HIV: Medical Information

Many myths and inaccuracies surround HIV and AIDS education, and as a result, many people put themselves at risk of infection. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that each year, there are approximately 56,300 new HIV infections, with around 21 percent of those who are positive being unaware of their condition. Government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health work to ensure proper medical information about HIV and AIDS is available. 

Causes

1. Human immunodeficiency virus, known as HIV, is a viral infection that is spread through the exchange of certain body fluids. People having unprotected sex risk contracting HIV because their partner might be infected. Sharing drug needles with an infected person also can lead to infection. People who received blood transfusions or a blood-clotting factor between 1978 and 1985 are also at risk for HIV, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If a mother is infected with HIV, the baby she delivers might be infected during birth or from breastfeeding. HIV cannot be passed among people just by a hug or handshake.

   Symptoms

2. Many people infected with HIV might, at first, have no signs or symptoms at all. Some early infection symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic, include headaches, fever, a sore throat and a rash. Later, the infection presents itself in the form of swollen lymph nodes, sometimes accompanied by diarrhea, weight loss, fever, coughing and breathing problems. During this time, the virus is multiplying and destroying immune cells and helper T cells. These symptoms might not appear until eight years or more after infection. The latest infection phase occurs around 10 or more years after infection. At this time, the virus might begin to develop into AIDS, which is when the body has a CD4 lymphocyte count of under 200 paired with an opportunistic infection.

   Testing

3. Testing for HIV should be done as soon as infection is suspected. Testing locations for HIV include private doctors' offices, public health centers, hospitals and local health departments. Doctors take a blood sample to evaluate the presence of HIV. Those that are HIV positive then go through several other tests to monitor bodily functions. According to the National Institutes of Health, a viral load test measures how well your immune system is controlling the infection by measuring the amount of the virus in your blood. Individuals might also go through drug resistance testing, which measures whether the HIV strain present is resistant to treatment.

   Treatment

4. Many people infected with HIV might not immediately want or need treatment for the condition. Those that are otherwise healthy overall with working immune systems and low virus counts can choose to postpone a vigorous treatment process. The National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services both recommend the HAART treatment for HIV. HAART stands for Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy and consists of three or more medications working together to prevent the virus from spreading and damaging your immune system.

   Cure

5. As of 2010, there is no cure for HIV or AIDS. Scientists are working toward finding a cure by performing clinical trials, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These clinical trials help researchers understand the infection and develop new treatments, prevention methods and, eventually, a cure.

Source : www.ehow.com