Who treats AIDS? Is it possible to completely cure HIV? Routes of transmission of HIV infection
The 21st century has arrived, but HIV infection not only has not disappeared from the face of the earth, the number of patients has even begun to increase. If a vaccine is not obtained soon, treatment for HIV could become a very big problem. If people do not try to stop the epidemic, 20-30 years will be enough for the infection to cover the entire population of our planet. How to recover from HIV, how to stop the emerging immunodeficiency?
The name of the disease is associated with the immunodeficiency virus, from which a person begins to suffer from loss of immunity. This virus destroys the human immune system and is characterized by certain symptoms.
HIV infection is called an anthroponotic disease. In other words, the virus will be transmitted through contact with an infected person. However, not every contact may suggest infection and great danger. For example, HIV is not transmitted through kissing.
It is very difficult to say whether to be treated for HIV. HIV treatment has been a concern for scientists for many years. Some laboratories are completely devoted to this problem only. But no one has yet succeeded in developing a drug that could provide a complete cure. Therefore, it is very difficult to say unequivocally whether HIV can be treated.
Today, only treatment for HIV is possible in the form of maintenance therapy. It stops the course of the disease, the person can live and exist normally. However, even if the disease has not progressed to the final stage (AIDS), the patient is still considered a source of transmission of infection.
Fictions and realities of HIV infection
Let's say right away that the disease itself does not lead to death, but it is considered the most dangerous on earth. The retrovirus destroys T-leukocytes. They discover the infection and send a "team of helpers" to destroy them. If the number of T-white blood cells begins to decrease, the body will not be able to detect the harmful virus in time and destroy it. Even a primitive fungus can lead to serious consequences. It is difficult to say for sure whether HIV can be cured in its early stages.
Have you cured at least one person from HIV? Is there a cure for HIV? Is there a cure for HIV? These questions concern a huge number of people. They are trying to find the answer on the Internet, visiting special portals and forums. However, this approach is not entirely correct. To find out how treatment for HIV is going, you should look at the statistical material of the Russian Ministry of Health.
There is no answer to how infection and AIDS can be cured. No one can give a complete positive answer. Until now, not a single case has been registered who managed to cure HIV forever. It is only possible to stop the development of the disease.
But on the Internet this topic causes fierce debate. There is even a category of people who claim that AIDS does not exist at all. In their opinion, wondering how HIV is treated is pointless. They believe that this virus was invented for money laundering.
Perhaps they are right in some ways, but today it is known large number official confirmation that the disease really exists. Let's take at least the number of deaths that were recorded after secondary manifestations. These people, AIDS dissidents, are considered very dangerous, as they convince infected people not to treat the disease or engage in its prevention.
The assertion that HIV is treatable and can be cured completely can be found on forums with a religious bias. They say. That you can be cured by constant prayer, which helped them get rid of the disease.
Only the person himself can decide to believe such statements or not. Perhaps someone will agree with religious people. But official medicine advises you to still trust true information, especially when it comes to the topic of how to cure HIV.
The reason for the incurability of the disease
American scientists have discovered why the immunodeficiency virus cannot be cured. Their discovery made it possible to give an accurate answer: is it possible to cure AIDS? There is only one answer: HIV infection cannot be cured, it only subsides for a while. The effect of the virus has long been learned to suspend and suppress. But time passes, and it appears again.
This is due to a weakened immune system. Together with the virus, a special protein penetrates our body. Previously, nothing was known about its existence. Because of it, the protein stops producing substances that kill infected cells. Perhaps this discovery will help find a solution to a complete cure HIV infection.
Today, scientists believe that it is possible to stop the progression of HIV infection only to a specific moment. At this time it is diagnosed acute stage, which proceeds very quickly. It is impossible to completely kill infected cells during this period. You can only suppress the influence of the virus.
Then the course of the disease is asymptomatic. At this time, the virus does not show itself in any way. Modern diagnostics quickly detects diseased cells at the gene level. They are at rest without any manifestations.
Exacerbation begins to occur just before the onset of re-occurrence. Human body, accustomed to the silent cells of the virus, does not have time to block their rapid reproduction. The production of antibodies occurs very slowly, so the virus spreads quickly and causes irreversible consequences.
To permanently cure HIV infection, scientists attempted to treat patients with antiretroviral therapy during quiet period. The result, unfortunately, was negative; ART drugs could not cope with the virus.
How does infection occur?
Transmission of the virus occurs only through contact. It can spread in a variety of ways. The main reason is sexual contact. Huge number viral cells are found in sperm.
If sexual intercourse takes place without the use of contraception, the risk of infection is at a very high stage.
Any micro damage to the mucous membrane or skin can lead to infection. Through these injuries and cracks, the virus easily enters the body.
HIV infection affects people of any gender, and it does not matter their sexual orientation. Infection can also occur during homosexual intercourse.
Very often, the blood of a sick person becomes a source of infection.
This is especially true for drug addicts who use one syringe.
Infection can enter the body if medical equipment is handled carelessly. It is very easy for a healthcare worker to become infected from a sick patient.
Several years ago, infection very often occurred during a blood transfusion. Today very strict measures have been taken. Donors are carefully screened and their blood is aged for five months before being tested again.
Such measures have reduced the likelihood of infection, but, unfortunately, such cases sometimes occur.
Another reason for infection is the infection of a child by his mother. Transmission of the virus can occur during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
But if the mother knows that she is infected with HIV, then timely special treatment, as well as stopping breastfeeding, save the baby from possible infection.
Is there hope for a cure in the 21st century?
To answer this question, you need to get acquainted with the latest discoveries that scientists have made in recent years. Let's get to know some of them.
Zinc fingers
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania spoke about a discovery that allowed them to say that they now know exactly how to combat HIV. During research, scientists managed to invent a gene with the help of which the virus cells are completely destroyed.
