AIDS: symptoms, treatment and prevention. How dangerous is HIV and how to live with it? What's worse: HIV or AIDS?

IN modern world With sufficiently developed medicine, there are diseases that cannot be cured. The most common disease that has claimed a large number of lives is HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). In Russia alone, about 800 thousand people are carriers of this infection. Among the infected people there are men, women and children. This virus is scary for everyone, but it is most dangerous for women, since they have a higher risk of infection and can pass the infection on to their child.

Symptoms of HIV in women appear with some differences.

Therefore, at the first doubt about your health, you should immediately consult a doctor and get tested.

Is it possible to become infected with HIV through household methods?

The more dangerous the disease, the scarier to a person from the thought that he could become infected with it. HIV is transmitted through contact between the mucous membranes of a healthy and sick person (sperm, blood, cervical mucus). Domestic method this virus does not spread.

Another frequently asked question Is HIV transmitted through a kiss? Doctors give a negative answer. The likelihood of contracting an infection in this situation, in the absence of both partners in oral cavity and in the language of wounds, zero.

Groups at risk of contracting the virus

The following population groups are at high risk of contracting HIV infection:

drug addicts who use drugs by injection (through a syringe needle);
women and men during unprotected sexual intercourse, as well as those practicing oral and anal sex;
children whose mothers are HIV positive;
doctors who, in their specialization, come into contact with infected people or tissues (diagnostic laboratory assistants, gynecologists, obstetricians, surgeons);
persons in need of blood transfusion;
people leading an immoral lifestyle.

In most cases, HIV is transmitted through needles among drug addicts and through unsafe sex.

Symptoms of having a virus

A woman has a greater risk of acquiring HIV. Therefore, you should always monitor your health and not do anything rash.

If a circumstance has occurred that causes you to doubt your HIV status, you should take a blood test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detects the presence of antibodies to the virus). But by nature, HIV does not manifest itself in the first days. Most people develop antibodies 3 months after infection, others - 6 months later. Therefore, 100% results will be achieved only in six months.

Before this period expires, you should pay attention to your well-being. Symptoms can be detected after a few weeks, or you may not feel any deviations from the norm for 10 years.

The first symptoms appear as:
enlarged lymph nodes;
excessive sweating at night;
lethargy, drowsiness and fatigue;
lack of appetite;
severe depression for no reason;

the presence of constantly elevated body temperature.

Without undergoing specific therapy to combat the virus, the infection will progress, immunity will weaken and health will deteriorate. Symptoms of complications of the disease may appear, such as:
vaginal infections;
presence of abnormalities in smear analysis;
the appearance of herpes, warts, ulcers on the labia majora;
red spots on the body;

white spots on the oral mucosa.

Even if a woman has these symptoms, they do not confirm the presence of the virus. Such painful manifestations may be signs of other infections (ARVI). Therefore, there is no need to panic.

During the six-month period, from the date of suspected infection or the onset of symptoms, you should avoid sexual and other contacts in which you can transmit the infection to a healthy person, you should not be a donor, and it is advisable to delay pregnancy.

Life after infection

If preliminary and confirmatory tests reveal that you have HIV infection, then you should not take extreme measures. Modern medicine allows you to live with such a diagnosis and have the same rights as healthy people, but undergoing treatment.

A woman who does not have children must understand all the responsibility. Having HIV does not prevent you from having a child. And HIV patients give birth to healthy children, and, in addition, scientists are looking for a way to cure HIV in newborns.

During pregnancy, women are prescribed antiretroviral drugs. They reduce the viral load to such a level that during a normal pregnancy and uncomplicated childbirth, the child is born healthy. Women are prohibited from giving birth on their own, since the highest percentage of children becoming infected is during childbirth. They undergo a caesarean section. Also, mothers should not breastfeed their children for the same reason.

A person with such a diagnosis needs to communicate correctly with healthy people. You can't put others in danger. If a woman decides to become pregnant naturally, she must inform her partner about her situation. Otherwise, this is a crime in Russia, it is criminally punishable (Article 122 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

All HIV-infected people should be monitored by doctors and undergo therapy to combat the virus. If the disease is detected in a timely manner and measures are taken to treat it, then such a person can live for decades.

