Don't be afraid, AIDS is a virus, not a bullet

If the human body is likened to a country, the HIV virus specifically destroys the country's army (immune system). When the country's army loses its combat effectiveness, any foreign invaders, even "outlaws" in the country itself, can wreak havoc at will.

What is AIDS?

AIDS is a disease caused by HIV. After the patient is infected, the virus multiplies in the body and attacks the immune system, which greatly affects the body's resistance and makes it more susceptible to other diseases. AIDS is highly contagious. When the patient is first infected, he may just be a virus carrier, and later he becomes a real AIDS patient and gradually develops clinical symptoms. Most infected people take 5-10 years to develop into patients, and generally die within 2-3 years after the onset of the disease. Therefore, whether it is in the early or late stages of infection, timely examination and treatment should be carried out. If it reaches the late stage, it will make treatment more difficult.

AIDS is mainly transmitted through three ways: blood, semen, breast milk and vaginal secretions. It is transmitted through direct contact with blood. It can be infected after using the injection tools of an infected person, so drug users are very susceptible to infection. It can also be infected after having unprotected sex with an AIDS patient, whether it is homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual. Mothers with AIDS can transmit the virus to their children throughout the entire process from pregnancy to delivery and breastfeeding, attacking the immature immune system of the newborn and causing the child to become ill.

Why are we afraid of AIDS?

Initially, when a person is infected with HIV, the virus can damage the human immune system and attack the important T4 lymphocyte tissue in the body, which is extremely harmful. HIV itself does not cause disease, but it damages the immune system in the human body, so the resistance becomes low, and there is no ability to replicate cells, which makes it easy to suffer from other diseases.

There are some symptoms in the early stage of AIDS, including weight loss, diarrhea, headache, and strong fatigue. Exercise to lose weight is a common thing for everyone. If there is no weight loss plan and the weight loss is serious, it is necessary to pay attention. Diarrhea will affect the daily life of AIDS patients. Due to electrolyte imbalance and dehydration, the patient's intestines will be damaged, leading to diarrhea. The patient cannot get nutrition from the diet and lacks vitamin intake, which directly affects the patient's immunity. AIDS can damage the patient's nervous system and cause psychological problems. The virus can also damage brain cells, which puts a burden on the patient's physiology and psychology. Fatigue and sweating are also one of the early symptoms. During the day, you can't get up in the morning, you have no energy, your memory is significantly reduced, your reaction is slow, you have no appetite, and you sweat easily when you rest at night. You often feel very sleepy and don't sleep well. At this time, you need to pay more attention to your physical health [1].

There are also some other symptoms that will appear in the early stages. Oral diseases, such as thrush, can cause ulcers in the mouth. In severe cases, this can affect the throat, making it difficult to eat. For fat metabolism disorders, patients will take medications, which can also bring side effects and lead to fat metabolism disorders. Some patients experience diarrhea, nausea, and even muscle pain after taking medications for a long time. These symptoms can cause damage to the patient's body when they become severe. After being infected with HIV, when the patient's peripheral nerves become diseased, damage can occur to the hands, feet, mouth, and other parts of the body. These can also be caused by taking medications.

How should we deal with it? Due to the variability and polymorphism of HIV, vaccine development is extremely difficult. In terms of AIDS treatment drugs, some domestic and foreign drugs have a certain effect on reducing viral load and delaying the onset of the disease, but the drugs are expensive, the medication method is complicated, the adverse reactions are large, and they cannot completely cure the disease. As a result, the average life expectancy in some AIDS-endemic areas has generally declined. Although there is no way to cure it, we can prevent it. So, what are the preventive measures for AIDS[2]?

1. Keeping oneself clean and abiding by sexual ethics are fundamental measures to prevent the sexual transmission of AIDS.

2. Avoid getting dirty with the injured person’s blood during daily first aid.

3. Do not go to medical institutions or other places with lax disinfection to get injections, tooth extractions, ear piercings, tattoos, eyebrow tattoos, acupuncture or surgery;

4. Use condoms correctly when having sex and practice safe sex. Do not have sex with people in high-risk groups. Do not receive blood products from abroad in small hospitals. Do not get your teeth cleaned in small clinics.

5. Do not take drugs and do not share needles.

References:

1. Lei Minggang. How long can you live with AIDS? How to detect AIDS early[J]. Family Medicine (Second Half of the Month), 2021(07):62-63.

2. Chinese AIDS diagnosis and treatment guidelines (2018 edition)[J]. Electronic Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2019, 4(02): 65-84.