In medicine, such a cure is called “designer”, since the genome they obtained destroys diseased cells with tremendous speed. Therefore, it was given the additional name “zinc fingers”. It is possible that very soon a method of treating AIDS with positive results will be developed.
Gene scissors
German scientists managed to obtain a molecule that provokes infection of human tissues with the HIV virus. For many years, scientists from various laboratories around the world tried to do this.
Long-term research and numerous experiments made it possible to develop a special vaccine that will remove all questions about the curability of AIDS.
This newest drug is called “gene scissors.” This medicine is very different from all types of vaccines and other medical supplies invented in recent years.
Gene scissors not only suppress an emerging infection, they work like scissors, simply cutting out all infectious cells from the body. In other words, after using such scissors, the amount of infected tissue is completely removed from the body.
Is treatment with this drug carried out today? The answer can be unequivocal: no, it is not carried out. Today, the effect of the drug is being tested on a small group of volunteers who gave their consent.
After the first testing, excellent positive results were obtained. Approximately 70 percent of all infected people felt much better. Let's hope that the use of this new drug will finally help to completely recover from HIV.
Newest antiviral drug
French scientists have developed a special antiviral drug that can suppress the effect of the immunodeficiency virus on very long period. Moreover, while in the body, it generally loses the ability to manifest itself in any way.
But this drug is not intended to completely cure HIV infection. Such an innovative medicine only helps to contain existing infected cells and blocks their further spread.
The first studies of the drug were carried out quite recently. However, the results obtained showed positive dynamics. It is too early to say that it is too early to cure HIV infection forever with such a drug. In addition, the duration of the latent period is still unknown. But scientists make positive predictions.
Taking such drugs, according to scientists, should extend the life of infected people by 30 to 40 years. It is possible that further research into this new antiviral drug will help to completely cure HIV.
Conclusion
Based on all of the above, it becomes clear that today the HIV virus cannot be completely cured. But there remains hope that new drugs being tested will help completely eradicate AIDS from the earth.
HIV infection is viral disease. It should not be confused with AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). However, although these are different concepts, they are inextricably linked, since AIDS is the final and most severe stage of infection.
It got its name in honor of the pathogen - a virus. The action of this retrovirus is aimed at the human immune system, due to which characteristic symptoms and condition. The disease is anthroponotic, that is, it is transmitted only from person to person, and not every contact with an infected person is dangerous. It is impossible to transmit HIV through tactile interactions or kisses. It is difficult to say whether this disease can be treated. Scientists for many years are working on solving this problem, but there is no way complete liberation from the virus to present moment not invented. It is possible to carry out maintenance therapy, which will stop the development of the disease and prevent it from developing into AIDS for many years. This significantly prolongs the patient's life, but he still remains
Etiology
It is transmitted directly from person to person, and the routes of its spread are different. First of all, it is worth mentioning sexual contact. Maximum quantity The virus is contained not only in the blood, but also in semen and vaginal secretions. Unprotected sexual intercourse makes the risk of infection quite high, although there is evidence that single intercourse leads to the introduction of the virus into the body only in 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 entrance gate for infection. Both men and women are susceptible to the virus, and the sexual orientation of the partners does not play a role, since HIV is also transmitted through homosexual contacts.
In second place is contact with the blood of an infected person. Most often, drug addicts become infected in this way by sharing the same syringe with an infected person. Infection can also be introduced into the body through careless handling of medical instruments. Thus, a health care worker can become infected with HIV from a patient. Previously, cases of transfusion of contaminated blood to patients were quite common. On at the moment Strict donor screening and expiration measures have been introduced donated blood for 5 months, followed by re-checking it for the presence of the virus. This has significantly reduced the likelihood of transmission of infection through transfusion, but such cases, unfortunately, do occur occasionally.
Another way is to infect the child from the mother. Transmission of the virus is possible both during pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, if the mother knows that she has HIV, special treatment and refusal to breastfeed can avoid infecting the child.
What to do if contact with the virus does occur? Next we will look at whether HIV can be treated in its early stages.
What happens when a virus enters the body?
A thorough study of pathogenesis has made it possible to answer the main question regarding HIV: is the infection curable? The harmful effect of the causative virus is associated with its effect on T-helper cells - cells 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-helper cells decreases to such a level that the immune system becomes unable to perform its main function - protecting the body.
Is there a cure for HIV infection?
Therapy carried out in HIV-infected people is aimed only at reducing the reproduction of the virus and prolonging life. Patients can lead full lives due to the influence special drugs on the process of HIV reproduction. Is the pathology treated at any stage? Unfortunately no.
Infected people are forced to take the strongest 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 must be changed periodically, since long-term use of the same drugs leads to mutation of the virus, as a result of which it becomes resistant to them. The solution to the problem is periodic replacement of medications.
An addition to drug treatment is a healthy lifestyle. Patients are advised to avoid bad habits, exercise and eat right.
Forecast
Overall it is unfavorable. We should not forget the answer to the question: “Is HIV completely curable?” This is a currently incurable disease that requires constant maintenance therapy. However, the development of pharmacology and medical technologies allows to prolong the life of such patients and even gives them the opportunity to have children.
Emergency prevention
The actual question is: can HIV be treated in the early stages? All people, especially health care workers, should be informed that infection can be prevented by initial stage. Any contact with a suspicious biological fluid (blood, semen and vaginal secretions) requires immediate attention. emergency prevention, which means short-term use 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 blood.
How not to get infected?
In order to answer this question, we should recall the main routes of transmission. First of all, promiscuous unprotected sexual intercourse is dangerous. You should be 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 equipment and biological fluids. And another measure to reduce the risk of HIV transmission is drug addiction prevention. People need to know whether HIV infection can be treated. It will make them accept everything necessary measures to avoid contracting this terrible disease.
Pregnancy and HIV
The infection can be transmitted from mother to child, but this can be avoided if the woman is informed about her condition - HIV infection. Is there a cure for the child’s disease? Carrying out antiretroviral therapy at certain stages of pregnancy it helps to avoid 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 child should be fed only artificial milk formulas.
