HIV/AIDS

HIV is a life-threatening virus that weakens the human body’s immune system. If left untreated, it can lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a serious condition where the body cannot fight off infections or illnesses. Currently. There is no cure for the disease, but early treatment helps manage HIV and keeps others safe.

Overview

What is HIV?

HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a virus that attacks and weakens the body’s immune system, making it harder to fight infection and diseases. If left untreated, HIV can develop into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition where the immune system is severely compromised.

What is AIDS?

AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV infection. It occurs when HIV has severely damaged the immune system, leaving the body unable to fight off infections and certain cancers. People with AIDs have very low count of white blood cells and severely weakened immune defenses. They may developed additional illnesses that indicate the progression to AIDS. Without treatment, AIDS can be life threatening and may lead to death.

What impact does HIV have on someone’s health?

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) weakens the body’s immune system by attacking white blood cells called CD4 or helper T cells, which are essential for fighting diseases and infections. As the virus multiplies, it destroys these cells, gradually reducing the body’s ability to protect itself. Many people experience mild, flu-like symptoms soon after infection. After this early stage, HIV can remain hidden in the body for years without showing clear symptoms, while continuing to damage the immune system. Without proper treatment, it can eventually progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a severe stage where the body becomes highly vulnerable to life-threatening infections and certain cancers.

Who can be affected by HIV?

A person’s race or sexual identity does not determine their chances of contracting HIV. Anyone can become infected. However, certain groups are at a higher risk of acquiring HIV, such as those who:

Having unprotected sexual intercourse with a partner who has HIV, without knowing their status, increases the risk of infection.
A child born to a mother who is already infected with HIV can contract the virus during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.
Have social or financial issues that prevent them from accessing good healthcare services, education or ways to prevent it
Sharing injection equipment like needles or syringes during drug use.

What’s a retrovirus?

A retrovirus is a type of virus that processes differently than normal human cells. Human cells keep genetic information in DNA, which sends messages using RNA, a molecule that carries the instructions to make proteins for the body. Rather than using DNA, retroviruses contain RNA as their genetic information. When they infect a cell, they transform their RNA into DNA and insert it into the cell’s DNA. As a result, the cell uses the virus’s information to produce more viruses.

HIV is a type of retrovirus that not only uses cells to replicate itself but also permanently inserts its genetic material into your DNA.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the common symptoms of HIV?

It is possible for a person to have HIV without showing any symptoms for years. Even without symptoms, the virus can still damage the immune system. Gradually, if left untreated, HIV weakens the body’s ability to fight infections and diseases. Sometimes, you may develop flu-like symptoms such as:

Chills.
Fever.
Fatigue.
Rash.
Sore throat.
Swollen lymph nodes.
Mouth sores.
Night sweats.
Muscle aches.

You may also develop mild infections or experience long-lasting symptoms such as:

Diarrhea.
Weight loss.
Oral yeast infection, also called thrush.
Shingles, also called herpes zoster.
Pneumonia.

This highlights the importance of getting tested, even if you don’t feel sick.

Shingles (herpes zoster)

Oral yeast infection (thrush)

What are the stages of HIV?

Stage 1

Acute HIV Infection

This is the earliest stage, usually occurring within 2-4 weeks after infection. Many people experience flu-like symptoms a month or two after contracting HIV. these symptoms typically disappear within one to four weeks (1 month).

Stage 2

Chronic HIV Infection (Clinical Latency)

After the acute stage, the virus remains active but reproduces at very low levels. It’s important to note that you can still spread the virus to other people even if you don’t feel sick.

Stage 3

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

AIDS is the final and most severe stage of HIV, where the immune system is severely damaged, making it difficult to fight infections and certain cancers.

What conditions define AIDS?

Here is a list of common AIDS-defining illnesses:

