AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, "Acquired" means you can get infected with it, "Immune Deficiency" means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases and "Syndrome" means a group of health problems that make up a disease. AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. People who have the HIV antibodies are called "HIV-Positive." Being HIV-positive, or having HIV disease, is not the same as having AIDS. Many people are HIV-positive but don't get sick for many years. As HIV disease continues, it slowly wears down the immune system. Viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria that usually don't cause any problems can make you very sick if your immune system is damaged. These are called "opportunistic infections."

How is HIV transmitted? You can become infected with HIV in several ways, including:

1. Unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal, oral).
2. Transmission through infected blood. In some cases, the virus may be transmitted through blood and blood products that you receive in blood transfusions.
3. Transmission through needle sharing. HIV is easily transmitted through needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood.
4. Unsterilized needles for tattooing, skin piercing or acupuncture.
5. Pregnancy, delivery and breast feeding (from an HIV-infected mother to her infant).
6. In rare cases, the virus may be transmitted through organ or tissue transplants or unsterilized dental or surgical equipment.
7. Occupational exposure in health care settings.

Ways HIV is not transmitted:

Symptoms:  HIV infection weakens your immune system, making you highly susceptible to a large number of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections.

Early infection: When first infected with HIV, you may have no signs or symptoms at all, although it's more common to develop a brief flu-like illness two to four weeks after becoming infected. Signs and symptoms may include:

Later infection. You may remain symptom-free for eight or nine years or more. But as the virus continues to multiply and destroy immune cells, you may develop mild infections or chronic symptoms such as:

AIDS is the later stage of HIV infection, when the body begins losing its ability to fight infections. Once the CD4 cell count falls low enough, an infected person is said to have AIDS. The infections that happen with AIDS are called opportunistic infections because they take advantage of the opportunity to infect a weakened host. Some infections include:

Symptoms of HIV in children: Children who are HIV-positive may experience:

If you feel any of above symptoms do take doctor's appointment as soon as possible. Always remember Prevention is better than cure. 

Treatment: There is no cure for AIDS. There are drugs that can slow down the HIV virus, and slow down the damage to your immune system. There is no way to "clear" the HIV out of your body. A panel of leading AIDS specialists has developed recommendations for the use of anti-retroviral medications in people with HIV. According to current guidelines, treatment should focus on achieving the maximum suppression of symptoms for as long as possible. This aggressive approach is known as highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). But the treatment guidelines also emphasize the importance of quality of life. Thus the goal of AIDS treatment is to find the strongest possible regimen that is also simple and has the fewest side effects. Anti-retroviral drugs inhibit the growth and replication of HIV at various stages of its life cycle. Seven classes of these drugs are:

1. Nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).
2. Protease inhibitors (PIs).
3. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs).
4. Nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NtRTIs).
5. Fusion inhibitors.
6. Integrase inhibitors.
7. Chemokine co-receptor inhibitors.

Treatment response: Your response to any treatment is measured by viral load. Viral load should be tested at the start of treatment and then every three to four months while you're undergoing therapy. In some cases, you may be tested even more often.

Pregnant women who are HIV-positive should seek care immediately because HAART therapy reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to the fetus. There are certain drugs, however, that are harmful to the baby. Therefore, seeing a physician to discuss anti-HIV medications is crucial.

Lifestyle and home remedies:

• Make sure your doctor knows how to treat HIV.
• Follow your doctor's instructions.
• Get immunizations. These may prevent infections such as pneumonia and the flu.
• Don't smoke or use illicit drugs.
• Eat the healthiest diet you can.
• Avoid foods that may put you at risk of infection. Such as unpasteurized dairy products, raw eggs and raw seafood such as oysters, sushi or sashimi.
• Drink pure water
• Get regular exercise.
• Get enough sleep.
• Take care with companion animals. Some animals may carry parasites that can cause infections in people who are HIV-positive. You can protect yourself by having someone else clean your cat's litter box or pick up after your dog. Don't feed your pets raw meat, and make sure they have all their shots. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after petting or playing with your animals.
• Find ways to relax. Keep your hands clean. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the restroom, before eating or preparing food, and after spending time in public places.

Prevention of AIDS and HIV Infection: Risks can be minimized if you

• Don't have sexual contact with anyone who has symptoms of AIDS or who is a member of a high risk group for AIDS.
• Avoid sexual contact with anyone who has had sex with people at risk of getting AIDS.
• Don't have sex with prostitutes.
• Avoid having sex with anyone who has multiple and/or anonymous sexual partners.

• Avoid oral, genital and anal contact with partner's blood, semen, vaginal secretions, feces or urine. Unless they know with absolute certainty that their partner is not infected, a latex condom should be used during each sexual act, from start to finish.
• Avoid anal intercourse altogether.
• Don't share toothbrushes, razors or other implements that could become contaminated with the blood of anyone who is or might be infected with the AIDS virus.
• Exercise caution regarding procedures, such as acupuncture, tattooing, and ear piercing, etc., in which needles or other non sterile instruments may be used repeatedly to pierce the skin and/or mucous membranes
• If an individual is scheduling surgery in the near future, and is able, they could consider donating blood for their own use. This will eliminate completely the already very small risk of contracting AIDS through a blood transfusion. It will also eliminate the risk of contracting other blood borne diseases (such as hepatitis) from a transfusion.

Take precautions if you're HIV-positive:

Help and support: Strong relationships are crucial in dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Although friends and family can be your best allies, in some cases they may have trouble dealing with your illness. If so, an HIV counselor, other people who are HIV-positive, or a formal support group may be helpful. When your disease is first diagnosed, you may not want anyone to know. But HIV/AIDS is a heavy burden to carry alone. Like many people, you may eventually decide that it's important for your emotional well-being to confide in someone you trust.

(Sources: aids.org, hc-sc.gc.ca, mayoclinic.com, emedicinehealth.com, healthscout.com)