And if we also take into account that men are polygamous by nature, i.e. cannot remain faithful to one partner for a long time, then by having sex without a condom, they endanger not only themselves, but also their regular partner. After all, for the woman they love, they themselves become the source of infection, even if for the time being without suspecting it.

This carelessness is especially dangerous for young couples who are still planning to have children. After all, an unsuspecting woman (don’t forget that the disease can manifest itself even after 10 or more years), seeking advice about pregnancy, may be horrified to learn that she is a carrier of the virus. Therefore, couples planning to replenish their family must be aware of how HIV infection is transmitted from man to woman and from woman to child.

You should always remember that either the same man or a woman can become infected from a man, but from a woman the virus can also be transmitted to her child, who certain time is in the womb. The virus can enter the fetal bloodstream during pregnancy (through the placental barrier) or during the baby’s passage through the birth canal, because babies have such delicate skin that any impact can cause microdamage on it, invisible to the eye, but sufficient for the penetration of virus cells, which are also microscopic in size. And if we take into account that the immune system of a newborn is still at the stage of formation, then some babies die in the very first days and months after birth.

Even if the baby is born healthy, there is still a risk of HIV transmission from the mother through breast milk. For this reason, women who carry the virus have to give up breastfeeding their baby, which, of course, does not have the best effect on his natural immunity, but at the same time protects the newborn from the unwanted “gift” of a loving mother in the form of a terrible retrovirus.

Yes, let’s not hide it, previously the percentage of HIV-infected children born from mothers with the human immunodeficiency virus in their blood was much higher (about 40%). Today, doctors have learned to use chemical antiviral drugs (usually prescribed starting from the 28th week of pregnancy) to reduce the activity of HIV in the mother’s body and have reduced the intrauterine incidence to 1-2%.

This is facilitated by the practice of cesarean section in HIV-infected mothers, which prevents infection of the baby during childbirth, as well as the administration of antiviral drugs to newborns for several months after birth. After all, the sooner an infection is detected in the baby’s body, the easier it will be to fight it and the greater the chance that the child will live a long time. happy life. If preventive measures are not taken, the child can be predicted to live for a maximum of 15 years.

Preparing for the arrival of a new little family member is always a very exciting moment for a woman, but it is a pleasant excitement. For an HIV-infected pregnant woman, the joy of motherhood is overshadowed by concern about the fate of her baby, who may acquire terrible disease. And this anxiety will not leave the woman for the entire 9 months, even if she diligently follows all the doctor’s instructions and undergoes routine examinations.

An even greater responsibility lies with women who knew about their illness even before conceiving the baby. They should think and weigh everything several times before deciding to give life to a child. After all, along with life, they can reward the baby with a dangerous illness, predicting (albeit not always) a sad fate. All risks associated with HIV infection expectant mother You should definitely discuss it with your doctor and, if the decision is positive, strictly adhere to all medical recommendations.

It is worth thinking in advance about who will help the infected mother care for and raise the child. Still, constant contact with a child who does not yet know how to protect himself from danger poses, albeit a small, risk of infecting the baby. And the life of an HIV-positive mother may not be as long as she would like. Even before the birth of the child, everything must be done so that later he will not be left alone in this life.

As for men, representatives of the oldest profession also pose a great danger to them. You need to understand that customers women lung There can be quite a lot of behavior, but no one requires certificates of health, which means that among the sexual partners of the prostitute there may well be HIV-infected men. A prostitute can give such a gift in the form of HIV infection to any subsequent client with whom she will have vaginal or anal sex.

Men should not take risks by having sexual contact with a woman during menstruation. Firstly, this is not an urgent need, secondly, it is unhygienic and, thirdly, it is quite dangerous in terms of blood contact with the penis if there is a possibility that the woman is a carrier of HIV infection. Still, the blood is saturated with virus cells much more than vaginal secretions, which means that the likelihood of infection increases markedly. Is the game worth the candle?

How is HIV infection transmitted through kissing?

This question is of particular interest to young couples, who today practice not only light superficial kisses, but also deep sensual ones. And we have already written that some of the virus cells are found in many human physiological fluids, including saliva contained in the oral cavity. It is this moment that worries lovers, because a kiss is the most sincere expression of love for a person.