If HIV is left untreated, it develops into acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This is the last stage of the disease. Against the background of AIDS, others develop infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, meningitis, herpes. Any infection (even a cold) in patients with AIDS leads to serious consequences, since they the immune system unable to cope with bacteria and viruses. AIDS can be fatal; there are more than 100 thousand such cases in Russia.

HIV is one of the most dangerous diseases of the 21st century. A cure for it still cannot be found. Therapy only slows down and stops the development of infection. Therefore, you need to take care of yourself and your health.

Avoid contact with drug addicts, try to have an intimate life only with regular and trusted partners, sex should be protected. There is no need to be embarrassed to ask your partner to get tested for HIV or AIDS. Don’t do rash things that you will regret for the rest of your life. Your health is in your hands. Take care of yourself.

Do you think that HIV and AIDS have the same definition and are no different? You are deeply mistaken - the huge difference between these diseases is sometimes calculated at 12-15 years of life. We invite you to find out the difference between HIV and AIDS, consider their properties and stages.

If HIV is a virus that causes immunity deficiency, then AIDS is a syndrome that results from infection. Simply put, the first is the beginning of the second.

Typically, HIV develops into AIDS 10-12 years after infection. If a person can live a full life with the immunodeficiency virus (except for severe stages of exacerbation), then with the acquired syndrome his life is constantly in danger.

What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? The syndrome is the last stage of a viral infection, at which any disease that is completely harmless to a healthy person can lead to death.

Remember, HIV and AIDS are not the same thing. The differences between them lie not only in definitions, but also in properties, signs of manifestation, and stages of development.

HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus that weakens the immune system and provokes the development of opportunistic diseases. Once in the body, HIV is integrated into target cells - T-lymphocytes and CD 4.

It differs from AIDS in that it develops before it and literally “leads” the body to this disease.

Attention! HIV is a “slow” virus because its first symptoms may appear several years after infection. About 50% of infected people are unaware of the infection for about 10 years.

When considering how HIV differs from AIDS, it is important to note that the diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is made several years after infection, when serious diseases appear in the body.

The method of transmission of infection is unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner, “blood to blood” and from an HIV-positive mother to her child. By droplet-air route the disease is not transmitted.

Properties of HIV

The immunodeficiency virus consists of an RNA molecule with embedded genetic information. Being a non-living organism, it cannot spread on its own, so it “attacks” human cells and exists inside them.

Some properties of HIV:

Outside the body, it dies within 24 hours;
Not transmitted to animals;
Cannot exist at temperatures above 60°C.

To briefly consider the difference, HIV is a molecule, and AIDS is a syndrome. It is a complex of serious diseases against the background of reduced immunity, unable to fight diseases.

When does HIV turn into AIDS? After the virus “attacks” lymphocytes and weakens the immune system, it continues to move through the blood to find other cells to reproduce. The body will not have time to produce new lymphocytes, and then their level will decrease. When there are 200 or fewer cells left per 1 mm of blood, the attending physician will make a diagnosis of AIDS.

What is HIV infection?

HIV disease is not the same thing as AIDS. It is important that several months or even years may pass before the first symptoms appear in an infected person. By weakening the immune system and suppressing the body’s vital functions, the virus strengthens and multiplies.

What is worse for a person – HIV or AIDS? The answer to this question is no. Both diseases are dangerous for the body, but if the spread of the virus can be stopped, then AIDS therapy is this moment not developed.

When considering the routes of transmission, it is important to note the most common – sexually in 60-65% of cases.

Symptoms of HIV

How and when the immunodeficiency virus manifests itself in the body depends on concomitant diseases, the general condition of the patient’s body, and his individual characteristics.

First symptoms (similar to signs of influenza and ARVI):

enlarged lymph nodes,
decreased performance,
allergic reactions,
peeling of the skin,
fast fatiguability,
loss of appetite,
heat.

Symptoms indicating immunodeficiency in subsequent stages:

frequent fever
neurological disorders,
chronic diseases,
deterioration of memory function,
sudden weight loss,
viral diseases,
fungal and bacterial infections.