HIV infection is dangerous disease, since, despite the treatment, the patient is a source of HIV throughout his 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 touching, kissing, or clothing; the airborne route is also excluded. You just need to avoid sexual intercourse and contact with blood.
Good day, dear readers!
In today’s article we will look at such a serious disease as HIV infection, and everything connected with it - causes, how it is transmitted, incubation period, first signs, symptoms, stages of development, types, tests, tests, diagnosis, treatment , medicines, prevention and other useful information. So…
What does HIV mean?
HIV infection in children
HIV infection in children is in many cases accompanied by developmental delays (physical and psychomotor), frequent infectious diseases, pneumonitis, encephalopathy, hyperplasia of the pulmonary lymphatics, hemorrhagic syndrome. Moreover, HIV infection in children acquired from infected mothers is characterized by a more rapid course and progression.
The main cause of HIV infection is infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. The cause of AIDS is also the same virus, because AIDS is the last stage of development of HIV infection.
is a slowly developing virus belonging to the family of retroviruses (Retroviridae) and the genus of lentiviruses (Lentivirus). It is the word “lente” translated from Latin that means “slow”, which partially characterizes this infection, which develops quite slowly from the moment it enters the body until the last stage.
The size of the human immunodeficiency virus is only about 100-120 nanometers, which is almost 60 times smaller than the diameter of a blood particle - an erythrocyte.
The complexity of HIV lies in its frequent genetic changes during the process of self-reproduction - almost every virus differs from its predecessor by at least 1 nucleotide.
In nature, as of 2017, 4 types of virus are known - HIV-1 (HIV-1), HIV-2 (HIV-2), HIV-3 (HIV-3) and HIV-4 (HIV-4), each of which differs in genome structure and other properties.
It is HIV-1 infection that plays a role in the illness of most HIV-infected people, therefore, when the subtype number is not indicated, the default is 1.
The source of HIV is people infected with the virus.
The main routes of infection are: injections (especially injection drugs), transfusions (blood, plasma, red blood cells) or organ transplantation, unprotected sexual contact with a stranger, unnatural sex (anal, oral), trauma during childbirth, feeding a baby with breast milk (if the mother is infected), trauma during childbirth, the use of undisinfected medical or cosmetic items (scalpel, needles, scissors, tattoo machines, dental and other instruments).
For HIV infection and its further spread throughout the body and development, it is necessary that infected blood, mucus, sperm and other biomaterials of the patient entered the human bloodstream or lymphatic system.
An interesting fact is that some people have an innate defense against the human immunodeficiency virus in their bodies, so they are resistant to HIV. So protective properties possess the following elements: CCR5 protein, TRIM5a protein, CAML protein (calcium-modulated cyclophilin ligand), as well as interferon-inducible transmembrane protein CD317/BST-2 (“tetherin”).
By the way, the CD317 protein, in addition to retroviruses, also actively counteracts arenaviruses, filoviruses and herpesviruses. The cofactor for CD317 is the cellular protein BCA2.
HIV Risk Groups
- Drug addicts, mainly injecting drug users;
- Sexual partners of drug addicts;
- Persons who are promiscuous, as well as those who engage in unnatural sex;
- Prostitutes and their clients;
- Donors and people in need of blood transfusion or organ transplantation;
- People suffering from sexually transmitted diseases;
- Doctors.
The classification of HIV infection is as follows:
Classification by clinical manifestations (in the Russian Federation and some CIS countries):
1. Incubation stage.
2. Stage primary manifestations, which according to flow options can be:
- without clinical manifestations (asymptomatic);
- acute course without secondary diseases;
- acute course with secondary diseases;
3. Subclinical stage.
4. The stage of secondary diseases caused by damage to the body by viruses, bacteria, fungi and other types of infection that develop against the background of weakened immunity. Downstream it is divided into:
A) body weight decreases by less than 10%, as well as frequently recurring infectious diseases of the skin and mucous membranes - pharyngitis, otitis media, herpes zoster, angular cheilitis ();
B) body weight decreases by more than 10%, as well as persistent and frequently recurring infectious diseases of the skin, mucous membranes and internal organs– sinusitis, pharyngitis, herpes zoster, fever or diarrhea (diarrhea) for a month, localized Kaposi’s sarcoma;
C) body weight is significantly reduced (cachexia), as well as persistent generalized infectious diseases of the respiratory, digestive, nervous and other systems - candidiasis (trachea, bronchi, lungs, esophagus), Pneumocystis pneumonia, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, herpes, encephalopathy, meningitis, cancerous tumors(disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma).
All options for the course of the 4th stage have the following phases:
- progression of pathology in the absence of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART);
- progression of pathology against the background of HAART;
- remission during or after HAART.
5. Terminal stage (AIDS).
The above classification largely coincides with the classification approved World Organization Health (WHO).
Classification by clinical manifestations (CDC - US Center for Disease Control and Prevention):
The CDC classification includes not only the clinical manifestations of the disease, but also the number of CD4 + T-lymphocytes in 1 μl of blood. It is based on the division of HIV infection into only 2 categories: the disease itself and AIDS. If the following parameters meet criteria A3, B3, C1, C2 and C3, the patient is considered as having AIDS.
Symptoms according to CDC category:
A (acute retroviral syndrome) – characterized by asymptomatic or generalized lymphadenopathy (GLAP).
B (AIDS-associated complex syndromes) – may be accompanied by candidiasis oral cavity, herpes zoster, cervical dysplasia, peripheral neuropathy, organic lesions, idiopathic thrombocytopenia, leukoplakia or listeriosis.
C (AIDS) – may be accompanied by candidiasis of the respiratory tract (from the oropharynx to the lungs) and/or esophagus, pneumocystosis, pneumonia, herpetic esophagitis, HIV encephalopathy, isosporosis, histoplasmosis, mycobacteriosis, cytomegalovirus infection, cryptosporidiosis, coccidioidosis, cervical cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma, lymphoma, salmonellosis and other diseases.