Lovers should not be especially worried, even if one of the partners turns out to be HIV-positive. Such a manifestation of love as a kiss is quite acceptable in this situation. Saliva contains such a tiny number of viral cells that the answer to the incorrect question of how HIV infection is transmitted through saliva is “virtually not at all.”

Theoretically, the possibility of infection in this way remains due to the very minuscule amount of HIV cells in saliva, but in life there have never been confirmed cases of infection through saliva. You need to understand that this is not just a way to calm lovers, but statistical information. There are special centers that study the virus and how it spreads. Medical scientists are concerned about the growing number of patients with HIV, so for each specific case, full information where and how the infection occurred. All this is necessary in order to develop effective preventive measures that will help stop the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus across our home planet.

During such studies in the United States, a case of HIV transmission during a kiss was recorded. But the carrier of the infection, as it turned out, was not saliva, but blood that appeared at the site of the bite (apparently it was made in a fit of passion).

A simple loving kiss without damaging the tissues of the oral cavity cannot harm healthy person, so lovers can safely practice such kisses. It’s another matter if bleeding wounds are found in the mouths of both partners, which is observed with periodontitis, stomatitis, tonsillitis and some other pathologies of the oral cavity. Any open wound HIV-infected person is a source of infection, while the same injuries in a healthy person carry a risk of infection.

Parenteral route of transmission of HIV infection

If the vertical route of transmission of the virus is typical only for women who decide to give birth to a child, then both women and men can be equally infected through contact and parenteral routes. We have already considered all the nuances of the contact route of infection. It's time to pay attention to HIV transmission through blood.

There are 2 risk factors here, mainly related to medical instrument. Firstly, these are surgical supplies, which must be strictly sterile. Insufficient disinfection of an instrument that was previously used in manipulations with an HIV-infected patient is a risk factor for infecting another patient.

Moreover, this applies not only to surgery, but also dental offices, beauty salons that practice manicures and pedicures, where clients are not asked at all for a certificate confirming the absence of HIV in the body. In the event of an accidental cut, particles of the blood of an infected person remain on a scalpel or other device used in surgery, dentistry, or cosmetology. If the instrument is not properly treated (washed with water and that’s enough, but you need to treat it with alcohol or boil for at least 1-2 minutes), the virus cells remaining on it can easily enter the body of a healthy person through various damages on the skin.

Although the probability of infection in this case is small, it also cannot be discounted. To protect yourself from parenteral infection during medical or cosmetic procedures, you must insist on using disposable instruments that are removed from the package in front of the patient. Fortunately, now disposable tools are not a problem. At least in private medical centers who value their reputation and income.

Another unlikely way to infect a patient with the human immunodeficiency virus is to give him the blood of an HIV-infected person. This can only happen in an emergency situation, when there are no blood supplies, and seconds count. In this case, blood can be taken from an untested person only on the basis of group and Rh factor compatibility, while the donor himself may not be aware of his illness, which is usually in no hurry to manifest itself. Blood at donor points must be tested for HIV, so the likelihood of infection from tested donor blood is practically zero.

When manipulating HIV-infected patients, some medical staff also run the risk of infection. This risk is small and is mainly caused by the carelessness of a doctor or nurse who, during surgery or other actions with the patient’s blood, accidentally damages the tissue on the arm in the place where it comes into contact with the blood of an HIV-positive patient. Infection may not occur, but the danger still exists, and we must not forget about it.

There is another answer to the question of how HIV infection is transmitted parenterally. A risk factor for blood infection with the human immunodeficiency virus is the use of injection equipment by a group of people. In practice, this phenomenon is often common among drug addicts who are trying to save money on syringes.

In this case, not only syringe needles, which are in direct contact with human tissues and blood, are considered potentially dangerous, but also the syringes themselves, as well as the containers from which the liquid drug is taken. These tools are not processed in any way among drug addicts, which means that particles of the blood of the previous user, who may have an HIV-positive status, remain on them. Drugs are introduced into the body intravenously, and the virus is delivered directly into the bloodstream, where it begins its destructive effect.

Drug addiction is a disease, and recovery from pathological addiction is not so easy. But everything can be done to prevent HIV infection from joining the destructive effects of drugs.