The initial symptoms have a “wavy” character - they can disappear on their own without treatment and return again after 2-3 weeks. The fewer healthy cells left in the body, the more characteristic other symptoms appear. Taking an HIV test – the only way detection of infection.

Stages of development of HIV infection

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease depend on the stage of HIV. The earlier the virus is detected, the more effective subsequent antiretroviral therapy will be.

There are several stages of HIV:

Incubation period. It begins after infection, is asymptomatic or has symptoms similar to the flu. It is impossible to determine the presence of infection in the body; this period can reach several months.
Seroconversion. The production of the first antibodies in the body, which makes it possible to detect HIV at this stage of development. The immune system tries to eliminate the virus, which is accompanied by frequent increases in body temperature.
Asymptomatic period. HIV gradually destroys cells, the number of T-lymphocytes decreases over 5-15 years, while the lymph nodes increase. It is important to monitor the level of lymphocytes in order to begin timely treatment.
The last stage of HIV. AIDS occurs and the body loses its ability to resist any disease.

AIDS

AIDS is an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome that manifests itself in the form of one or more opportunistic diseases. As a severe form of HIV, it can lead to complete destruction of the immune system.

The result is death, which can occur even as a result of a common cold. The average life expectancy of a person diagnosed with AIDS ranges from 6 months to 2 years.

The difference between AIDS and HIV is that during infection, the immune system can fight viruses, fungi and bacteria. In acquired syndrome, the immune response function is lost.

HIV will turn into AIDS after some time (10-12 years) if left untreated. Properly formulated antiretroviral therapy will increase the duration and quality of life of an infected person.

What is AIDS?

AIDS is the terminal stage of development of HIV infection. The acquired syndrome gradually destroys the human body, leading to dangerous diseases (pneumonia, tuberculosis, cancer, neuropsychological disorders, etc.).

How is HIV different from AIDS?

virus that causes AIDS;
it is important to support the immune system and suppress the development of the virus;
you can live for decades while remaining a carrier of the virus

AIDS

the last stage of HIV infection;
treatment for all concomitant diseases is required;
quickly leads to death.

How is AIDS transmitted and how to treat it?

Any infection and AIDS are not compatible. Transmission occurs through the same routes - unprotected sexual contact, through infected blood or from mother to child.

Unfortunately, no treatment for AIDS has been developed at this time. To prolong life, it is important for patients:

Avoid contact with stray animals;
Do not communicate with people who have the flu, colds and other diseases transmitted by airborne droplets;
To refuse from bad habits;
Maintain a balanced diet;
Exercise and more.

This therapy is aimed at preventing infection with diseases, because any of them can lead to death.

Timely detection and treatment of HIV infection will help prevent the development of AIDS. Remember, your health is in your hands!

In this article we will consider the question: “Can HIV infection be cured?” You will learn about the types, diagnosis and prognosis of this pathology. Let's start with the fact that the disease is possible when the body is infected with the immunodeficiency virus. HIV infection is dangerous because the patient experiences a strong suppression of the body's protective properties, which can lead to a number of problems. This list includes secondary infections, malignant tumors, and so on.

The disease can take different shapes. HIV infection is detected in the following ways:

antibody detection;
detection of viral RNA.

Treatment is currently provided in the form of a complex of special antiretroviral drugs. The latter are able to reduce the reproduction of the virus, which promotes a speedy recovery. You can learn more about everything that was said in this part by reading the article to the end.

HIV infection

In order to answer the main question (“Can HIV infection be cured?”), you need to understand what kind of disease it is. One thing that can be said about this virus is that it progresses very slowly, and the entire threat comes from the cells of the human immune system. For this reason, the immune system is slowly but surely suppressed. As a result, you can “earn” acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (popularly called AIDS).

The human body ceases to resist and protect itself from various infections, resulting in diseases that do not develop in a person with a normal immune system.

Even without medical intervention, a person infected with HIV can live up to 10 years. If the infection has acquired the status of AIDS, then the average life expectancy is only 10 months. It is also important to point out that when undergoing a special treatment course, life expectancy increases significantly.