Diagnosis of HIV infection
Diagnosis of HIV infection includes following methods examinations:
- Anamnesis;
- Visual examination of the patient;
- Screening test (detection of blood antibodies to infection using enzyme immunoassay– ELISA);
- A test confirming the presence of antibodies in the blood (blood testing using the immune blotting method (blot)), which is carried out only when positive result screening test;
- Polymerase chain reaction(PCR);
- Tests for immune status (counting CD4 + lymphocytes - performed using automatic analyzers (flow cytometry method) or manually using microscopes);
- Viral load analysis (counting the number of HIV RNA copies per milliliter of blood plasma);
- Rapid tests for HIV - diagnosis is made using ELISA on test strips, agglutination reaction, immunochromatography or immunological filtration analysis.
Tests alone are not enough to diagnose AIDS. Confirmation occurs only with the additional presence of 2 or more opportunistic diseases associated with this syndrome.
HIV infection - treatment
Treatment of HIV infection is possible only after a thorough diagnosis. However, unfortunately, as of 2017, officially, adequate therapy and medicines, which would completely eliminate the human immunodeficiency virus and cure the patient have not been established.
The only one modern method Treatment for HIV infection today is highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which is aimed at slowing the progression of the disease and stopping its transition to the AIDS stage. Thanks to HAART, a person's life can be extended for several decades; the only condition is lifelong use of appropriate medications.
The insidiousness of the human immunodeficiency virus is also its mutation. So, if anti-HIV medications are not changed after some time, which is determined based on constant monitoring of the disease, the virus adapts and the prescribed treatment regimen becomes ineffective. Therefore, at different intervals, the doctor changes the treatment regimen, and with it the medications. The reason for changing the drug may also be its individual intolerance patient.
Modern drug development aims not only to achieve the goal of effectiveness against HIV, but also to reduce side effects from them.
The effectiveness of treatment also increases with changes in a person’s lifestyle, improving its quality - healthy sleep, proper nutrition, avoiding stress, active lifestyle, positive emotions etc.
Thus, the following points can be highlighted in the treatment of HIV infection:
- Drug treatment HIV infections;
- Diet;
- Preventive measures.
Important! Before using medications, be sure to consult your doctor for advice!
1. Drug treatment of HIV infection
At the beginning, we must immediately remind you once again that AIDS is last stage development of HIV infection, and it is at this stage that a person usually has very little time to live. Therefore, it is very important to prevent the development of AIDS, and this largely depends on timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of HIV infection. We also noted that the only method of treating HIV today is considered to be highly active antiretroviral therapy, which, according to statistics, reduces the risk of developing AIDS to almost 1-2%.
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)– a method of treating HIV infection based on simultaneous administration three or four drugs (tritherapy). The number of drugs is related to the mutagenicity of the virus, and in order to bind it at this stage for as long as possible, the doctor selects a complex of drugs. Each of the drugs, depending on the principle of action, is included in a separate group - reverse transcriptase inhibitors (nucleoside and non-nucleoside), integrase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, receptor inhibitors and fusion inhibitors (fusion inhibitors).
HAART has the following goals:
- Virological – aimed at stopping the reproduction and spread of HIV, which is indicated by reducing the viral load by 10 times or more in just 30 days, to 20-50 copies/ml or less in 16-24 weeks, as well as maintaining these indicators for as long as possible;
- Immunological – aimed at restoring the normal functioning and health of the immune system, which is due to the restoration of the number of CD4 lymphocytes and an adequate immune response to infection;
- Clinical – aimed at preventing the formation of secondary infectious diseases and AIDS, which makes it possible to conceive a child.
Medicines for HIV infection
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors– the mechanism of action is based on the competitive suppression of the HIV enzyme, which ensures the creation of DNA, which is based on the RNA of the virus. It is the first group of drugs against retroviruses. Well tolerated. Side effects include: lactic acidosis, depression bone marrow, polyneuropathy and lipoatrophy. The substance is excreted from the body through the kidneys.
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors include abacavir (Ziagen), zidovudine (Azidothymidine, Zidovirine, Retrovir, Timazid), lamivudine (Virolam, Heptavir-150, Lamivudine-3TC ", "Epivir"), stavudine ("Aktastav", "Zerit", "Stavudin"), tenofovir ("Viread", "Tenvir"), phosphazide ("Nikavir"), emtricitabine ("Emtriva"), as well as complexes abacavir + lamivudine (Kivexa, Epzicom), zidovudine + lamivudine (Combivir), tenofovir + emtricitabine (Truvada) and zidovudine + lamivudine + abacavir (Trizivir).
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors– delavirdine (Rescriptor), nevirapine (Viramune), rilpivirine (Edurant), efavirenz (Regast, Sustiva), etravirine (Intelence).
Integrase inhibitors— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the viral enzyme, which is involved in the integration of viral DNA into the genome of the target cell, after which a provirus is formed.
Integrase inhibitors include dolutegravir (Tivicay), raltegravir (Isentress), and elvitegravir (Vitecta).
Protease inhibitors— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the viral protease enzyme (retropepsin), which is directly involved in the breakdown of Gag-Pol polyproteins into individual proteins, after which the mature proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus virion are actually formed.
Protease inhibitors include amprenavir (“Agenerase”), darunavir (“Prezista”), indinavir (“Crixivan”), nelfinavir (“Viracept”), ritonavir (“Norvir”, “Ritonavir”), saquinavir-INV (“ Invirase"), tipranavir ("Aptivus"), fosamprenavir ("Lexiva", "Telzir"), as well as combination remedy lopinavir + ritonavir (Kaletra).
Receptor inhibitors— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the penetration of HIV into the target cell, which is due to the effect of the substance on the CXCR4 and CCR5 coreceptors.