Prevention in this case is the use of individual (preferably disposable) syringes and ampoules, as well as the avoidance of promiscuity, which is often practiced among drug addicts against the background of the narcotic ecstasy they receive, clouding the mind and logical thinking. But even in such a state, a person is able to realize the danger of his actions, unless, of course, drugs have completely destroyed his ability to think. In this case, kissing should be stopped for a while, and resumed only after the damage to the mucous membranes of the mouth, gums and lips has completely healed.

The likelihood of contracting HIV through a kiss is negligible, but you should not completely ignore the fact of this possibility. If a kiss is a manifestation of true love, then the partners will take every precaution so as not to harm each other. Indeed, in this case, infection with the human immunodeficiency virus is a tragedy for both.

But it’s clearly not worth kissing passionately with untested partners. And it's not even about the depth of the kiss. It’s worth thinking about whether a stranger will care about your safety in a fit of passion, or are you at risk of being bitten or unprotected sex, which may well follow kissing? Are you completely sure that your casual partner is HIV negative?

Only with a trusted partner can you feel safe, while observing preventive measures, such as using a condom and being careful when kissing. There is no need to rush to reject your loved one if he is diagnosed with HIV, because the human immunodeficiency virus is not an acute respiratory viral infection or a fungus, it is not transmitted by airborne droplets, through hands, dishes, bathroom, toilet. So, if you are careful, the likelihood of becoming infected is not that great, as proven by many happy couples in which one of the partners is a virus carrier.

How is HIV infection transmitted at home?

If the topic of kisses was interesting mainly to couples in love and loving parents, who also happily give kisses to their children, then the issue of the risk of contracting HIV infection in everyday life is already worrying many readers of different ages. After all, if it turns out that HIV can be contracted through non-sexual contact, surgery or during a blood transfusion, and by everyday means, danger can threaten almost all people.

Let us not deceive the reader by claiming that HIV infection in living conditions impossible, just to prevent panic. Let's face it, the danger of infection exists and is real. However, this is not a reason to panic in advance. In order for infection to occur, certain conditions are required that can be successfully prevented; it is only important to know how HIV infection is transmitted in everyday life and to avoid such situations.

Most often, men become infected in domestic conditions, which once again equalizes their chances of receiving an unwanted “gift” with women. The cause of infection in the vast majority of cases is ordinary shaving, which is considered a common procedure among men.

You can shave twice a day or once a week; this will not change the likelihood of contracting HIV. Even the type of shaving device in this case does not play a significant role, since if you shave carelessly, you can get hurt with a safety or electric razor. Another important thing is whose machine or razor do you shave with?

A razor, like a toothbrush, should be individual. By giving a razor to others or using someone else’s, you can only get yourself into trouble in the form of blood poisoning with HIV infection. And here it doesn’t matter how many times you had to use it. If you cut yourself with a razor that contains the blood of an HIV-infected person (a friend or relative, and we know that he himself might not be aware of the disease), there is every chance of releasing the virus into his blood. And these chances are quite high.

When asked whether there have been any documented cases of HIV infection while shaving, the answer is yes. True, information about the route of infection in all episodes was obtained from the patient himself and was based on his assumptions. Perhaps there were other contacts that could have caused infection, or maybe the culprit of the disaster really was a publicly available razor. Be that as it may, but exclude a completely logical possibility domestic infection HIV is not worth it. But this possibility can be prevented if you use an individual shaving device, protecting it from the encroachments of friends and family members (among which, by the way, there may be women who are not free from excess hair).

Above we mentioned toothbrush. And for good reason, because if an HIV-positive person has problems with his teeth, gums or oral mucosa, particles of infected blood may likely be hidden on the brush after brushing his teeth, which will become a source of infection for another user of the brush.

True, in order for infection to occur through a razor or toothbrush, the blood must be fresh enough, because the human immunodeficiency virus is a very unstable substance that cannot exist outside the host’s body, so it quickly dies in the open air.

Theoretically, the human immunodeficiency virus can be transmitted by shaking hands. This would be a virtually incredible situation, since infection is possible only if there are fresh injuries on the hands (or rather even the palms) of both partners extended for a handshake. Plus, the blood of an HIV-infected person must get into the wound of a healthy person. Yes, the situation is more than rare, because who would extend a bloody hand during a greeting, but it is still worth knowing about this possibility.

More less likely contract AIDS in the swimming pool, where they are allowed only after providing a certificate of absence various kinds infections in the visitor's body. True, an HIV test is not taken in all cases. But this has little effect on the likelihood of infection. To become infected in a pool, you must either step on an open wound in the blood of an infected person, or end up with the same wound in water noticeably flavored with someone else’s blood, or provoke a bloody fight. What do you think is the likelihood of such an event happening?