The following are factors that affect the rate at which the infection develops:

state of the immune system;
age;
strain;
presence of concomitant diseases;
nutrition;
therapy;
medical care.

In older people, HIV infection develops more rapidly; insufficient medical care and concomitant infectious diseases are another reason for the rapid development of the disease. So, can HIV infection be cured? It is possible, but it takes a lot of time for the treatment process itself and even more for rehabilitation.

Classification

HIV infection is considered the plague of the 21st century, but virologists already know that there is no single causative agent of this disease. In this regard, many scientific works are being written, which may subsequently give results and allow us to answer in detail the question: “What are the types of HIV infection?”

What is known so far? The types of terrible disease differ only in the location of the source in nature. That is, depending on the region, there are types: HIV-1, HIV-2, and so on. Each of them spreads in a specific area. This regional division allows the virus to adapt to local unfavorable factors.

In science, the most studied type of HIV-1 is, but how many of them there are is a question that remains open. This happened because there are many blank spots in the history of the study of HIV and AIDS.

Stages

Now we will try to understand the question of how many people live with HIV infection. To do this, we will look at the stages of the disease. For convenience and better clarity, we will present the information in the form of a table.


Incubation (1)	This period lasts from 3 weeks to 3 months. During the incubation period, it is clinically impossible to detect this disease.
Primary manifestations (2)	This stage can take several forms; it is already possible to clinically detect HIV infection.
Stage 2.1	It occurs without any symptoms. It is possible to detect the virus because antibodies are produced.
Stage 2.2	It is called “acute”, but it does not cause secondary diseases. There may be some symptoms that may be confused with those of other diseases.
Stage 2.3	This is another type of “acute” HIV infection; it contributes to the occurrence of side diseases that can be easily treated (sore throat, pneumonia, candidiasis, and so on).
Subclinical stage (3)	At this point, a gradual decrease in immunity occurs; as a rule, there are no symptoms of the disease. Possible enlarged lymph nodes. The average duration of the stage is 7 years. However, there have been cases where the subclinical stage lasted more than 20 years.
Secondary diseases (4)	There are also 3 stages (4.1, 4.2, 4.3). Distinctive feature- weight loss, bacterial, fungal and viral infections.
Terminal stage (5)	Treatment of HIV infection at this stage does not lead to any positive results. This occurs due to irreversible damage internal organs. The person dies a few months later.

Thus, with proper and timely treatment, proper nutrition and lifestyle, you can live a full, long life (up to 70-80 years).

Symptoms

Now we will talk in more detail about the symptoms that accompany this disease.

Early symptoms of HIV infection:

fever;
rashes;
pharyngitis;
diarrhea.

At later stages, some other diseases may appear. They arise as a result of decreased immunity. These include:

angina;
pneumonia;
herpes;
fungal infections and so on.

After this period, the latent stage will most likely begin. It leads to the development of immunodeficiency. Now immune cells are dying. On the body you can notice signs of the disease - inflamed lymph nodes. It is also important to note that each organism is individual, the stages may occur in the order given above, but some steps may be missing. The same can be said about symptoms.

HIV in children

In this section you will find out whether HIV infection in children can be cured. First, let's talk about the causes of infection. These include:

infection in the womb;
use of unprocessed medical instruments;
organ transplantation.

Regarding the first point, the probability of transmitting the infection is 50%. Treatment during pregnancy is a condition that significantly reduces the risk of infection. Now about the risk factors:

lack of treatment;
premature birth;
natural childbirth;
uterine bleeding;
taking drugs and alcohol during pregnancy;
breast-feeding.

Considering these factors, you can reduce the risk to 10-20 percent. Treatment for HIV infection is certainly necessary. On at this stage In the development of medicine, there is no medicine that completely eliminates HIV. However, proper treatment can significantly improve the patient’s condition and makes it possible to live a full and happy life.

Diagnostics

Why is disease diagnosis needed? Of course, to make a final and accurate diagnosis. If your fears are confirmed, you should immediately go to the doctor. There is no need to hesitate here: the sooner you start treatment, the fewer problems there will be in the future. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.

