Blood testing involves looking for specific antibodies within the patient's blood, which are made by the body to fight the HIV virus. People found to possess HIV antibodies, and thus suffer from HIV, are known as "HIV Positive". There are no clear and definite diagnostic symptoms, but early clinical signs may include fevers, headaches, fatigue and muscle aches. On average, it takes over ten years for symptoms to develop. HIV infects the T-helper cells (lymphocytes) and other white blood cells, resulting in their destruction. There is a variation between the viruses infecting each person (due to the nature and behaviour of a "retrovirus"), and this is the reason why the development of an appropriate vaccine has been so difficult. .
Patients who are HIV-Positive are diagnosed with AIDS when their "CD4 count" indicates that there are less than 200 CD4+ cells per cubic millimetre of blood. The CD4 cells are the cells otherwise known as "T-Helper cells". A reduction in the number of circulating CD4+ cells, results in a corresponding reduction in the number of white blood cells, and the immune system becomes significantly weaker. As time goes on, AIDS reduces the number of white cells and the infected person becomes immune deficient, as they have no effective immune system. This means they are very susceptible to bacteria and viruses. As they are unable to fight against further infection by bacteria and viruses, illnesses will inevitably result in death.
There is no cure (or vaccine) for HIV or AIDS at present. Researchers all over the world are working to develop drugs against AIDS. The most promising drug is one called AZT (Zidovudine). AZT prevents reverse transcriptase making DNA from RNA, which thus prevent HIV from making viral DNA from viral RNA so it is not inserted into the host cells DNA to form the provirus. These drugs, however, do not cure the condition; they simply extend the life of AIDS patients, thereby improving their quality of life.
HIV/AIDS is transmitted in several ways. ... Generally, HIV is the disease that is transmitted as that is the basic form of AIDS HIV is transmitted in sexual intercourse. ... HIV cannot be transmitted through touching or kissing a HIV+ person. ... Once HIV gets into a cell, it can take over the genetic material of the cell and turn the cell into a factory of HIV producing cells. ... HIV has four stages of severity. ...
HIV discovery allows targeting of vaccines Researchers continue to make new discoveries about HIV everyday. ... A person who has been infected with HIV for many years has several different strains of HIV in their system. ... Where did the HIV virus come from? ... There are several forms of HIV. ... A less common human immunodeficiency virus is HIV-2. ...
HIV and AIDS HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a complex retrovirus that causes AIDS (Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome). ... There are currently two types of HIV: HIV-1 which is the strand of HIV that is chiefly responsible for causing AIDS worldwide and HIV-2 is a strand that is found mostly in West Africa. ... Mothers who are infected with HIV can also transmit HIV by breastfeeding their child. ... People who have the HIV antibodies are called "HIV-Positive." ... A few HIV-positive people stay healthy for many years even without taking anti-HIV medications. ...
HIV is an enveloped human retrovirus. ... HIV is a member of the retrovirus family of which there are two sub-families: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is more prevalent and more pathogenic than HIV-2. ... Researchers claim that chimpanzees were the source for HIV-1 and the simian virus (SIVcpz) is almost identical to HIV-1. ... In addition, HIV can mutate very easily; the HIV reverse transcriptase enzyme makes many mistakes while making DNA copies from HIV RNA. ...
The results were in - your child has HIV. ... The risk of perinatal transmission is significantly increased if the mother has advanced HIV disease, increased levels of HIV in her bloodstream, or fewer numbers of the immune system cells, CD4+ T cells, that are the main targets of HIV. ... HIV is often difficult to diagnose in very young children. ... How do you tell a child that they have HIV? ... In conclusion, HIV is real. ...
From that population, 1 out of every 5 people actually knows that they have HIV. ... It is said, "More than 50 percent of new HIV infections occur as a result of the 21 percent of people who have HIV but do not know it" (2012). ... Promoting the use of condoms is the number one way to prevent the spread of HIV. ... Evidence Many studies have been done on HIV prevention. ... They each participated in a demonstrated effective HIV prevention intervention. ...
Circumcision and HIV The parents of a newborn baby boy will make a lot of decisions for their child. ... There are also biological reasons that suggest the foreskin is especially vulnerable to HIV. ... high level of sexually transmitted disease, but a low rate of HIV. ... He also added that Europe has a low rate of circumcision and a low rate of HIV. ... HIV still appears at undesirably high rates in cities where circumcision is widely practiced. ...
The HIV Epidemic The HIV virus, which causes AIDS, was first recognized as a new and distinct clinical entity in 1981. ... HIV like all viruses replicates inside a host cell. ... The HIV DNA is termed a "provirus." ... The third is by neutralizing the antibodies to HIV. ... The management of HIV has given many people a new lease on life. ...