Receptor inhibitors include maraviroc (Celsentri).
Fusion inhibitors (fusion inhibitors)- the mechanism of action is based on blocking last stage for the introduction of the virus into the target cell.
Among the fusion inhibitors, one can highlight enfuvirtide (Fuzeon).
The use of HAART during pregnancy reduces the risk of transmission of infection from an infected mother to a child to 1%, although without this therapy the percentage of infection of the child is about 20%.
Side effects from the use of HAART medications include pancreatitis, anemia, skin rashes, kidney stones, peripheral neuropathy, lactic acidosis, hyperlipidemia, lipodystrophy, as well as Fanconi syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and others.
The diet for HIV infection is aimed at preventing the patient from losing weight, as well as providing the body’s cells with the necessary energy and, of course, stimulating and maintaining the normal functioning of not only the immune system, but also other systems.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the certain vulnerability of an immune system weakened by infection, so protect yourself from infection with other types of infection - be sure to follow the rules of personal hygiene and cooking rules.
Nutrition for HIV/AIDS should:
2. Be high in calories, which is why it is recommended to add butter, mayonnaise, cheese, and sour cream to food.
3. Drink plenty of fluids, it is especially useful to drink decoctions and freshly squeezed juices with plenty of vitamin C, which stimulates the immune system - decoction, juices (apple, grape, cherry).
4. Be frequent, 5-6 times a day, but in small portions.
5. Water for drinking and cooking must be purified. Avoid eating expired foods, undercooked meat, raw eggs, and unpasteurized milk.
What can you eat if you have HIV infection:
- Soups – vegetable, with cereals, with noodles, with meat broth, can be added with butter;
- Meat - beef, turkey, chicken, lungs, liver, lean fish (preferably sea);
- Cereals – buckwheat, pearl barley, rice, millet and oatmeal;
- Porridge - with the addition of dried fruits, honey, jam; , and zinc, therefore, they need to be done special attention when eating food. In addition, we would like to remind you once again that it stimulates the immune system, which is very important in the fight against infection.
- Avoiding repeated contact with infection;
- Healthy sleep;
- Compliance with personal hygiene rules;
- Avoiding the possibility of infection with other types of infection -, and others;
- Avoiding stress;
- Timely wet cleaning in the place of residence;
- Avoidance of prolonged exposure to sunlight;
- Complete refusal alcoholic products, smoking;
- Good nutrition;
- Active lifestyle;
- Holidays at sea, in the mountains, i.e. in the most environmentally friendly places.
What not to eat if you have HIV infection
If you have the human immunodeficiency virus, you must completely abstain from alcoholic beverages, smoking, weight loss diets, highly allergenic foods, and sweet carbonated drinks.
3. Preventive measures
Preventive measures for HIV infection that must be followed during treatment include:
We will look at additional HIV prevention measures at the end of the article.
Important!
Before using folk remedies against HIV infection, be sure to consult your doctor!
St. John's wort. Pour well-dried crushed herbs into an enamel pan and fill it with 1 liter of soft purified water, then put the container on the fire. After the product boils, cook the product for another 1 hour over low heat, then remove, cool, strain and pour the broth into a jar. Add 50 g to the decoction sea buckthorn oil, mix thoroughly and set aside in a cool place to infuse for 2 days. You need to take the product 50 g 3-4 times a day.
Licorice. Pour 50 g of chopped into an enamel pan, fill it with 1 liter of purified water and place on the stove over high heat. After bringing to a boil, reduce the heat to minimum and simmer for about 1 hour. Then remove the broth from the stove, cool it, strain, pour into a glass container, add 3 tbsp. spoons of natural, mix. You need to drink 1 glass of the decoction in the morning, on an empty stomach.
Human immunodeficiency virus is a pathology that destroys the body's natural defenses. Its danger is that it reduces the body's resistance various infections, contributing to the development of serious diseases and their complications.
It is completely impossible to cure the disease, since its structure is constantly changing, which does not allow pharmacists to create substances that can destroy it. Treatment for HIV infection is aimed at strengthening the immune system and blocking the activity of the virus.
The disease has four stages, the last of which – AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) – is terminal.
HIV infection has a very long incubation period. After entering the body, the virus for a long time does not manifest itself in any way, but continues to destroy the immune system. A person begins to get sick more severely and for a longer period of time, since the immune system is unable to cope even with “harmless” infections, which give complications, worsening health conditions more and more.
At the terminal stage, the immune system is completely destroyed, which gives impetus to the development oncological tumors, severe damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, respiratory system, etc. The result is the death of the patient from one of the diseases of these organs.
HIV has four types, of which the first two are diagnosed in 95% of cases of infection, the third and fourth are extremely rare.
The virus is not resistant to environmental influences, antiseptics, alcohol solutions, acetone. It also does not tolerate high temperatures and dies already at 56 degrees within half an hour, and when boiled it is destroyed instantly.
At the same time, its cells remain viable when frozen (able to “live” 5-6 days at a temperature of 22 degrees), in solutions narcotic substances remain active for about three weeks.
For a long time, HIV was considered a disease of drug addicts, homosexuals and women lung behavior. Today, among the carriers of the virus there are people with high social status, heterosexual orientation. Neither adults nor children are immune from infection. The main route of transmission is biological fluids body. Pathogenic cells are found in:
- blood;
- lymph;
- sperm;
- cerebrospinal fluid;
- vaginal secretion;
- breast milk.
The risk of infection increases in proportion to the number of pathogenic cells in these fluids, and at least ten thousand viral particles are required to transmit infection.
Methods of infection
The main routes of transmission of the virus are considered to be
- Unprotected sexual intercourse.
According to statistics, infection through this route is diagnosed in 75% of patients, but the risk of transmitting pathogenic cells is the lowest: about 30% of sexual partners become infected during the first vaginal contact, about 50% during anal contact, and less than 5% during oral contact.
