HIV high risk groups. The purpose of the control work is to consider the ways of transmission and risk groups of HIV infection

For the first time, a message about a new disease was placed on June 5, 1981 in the American weekly Morbidity and Mortality Reports Daily. Naturally, the emergence of a new virus gave rise to numerous hypotheses of its origin.

According to some scientists, the virus is of simian origin. From monkeys from Africa, viruses have been isolated that are very similar in their gene structure to HIV. How could transmission of a related simian virus to humans occur? many tribes Central Africa hunting monkeys and eating them internal organs and blood for food. Simian virus infection could have occurred when butchering a carcass through lesions on the hunter's skin or when eating raw meat, monkey brain.

Scientists are of the opinion that overcoming the species barrier could occur as a result of a mutation of the monkey virus, as a result of radioactive exposure. In 1950-1960, nuclear weapons were tested, and in the equatorial zone of the globe there was a sharp increase in the radioactive background, which is very high in the places where uranium ores occur in some parts of Africa.

According to another version expressed by a number of scientists, HIV is artificially created. Back in 1969, the Pentagon developed a program to create bacteriological weapons capable of suppressing the human immune system. In one of the US research centers genetic engineering received new types of viruses from viruses isolated from African animals. The tests were carried out on convicts serving life sentences in exchange for release at the end of the experiment. Perhaps their release contributed to the spread of HIV infection among the population

The version is based on the coincidence of the completion of the experiment on the development of this type of bacteriological weapon and the appearance of the first cases of AIDS among homosexuals, namely in the USA and the countries of Central Africa. However, there is no convincing objective or documentary evidence to support it.

1. Stages of the disease

During the course of the disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, several stages are distinguished:

First stage- absence clinical manifestations HIV infections. This stage lasts from 2 to 15 years. It is called HIV infection. A person can look and feel healthy and still pass the infection to other people.

Second stage– pre-AIDS. It is characterized by the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease: swollen lymph nodes; weight loss; fever; weakness.

Third stage– AIDS. It lasts from several months to 2 years, ends with the death of the patient. It is characterized by the development of severe, life-threatening diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses.

1. Ways of transmission of HIV infection

HIV does not live in animals. For its life and reproduction, it needs human cells, therefore it cannot be transmitted from animals to humans. This position was proved by American scientists who worked in the monkey nursery. In experiments on rats, mice, baboons and cats, it has never been possible to get infected. Therefore, it is possible to get infected with the virus that causes AIDS only from the person who is the source of HIV infection.

In an HIV-infected person, the virus content in various liquids unequally. The largest amount of the virus sufficient to infect another person in an HIV-infected person is found in blood, semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, and breast milk. Therefore, we can talk about three modes of HIV transmission:

parenteral (through the blood, by getting the virus into the blood);

vertical (if an infected woman decides to give birth to a child, that is, from an HIV-infected mother, the virus can be transmitted to a child during pregnancy, childbirth, and feeding).

Infection through the blood is the most fast track, so among injecting drug users it is spreading exponentially. And the reason for everything is the use of one syringe two or three times. With the introduction drugs blood usually remains in the needle, which enters the vein of the next user of the syringe, infecting him. Drug addicts often go to other groups, spreading the infection further. Theoretically, there may also be a risk of infection through donated blood. But each portion of it must be checked. If a positive result is detected, the blood is withdrawn and destroyed.

There are other ways of introducing infection through the blood (manicure, bloody fights, non-sterile razors, etc.).

The sexual route is slower. The risk with protected sex is extremely low, and with unprotected sex it has its own nuances. For example, an infected man infects his partner from the first contact. And an infected woman (healthy gynecologically) cannot always transmit HIV man. Registered in the Kiev city center there are married couples where the wife is infected, and the husband and children are healthy.

To date, it has been reliably established, for example, that high level venereal diseases in society, reducing the immunity of sick people, makes them at the same time easily vulnerable to HIV infection. A high level of sexually transmitted diseases is an indicator of the frequency of sexual relations, especially extramarital (casual) ones, which, in conditions in cities social control and sexual promiscuity could well lead to a potential rise in HIV infections.

The traditional form of risk is sexual homosexual contact.

Among the many diseases, the most dangerous is HIV infection. It is a disease that is caused by the immunodeficiency virus. There are several ways of transmitting HIV, and they all come from an infected person. Infection can occur even at the stage incubation period.

HIV infection is characterized by a slow course, during which the virus infects the cells of the immune and nervous systems. The disease entails comorbidities and neoplasms, which in the end will be the cause of the patient's death.