Public baths and saunas practically eliminate the possibility of contracting HIV infection, although no one requires a certificate there. But, firstly, the virus cannot live on its own without a host, and secondly, it is afraid of exposure to high temperatures.

As for massage parlors, the likelihood of contracting HIV is much higher during a manicure or pedicure, which can be done in beauty salons or at home by both women and men. And poorly disinfected devices will be to blame. Trust your nails only to trusted and careful cosmetologists, and you will not have problems with HIV.

During massage, infection can again occur only during mixing of blood, i.e. It is necessary that both the massage therapist’s hands and the client’s skin, which the massage therapist touches, be damaged. It is clear that such a situation can be considered rather an exception to the rule.

It's time to talk about more mundane things, like the toilet. Can you become infected with the human immunodeficiency virus by using the toilet?

Neither urine nor feces are considered a serious source of HIV infection that can trigger the disease. IN public toilet You are more likely to catch other infections, including those that are sexually transmitted, than the immunodeficiency virus, which is transmitted primarily through blood or semen.

Yes, such secretions may accidentally end up on the rim of the toilet, but in order for them to cause infection, the buttocks of the person who sits on them must have damage, through which the virus would penetrate into the blood. This situation is simply funny, because no one smart man will not sit on the toilet in public place(and even with such obvious traces of someone else’s presence), without first having at least made a bed toilet paper, or better yet, a disposable seat specifically designed for this purpose.

If we are not talking about a toilet, but about a bowl or hole for drainage, which can often be found in public restrooms, then they do not pose any risk of infection at all, since they exclude contact of bodily fluids.

The fact that HIV is not transmitted in a public toilet does not mean that you do not need to follow the rules of personal hygiene. Clean hands and caution will help avoid infecting others, no less dangerous infections, which are quite sufficient in public places with the abbreviation MF.

As for cutlery and dishes, there is no need to worry too much, even when visiting canteens and cafes. HIV is definitely not transmitted through dishes, unlike many intestinal infections.

Based on the above and information about how HIV infection is transmitted, we can conclude that it is virtually impossible to acquire the human immunodeficiency virus through everyday use. You have to be an extremely sloppy, unscrupulous or clumsy person to be included in the list of exceptions, which can only be called a curious accident. But caution and understanding will serve many people well, including those who have found happiness in an HIV-positive partner.

Today, almost every person knows how HIV is transmitted. Previously, there were big problems with this, since this topic was prohibited. But, despite the fact that many people know about the main methods of transmission of HIV infection, there are still those who think that you can only become infected through sexual contact.
Content:

What is HIV

Doctors share two concepts - HIV and HIV infection. Essentially, it's the same thing. But speaking in scientific language, HIV is an immunodeficiency virus, and HIV infection is caused by this virus, that is, HIV is a pathogen.

This virus was first identified in 1983, when people began to go to the hospital with specific symptoms. Of course, there were people who got sick before this, but due to the fact that from a certain point same-sex love began to be practically encouraged in the world, the virus began to spread intensively. And the majority of cases were among representatives of sexual minorities. It was believed that this was exclusively their disease.

But, to the great regret of doctors, there were more and more, and not only because the number of such couples grew, but also because sometimes people hid their true sexual preferences and had full-fledged heterosexual families. And since the main method of transmission of infection is sexual, this means the widespread spread of the virus.

Once in the body, the virus begins to destroy a person’s immune system, making him completely unprotected. And over time, even those microbes and bacteria that could not harm a healthy person in any way affected him negatively. The virus penetrates cells, completely destroying them. And in certain moment the body begins to fight with itself, killing its own cells.

The human immunodeficiency virus is not so resistant to exposure external environment, but nevertheless spreads at high speed. The virus can survive in the human body for several days. But outside it is only a few minutes.

HIV has killed many people who did not heed the calls of doctors to lead a healthy lifestyle, and also try to avoid casual relationships, or at least use protection. That is why at one point the question of treatment, as well as the exact methods of transmission of infection, became acute.