Increases the risk of having genitourinary pathologies(gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, fungi), trauma and microdamage to the mucous membranes intimate organs(scratches, ulcers, erosions, anal fissures, etc.), frequent sexual contact with an infected person.
Women are more likely to accept the virus than men, since the area of the vagina and direct contact with pathogenic cells is larger.
- Intravenous injections.
The second most popular way, since more than half of drug addicts suffer from it. The reasons are the use of one syringe or utensils to prepare the solution, as well as unprotected intimate contacts with dubious partners while intoxicated.
- Intrauterine path.
During pregnancy, the risk of the virus passing through the placenta does not exceed 25%, natural childbirth and breastfeeding increase it by another 10%.
- Penetrating injuries from non-sterile instruments: infection occurs when surgical operations in questionable clinics, tattooing, manicure procedures, etc.
- Direct blood transfusion, untested organ transplantation.
If the donor is HIV positive, transmission is 100%.
The possibility of infection depends on the strength of the recipient's immunity. If the natural defense is strong, the course of the disease will be weaker, and the incubation period itself will be longer.
Manifestations of pathology
Symptoms of HIV infection are a manifestation curable diseases, provoked by a weakened immune system, which makes diagnosis very difficult, since a person only tests necessary tests, treats the consequences of an illness without even realizing his true status. There are slight differences depending on the stages of infection.
There are no symptoms characteristic of the virus: the manifestations of the disease are individual and depend on the general health of the patient and the diseases caused by it.
The first stage is the incubation period. This is the initial stage, developing from the moment pathogenic cells enter the body until one year. In some patients, the first symptoms appear within a couple of weeks, in others - no earlier than several months.
The average incubation period is one and a half to three months. During this period, symptoms are completely absent; even tests do not show the presence of the virus. Discover dangerous illness at an early stage is possible only if a person is faced with one of possible ways infection.
The second stage is the stage of primary manifestations. They arise as a reaction of the immune system to the active proliferation of harmful cells. Usually occurs 2-3 months after infection, lasting from two weeks to several months.
It can happen in different ways
- Asymptomatic when the body produces antibodies and there are no signs of infection.
- Spicy.
The stage is typical for 15-30% of patients, the manifestations are similar to those of acute infectious pathologies:
- increase in temperature;
- fever;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- skin rashes;
- bowel disorders;
- inflammatory processes of the upper respiratory tract;
- increase in the size of the liver and spleen.
In rare cases, the development of autoimmune pathologies is possible.
- Acute with secondary pathologies – typical for most patients.
Weakened immunity allows existing representatives of opportunistic microflora to actively reproduce, which leads to exacerbation or the emergence of infectious diseases. At this stage, it is not difficult to cure them, but soon their relapses become more frequent.
The third stage is deterioration of work and condition lymphatic system. Lasts from two to 15 years, depending on how the immune system copes with viral cells. Enlargement of lymph nodes occurs in groups (except for the inguinal ones), not interconnected.
After three months, their size returns to a healthy state, pain on palpation disappears, elasticity and mobility return. Sometimes relapses occur.
The fourth stage is terminal – the development of AIDS. The immune system is practically destroyed, the virus itself multiplies unhindered. All the remaining ones are susceptible to destruction healthy cells, many of them degenerate into malignant ones, and severe infectious pathologies develop.
AIDS also occurs in four stages
- The first occurs after 6-10 years. It is characterized by a decrease in body weight, rashes on the skin and mucous membranes containing purulent contents, fungal and viral infections, and diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Cope with infectious processes It is possible, but the therapy is long.
- The second develops after another 2-3 years. Weight loss continues, body temperature rises to 38-39 degrees, weakness and drowsiness occur. Frequent diarrhea, lesions of the oral mucosa, fungal and viral lesions skin, the manifestations of all previously diagnosed infectious pathologies intensify, and pulmonary tuberculosis develops.
Conventional medications are unable to cope with the disease; only antiretroviral therapy can alleviate the symptoms.
- The third stage occurs 10-12 years after infection. Symptoms: exhaustion of the body, weakness, lack of appetite. Pneumonia develops viral infections worsen, healing of their manifestations does not occur. Pathogenic microflora covers all internal and external organs and their systems, diseases are acute and give new complications.
The duration of HIV infection from the moment of infection until the death of the patient varies from person to person. Some die after 2-3 years, others live 20 years or more. Cases have been recorded of people dying from the virus within a few months. The lifespan of a person depends on his general health and the type of virus that has entered the body.
Features of HIV in adults and children
The clinical picture of the disease in representatives of the stronger sex does not differ from the manifestations that develop when the immune system is weakened. Girls suffer the infection more severely, as they begin to experience menstrual irregularities.
Menstruation occurs with severe pain, becomes heavy, and bleeding is observed in the middle of the cycle. A common complication virus become malignant formations organs of the reproductive system. Cases of organ inflammation are increasing genitourinary system, they occur more severely and take longer.
In babies and newborns, the disease does not manifest itself for a long time, external signs are missing. The only symptom by which one can suspect the presence of pathology is mental retardation and physical development child.
Diagnosis of the disease
It is difficult to detect HIV at an early stage, since the symptoms are absent or similar to the manifestations of curable pathologies: inflammatory processes, allergies, infectious diseases. The disease can be detected by chance, during a routine medical examination, admission to a hospital, or registration during pregnancy.
The main diagnostic method is a special test, which can be done both in the clinic and at home.
There are a lot of diagnostic methods. Every year, scientists develop new tests and improve old ones, reducing the number of false positive and false negative results.
The main material for research is human blood, but there are tests that can make a preliminary diagnosis by examining saliva or urine using scrapings from the surface of the oral cavity. They have not yet found widespread use, but are used for home preliminary diagnostics.