The main mechanisms of transmission of the immunodeficiency virus:

1. Exogenous - transmission of the virus occurs externally. It can be intrauterine or vertical mechanism. HIV infection is transmitted from an infected woman to her baby even before birth. Also, the virus can pass into the body of the child during his birth or with the mother's breast milk.
2. The horizontal transmission path is intimate relationships. The infection is in the biological fluid, and during intimate relationships passes into the body healthy person.
3. Infection through the blood is carried out if non-sterile instruments were used during blood transfusion, or if the plasma itself was infected.
4. Artificial - this is the way of transmission of the virus by artificial means. This happens in the hospital when during medical procedures the integrity of the skin or mucous membranes, through which the virus can penetrate, may be disturbed. Such an infection is low level probabilities.
   The artificial mechanism of HIV transmission includes blood-borne infection (organ transplantation, blood transfusion). But the percentage of infection in this case is very low.
   The greatest amount of the virus is found in the semen of a man, in vaginal secretions women and blood. They constitute high risk infection in a healthy person. Less concentration of HIV infection in saliva, urine or tears. In such biological fluids, the virus is practically not dangerous.

Among all the mechanisms of transmission of the immunodeficiency virus, sexual contact remains dominant, since it is in the biological fluids of an infected man or woman that the largest number human immunodeficiency virus.

With regard to HIV infection of a newborn child, in almost 15-25% this occurs during the period breastfeeding. The main route of infection of the baby remains intrauterine infection and the perinatal transmission mechanism. HIV child during the birth process itself. The percentage of infection in this case reaches 50%.

Interesting! Quite rarely, infection with the immunodeficiency virus can occur when artificial conception women.

Groups at risk of contracting HIV infection:

1. Drug addicts, sexual minorities (homo-, bisexual), drug addicts, homeless people, prostitutes.
2. Men and women who actively and frequently change sexual partners.
3. Hotel staff, military personnel, sailors, seasonal workers, tourists.
4. Such risk factors are ambiguous and can either act together or not be the cause of the disease development mechanism at all. The main thing is to be careful and attentive to your health. In case of any suspicious contacts, it is important to consult a doctor and undergo an examination.

Ways in which HIV infection is not transmitted:

It is worth noting that there can be no HIV infection with insect bites. Animals also do not carry the virus. The probability of transmission of the virus by airborne droplets, food and transmissible routes has not been proven.

Properties of a dangerous disease and the development of pathology

The human immunodeficiency virus is a virus with an unstable structure. It can die if it is exposed to acetone, alcohol or ether. Also, the virus is not able to live on the surface of the skin, here it dies from pernicious influence on it protective enzymes and bacteria that the body produces.

The immunodeficiency virus cannot survive high temperatures(above 56 degrees).
The whole insidiousness of the infection lies in the fact that the virus is constantly changing when moving from one person to another. Even his treatment changes every time. This state of HIV infection does not allow the creation of drugs for it.

Periods of development of HIV infection:

1. Initial period develops immediately after the virus enters the human body. At this time, the production of antibodies occurs, which can last from 21 to 60 days.
2. Asymptomatic course of the disease. This period can last from several months to 5-10 years. All this time, the virus does not manifest itself in any way, gradually destroying the cells of the immune and nervous system.
3. Stage of disease progression. It is characterized by inflammation and infectious processes in the body, manifested by an increase in lymph nodes in the neck, armpits and in the groin.

If illness long time left untreated, it can develop into AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. At this time, the following symptoms begin to appear in a person:

The development of HIV infection provokes the appearance of concomitant diseases that are difficult to treat, since the immune system is completely depleted and the body does not have the strength to fight the development of other diseases.

Diagnosis of the disease and treatment of pathology

In most cases, people do not know that they are infected with HIV. They may not feel the manifestations of the virus for a long time, but gradually infect the people around them. Often, the detection of pathology occurs in the case of an HIV test during pregnancy or other medical examinations.

If antibodies to HIV infection are detected in the blood, the analysis is carried out twice more in order to eliminate a false result.

The result of the research can be either positive (presence of the virus) or negative. In the first case, when antibodies are detected, the serum is sent for further epidemiological studies to the AIDS center. There, the results are checked again, and the final diagnosis is made.

An epidemiological study allows you to conduct a series of tests that will help you accurately determine the presence of the immunodeficiency virus and its transition to the stage of AIDS.

In a complex, an epidemiological study allows us to draw the following conclusions about an existing disease:

1. The number of infected, the presence or absence of an epidemic.
2. Identification of the main risk factors for HIV infection.
3. Development of forecasts about the spread of the virus and its transmission.

Using the epidemiological method, scientists annually make positive discoveries in the origin and development of HIV infection. Using experimental methods, drugs are being developed that can slow the spread of the virus in the body.

