AIDS Science | An in-depth article to help you understand

As we all know, AIDS is a very terrible disease. When it comes to it, many people are afraid to get it. According to the 9th National AIDS Academic Conference: By the end of 2023, there will be 1.29 million HIV-infected people and AIDS patients reported alive in China, and 110,500 new AIDS patients will be added in my country in 2023.

And because they are ashamed to talk about the symptoms, many AIDS patients are not checked out until their condition is very serious. In fact, AIDS has many symptoms in the early stages of the disease, and each of us needs to understand and master the methods to prevent AIDS.

What is AIDS?

AIDS is a chronic infectious disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus, and is the abbreviation of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It has the characteristics of rapid transmission, slow onset, and high mortality rate. Patients and HIV carriers are both sources of infection, and the general population is susceptible.

HIV acts on human immune cells, destroying the body's immune system and causing serious infections and tumors. The incubation period can be as short as a few months or as long as several years. In the early stages of infection, symptoms such as fever, general discomfort, headache, nausea, and muscle aches may occur. After about two weeks, the symptoms disappear and enter the asymptomatic period. At this time, there may be repeated swelling of lymph nodes throughout the body.

During the onset period, systemic symptoms may appear, including fever, night sweats, and anorexia, and gradually invade various systems such as the nervous system, respiratory system, digestive system, skin mucosa, eyes, etc., and may be followed by tumors, serious bacterial infections, and fungal infections.

AIDS is a serious disease with a high mortality rate and is incurable. Patients infected with HIV need to take medication regularly throughout their lives. If they do not adhere to standardized treatment, the disease will progress rapidly after onset. AIDS can be prevented and treated but cannot be cured. The key is early detection! Early testing! Early treatment!

How AIDS is spread

HIV exists in the infected person's blood, semen, vaginal secretions, breast milk and wound exudate. There are three main ways of transmission:

0 1 Sexually transmitted

This is the main way of HIV transmission in the world. The more sexual partners you have, the greater the chance of contracting HIV.

0 2 Mother-to-child transmission

Women infected with HIV may also pass HIV to their fetus or baby through pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

0 3****Blood transmission

Transfusion of HIV-infected blood or blood products; sharing of HIV-contaminated, unsterilized needles and syringes by intravenous drug addicts; and sharing of other medical equipment or daily necessities (such as sharing toothbrushes or razors with infected people) may also cause infection through damaged areas, but this is rare.

Which methods do not spread AIDS?

1. Food, water, and air.

2. General contact in public places, such as: taking classes in the same classroom, seats and handrails of various public transportation, office supplies in the office, tools in factory workshops, general activities in theaters, shopping malls, swimming pools, etc.

3. Polite kissing, hugging, coughing, sneezing, talking, eating together, living together, and shaking hands.

4. Shared toilets, bathtubs, and the same bathing pool.

5. Insect bites.

6. Banknotes, coins and tickets.

HIV infection and subsequent course

It can generally be divided into high-risk behavior, acute infection period, incubation period, and AIDS onset period.

High-risk behavior

High-risk behaviors are behaviors that have a higher risk of transmitting HIV, such as:

- Unprotected intercourse

Sharing syringes for intravenous drug use

Selling blood or giving blood transfusions at illegal blood collection points

Unsanitized tattoos and ear piercings from unregulated institutions

Occupational exposure of medical staff, etc.

When can blocking drugs be taken to prevent infection?

After engaging in high-risk behavior, you can go to the hospital within 72 hours (the sooner the better) and take blocking drugs to prevent HIV infection.

The success rate of blocking drugs: The best blocking effect is within 2 hours

If taken within 24 hours, there is a high chance of blocking the disease

There is still hope for success if taken within 72 hours

If it exceeds 72 hours, there will be no blocking effect

Acute infection (early symptoms)

Common symptoms: mainly cold-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, fatigue, etc., which may be accompanied by rash (mostly on the chest and face), swollen lymph nodes throughout the body (generally painless), etc.

Duration: It may occur 2 to 4 weeks after infection through high-risk behavior and last for 1 to 3 weeks before resolving on its own.

Experts remind: Even if the HIV antibody test is negative at this time, it cannot rule out infection. You should go to the hospital in time for HIV nucleic acid testing and assessment of whether antiviral treatment is needed.