It is also important to know that many diseases can be hidden under the mask of HIV infection, which can be eliminated quite quickly with the help of medicine. In which country is HIV treatment treated? In all cases, you just have to go to a special institution where you need to get tested. When you receive an answer in your hands, if the result is positive, do not hesitate, go to a specialist.

To confirm the diagnosis, you need to undergo a rapid test to detect infection. If it gives a positive result, then further research is carried out in the laboratory, where the stage is detected using ELISA or PCR methods.

Express test

A rapid test for HIV infection is currently the most common method that allows you to identify the disease at home yourself. Remember, until recently it was necessary to donate blood from a vein, but now you go to the pharmacy and find out the result 5 minutes later. You can also order a rapid HIV test via the Internet.

The test requires just a drop of blood from your finger. Don’t forget that you need to wash your hands, for a puncture it is better to use a “doll” (purchased at a pharmacy), wipe your finger with alcohol. The HIV test is a real breakthrough in diagnosing this disease. The thing is that HIV may not manifest itself at all. The infection penetrates the cells and begins to destroy them, and when there are few healthy ones left, the body is no longer able to resist. This stage is called AIDS, and this disease is very dangerous.

wash your hands with soap;
wipe dry;
open the package with the dough;
massage the finger you will be piercing, treat it with alcohol;
make a puncture and place your finger over the blood reservoir;
drop 5 drops of solvent into a special container;
We wait 15 minutes.

Treatment

Treatment of HIV infection is carried out using special antiretroviral drugs. It is necessary to start treatment as early as possible, this helps to delay the development of AIDS. Many people ignore treatment because the virus itself for a long time didn’t show it at all. This should not be done, because sooner or later the body will give up. It should be remembered that the virus has the most Negative influence on the immune system, without treatment you will soon have to wait for a whole string of serious and unpleasant diseases.

To prevent the development of AIDS, doctors try to suppress the virus. From the first day of detection of the disease, the patient must take special antiviral drugs that have a detrimental effect on life cycle pathogen. That is, under the influence of antiretroviral drugs, the virus cannot fully develop in the human body.

A feature of HIV infection is rapid adaptation to an unfavorable environment. For this reason, after taking the same medicine for a long time, the virus gets used to it and adapts to it. Then doctors resort to a trick - combining antiviral drugs. This is necessary so that it is impossible to develop resistance to them.

Drugs

In this section we will talk about what drugs are used to treat HIV infection. It was previously mentioned that therapy is carried out using antiretroviral drugs. In total, there are 2 types of them:

reverse transcriptase inhibitors;
protease inhibitors.

The standard treatment regimen involves taking two drugs of the first type and one of the second. They are prescribed only by a qualified, experienced doctor. The first type includes the following drugs:

"Epivir."
"Retrovir".
"Ziagen".

The second type includes:

"Norvir."
"Ritonavir."
"Invirase".

Do not self-medicate; take medications in the dosage and according to the regimen prescribed by your doctor.

Is it possible to be completely cured?

So, can HIV infection be completely cured? At the moment, no remedy has yet been developed that would get rid of the virus 100%. However, medicine does not stand still; perhaps a miracle drug for HIV infection will soon be developed.

Currently, medicine will help those infected to live a long and happy life by maintaining their health with antiviral drugs.

Which doctor should I contact?

A doctor who treats HIV infection is an infectious disease specialist. If you suspect immunodeficiency, you should contact this specialist. Where can I find it? Reception should be carried out in each clinic. If the medical institution to which you are geographically attached does not have this doctor, then feel free to contact the regional hospital.

You can list all your complaints to an infectious disease specialist, and he will prescribe special blood tests. Further clinical observation will be carried out. This is a mandatory part if the diagnosis is confirmed.

It is also important to know that there are anonymous AIDS centers everywhere. Help and initial consultation with an infectious disease specialist can also be obtained there.

Forecasts

How long do people live with HIV infection? If treated, it is possible to live up to 80 years with this disease. The earlier you start treatment, the easier it is to prevent the development of AIDS, which is the cause of death in this disease.