HIV testing in adults is carried out in three stages:
- screening test - gives a preliminary result, helps to identify people who have been infected;
- reference – carried out to persons whose screening results are positive;
- confirming – establishes final diagnosis and the duration of the presence of the virus in the body.
This phasing of the examination is associated with high cost research: each subsequent analysis is more complex and expensive, so carry out full complex is not economically feasible for all citizens. During the study, antigens are identified - cells or particles of the virus, antibodies - leukocytes produced by the immune system to pathogenic cells.
The presence of harmful cells can be determined only after achieving seroconversion - a state when the number of antibodies is sufficient for their detection by test systems. From the moment of infection until the onset of seroconversion, a “window period” occurs: during this time, transmission of the virus is already possible, but no test can detect it. This period lasts from six to twelve weeks.
If the diagnostic results are positive, you should contact your doctor to prescribe antiretroviral therapy. Which doctor treats HIV infection? An infectious disease specialist who is usually present at the central clinic of a city or regional center.
Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus
Once the virus enters the body, it remains there forever. Although research into the infection has been going on for decades, scientists have not been able to invent drugs that can destroy pathogenic cells. Therefore, almost 100 years after the discovery of the virus, the answer to the question of whether HIV infection can be treated remains a sad “No.”
But medicine is constantly inventing drugs that can slow down the activity of HIV, reduce the risks of developing pathologies, help cope with them faster and prolong the life of the infected person, making it full. Treatment of HIV infection involves taking antiretroviral therapy drugs, prevention and treatment of concomitant inflammatory processes.
Therapy is taking medications, but immunodeficiency can be cured using methods traditional medicine impossible. Refusal of pharmaceutical products in favor of non-traditional recipes- a direct path to the development of AIDS and the death of the patient.
The effectiveness of treatment depends on many factors, but the most important condition therapy – the patient’s responsible attitude towards the prescribed treatment. For it to give results, medicinal preparations should be taken at a strictly defined time, observe their dosage, and avoid interruptions in treatment. Diet and healthy lifestyle are also recommended.
If these recommendations are followed, the number of protective cells increases dramatically, the virus is blocked, and even highly sensitive tests often cannot detect it. Otherwise, the disease continues to progress and leads to vital dysfunction important organs: heart, liver, lungs, endocrine system.
For HIV infection, the most effective treatment is antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Its main task is to prevent the development of complications and concomitant pathologies that can shorten the patient’s life. HAART also helps improve the patient’s quality of life and make it full.
If therapy is carried out correctly, the virus goes into remission and secondary pathologies do not develop. Such treatment also has a positive effect on the psychological state of the infected person: feeling supported and knowing that the disease can be “slowed down,” he returns to to the usual way life.
In our country, all antiretroviral drugs are provided to a person free of charge after he receives the status of an HIV-positive patient.
Features of antiretroviral therapy
HAART is prescribed on an individual basis, and the tablets included in it depend on the stage of development of the infection. At the initial stage, specialized treatment is not prescribed; it is recommended to take vitamins and special mineral complexes that help strengthen the body’s natural defenses.
Chemotherapy is indicated as a preventive method, but only for those persons who have been in contact with an HIV-positive person or a potential carrier of the virus. Such prevention is effective only in the first 72 hours after possible infection.
In the second and subsequent stages, therapy is prescribed based on the results clinical tests, determining the state of immunity. The terminal stage, that is, the presence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, requires mandatory medication. In pediatrics, HAART is always prescribed, regardless of clinical stage development of the child's illness.
This approach to treatment is determined by the standards of the Ministry of Health. But new research shows that early start antiretroviral therapy gives best results treatment and has a more positive effect on the patient’s condition and life expectancy.
HAART includes several types medicinal substances, which are combined with each other. Since the virus gradually loses sensitivity to the active substances, the combinations are changed from time to time, which makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of treatment.
Several years ago, scientists presented synthetic drug Quad, which includes the main properties of prescribed drugs. A huge advantage of the medicine is taking only one tablet per day, which greatly facilitates treatment. This tool has virtually no side effects, is easier to tolerate by the body, and solves the problem of loss of sensitivity to active components.
Many patients are interested in whether it is possible to block the activity of the virus using traditional methods and how to treat HIV infection at home? It should be remembered that such treatment is possible, but only if it is auxiliary and agreed with the treating doctor.
Traditional recipes are shown to strengthen protective forces body. This can include decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs, the use of gifts of nature, rich in vitamins, minerals and beneficial microelements.
Preventive measures
The immunodeficiency virus is a disease that can be prevented, but it cannot be cured. Today, developed countries have developed special programs aimed at preventing HIV and AIDS, which are monitored at the state level. Basics preventive measures Every person should know, since there is no guarantee that infection will not occur.
You can avoid serious pathology if you take responsibility for your own intimate life. You should avoid sexual contact with questionable people, and always use condoms when having sex with a new sexual partner about whose condition there is no reliable information.
It is important that the sex partner is one and permanent, and has medical reports confirming the absence of HIV.
One of the popular myths is that a condom is unable to protect against the virus, since the latex pores are larger than the virus cells. This is wrong. To date barrier agents Contraception is the only way to prevent infection during sexual intercourse.
If a person suffers from drug addiction and injects drugs, he should always use disposable medical instruments, give injections with sterile gloves, and have individual containers for preparing a narcotic solution. To avoid becoming a victim of direct transmission of the virus through the blood, you should refuse blood transfusions.
To carry out procedures where there is access to blood, choose trusted establishments, ensure that their employees carry out all manipulations with gloves, and that instruments are disinfected in the presence of the client.
If HIV is present in a woman who is preparing to become a mother, the baby’s condition is monitored throughout the entire pregnancy. Reduces the risk of infection in a child C-section and refusal breastfeeding. It will be possible to determine the baby’s HIV status no earlier than six months later, when the mother’s antibodies to the virus leave the baby’s body.
Methods of artificial insemination can prevent the occurrence of severe infection in a child.