As for the treatment of the immunodeficiency virus, it is aimed at slowing down the development of the disease. There are no drugs that can completely rid a person of HIV infection. Therefore, experts are trying to slow down the progression of the disease, and reduce the amount of virus in the blood for as long as possible. In this case apply antiretroviral drugs, which are able to suppress the infection in the body for some time.

HIV infection - dangerous disease immune system person. It must be understood that there are many mechanisms for the transmission of such a pathology, the main of which is sexual. In this regard, a woman and a man need to carefully choose sexual partners, avoid casual contacts and monitor their health all the time, undergo examinations on time, and not ignore visits to the doctor.

WHO SAID THAT INFERTILITY IS HARD TO CURE?

• Have you been wanting to have a baby for a long time?
• I've tried many ways but nothing helps...
• Diagnosed with thin endometrium...
• In addition, the recommended medicines for some reason are not effective in your case ...
• And now you are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that will give you a long-awaited baby!

HIV infection is a disease provoked by the immunodeficiency virus, and is also characterized by the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) that is relevant to it, which, in turn, acts as a factor contributing to the development of secondary infections, as well as various malignant neoplasms. HIV infection, the symptoms of which manifest themselves in this way, leads to the deepest inhibition of those protective properties that are generally inherent in the body.

general description

HIV acts as a reservoir of infection and its direct source. infected person, and as such it is within the framework of any stage of this infection, throughout life. As natural reservoir isolated African monkeys (HIV-2). HIV-1 in the form of a specific natural reservoir has not been identified, although it is not excluded that wild chimpanzees may act as it. HIV-1, as it became known based on laboratory research, can provoke an infection without any clinical manifestations, and this infection ends after a while full recovery. As for other animals, they are generally not susceptible to HIV.

IN significant amount the content of the virus in the blood, menstrual secretions, vaginal secretions and semen is noted. In addition, the virus is also found in saliva, women's milk, cerebrospinal and lacrimal fluids. Nai great danger lies in its presence in the vaginal secretion, semen and blood.

In the case of an actual inflammatory process or in the presence of mucosal lesions in the genital area, which, for example, is possible with, the possibility of transmitting the infection in question in both directions increases. That is, the affected area acts in this case as an input / output gate, through which the transmission of HIV is ensured. A single sexual contact determines the possibility of transmitting an infection in a low percentage of probability, but with an increase in the frequency of sexual intercourse, the greatest activity is observed precisely with a similar method. As part of living conditions virus transmission does not occur. A possible option is the transmission of HIV under the condition of a defect in the placenta, which, accordingly, is relevant when considering the transmission of HIV during pregnancy. In this case, HIV is directly in the bloodstream of the fetus, which is also possible in the process labor activity with trauma, relevant to the birth canal.

The implementation of the parenteral method of transmission is also possible through the transfusion of blood, frozen plasma, platelets and red blood cells. About 0.3% total number cases of infection account for infection by injection (subcutaneous, intramuscular), including accidental injections. Otherwise similar statistics can be presented in the variant 1 case for every 300 injections.

On average, up to 35% of children of HIV-infected mothers also become infected. The possibility of infection during feeding by infected mothers is not excluded.

As for the natural susceptibility of people regarding the infection in question, it is extremely high. The average life expectancy for HIV-infected patients is about 12 years. Meanwhile, due to the emergence of novelties in the field of chemotherapy, there are now certain opportunities for prolonging the life of such patients. The predominantly affected are sexually active people, mostly men, although during recent years the trend towards the prevalence of morbidity began to increase among women and children. When infected at the age of 35 years or more, AIDS is reached almost twice as fast (compared to the transition to it in younger patients).

Also, within the framework of considering the period of the last few years, there is a dominance parenteral route infection, in which people who use the same syringe at the same time are exposed to infection, which, as you can understand, is especially important among drug addicts.

In addition, the rates of infection during heterosexual contact are also subject to an increase. Such a tendency is quite understandable, in particular, if we are talking about drug addicts who act as a source of infection transmitted to their sexual partners.

The sharp rise in HIV prevalence in Lately also observed among donors.

HIV: risk groups

The following individuals are at risk for increased exposure to infection:

• persons using injecting narcotic drugs, as well as common utensils required in the preparation of such drugs, this also includes the sexual partners of such persons;
• persons who, regardless of their actual orientation, practice unprotected sexual intercourse (including anal);
• persons who underwent the procedure of transfusion of donor blood without its preliminary verification;
• doctors of various profiles;
• persons suffering from one or another venereal disease;
• persons directly involved in the field of prostitution, as well as persons using their services.