HIV wasting syndrome
Primary lymphoma of the brain
Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.
Recurrent pneumonia.
Herpes simplex bronchitis, pneumonitis or esophagitis (onset at age older than one month).
Histoplasmosis spread outside the lungs (disseminated/extrapulmonary).
Invasive cervical cancer
Kaposi sarcoma
Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), spread outside the lungs (disseminated/extrapulmonary).
Multiple or recurrent bacterial infections.
Mycobacterium kansasii, spread outside the lungs (disseminated/extrapulmonary).
Mycobacterium, other species or unidentified species, spread outside the lungs (disseminated/extrapulmonary).
Recurrent Salmonella septicemia (nontyphoid).
Toxoplasmosis of the brain (onset at age older than one month).
Burkitt lymphoma
Candidiasis of bronchi, esophagus, trachea or lungs
Chronic intestinal isosporiasis (cystoisosporiasis) that lasts more than a month.
Chronic intestinal isosporiasis (cystoisosporiasis) that persists for more than a month
Coccidioidomycosis, reaches other parts of the body (disseminated/extrapulmonary)
Encephalopathy attributed to HIV
Extrapulmonary cryptococcosis
Herpes simplex ulcers, remaining for over a month.
Cytomegalovirus retinitis, causing vision loss
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease affecting organs other than the liver, spleen, or lymph nodes, starting after the first month of life
Immunoblastic Lymphoma
Mycobacterium tuberculosis of any site.

How is HIV/AIDS caused?

HIV develops when the Human Immunodeficiency Virus enters the body and gradually damages the immune system, reducing its ability to fight infections and diseases. If left untreated, HIV can progress to AIDS, the end-stage of the infection, where the immune system becomes severely weakened and unable to defend against infections and certain cancers.

How does HIV spread?

HIV spread primarily through:

Unprotected sexual contact with an infected person through their blood, semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk, and rectal fluids.
Sharing needles or syringes contaminated with the virus
Receiving infected blood products or organ transplants
From mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.

Diagnosis and Tests

What tests are used to detect HIV?

To find out if you have HIV, you need to take a test that checks either your blood or saliva. These tests are available in many places, such as at home, clinics, or local HIV testing clinics.

If your test result is negative, you likely won’t need to take the test again unless you have had a recent risk of exposure. If less than three months have passed since a possible exposure, its advised to retest later to confirm your status.

If the result is positive, the diagnosis will be confirmed through more testing before any decisions are taken.

What types of tests are used diagnose HIV?

Antibody tests

To test for HIV antibodies, samples can be collected from blood drawn from your arm, taken through a finger prick, or from saliva using a gum swab. These tests typically take between 23 days to 90 days after exposure to accurately detect HIV. Blood tests from the arm generally identify the virus earlier than tests using saliva or finger-prick samples.

Antigen/antibody tests

Antigen/antibody tests are used to identify both the HIV antigen and the antibodies your body produces in response to the virus. Antigens are molecules found on the surface of HIV (particularly p24), while antibodies are defensive proteins that your immune system produces to fight off the virus.

In this test, a healthcare provider collects a blood sample from your arm using a needle. The sample is then tested in a laboratory to check for both the p24 antigen and antibodies. This type of test usually detect HIV within 18 to 45 days after exposure to the virus.

There is also a fast version of the antigen/antibody test that uses a finger prick to collect a small blood sample. Even though results are quicker, you should wait at least 18 days after possible exposure to get an accurate result. Sometimes, it’s recommended to take the tests again up to 90 days after exposure for the most accurate results.

Nucleic acid tests (NATs)

Nucleic acid tests (NATs) used to detect HIV virus particles in your bloodstream. A small blood sample will be taken from your arm with a needle by a healthcare worker and sent to a laboratory for testing. Usually, NATs can detect HIV infection within 10 to 33 days after exposure to the virus. This test is typically used only in high-risk situations.

If the NAT comes back positive, your medical provider may recommend further tests to check your general health. These may involve a complete blood count (CBC), tests for viral hepatitis, a chest X-ray, a Pap test, measuring your CD4 cells, and examination for tuberculosis.

Pap smears

X-ray

Management and Treatment

Is HIV curable?

Currently, there is no cure for HIV, but treatments are available that can greatly slow down its progression.

How is HIV treated?

HIV treatment involves antiretroviral drugs (ART) that lower the virus levels in the body.

ART helps strengthen and protect the immune system, slows the progression of HIV, and lowers the risk of transmitting the virus to others.

Medications used to treat HIV

Here are the main types of HIV medications used in antiretroviral therapy (ART):

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs).

Protease inhibitors (PIs).

Fusion inhibitors

CCR5 antagonists.

Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs).

Attachment inhibitors.

Post-attachment inhibitors.

Pharmacokinetic enhancers.

Combination of HIV medicines.

How to stay healthy while living with HIV?

You can stay healthy while living with HIV by taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) as prescribes and keeping regular medical appointments. Maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, getting enough rest, and avoiding infections are also important. Practicing safe sex and not sharing needles helps protect both you and others. With proper care, many people who are infected with HIV live long and healthy lives.

Outlook / Prognosis

What can i expect if i have HIV?