An expectant HIV-positive mother should eliminate all factors that reduce the baby’s immunity: stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol, eat more vitamins, cure all infectious and inflammatory diseases, treat chronic ailments to prevent their recurrence during pregnancy.
By following these rules you can prevent infection dangerous pathology and prevent its transmission to healthy people. Since the disease cannot be cured, the only way ridding the world of the virus is to block its spread.
December 1 is World AIDS Day. In the mid-1980s, this diagnosis was a death sentence, and today the life of HIV-infected people is practically no different from the life of healthy people. We will tell you about the price of such success.
Humanity learned about HIV in 1981. At first it was a mysterious disease that killed its victims within a few years, but gradually scientists began to understand the nature of the disease and create drugs that prevent the virus from reproducing and infecting new cells.
Small and sneaky
The genome of one of humanity’s main enemies consists of only nine genes, which does not prevent the virus from effectively infecting cells and reproducing. per day in blood HIV-infected person 10 billion new viral particles are formed, and many of them are not similar to their “parents” due to the variability of the virus.
The virus enters the body through biological fluids- blood, sperm and even breast milk. The particles infect cells of the immune system, which carry special receptors on their surface to which the virus attaches before penetrating inside. Cells without these HIV receptors are of no interest.
What is AIDS
Once inside the cell, the virus immediately “entrenches itself,” that is, integrates its genetic material into the cellular DNA. All descendants of the infected cell will then contain instructions for assembling virus particles. This clever trick makes life very difficult for scientists and doctors who are looking for a cure for HIV. Even if all viral particles in the body are destroyed, after some time they will be reborn from healthy-looking cells carrying viral genes. Over time, the virus completely destroys the immune system, and HIV-infected patients die from diseases that the body of healthy people copes with easily. The condition when an HIV-positive person develops all kinds of infections is called AIDS..
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Hypothesis  "Patient Zero" |
Don't let it multiply
Scientists were able to “catch” the human immunodeficiency virus in 1983 - two research groups immediately isolated viral particles from blood samples of patients. In 1985, the first test was created that could determine whether a person was infected with HIV. But there was still no cure for the terrible disease. By 1987, the number of HIV-infected people around the world reached, according to various estimates, from 100 to 150 thousand people. The authorities remained silent for a long time about the beginning of a new epidemic, but it was impossible to further hide the scale of the disaster. Six years after the death of the first patients, American President Ronald Reagan first uttered the words HIV and AIDS in a public speech. And in the same year the first medicine appeared.
First cure
The drug molecule zidovudine is very similar to one of the four “building blocks” that are needed to build DNA. The virus synthesizes DNA molecules to integrate them into the genome of the host cell, and when instead of the correct “brick” it comes across zidovudine, the chain breaks. Unfinished virus genes cannot be integrated into the cellular genome, which means that the virus will not multiply in this cell. The enzyme that synthesizes viral DNA is called reverse transcriptase. Both zidovudine and similar drugs are its inhibitors, that is, substances that block the enzyme. But the joy of scientists and patients did not last long - it quickly became clear that, although zidovudine works, the prognosis for patients still remains disappointing. In addition, the drug had seriousside effects, especially since at first the medicine was used in very high doses.
Combination therapy
In 1992, a second anti-HIV drug appeared - zalcitabine, which could be used instead of or together with zidovudine. Despite the fact that both drugs act similarly, their combination gave much more best effect than using each drug separately. Today, all HIV treatment protocols necessarily include several substances; this approach is called combination therapy. Various drugs block several processes necessary for the virus to reproduce at once, and as a result, it is often possible keep HIV in a “dormant” state for years.
Be careful, children
The story of the fight against HIV would be less dramatic if it concerned only adults. But the insidious virus is very well transmitted to children - on average, every third baby born from an HIV-positive mother was infected. IN children's body The virus is often much more active, and without adequate treatment, babies die within a few years.
Length is important
The next breakthrough came in 1996, when researchers learned to “turn off” another viral enzyme, protease. HIV synthesizes some of its proteins as double proteins, and only then cuts the long chain into pieces; a protease is responsible for this process. When combined with existing drugs, the new drugs worked so well that someoptimists started talking about victory over HIV. But very soon it became clear that it was too early to relax, and the virus, which had seemingly disappeared, made itself felt again, reborn from infected cells.
Healthy generation
At the end of 1996, during clinical trials, doctors found that zidovudine reduces the likelihood of transmission of the virus during childbirth before amazing 3-4 percent. Since then, even if the mother finds out about her diagnosis at later pregnancy, the baby has every chance of being born healthy. Moreover, in 2013, doctors managed to completely cure a girl born with HIV infection. Doctors began therapy when the baby was 30 hours old, and it seems that such early intervention did not allow the virus to “take hold” in the body.
One tablet
Every year, scientists create new drugs to treat HIV. In addition to zidovudine analogues and various protease inhibitors, drugs have emerged that prevent viral particles from attaching to CD4-receptors, and substances that tightly block reverse transcriptase. Patients often have to take almost a dozen tablets a day, each at strictly defined hours, including at night.
And in 2011, a drug appeared on the market for the first time, thanks to which people with HIV infection may not think about her around the clock. One tablet of medicine with trade name Complera contains three different reverse transcriptase inhibitors. In order to prevent the virus from multiplying, patients need to take the medicine only once a day, although always at the same time. A year later another one appeared combination drug with others active ingredients, so doctors will soon be able to prescribe relaxed treatment for everyone more patients.
Every year the number of people infected with HIV is falling. At the same time, the life expectancy of patients is increasing and mortality is decreasing. It seems that doctors and researchers have managed to find a solution to the plague of the 21st century. We can talk about the final victory after the immunodeficiency virus vaccine, but there are still difficulties with this. But even if there is no vaccine, very soon HIV-positive people will remember their illness only by reading their medical records.
Photo: Spirit Of America/Shutterstock, Shutterstock (x4)
