Be aware of HIV/AIDS to fight against the disease
HIV is a serious worldwide public health concern, having claimed the lives of 36.3 million people to date. According to the World Health Organisation, by the end of 2020, an estimated 37.7 million persons were living with HIV. Furthermore, in 2020, 680 000 people died from HIV-related causes.
World AIDS Day takes place on December 1 each year. It is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the immune system, weakening people's defences against various illnesses and cancers that healthy immune systems can combat. Infected people become immunodeficient as the virus kills and inhibits the function of immune cells. The CD4 cell count is often used to assess immune function.
AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is a group of diseases caused by infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The most advanced stage of HIV infection is AIDS, which, depending on the person, may take several years to develop if not treated.
Depending on the stage of infection, HIV symptoms differ. Though people living with HIV are most infectious in the first few months following infection, many may not realise they are infected until later. For example, in the first few weeks following infection, people may have no symptoms or an influenza-like sickness, such as fever, headache, rash, or sore throat.
They may develop additional signs and symptoms when the virus impairs their immune system, including enlarged lymph nodes, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea, and cough. In addition, they might acquire serious diseases, including tuberculosis (TB), cryptococcal meningitis, severe bacterial infections, and malignancies like lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma if they don't get treatment.
In the following ways HIV can be transmitted from one person to another:
• Sexual contact, considerable exposure to infected bodily fluids or tissues, and transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or nursing are the three primary methods by which HIV is transmitted (known as vertical transmission).
• If faeces, nasal secretions, saliva, sputum, sweat, tears, urine, or vomit are not contaminated with blood, there is no danger of contracting HIV.
• HIV superinfection occurs when two or more strains of HIV are co-infected in the same person.
It is crucial to remember that regular everyday interactions like kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal items, food, or drink cannot infect individuals. Also, HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and are virally suppressed do not transfer the virus to their sexual partners.
To avoid contracting HIV, it is critical to be aware of the risk factors. The possible risk factors of HIV are:
• Individuals are more likely to get HIV if they engage in the following behaviours and conditions
• Having unprotected anal or
vaginal sex
• Having sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as Syphilis, Herpes, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Bacterial vaginosis
• When injecting drugs, exchanging infected needles, syringes, and other injecting equipment, as well as drug solutions;
• Receiving potentially dangerous injections, blood transfusions, and tissue transplants, as well as medical procedures involving unsterile cutting or piercing; and having needle stick injuries, notably among health care employees
Limiting exposure to risk factors reduces the chance of HIV infection. Other effective HIV prevention strategies include:
• The use of male and female condoms
• Testing and counselling for HIV, STI, and MTCT (mother-to-child transmission)
• Testing and counselling for TB
• Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC)
• Use of antiretroviral medications (ARVs)
• Harm reduction for those who inject and use drugs.
To maintain a healthy lifestyle, one must be aware of the sickness.
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