HUMAN IMMUNO-DEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV)

A positive HIV test result means that you are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Being infected with HIV does not mean that you have AIDS. However, if left untreated, HIV infection damages a person's immune system and can progress to AIDS, which is the end stage of HIV.

HIV damages or kills the cells of the body's immune system, progressively destroying the body's ability to fight infection and certain cancers.

Immune cells, known as CD4+ T cells, are disabled and killed during the typical course of infection. These cells, sometimes called "T-helper cells," play a central role in the immune response, signaling other cells in the immune system to perform their special functions.

When a person becomes infected with HIV, the number of CD4+ T cells progressively declines, and they become vulnerable to infections and cancers that are typical of AIDS.

People with AIDS often suffer infections of the intestinal tract, lungs, brain, eyes and other organs, as well as debilitating weight loss, diarrhea, neurologic conditions and cancers such as lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma.

Types of HIV

There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2.

Worldwide, the most common strain of the virus is HIV-1. HIV-2 is only prevalent in Western Africa. Both types are transmitted by sexual contact, through blood, and from mother to child, and both, if left untreated, can develop into AIDS.

Transmission

HIV is transmitted by having sexual contact with an infected person or by sharing needles and/or syringes with someone who is infected with the virus.

It can also be transmitted by receiving a transfusion of infected blood, however, this is now very rare in countries where blood is screened for HIV antibodies.

Pregnant women infected with HIV may infect their babies during the birth process, or through breast feeding after birth.

Health care workers have been infected with HIV after being stuck with needles containing HIV-infected blood or after infected blood gets into a worker's open cut, or a mucous membrane such as the eyes or inside of the nose.

HIV is found in varying concentrations or amounts in blood, semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, saliva, and tears of infected persons.

Although HIV has been transmitted between family members, this is very rare, and is believed to be the result of contact between skin or mucous membranes and infected blood.

In some instances, HIV, as well as hepatitis, may be transmitted by unsterilized re-use of instruments used for tattooing and piercing of body parts.

Symptoms

The first symptoms of HIV infection can resemble symptoms of the common cold or flu, or can be similar to the symptoms of other sexually transmitted diseases and other infections such as mononucleosis or hepatitis, which are much more common and more easily transmitted.

Some people who contract HIV experience very strong symptoms, but others experience none at all.

Symptoms can occur within days of weeks of exposure to the virus, and can include:

• fever
• fatigue
• rash
• headache
• swollen lymph nodes
• sore throat.

Because the symptoms of primary HIV infection are non-specific, the only way to determine if the virus is present is to have your blood tested for HIV antibodies, however, standard testing for HIV is ineffective between the initial infection and the time in which the antibodies can be detected. This is time period can vary from two to six months.

Once the initial infection occurs, most people do not experience any visible symptoms for another 8-10 years.

If HIV is left untreated, the immune system becomes progressively weaker and the disease progresses to AIDS.

If you think you have been exposed to HIV, contact your physician.

Prevention

Although the use of condoms cannot guarantee absolute protection against contracting HIV, latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, have been found to be highly effective in preventing heterosexual sexual transmission of the disease.

The safest way to avoid acquiring HIV is to abstain from sexual intercourse or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and you know is not infected.

If you are a drug user, never share needles and/or syringes with anyone. Seek help for your drug habit at a clinic or drug rehabilitation center.

Summary

Unfortunately, there currently is no cure for HIV nor for AIDS, however, there are medications available that can slow progression of HIV and keep an HIV infected person healthy.