At-risk groups

Before moving on to the main methods of transmission of the virus, it is necessary to clarify who is at risk, who is more susceptible to the disease.
Most susceptible to infection are:

• People who support same-sex sexual relations, that is, homosexuals. Until recently, it was believed that only they could become infected with the virus, since they did not use any means of protection.
• Drug addicts. The risk among this population is increased because many of them share a syringe among several people, thereby increasing their chances of becoming infected
• Women and men lung behavior, that is, prostitutes. They almost always carry out the will of their client, and often do not protect themselves. In addition, the client may already be infected with HIV
• Medical workers. Every day they have to deal with a huge number of patients, some of whom may be carriers of the virus. As for medical workers, then they can become infected accidentally by pricking themselves with a needle

It is these groups of people who are most susceptible to HIV infection and therefore you need to be extremely careful when communicating with them.

Methods of transmission of the virus

As mentioned above, until recently it was believed that the infection could only be transmitted through sexual contact. Yes, most cases are due to this method of infection, but there are others.

• Through blood during its transfusion. Today, donated blood is carefully checked by specialists for the presence of any infections, and this is done before donating the material. But in some cases, when blood is needed urgently, doctors may neglect their duty and take it without checking the donor. Previously, several decades ago, donor blood was not tested, and therefore, even because of this, the number of people infected grew every year
• Through a needle. This applies to drug addicts who often use one syringe for several people
• During cosmetic procedures. This includes ear piercing, piercings, and tattoos. Those who use the services of such salons, where instruments are not sterilized, are at greater risk, and due to the low cost of services, the contingent is expanding, and not for the better.
• Unprotected sexual intercourse. This does not mean using condoms, since this is the only way to protect against this infection. Many may say that they are being protected, but this means protection only from unwanted pregnancy, and not from possible sexually transmitted diseases. During sexual intercourse, which occurs in heterosexual couples (that is, between a man and a woman), absolutely invisible and imperceptible microcracks are formed on the mucous membrane of the genital organs, through which the virus is able to penetrate the blood and cells. People who have promiscuous sexual intercourse are most susceptible to infection in this way. But most often, infection occurs from drug addicts and people who abuse alcohol, since at the moment of intoxication (drugs or alcohol), a person does not control his actions and may not use a condom. Sexual acts between homosexual couples, as they usually do anal sex, where the risk of mucosal damage increases significantly
• Oral sex. Virus cells are found in all human waste products (sperm and lubricant too). And therefore, although oral sex is considered less dangerous, you can also become infected this way
• . During pregnancy circulatory system mother and child are interconnected. Baby gets nutrients from the mother's body, and therefore, if you do not take special drugs that reduce viral load, you can transmit HIV to a child
• While breastfeeding
• During childbirth. Sometimes, if the mother has taken medications that help prevent intrauterine infection, then during childbirth the baby can still become infected. This process will depend solely on the experience of the doctors delivering the baby

There are many ways to become infected with the virus, and therefore every person should know them all in order to protect themselves and their loved ones from this dangerous disease.

How the virus is not transmitted

Many people wonder whether it is possible to become infected with HIV through everyday life. There are a number of cases where infection simply cannot occur. These include:

• Airborne path. The virus is transmitted through blood, and if a person carrying the infection sneezes or coughs, he will in no way be able to infect those nearby
• Through water or food. Not a single person has ever become infected with HIV by drinking the same water as a sick person.
• Household way. You can calmly (as far as you can call it) live next to a sick person and use the same dishes, brush, towel. Moreover, even in the pool it is impossible to become infected with the virus
• Animals. Animals are not carriers of the virus, even if they live in an apartment or house with a sick person

Saliva does not contain it, just as it is not found on the skin. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of sick people and avoid them. Of course, everyone’s instinct of self-preservation plays out, and they simply step aside. But there is married couples, one of whom had AIDS, but the other was absolutely healthy. This is further proof that the virus is not transmitted through everyday contact or through kissing.

Symptoms of the disease

After the virus has entered the body and expired incubation period, changes in the person will be noticeable. And also the first and obvious symptoms of HIV infection will appear, including:

• Significant weight loss, and sometimes even dystrophy
• Loss muscle mass, despite the fact that the person continues to lead the same lifestyle
• Constant colds, a person just recovers, and then immediately gets sick again
• Frequent diarrhea
• Painful sensations in the chest area
• Problems with vision, almost all patients note that vision began to decline sharply, and before infection it was one hundred percent
• Herpes
• Mouth ulcers
• Frequent pulmonary diseases, especially pneumonia and tuberculosis

All these symptoms appear when the virus begins to act actively.