There are some statistical data on the risk of HIV transmission according to the characteristics of sexual contacts, these statistics are considered in particular within every 10,000 such contacts:

• introducing partner + fellatio - 0.5;
• receiving partner + fellatio - 1;
• introducing partner (vaginal sex) - 5;
• receiving partner (vaginal sex) - 10;
• introducing partner (anal sex) - 6.5;
• receiving partner (anal sex) - 50.

Sexual contact in its protected version, but with a rupture of the condom or in violation of its integrity, is no longer such. To minimize such situations, it is important to use a condom according to the rules for this, it is also important to choose reliable types.

Considering the features of transmission and risk groups, it is not superfluous to note how HIV is not transmitted:

• through clothes;
• through dishes;
• with any kind of kiss;
• through insect bites;
• through the air;
• through a handshake
• when using a shared toilet, bathroom, pool, etc.

Forms of the disease

The immunodeficiency virus is characterized by a high frequency of genetic changes relevant to it, which are formed during self-reproduction. According to the length of the HIV genome, 104 nucleotides are determined for it, however, in practice, each of the viruses differs from its previous version by at least 1 nucleotide. As for the varieties in nature, HIV exists here in the form various options quasi-species. Meanwhile, nevertheless, several main varieties have been identified that differ significantly from each other on the basis of certain traits, in particular, this difference has affected the structure of the genome. Above, we have already identified these two forms in the text, now we will consider them in more detail.

• HIV-1 - given form is the first of the options, it was opened in 1983. By far the most widespread.
• HIV-2 - this form of the virus was identified in 1986, the difference from the previous form is still insufficiently studied. The difference, as already noted, lies in the features of the genome structure. There is also information that HIV-2 is less pathogenic, and its transmission is somewhat less likely (again, compared to HIV-1). It has also been noted that when infected with HIV-1, patients are more susceptible to the possibility of contracting HIV-1 due to the weakness of immunity characteristic of this condition.
• HIV -3. This variety is quite rare in its manifestation, it has been known about it since 1988. The virus, discovered then, did not react with antibodies of other known forms, it is also known that it is characterized by a significant difference in terms of the structure of the genome. More commonly, this form is defined as HIV-1 subtype O.
• HIV -4. This type of virus is also quite rare.

The HIV epidemic globally focuses on a form of HIV-1. As for HIV-2, its prevalence is relevant for West Africa, and HIV-3, as well as HIV-4, do not take a noticeable part in the prevalence of the epidemic. Accordingly, references to HIV are generally limited to a specific type of infection, that is, HIV-1.

In addition, there is clinical classification HIV according to specific stages: incubation stage and the stage of primary manifestations, the latent stage and the stage of development of secondary manifestations, as well as the terminal stage. Primary manifestations in this classification, they can be characterized by the absence of symptoms, as a primary infection itself, including a possible combination with secondary diseases. For the fourth of listed stages relevant division for certain periods in the form of 4A, 4B and 4C. Periods are characterized by passing through the progression phase, as well as through the remission phase, while the difference during these phases is whether antiviral therapy is applied to them or it is absent. Actually, based on the above classification, the main symptoms of HIV infection are determined for each specific period.

HIV infection: symptoms

Symptoms, as we noted above, are determined for HIV infection for each specific period, that is, in accordance with a specific stage, we will consider each of them.

• Incubation stage

The duration of this stage can be on the order of three weeks to three months, in some cases it is enough rare cases, the lengthening of this period can reach a year. This period is characterized by the activity of reproduction on the part of the virus, there is no immune response to it at this time. Completion of the incubation period of HIV infection is marked either by a clinic that characterizes acute HIV infection, or by the appearance of antibodies against HIV in the patient's blood. As part of this stage, the detection of virus DNA particles or its antigens in the blood serum serves as the basis for diagnosing HIV infection.

• Primary manifestations

This stage is characterized by the manifestation of a reaction on the part of the body in response to the actively occurring virus replication, which proceeds in combination with the clinic that occurs against the background of an immune response and acute infection. The immune response consists in particular in the production of a specific type of antibody. The course of this stage can proceed without symptoms, while the only sign that may indicate the development of an infection is positive result at serological diagnosis regarding the presence of antibodies to this virus.

The manifestations that characterize the second stage appear in the form of acute HIV infection. Actually, the onset here is acute, and it is noted in about half of the patients (up to 90%) 3 months after the infection has occurred, while the onset of manifestations is often preceded by activation of the formation of HIV antibodies. The course of an acute infection with the exclusion of secondary pathologies in it can be very different. So, fever, diarrhea, pharyngitis, various types and specifics of the rash, concentrated in the area of ​​​​visible mucous membranes and skin, lienal syndrome, polylymphadenitis.

