Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is a violation of the normal functioning of the human immune system that develops under the influence of HIV infection. The clinical picture of this disease has a variety of manifestations. What is AIDS, everyone should know today. The main sign by which the presence of this disease can be determined is a CD4+ blood test to determine the number of T-lymphocytes. This analysis indicates the degree of suppression of the immune system by the immunodeficiency virus. The content of CD4 cells in the blood of a person with a negative indication of HIV infection can be from 600 to 1800 cells/ml of blood. The AIDS stage begins with a CD4+ test reading below 200 cells/mL of blood. In different periods of life, depending on the state of he alth, this indicator may be different.
The number of CD4 cells falls 2 or 3 weeks after infection of the patient. As the body resists, this indicator rises again, but already to a level below the initial indicator. This level, which is the CD4 reference point, stabilizes within 3 to 6 months from the time of infection. When asked what HIV and AIDS are,can be answered as follows: these are different degrees of damage to the body's resistance. The degree of damage to the immune system characterizes the level of T-lymphocytes, the annual fall of which in an infected person is on average 50 cells/mm3. In most people, the immune system effectively controls HIV, which does not require targeted treatment for many years.
At the stage of AIDS - the maximum damage to the protective functions of the body - a large number of opportunistic infections and the presence of tumor diseases are found in HIV-infected patients. The question of what AIDS is can be unambiguously answered: this is the last stage of damage to the immune system, which is so weakened that any disease very quickly reaches the ultimate goal of its development. A person with AIDS becomes an easy prey for various viruses and bacteria, he can die from a common cold or die in a matter of days, having become infected with an infection. Significant symptoms of AIDS include rapid weight loss, weakness, chills, fever, increased sweating at night, and an increased level of cancer. If in the early stages of HIV infection a person may not guess for years that he is infected, then at its terminal stage the patient understands well what AIDS is.
HIV primarily infects immune cells such as T-lymphocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages. Infected cells inevitably die over time,which is associated with their direct destruction by the virus and the gradual destruction of CD8+ cells by T-lymphocytes. The population of CD4+ T-lymphocytes is gradually declining, which leads to a decrease in cellular immunity, and when their content reaches a critical level, the human body becomes an easy prey for opportunistic infections. Today, every person should understand what AIDS and HIV are, and always be on the alert for mortal danger.
The source of HIV is an infected person. Infection occurs through contact of the liquid medium of the body with the patient. The source may be blood, vaginal secretions, semen and breast milk. Thus, HIV infection can occur through sexual contact (vaginal, oral and anal), when using the same syringe with an infected patient, during blood transfusion, as well as from a sick mother to her child at the time of birth and feeding. Therefore, one should never forget what AIDS is, what its consequences may be, and observe the maximum cleanliness in relation to the listed points. One should always remain vigilant, but one should not show undue anxiety in everyday life. HIV is not transmitted by shaking hands, donating blood, sharing food with an infected person, biting insects, and swimming in the same waters.
