HIV: a deadly virus and not a disease

For the average individual, HIV means AIDS. However, that is not the case. HIV and AIDS are not very different, but the difference, although it may seem discreet, is there. That may be why they often go hand in hand. However, it is important to highlight the differences. HIV is a virus; a lentivirus in fact, which is a subset of viruses called retroviruses or slow viruses; the virus that leads to AIDS. Scientific research shows that AIDS is the last of the four stages of HIV, with the first three being the window stage, the seroconversion stage, and the symptom-free stage, respectively. HIV is called a retrovirus because it is a progressing virus. It invades the body through mucous membranes and the bloodstream (through blood-to-blood contact) and exists in bodily fluids: semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk. Once inside, the virus begins its journey into the body by attacking and destroying the cells of the immune system, causing the immune system to deteriorate. This inevitably leads to AIDS.

HIV is said to have originated in non-human African primates and was transferred to humans in the 20th century. There are 2 subtypes; HIV-1, which is a more virulent type and is easily transmitted and is the cause of most HIV infections worldwide, and HIV-2, which is less transmissible and is largely limited to West Africa. These strains were found to originate from Cameroon and Guinea Bissau / Gabon, respectively.

There are many forms of HIV transmission, but the main ones are through infected needles (or sharp objects), unprotected sex, breast milk, and vertical transmission (also known as mother-to-child transmission).
However, it cannot be transmitted through handshakes, hugs, sharing the same cup or spoon with an infected person, or sitting in the same chair.

HIV is a deadly virus that infects the most vital cells of the immune system, such as CD4 + T cells and macrophages. The infection causes a rapid drop in the number of CD4 + T cells by killing the cells and causing a higher rate of apoptosis (programmed cell death).

When the count of these cells (CD4 + T cells) falls below 200 and 2 or more opportunistic infections appear, the individual can be diagnosed as a patient with AIDS.

So how can HIV be treated?

Currently, there are some drugs to treat the virus called antiretroviral drugs or anti-HIV drugs.

However, these drugs require full commitment and must be taken throughout a person’s life and also at the right time, because the virus can easily develop resistance to these drugs. They are also known to produce serious side effects that can now be reduced.
HIV can take ten years or more to turn into AIDS in the average person. However, this time interval varies from one individual to another and is dependent on having a reasonable diet.
Symptoms to show the presence of this deadly virus?

The most effective way to find out if a person has the virus is to take a test. However, some people develop flu-like symptoms, such as rashes and swollen glands, for a short time, but these symptoms do not necessarily reflect the presence of HIV. Most of the time, people are asymptomatic and feel healthy, but they can pass the disease on to other unsuspecting people. Therefore, it is important for a person to be tested if they think they might have a chance of coming into contact with the virus. The test may not be accurate if it is taken less than three months from the last exposure.

HIV currently has no cure, but it CAN be prevented. As the saying goes

” Prevention is better than cure. ”
The best way to prevent infection as recommended by the World Health Organization is ABSTINENCE. However, practicing safe sex (latex condoms are only 85% effective when used correctly) when one cannot abstain from sex, it is also recommended to avoid sharing sharp objects with people. These are some of the many ways to prevent the spread of this pandemic disease that affects approximately 0.6 percent of the world’s population.

However, receiving an HIV diagnosis is not the end of the world. You can still have a full, normal, long and happy life if the virus is just a footnote in your existence. The first step in this life is to get tested. A pregnant woman who has tested positive does not necessarily have to pass it to her fetus. Antiretroviral drugs are known to reduce this risk by 25 to 2 percent. There have been stories of particular people with HIV who have normal children AND a fairly normal life.
Being HIV positive does not make you less human than anyone else, it just means that you have a virus that CAN be treated. People are known to survive with this disease for more than thirty years with good treatment. The key is early detection.

Different societies have different unsolicited ways of “treating” HIV patients. Some even burn them. Other not-so-serious consequences of having the disease include withdrawal from all forms of human life, including exile from the community. All this is not necessary, these patients are human like everyone else and alienation is not the way to banish disease from society. Each and every one of the societies must be more considerate with the people who live with this disease, you cannot contact them by talking to them, sharing with them and making them feel accepted. HIV is real and people should be aware of that fact. The sooner we all learn that we have to come together and fight him, the better.

A person can live a normal life with HIV. It is ONLY a virus.