Acute HIV infection in about 15% of patients is characterized by the addition of a secondary type of disease to its course, which, in turn, is associated with a reduced blood pressure. given state immunity. In particular, among such diseases, herpes, tonsillitis and pneumonia are often noted, fungal infections etc.

The duration of this stage can be on the order of several days, but the course of several months is not excluded (average indicators are oriented for up to 3 weeks). After this, the disease, as a rule, passes into the next, latent stage of the course.

• Latent stage

The course of this stage is accompanied by a gradual increase in the state of immunodeficiency. Compensation for the death of immune cells in this case occurs by their intensive production. HIV diagnosis within this period is possible, again, due to serological reactions at which antibodies are detected in the blood against the influencing HIV infection. Concerning clinical signs, then they can manifest themselves here in an increase in several lymph nodes along different groups, unrelated to each other (with the exception of inguinal). There are no other types of changes in the lymph nodes, in addition to their increase (that is, there is no soreness and any other characteristic changes in the surrounding tissues). The duration of the latent stage can be about 2-3 years, although options for its course within 20 years or longer are not excluded (the average figures are mainly reduced to figures up to 7 years).

• Accession secondary diseases

In this case, join accompanying illnesses various genesis(protozoan, fungal, bacterial). As a result of a pronounced condition characterizing immunodeficiency, may develop malignant formations. Based on the overall severity of associated diseases, the course of this stage can proceed in accordance with the following options:

- 4A. Actual weight loss is not too pronounced (within 10%), there are lesions of the mucous membranes and skin. The performance is declining.

- 4B. Weight loss exceeds 10% of the patient's normal body weight, temperature response is of a lengthy nature. The possibility is not excluded long course diarrhea, and without the presence organic causes for its occurrence, in addition to this, tuberculosis may develop. The infectious type of the disease recurs, subsequently progressing noticeably. Patients during this period revealed hairy leukoplakia, Kaposi's sarcoma.

- 4B. This condition is characterized by general cachexia (a condition in which patients reach the deepest exhaustion with at the same time severe weakness), the associated secondary diseases proceed already in their generalized form (that is, in the most severe form of manifestation). In addition, candidiasis respiratory tract and esophagus, pneumonia (pneumocystis), tuberculosis (its extrapulmonary forms), pronounced neurological disorders.

For the listed substages of the disease, a transition from a progressive course to remission is characteristic, which, again, is determined in their characteristics by whether concomitant antiretroviral therapy is present or not.

• terminal stage

Secondary diseases within this stage, acquired during HIV infection, become irreversible in their own course due to the characteristics of the state of immunity and the body as a whole. The methods of therapy applied to them lose any effectiveness, therefore, after a few months, a fatal outcome occurs.

It should be noted that HIV infection in its course is extremely diverse, and the above variants of stages can only be conditional, or even completely excluded from the picture of the disease. In addition, the symptoms of HIV within any of these stages in these options may be absent altogether or manifest differently.

HIV infection in children: symptoms and features

For the most part, the clinical manifestations of HIV infection in children are reduced to developmental delay by physical level and at the psychomotor level.
Children more often than adults face the development of recurrent forms bacterial infections, with encephalopathy, hyperplasia of pulmonary lymph nodes. Thrombocytopenia is often diagnosed, the clinical manifestations of which are the development hemorrhagic syndrome, due to the peculiarities of which a lethal outcome often occurs. IN frequent cases is also developing.

With regard to HIV infection in children of HIV-infected mothers, there is a much more accelerated progression of its course. If a child becomes infected at the age of one year, then the development of the disease mainly occurs at a less accelerated pace.

Diagnosis

Considering the fact that the course of the disease is characterized by the duration of the absence of severe symptoms, the diagnosis is possible only on the basis of laboratory tests, which come down to the detection of antibodies to HIV in the blood or directly upon detection of the virus. The acute phase mainly does not determine the presence of antibodies, however, after three months from the moment of infection, in about 95% of cases, they are detected. After 6 months, antibodies are detected in about 5% of cases, more later dates- about 0.5-1%.

At the stage of AIDS, a significant decrease in the number of antibodies in the blood is recorded. Within the first week after infection, the absence of the ability to detect antibodies to HIV is defined as the "seronegative window" period. It is for this reason that even negative results HIV tests are not reliable evidence of the absence of infection and, accordingly, do not give reason to exclude the possibility of infecting other people. In addition to a blood test, PCR scraping can also be prescribed - enough effective method, due to which the possibility of detecting RNA particles belonging to the virus is determined.