Incubation period

Common symptoms: After the acute phase, the infected person enters the latent phase. During the latent phase, there are almost no AIDS-related symptoms, but the virus has replicated wildly in the patient's body and can be transmitted to other people.

Duration: This stage usually lasts 5 to 10 years, with an average of 7 to 8 years.

Experts warn: If the disease is discovered and treated early at this stage, the incubation period may be prolonged, and the patient may even not develop into typical AIDS, and have a normal life span similar to that of ordinary people.

AIDS outbreak period

The onset stage of AIDS can be divided into the pre-AIDS stage and the typical AIDS stage.

Pre-AIDS:

Swollen lymph nodes throughout the body that lasts for several months

Periodic low-grade fever and night sweats that last for several months

Losing more than 10% of body weight for no apparent reason

Various bacterial or viral infections throughout the body

Typical AIDS stage:

The pre-AIDS stage lasts about a year and will develop into the typical AIDS stage. Patients will have severe immunodeficiency and suffer from various fatal infections and even various malignant tumors, and will eventually die within an average of six months to two years.

Is there no cure?

At present, AIDS cannot be completely cured, but through the combined use of multiple antiretroviral drugs (also known as cocktail therapy), the replication of HIV in the patient's body can be inhibited and the function of the immune system can be restored. The patient's resistance to various opportunistic infections and tumors will be enhanced, and the patient will be able to live and work like a normal person.

10 facts about AIDS

1. What is HIV? Is HIV infection not the same as AIDS?

Being infected with HIV does not mean you have AIDS.

HIV is the abbreviation of human immunodeficiency virus. This virus can damage the cells of the human immune system, causing the body's resistance to decline. The full name of AIDS is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. After the human body is infected with HIV, it progresses to a certain extent, the immune system is severely damaged, and the human body will develop various opportunistic infections and tumors. It is called AIDS.

2. AIDS can be

Handshake or hug?

HIV cannot be spread by shaking hands or hugging.

HIV mainly exists in the blood, semen, vaginal secretions, breast milk and other body fluids of AIDS patients and HIV-infected people. Intact skin can effectively block the invasion of the virus. As long as the skin is not damaged, it will not be infected with AIDS if it comes into contact with normal sweat and other secretions on the surface of the body of AIDS patients.

3. Can mosquito bites spread AIDS?

Mosquito bites do not spread AIDS.

HIV in the blood is inactivated in the mosquito's digestive system. In addition, the amount of blood remaining in the mosquito's mouthparts is very small, and the amount of virus it carries is far from enough to cause infection in new individuals.

4. HIV-positive mothers must

Will the virus be passed on to children?

An HIV-positive mother does not necessarily pass the virus to her child.

Without any intervention measures, the probability of mother-to-child transmission is about 15%-45%. However, through effective mother-to-child transmission prevention measures, including antiviral treatment during pregnancy, choosing a safe delivery method and avoiding breastfeeding, the risk of mother-to-child transmission can be reduced to less than 2%.

5. Will having AIDS seriously affect your life expectancy?

Through effective antiretroviral treatment, the HIV viral load in AIDS patients can be reduced, the patient's immune system can be kept healthy, and the risk of complications caused by HIV and other infections can be reduced.

Therefore, with active treatment, AIDS patients can prolong their lifespan and improve their quality of life.

6. Will you be infected with AIDS by sharing tableware with an AIDS patient?

You will not be infected with AIDS by sharing eating utensils with an AIDS patient.

The amount of HIV in saliva is extremely low, far from enough to cause infection. HIV is also very fragile in the environment and will quickly lose its activity once it leaves the human body.

7. Is AIDS a terminal illness? Is there no cure?

At present, AIDS cannot be completely cured, but through the combined use of multiple antiretroviral drugs (also known as cocktail therapy), the replication of HIV in the patient's body can be inhibited and the function of the immune system can be restored. The patient's resistance to various opportunistic infections and tumors will be enhanced, and the patient will be able to live and work like a normal person.

8. Can AIDS be transmitted through kissing?

AIDS is not transmitted through kissing.

Although HIV can be detected in saliva, the concentration of the virus in saliva is too low to cause infection. However, if there are injuries in the mouths of both parties, such as severe oral ulcers, bleeding gums, etc., the blood containing the virus may enter the other party's body through the injuries, thereby increasing the risk of HIV transmission.