For someone living with HIV, it’s important to understand that following treatment guidelines can help you live a long and healthy life. Living with HIV is now much more manageable than in the past, thanks to major advances in treatment. With proper medical care, such as taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) daily, you can reduce the virus to levels too low to detect. This helps keep your immune system stong, prevents serious complications from infections and supports a stable, long-lasting healthy life.

Some people diagnosed with HIV who start treatment early are able to live long, healthy, and active lives. It’s important to attend regular checkups and blood tests, and equally important to have emotional support, as these all play an important role in maintaining overall well-being.

Your outlook can get better by.

Getting regular checkups
Practicing safe sex to avoid other STDs
Taking your medicine everyday
Starting and staying on ART

By taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) medications, you can lower the amount of HIV in your blood to levels too low to detect. However, ART cannot completely eliminate the virus because it remains hidden in certain cells. Missing your daily doses can be harmful, as it allows the virus to multiply and potentially mutate, which could make your treatment less effective.

Without any proper treatment, HIV can take about 10 years to progress to AIDS. once it reaches AIDS and remains untreated, the weakened immune system makes it difficult to fight off infections and other illnesses, reducing life expectancy to around three additional years.

The best way to prevent this progression is to start treatment early, which helps you stay healthy and live a long life.

Does HIV ever disappear?

Unfortunately, HIV never fully leaves the body. The virus integrates (enters itself) into your DNA, making your cells treat it as their own and hiding it from the immune system. This allows the virus to stay in the body even when its not detectable in the blood.

This is why it is extremely important to continue taking HIV medication, even if you feel perfectly fine or the virus is undetectable. If left untreated, HIV will weaken your immune system to the point where it can no longer fight off serious illnesses.

Prevention

How can i reduce my risk of getting HIV?

There are several effective ways to reduce your risk of getting HIV.

Use condoms correctly during sex.
Get tested regularly and know what your partner’s status.
Limit the number of sexual partners.
Avoid sharing needles or Syringes.
Consider preventive medication Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) if you’re at high risk.
Address other STDs early to reduce the chance of HIV infection.

During sex, it’s important to use a condom correctly to protect yourself against HIV. If the sex act involves a penis, a male condom should always be used for protection

You can also reduce the risk of HIV during oral or penetrative sex by using protective barriers. For oral sex, a dental dam is thin sheet of latex or polyurethane that can be placed over the vagina or anus to prevent direct contact. For vaginal or anal sex, an internal condom, also called a female condom, can be inserted into the vagina or anus to provide protection similar to a male condom.

Always use only one kind of condom during sex. Avoid using a a male condom and internal condom together.

Can medications prevent HIV?

Certain medications can help prevent HIV infection.

For example, PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a daily pill taken by people at high risk to reduce their change of getting the virus. Additionally, PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a short-term treatment started soon after possible exposure to HIV to prevent infection.

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis)

People without HIV who’ve had anal or vaginal sex in the previous six months are advised to consider PrEP and meet at least one of the following conditions:

Do not consistently use condoms during sex
Have a sexual partner with HIV
Have been diagnosed with another sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the past six months
Engage in high-risk sexual behaviours or have multiple sexual partners

People who don’t have HIV but inject drugs are also encouraged to consider PrEP if any of the following apply.

You have a partner who has HIV
You share needles or other drug injection equipment

PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis)

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an emergency medication you can take after potentially being exposed to HIV. it must be started within 72 hours of the possible exposure and is taken for 28 days to help prevent the virus from establishing in your body.

Living with

How do i take care of myself with HIV?

Here are 4 key ways to take care of yourself with HIV:

Take your HIV medication (ART) exactly as prescribed.
Get regular medical checkups and blood tests.
Protect yourself from other infections by using condoms during sex and avoid sharing needle.
Eat a balanced diet to keep your immune system strong.

How can i prevent passing HIV to others if I have it?

To prevent passing HIV to others if you have the virus:

Take your HIV medications, such as ART, regularly to keep the virus at very low levels.
Always use condoms correctly whenever you have sexual intercourse.
Get tested regularly and treat any sexually transmitted infections promptly.
Reduce the number of sexual partners you have.
Avoid sharing needles or any injecting equipment when using drugs.
Taking your ART medications as recommended during pregnancy helps reduce the risk of HIV passing from mother to baby
Keep up with your treatment and never skip your medication. Having an undetectable viral load significantly lowers the risk of spreading HIV during sex

Following these steps helps protect others and keeps you healthy.

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