HIV infection is a viral disease. Do not confuse it with AIDS - (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). However, although they are different concepts, they are inextricably linked, since AIDS is the final and most severe stage of the infection.
What is HIV infection?
It got its name in honor of the causative agent - the human immunodeficiency virus. The action of this retrovirus is aimed at the human immune system, due to which characteristic symptoms and conditions appear. The disease is anthroponotic, that is, it is transmitted only from person to person, and not every contact with an infected person is dangerous. With tactile interactions, kissing, it is impossible to transmit HIV. Whether this disease is treated is difficult to say. Scientists have been working on solving this problem for many years, but at the moment there is no way to completely get rid of the virus. It is possible to carry out maintenance therapy, which will stop the development of the disease and will not allow it to turn into AIDS for many years. This significantly prolongs the life of the patient, but he still remains a source of infection.
Etiology
Immunodeficiency virusIt is transmitted directly from person to person, and the ways of its distribution are different. First of all, sexual contact should be called the method of contracting HIV infection. The maximum amount of the virus is contained not only in the blood, but also in semen and vaginal secretions. Unprotected intercourse makes the risk of infection quite high, although there is evidence that a single intercourse leads to the introduction of the virus into the body only in rare cases. The likelihood of infection increases significantly in the presence of microdamages on the skin and mucous membranes. It is these small injuries that become the entrance gate for infection. Both men and women are susceptible to the virus, while the sexual orientation of partners does not play a role, since HIV is also transmitted through homosexual contact.
In second place is contact with the blood of an infected person. Most often, drug addicts become infected in this way when using the same syringe with an infected person. It is possible to introduce infection into the body and with careless handling of medical instruments. Thus, a he althcare worker can become infected with HIV from a patient. Previously, cases of transfusion of infected blood to patients were quite common. At the moment, strict measures have been introduced to check donors and exposure of donor blood for 5 months, followed by re-checking it for the presence of the virus. This greatly reduced the chances of transmission through transfusions, but these cases unfortunately occur occasionally.
Another way is to infect the child from the mother. Possibletransmission of the virus both during gestation and breastfeeding. However, if a mother knows she has HIV, special treatment and avoidance of breastfeeding can prevent the baby from becoming infected.
What to do if contact with the virus did occur? Next, it will be considered whether HIV is treated early.
What happens when a virus enters the body?
Careful study of the pathogenesis allowed us to answer the main question regarding HIV - is the infection treatable? The harmful effect of the causative virus is associated with its effect on T-helpers - cells that are directly involved in the formation of the immune response. HIV causes the programmed death of these cells, which is called apoptosis. The rapid reproduction of the virus accelerates this process, as a result, the number of T-helpers is reduced to such a level that the immune system becomes unable to perform its main function - protecting the body.
Is HIV infection treatable?
Therapy given to HIV-infected people is aimed only at reducing the reproduction of the virus and prolonging life. Patients can lead a full life due to the influence of special drugs on the process of HIV reproduction. Is the pathology treated at any stage? Unfortunately not.
Infected people are forced to take the strongest antiretroviral drugs throughout their lives. This is the only way to avoid a rapid transition to the terminal stage - AIDS. In this case, the treatment plan should be changed periodically, sincelong-term use of some drugs leads to the mutation of the virus, as a result of which it becomes resistant to them. The solution to the problem is the periodic replacement of drugs.
Addition to drug treatment - a he althy lifestyle. Patients are encouraged to give up bad habits, exercise and eat right.
Forecast
In general, it is unfavorable. We should not forget the answer to the question: "Is HIV completely curable?". This is currently an incurable disease that requires constant maintenance therapy. However, the development of pharmacology and medical technologies makes it possible to extend the life of such patients and even gives them the opportunity to have children.
Emergency Prevention
Relevant question: is HIV treated in the early stages? All people, especially he althcare workers, should be informed that infection can be prevented at an early stage. Any contact with suspicious biological fluid (blood, semen and vaginal secretions) requires immediate emergency prophylaxis, which means short-term use of antiviral drugs to prevent infection. It is carried out in specialized medical centers, but no more than 24 hours should pass from the moment HIV enters the bloodstream.
How not to get infected?
In order to answer this question, we should remember the main ways of transmission. First of all, promiscuous unprotected sex is dangerous. Shouldbe careful when choosing a partner, which will reduce the risk of infection to a minimum. To prevent infection, medical workers must follow the rules for handling instruments and body fluids. And another measure to reduce the risk of HIV transmission is drug prevention. People need to know if HIV infection is being treated. This will force them to take all necessary measures to avoid contracting this terrible disease.
Pregnancy and HIV
Infection can be passed from mother to child, but this can be avoided if a woman is informed about her condition - HIV infection. Is the child's illness curable? Carrying out antiretroviral therapy at certain stages of pregnancy avoids infection of the baby. In addition, after birth, these drugs are prescribed to the child for a certain period of time. However, we should not forget that the infection can be transmitted through breast milk. The baby should only eat formula milk.
HIV infection is a dangerous disease, because, despite ongoing treatment, the patient is a source of HIV throughout life. However, you should not completely avoid contact with such a person, making him an outcast, because he is a full-fledged member of society. The virus is not transmitted through touch, kissing, clothing; the airborne route is also excluded. You should only avoid sexual intercourse and contact with blood.