9. Will you be infected with AIDS by sharing a swimming pool or public bathroom with an AIDS patient?

In swimming pool water or public bathroom environments, HIV virus is difficult to survive for a long time due to the dilution effect of water, the presence of disinfectants (swimming pool water usually contains disinfectants), and environmental factors (such as temperature, pH value, etc.). At the same time, human skin is a natural and very effective protective barrier, and HIV virus cannot penetrate the skin to enter the human body.

Therefore, you will not be infected with AIDS by sharing a swimming pool or public bathroom with an AIDS patient.

10. People infected with HIV cannot be vaccinated?

HIV-infected people can receive some vaccines, but many factors need to be considered when administering the vaccine.

HIV-infected people can usually receive inactivated vaccines and recombinant protein vaccines. Extra caution is required when receiving live attenuated vaccines, such as measles, rubella, and varicella, which are usually live attenuated vaccines. Because the immune system of HIV-infected people is impaired, receiving live attenuated vaccines may cause the attenuated pathogens in the vaccine to overproliferate in the body and cause infection.

Therefore, whether HIV-infected people should be vaccinated should be determined based on a comprehensive assessment of factors such as the type of vaccine and their own immune status, and it is best done under the professional guidance of a doctor.

Is it possible to remedy high-risk behavior after it occurs?

It can be remedied, but the remedy is conditional!

Post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV/AIDS was previously mainly used for special professionals such as police officers and medical staff, with very good prevention results. Now, this service has also been applied to other groups of people.

If you have engaged in high-risk sexual behavior, been sexually assaulted, or engaged in other risky behaviors, do not panic and take post-exposure prophylaxis as soon as possible to reduce the risk of HIV infection. Once high-risk behavior occurs, the sooner you take post-exposure prophylaxis, the better the effect.

If you really need to take post-exposure prophylaxis medication, it is best to complete it within 24 hours (the sooner the better), and no later than 72 hours!

HIV post-exposure prophylaxis drugs are prescription drugs. Before taking them, you need to undergo a professional risk assessment and use them under the guidance of a doctor. If necessary, please go to a designated AIDS medical institution to obtain them.

Ways to avoid AIDS

Maintaining a monogamous relationship

Avoid having sexual intercourse for the first time too early, maintain a loyal and monogamous relationship with your sexual partner, and avoid having multiple sexual partners.

Use condoms correctly

Condoms can effectively avoid contact with body fluids and reduce the risk of HIV infection. Correctly using qualified condoms throughout each sexual intercourse is the simplest and most effective way to prevent HIV infection.

Encourage informed friendship

Avoid high-risk sexual activity with people whose HIV infection status is unknown. If necessary, learn your partner's HIV test results before engaging in sexual activity and take protective measures based on the infection status.

If the other person has recently engaged in high-risk behavior, it is best to wait for further testing before considering whether to have sex.

It is also important to note that there is a window period for HIV testing. The window period for HIV antibody testing is currently 3 to 12 weeks after high-risk behavior. A negative test result during the window period does not mean that you are not infected with HIV. And those infected during the window period are in the acute infection period and are highly contagious.

Refuse to have unprotected sex on the grounds of a negative HIV test result . Remember when having sex: use qualified condoms correctly every time and throughout the entire process.

Stay away from drugs

Drugs (or addictive substances) can interfere with people's self-control ability, making them more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors such as unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners.

At the same time, new drugs such as methamphetamine are very active on the cerebral cortex, which can put people in a state of strong sexual impulse for a short period of time. At this time, violent sexual behavior is very likely to occur, causing mucosal damage and bleeding, and increasing the risk of HIV infection.

HTV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

It refers to a method in which people who have not yet been infected with HIV take specific antiviral drugs as soon as possible (no more than 72 hours) to reduce the risk of HIV infection after being exposed to a high risk of infection, such as exchanging body fluids with HIV-infected people or people whose infection status is unknown, to reduce the risk of HIV infection.

After engaging in high-risk behavior, you should go to a medical institution for consultation in time and use blocking drugs within 72 hours. The earlier you take the medicine, the better the effect. Take it continuously for 28 days to reduce the risk of HIV infection.

It is recommended that all people who have engaged in behaviors that may lead to HIV infection with the exposure source use PEP as soon as possible.