Treatment

Therapeutic methods, through the implementation of which it would be possible to completely eliminate HIV infection from the body, do not exist today. Given this, the basis of such methods is constant control over one's own immune status with simultaneous prevention of secondary infections (with their treatment when they appear), as well as with control over the formation of neoplasms. Quite often, HIV-infected patients need psychological help, as well as appropriate social adaptation.

Considering significant degree distribution and a high level of social significance within the framework of national and global scales, support is provided along with rehabilitation for patients. Access to a number of social programs is provided, on the basis of which patients receive medical care, due to which the condition of patients is facilitated to some extent, the level of their quality of life improves.

Predominantly, treatment is etiotropic and implies the appointment of such drugs, due to which a decrease in the reproductive capabilities of the virus is ensured. In particular, these include the following drugs:

• nucleoside transcriptase inhibitors (otherwise - NRTIs) corresponding to different groups: Ziagen, Videx, Zerit, combined drugs (combivir, trizivir);
• nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (otherwise - NTRTI): stokrin, viramune;
• fusion inhibitors;
• protease inhibitors.

An important point in deciding whether to start antiviral therapy is to take into account such a factor as the duration of taking such drugs, and they can be used almost for life. Successful outcome Such therapy is provided only by strict adherence by patients to recommendations regarding the intake (regularity, dosage, diet, regimen). As for secondary diseases associated with HIV infection, their treatment is carried out in a complex, taking into account the rules aimed at the pathogen that provoked specific disease, respectively, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial drugs are used.

With HIV infection, the use of immunostimulating therapy is excluded, because it only contributes to the progression of HIV. Cytostatics prescribed in such cases for malignant neoplasms lead to immune suppression.

In the treatment of HIV-infected patients, general strengthening drugs are used, as well as means that provide body support (dietary supplements, vitamins), in addition, methods are used that are focused on preventing the development of secondary diseases.

If we are talking about the treatment of HIV in patients suffering from drug addiction, then treatment in the conditions of the appropriate type of dispensaries is recommended. Also, given the serious psychological discomfort on the background of current state, patients often require additional psychological adaptation.

If you suspect the relevance of an HIV diagnosis, you should visit an infectious disease specialist.

HIV risk groups - this is information that everyone should know. With its help, you can protect yourself from this dangerous disease and warn your relatives and friends. Groups at risk of contracting HIV are people for whom the threat is great in view of their lifestyle, profession, and for a number of other reasons. Who is included in it?

AIDS: risk groups by professional activity

There are several professions whose representatives have big risk infection with the immunodeficiency virus. First of all, this applies to medical workers. And surgeons are the first to be at risk of contracting HIV infection. Representatives of this profession, specializing in conducting abdominal operations often risk their own health. The fact is that only planned patients are subject to mandatory testing for AIDS. Before the operation, or rather during its preparation, they take blood samples for antibodies to the virus. However, medical workers do not always have the opportunity to carry out such a check.

Often, patients are brought to the department already in critical condition, requiring urgent surgical intervention, state. In this case, the surgeons heightened measures safety, as they are at risk of occupational HIV infection. But it is not always possible to protect yourself from infection in the body in this way. So, for example, a careless movement of a scalpel can cause a hand to get hurt even through two pairs of gloves, and the specialist will not have time to urgently treat the wound with alcohol. And there are many such examples.

The risk group for HIV infection is not only surgeons, but also medical workers who collect or test blood. We are talking about nurses, employees of laboratories and donor centers. Careless handling of infected or possibly infected blood can also lead to the entry of the virus into the body.

Professional risk groups for HIV infection can also be supplemented by specialists in the field of venereology, urology and gynecology. These doctors do not work with blood, but with secretory fluid secreted from the genitals. And it, as you know, also contains virus cells. By the way, dentists also have a high risk of initiation. Indeed, with some professional manipulations, such specialists also deal with blood. And cells of the immunodeficiency virus can also be contained in the saliva of patients. Therefore, dentists are sometimes among those who become infected and sick with AIDS as a result of their professional activities.

Who can be infected with AIDS among people with other health problems?

Experts in the field of medicine draw conclusions about who is sick with HIV among people with other diseases on the basis of studies that have been conducted over several decades. To date, it has been established that persons with other untreated or undertreated sexually transmitted diseases have a greater risk of infection. Why are such people at risk for HIV infection? First, because sexually transmitted diseases cause a serious blow to the immune system. Secondly, most of them lead to the appearance of ulcers, cracks and erosions on the genitals, which increase the risk of infection during sexual contact.