There is currently no drug that eliminates HIV infection 100%. The average life expectancy of HIV-infected people is 12 years. But it is worth remembering that a lot depends on your efforts.

Prevention

Above we described how HIV-infected people are treated in Russia, and now we will name the main preventive measures. In Russia, as in other countries, an integrated approach is used. The main means of therapy are antiviral drugs.

lead a safe and orderly intimate life;
be sure to treat sexually transmitted diseases;
avoid contact with other people's blood;
use disposable sealed syringes (do not use if packaging is damaged).

These simple rules will help to avoid such a serious disease as AIDS. Follow them and be healthy!

It is difficult to describe all the consequences of HIV infection. This is a complex process of finding a compromise, where much depends on who the message is addressed to. But how not to get stuck in these quicksands and, moreover, how to get out of them without lying, maintaining trust and principles?

When communicating with a person who has just learned of his diagnosis, we emphasize that even with HIV it is possible to lead a normal life, that a 20-year-old person who has been diagnosed with HIV may well live to be 70 years old or even longer. We tell you that modern treatment does not cause any particular inconvenience and has practically no side effects. The tone of the conversation is lively, as if nothing special is happening, along the way we tediously and repeatedly remind you of the need to adhere to treatment and disclose information if required by law.

At the same time, communication with an HIV-negative person is completely different; we explain that HIV is a disease that must be avoided at all costs.

To those who provide funds for our activities, we say that HIV remains terrible epidemic and a threat that must be fought at all costs to the bitter end.

We argue among ourselves about whether HIV is a “chronic, manageable disease.” We debate whether the stigma situation is better or worse than before.

How serious is it?

There are even those who consider HIV to be a common disease, which is fundamentally untrue. For example, the World Health Organization states: “Due to its long incubation period, multiple modes of transmission, most commonly sexual, and its potential to undermine our enormous efforts to develop a vaccine and find a definitive cure, HIV is one of the most challenging, serious and possibly , the most devastating infectious disease humanity has ever faced."

In addition, HIV is one of the few diseases that is subject to criminalization and is associated with a number of social problems, which contributes to the further spread of HIV infection and aggravates its consequences. When we talk about HIV, we inevitably encounter questions about inequality and injustice. About shame and self-stigmatization. About difficulties with work and housing, about gender and racial problems, about the availability and inaccessibility of treatment. HIV is undoubtedly a complex, multifaceted disease.

Given its complexity, I would say that there is plenty of room for different opinions about the consequences of infection and the impact of HIV on a person's life. There is a place for those who have come to terms with their HIV infection. There is also a place for those who climb the barricades and, with varying success, but always ardently and desperately fight the system - that is, HIV.

Personal experience

Our view of HIV is, of course, shaped by our own experiences. In my case everything was simple. I was diagnosed in 1993, and at the same time I became friends with a guy who had advanced AIDS and tried to take care of myself by attending several support groups. Although I remained calm in this valley of death, the feeling of my own mortality followed us relentlessly. To get an idea of what was going on in support groups in the 80s and 90s, just turn on the musical “La Boheme” (Rent). “Will I lose my dignity? Will anyone care? Will I wake up from this nightmare tomorrow? I remember once asking if a dog would be allowed at my deathbed when the time came.

Everything will be ok

Whatever you say, living with HIV in 2018 is much easier compared to those terrible times. Indeed, we survivors have scars - both on our bodies and on our souls - but we are alive. And we have the right to instill optimism in those who have recently been diagnosed. We can strive for a normal life. And the campaign helps us with this

Despite, or perhaps because of, this, my own experience largely supports the view of HIV that we tell newly diagnosed people: “You'll be fine, you'll be able to live a normal life.” If we wear T-shirts that say “HIV is not a crime” or “I'm not ashamed of having HIV,” we mean we are striving for a normal life. There is nothing wrong with this, even if someone can only dream about it.