Once the virus cells have entered, it will develop. After a few weeks, a person may feel the first signs of infection, but many ignore them, since they are very similar to ARVI or flu.

Thus, patients note a slight increase in temperature, painful sensations in the throat, as well as enlarged lymph nodes. After a few days, the symptoms disappear and an asymptomatic period begins, which can last from several months to several years. There are cases when the virus “dormant” for 20 years and then made itself felt.

This is why many patients do not even suspect that they have HIV, since there are no obvious symptoms. And they find out about this by chance, while taking tests.

Diagnosis of the disease

Particular attention is paid to diagnosing the disease, since it will take several months to make an accurate diagnosis.
If the symptoms described above appear, you need to consult a specialist, and after conducting an examination, he will prescribe one or another type of study.

Most often, if antibodies are detected in a person, it means there has been an infection. Such tests are carried out exclusively in specialized medical centers. A doctor in a simple clinic will also prescribe an HIV test, but its result will only recommend referral to more specialized specialists.

If antibodies were detected in the blood, then the patient will be prescribed more tests, but after three months or six months.
If you have had contact with an infected person, you will also need to be tested immediately, after two weeks, and then after six months. Such periods of time are due to the fact that there is a certain period during which the virus may not even appear in the blood. Therefore, for a more accurate result, it is better to donate blood again.

AIDS

After the virus begins to actively act in the body, it gradually destroys the immune system, leading to the fact that the person begins to constantly get sick. At the moment when diseases become paradoxical (that is, those that people usually do not get sick with appear), and the pathogens are so rare and not dangerous, then you should think about getting tested for HIV.

From the moment the disease moved to this stage, that is, systemic infectious diseases of a permanent nature began, we can talk about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, that is, AIDS.

This syndrome is considered acquired because a person is not born with it, but acquires it from someone else. The main danger is that even the most mild infection can provoke the development of serious complications. This happens due to the fact that the immune system does not work and does not fight absolutely anything.

Treatment

The main task of doctors if a person has been diagnosed with HIV is to suppress the virus. In most cases, this can be done and its further development can be delayed. True, it is impossible to do this for a lifetime.

Also, in addition to suppressing the impact of the virus, doctors begin to fight its already visible manifestations, that is, when infectious diseases appear. Patients are prescribed medications that help treat diseases.

In order to reduce the impact of the virus on the body, there is a lot. True, for them to work, you need to take them comprehensively. If you take each of the drugs separately, their effectiveness decreases, as the virus gradually becomes resistant to them. But if you take several medications at the same time, the effect will be much better and you may be able to achieve minimal virus activity.

In addition to the prescription of such drugs, HIV-infected patients are prescribed special antimicrobial therapy, which is aimed at reducing the likelihood of developing diseases that appear due to an inactive immune system.

The transition from HIV infection to AIDS, its speed, depends on many factors. It is generally accepted that if a person takes drugs, the transition process will happen much faster. But sometimes there are cases when a person undergoes intensive treatment, takes all the medications, but still the disease quickly progresses and enters the very last stage.

Despite the fact that therapy for detecting HIV is quite good, most patients and doctors note an improvement in the condition, it has a number of side effects, due to which it is sometimes necessary to stop it. And besides, the cost of treatment is high, and not everyone can afford it.

Prevention

There are no measures as such that can protect a person from HIV. You cannot get vaccinated and protect yourself completely. To avoid illness you need:

• Avoid casual sex
• Use protection with a new sexual partner
• Avoid oral and anal sex
• Try to take tests only in specialized laboratories, where all instruments are well sterilized, and the package with a syringe is opened in front of the patient
• Visit only legal and official beauty salons, especially for tattoos, piercings, etc.

As for pregnant women who are diagnosed with HIV, during pregnancy a special therapy will be prescribed, with the help of which in 90 percent of cases it is possible to avoid infection of the fetus. But even when taking special medications, the main risk occurs during childbirth. And everything depends only on the doctors.

We can talk a lot about how people become infected with HIV, since there are a huge number of cases when people simply do not say that they are positive for unknown reasons. But in order to protect yourself, it is better to constantly protect yourself and, if the relationship moves to a more serious level, undergo the appropriate tests.