This risk group for HIV infection also includes patients with hemophilia. This disease affects mainly men. Its treatment is specific and requires frequent administration of globulin and thromboplastin. The latter is a component removed from the plasma in a special way. It is of two types - cryoprecipitate or concentrate. In the preparation of the latter, the plasma of several thousand donors is used. This increases the risk of infection accordingly. Especially if the blood of unverified donors is used. Cryoprecipit is prepared from the plasma of just a few donors. Accordingly, its use allows patients with hemophilia not to be at risk of contracting AIDS.

Other high-risk groups for HIV infection

The remaining high-risk groups in most cases lead an immoral lifestyle. The highest risk of infection in girls and women lung behavior. A prostitute with AIDS is not uncommon. Infection among representatives of an ancient profession can occur if poor-quality contraceptives are used. It is important to note here that the barrier method of contraception is not one hundred percent able to protect against the penetration of infection into the body.

Prostitutes infected with AIDS often infect their clients. At the same time, sometimes, girls do not know that they are sick, because with their lifestyle, it is necessary to check for the presence of a virus almost every week. But not always infection occurs due to ignorance of a terrible disease. Some HIV-positive prostitutes deliberately infect their clients. In this case, we are talking about mental disorders. After all, they purposefully endanger the lives of others. Someone does it out of revenge, someone out of anger at the whole world and, in particular, at men.

Despite the fact that HIV infection has been spreading around the globe for more than 30 years and the flow of information about it is quite extensive, not everyone knows how HIV infection is transmitted and how HIV infection occurs.

Is your husband an alcoholic?

Over 40 million people on Earth are affected by HIV, and the rate of infection is not decreasing at all. Therefore, it is impossible to ignore and remain indifferent to this problem. In this situation, everyone should clearly know how it is possible to become infected with HIV in order to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Features of HIV

The carriers of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), according to scientists, were initially monkeys, from which people on the African continent then became infected.

In connection with the migration of the population on a large scale, the virus has spread throughout the world.

Tired of the constant drinking?

Many people are familiar with these situations:

• The husband disappears somewhere with friends and comes home "on the horns" ...
• Money disappears at home, there is not enough of it even from payday to payday...
• Once upon a time, a loved one becomes angry, aggressive and begins to unravel...
• Children do not see their father sober, only an eternally dissatisfied drunkard ...

If you recognize your family - do not tolerate it! There is an exit!

HIV is a retrovirus that enters the human body and does not manifest itself in any way, the infected person does not even suspect it. After entering the body, the virus can behave differently. 70% of those infected (about a month later) develop acute phase HIV infection, which manifests itself with symptoms resembling mononucleosis or common cold, and therefore is not diagnosed.

It would be possible to diagnose the disease with the help of PCR, but this rather expensive analysis would have to be prescribed to every patient with acute respiratory infections. The patient quickly recovers and feels absolutely normal, unaware of his infection. This phase is called asymptomatic.

Antibodies to the virus begin to be produced far from immediately after the infection enters the body. Sometimes it takes 3, and sometimes 6 months, until specific antibodies begin to be detected in the blood, confirming the disease. The maximum duration of this period, when the virus is already in the body, but there are no antibodies yet, is 12 months. It is called the seroconversion period or the seronegative window.

This period imaginary well-being may last 10 years or more. But an infected person can infect others different ways transmission of HIV infection.

To do this, it is only necessary to reach a certain concentration of the virus in the body of the infected. And since the virus multiplies at a tremendous speed, soon everything biological fluids infected contain HIV, only in different concentrations.

Fortunately, the virus is not resistant outside human body. It dies when heated to 57 0 C in half an hour, and when boiled in the first minute. disastrous action also possess alcohol, acetone, conventional disinfectants. On the surface of intact skin, the virus is broken down by enzymes and other bacteria.

The difficulty of fighting HIV lies in the fact that it is very mutant, even in one organism it has different variants buildings. Therefore, a vaccine against HIV has not yet been created. Once in the body, HIV infects immune cells, making a person defenseless against any kind of infection.

Ways of spread of the disease

How HIV is transmitted is of concern to many people who live or work near those who are infected. Experts have proven that the concentration of the virus sufficient to infect another person is present in the blood, semen and vaginal discharge, in breast milk. It is with these biological substances that the modes of HIV transmission are associated.

There are 3 ways of HIV transmission:

1. The most common way HIV is transmitted is sexual path. Infection occurs through unprotected sexual contact. Moreover, the variety of ways of transmitting HIV infection is striking - through homosexual contacts, through vaginal, oral, anal sex.

Numerous relationships of prostitutes, homosexual relationships are the most dangerous. During anal sex, microtraumatic injuries occur in the rectum, which increase the risk of infection. Women during sexual contact with an HIV-infected partner are more vulnerable: she becomes infected in 3p. more often than a man from an infected partner.