HIV is a threat to humanity

At the same time, there are moments that cannot be considered normal. It is not normal for the world to be faced with an infectious disease that kills 1 million people a year and which, 35 years after its discovery, we still cannot cure. There is no room for complacency when the world experiences 1.8 million new infections every year. We need to continue to act and talk about this with all seriousness. And if we manage to live a relatively normal life with HIV, remember that this is rather the exception to the rule and that few - too few - can boast of this. We also need to convey to funders that HIV is still a threat and an insult to humanity, in which case we emphasize how serious the situation is, not how controllable it is.

Ultimately, we must make life with HIV as normal as possible by emphasizing the abnormal nature of the epidemic. This is a difficult process of finding a compromise, but there is no other way. Our community has accumulated solid experience - and in general, we are doing well so far.

HIV is not a barrier to living a full life!

In the modern world, with sufficiently developed medicine, there are diseases that cannot be treated. The most common disease that has claimed a large number of lives is HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). In Russia alone, about 800 thousand people are carriers of this infection. Among the infected people there are men, women and children. This virus is scary for everyone, but it is most dangerous for women, since they have a higher risk of infection and can pass the infection on to their child.

Symptoms of HIV in women appear with some differences.

Therefore, at the first doubt about your health, you should immediately consult a doctor and get tested.

Is it possible to become infected with HIV through household methods?

The more dangerous the disease, the more frightening a person is at the thought that he can become infected with it. HIV is transmitted through contact between the mucous membranes of a healthy and sick person (sperm, blood, cervical mucus). This virus does not spread through household means.

Another common question is whether HIV is transmitted through kissing. Doctors give a negative answer. The likelihood of contracting an infection in this situation, in the absence of wounds in the mouth and tongue of both partners, is zero.

Groups at risk of contracting the virus

The following population groups are at high risk of contracting HIV infection:

drug addicts who use drugs by injection (through a syringe needle);
women and men during unprotected sexual intercourse, as well as those practicing oral and anal sex;
children whose mothers are HIV positive;
doctors who, in their specialization, come into contact with infected people or tissues (diagnostic laboratory assistants, gynecologists, obstetricians, surgeons);
persons in need of blood transfusion;
people leading an immoral lifestyle.

In most cases, HIV is transmitted through needles among drug addicts and through unsafe sex.

Symptoms of having a virus

A woman has a greater risk of acquiring HIV. Therefore, you should always monitor your health and not do anything rash.

If a circumstance has occurred that causes you to doubt your HIV status, you should take a blood test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detects the presence of antibodies to the virus). But by nature, HIV does not manifest itself in the first days. Most people develop antibodies 3 months after infection, while others develop antibodies after 6 months. Therefore, 100% results will be achieved only in six months.

Before this period expires, you should pay attention to your well-being. Symptoms can be detected after a few weeks, or you may not feel any deviations from the norm for 10 years.

The first symptoms appear as:
enlarged lymph nodes;
excessive sweating at night;
lethargy, drowsiness and fatigue;
lack of appetite;
severe depression for no reason;

the presence of constantly elevated body temperature.

Without undergoing specific therapy to combat the virus, the infection will progress, immunity will weaken and health will deteriorate. Symptoms of complications of the disease may appear, such as:
vaginal infections;
presence of abnormalities in smear analysis;
the appearance of herpes, warts, ulcers on the labia majora;
red spots on the body;

white spots on the oral mucosa.

Even if a woman has these symptoms, they do not confirm the presence of the virus. Such painful manifestations may be signs of other infections (ARVI). Therefore, there is no need to panic.

During the six-month period, from the date of suspected infection or the onset of symptoms, you should avoid sexual and other contacts in which you can transmit the infection to a healthy person, you should not be a donor, and it is advisable to delay pregnancy.

Life after infection

A person with such a diagnosis needs to communicate correctly with healthy people. You can't put others in danger. If a woman decides to become pregnant naturally, she must inform her partner about her situation. Otherwise, this is a crime in Russia, it is criminally punishable (Article 122 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

If HIV is left untreated, it develops into acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This is the last stage of the disease. Against the background of AIDS, other infectious diseases develop, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, meningitis, and herpes. Any infection (even a cold) in AIDS patients leads to serious consequences, since their immune system is not able to cope with bacteria and viruses. AIDS can be fatal; there are more than 100 thousand such cases in Russia.