Presence of cervical erosion inflammatory process in the genitals increase the possibility of infection. venereal diseases or STDs, about 30 are known. Many of them develop an inflammatory process, so STDs significantly increase the likelihood of HIV transmission. The possibility of infection increases for both partners during sex during menstruation.

With oral sexual contact, the likelihood of infection is somewhat less, but it is. Many are interested in: is it possible to transmit HIV with a single sexual contact? Unfortunately, the infection can also be transmitted in this case. That is why one of the indications for medical treatment emergency prevention infection is the rape of a woman.

1. HIV is also easily transmitted through blood. This route is called parenteral. With this method of infection, the transmission of the virus is possible through blood transfusion, organ or tissue transplantation, manipulation of non-sterile instruments (including syringes).

For infection, it is enough for one ten-thousandth of a milliliter of blood to enter another organism - this amount is invisible human eye. If the smallest particle of the blood of an infected person enters the body of a healthy person, then the probability of infection is almost 100%.

Such situations can arise when applying a tattoo, piercing ears, piercing not in a specialized salon, but random people. Infection can also occur during manicure / pedicure with untreated instruments. Flushing with water is not enough to remove residual blood. Instruments must undergo complete processing (disinfection and sterilization).

Infection through donor blood is unlikely, since the prepared blood is rechecked not only after its collection, but also an additional examination of donors is carried out after 6 months in order to exclude the period of seroconversion at the time of blood donation. All this time, the prepared blood is in the blood bank of the transfusion stations and is issued only after re-checking.

IN dental offices and clinics, in the surgical service, in addition to disinfection, instruments are sterilized in dry-heat cabinets or in autoclaves. Therefore, the risk of infection in medical institutions minimized.

Most actual way HIV infection through the blood is for drug users by injection. Many of them try to calm themselves in the matter of HIV infection by using disposable syringes. However, when buying a dose from a drug distributor, they cannot be sure that a previously infected substance is not collected in the disposable syringe they brought.

Sometimes drug users share a syringe, changing only needles, although intravenous injections blood in without fail enters the syringe and infects it.

In everyday life, infection can occur when using someone else's or a common razor. Family members of an infected person can also become infected from him when providing assistance without rubber gloves in case of injury, cut.

1. vertical transmission of the virus from an infected mother to her child is called HIV infection. How is HIV transmitted in this case? Ways of HIV infection for a child can be different:

• firstly, the virus is able to overcome the placental barrier and then the infection of the fetus occurs in utero;
• secondly, infection can occur directly during childbirth;
• thirdly, a mother can infect a child through breast milk.

You can prevent infection of the baby with the help of free preventive treatment antiviral drugs, if the woman applied to the women's consultation during pregnancy and passed all the necessary tests.

To reduce the risk of infection of the child in some cases, delivery is carried out by caesarean section. The baby also receives within 28 days antiviral drugs issued free of charge.

After the birth of a child, it is recommended to feed with milk mixtures. There are, however, cases when tests during pregnancy were negative, as there was a period of a seronegative window (seroconversion). In this case, the baby will get the virus through milk while breastfeeding.

When infection does not occur

Despite the fact that the virus is present in any body fluid, its concentration in them is different. So, tears, sweat, saliva, feces and urine do not play an epidemiological role, since they do not lead to infection of another person. Liters of tears or sweat would be needed, for example, so that when they get on the damaged skin of a healthy person, they could transmit the virus. True, infection is possible with kisses, if blood enters the saliva with bleeding gums.

Infection does not threaten in such cases:

1. Fortunately, HIV is a virus that cannot be transmitted by airborne droplets. Staying in the same room with an infected person is not dangerous.
2. It is not dangerous to use one toilet, bathroom, shared utensils or towels.
3. You can't get sick in the pool.
4. You can safely use one phone, not be afraid of shaking hands with the infected.
5. HIV is not transmitted by animals or insect bites.
6. Water and food way infections.

Risk group

Considering possible ways the spread of the disease, doctors identify a risk group, which includes:

• injecting drug users;
• persons with unconventional sexual orientation(homosexuals);
• persons engaged in prostitution;
• persons with promiscuity, practicing unprotected sex (without a condom);
• patients with venereal diseases;
• recipients of blood products;
• children born from an HIV-positive mother;
• healthcare workers caring for patients with HIV.

HIV infection is a special disease that may not have clinical manifestations for a number of years, but sooner or later leads to a state of immunodeficiency, that is, to AIDS. At this stage, it is quite difficult to fight the disease, a person can die from any banal infection. Therefore, everyone should clearly know how they become infected with HIV, and protect themselves as much as possible.