WHAT IS HIV?

HIV originated in non-human primates and eventually

spread to humans over the eons. Even though the disease
had been around for a long time, it was clinically
diagnosed in the 1980s. Ever since then, it has spread all
over the world, killing over 25 million people till date. AIDS
and HIV are terms that are used interchangeably even
though they are not quite related. So what exactly is the
difference between AIDS and HIVs? Essentially, HIV is the
virus that causes AIDS. It wreaks havoc on the body’s
immunity system until it is incapable of fending off
infections on its own. It is a retrovirus and has RNA as the
genetic material. The HIV infection spreads through the
following ways
 Unprotected sexual interaction with an already
infected person.
 Reusing needles used by an infected person.

 From an infected mother to the baby through the

placenta.
 Blood transfusion from an infected person.

This virus has a long incubation period before it starts to

attack the immune system (10 years). The immune system
is the human body’s natural defense mechanism; hence
HIV can make it harder for the patient to fight off infections
and diseases.HIV demolishes a particular type of WBC
(White Blood Cells) and the T-helper cells. This virus also
makes copies of itself inside these cells. T-helper cells are
also known as CD4 cells.
  CAUSES OF MODES OF INFECTION:
The HIV infects the macrophages in the blood. Once they
infect, the viral RNA enters the host cell and produces
DNA with the help of reverse transcription.
This viral DNA then integrates into the host
genome and produces multiple RNA copies
by the process of transcription. These RNAs
then form multiple copies of the virus and
continue the infection in the same way.
At the same time, HIV also enters
the T lymphocytes and continues the
same set of events as it does in macrophages.
This leads to a decrease in the number of helper
T lymphocytes. Thus, the immunity of the
body is considerably
Compromised. The immunity is lowered
to such an extent that the infected person
Suffers from even minor infections, which
Is one of AIDS’ characteristic symptoms?
Other symptoms include bouts of fever,
Diarrhea and significant weight loss.
 Symptoms of AIDS:
 The symptoms of HIV usually differ from person to
person and in some cases, a patient infected with the
HIV infection may not experience any symptoms at
all. The common signs and symptoms of HIV include:
 Fever
 Chills
 Headache
 Joint pains
 Sore throat
 Muscle aches
 Upset stomach
 Red rashes on the skin
 Tiredness and weakness
 Sweating during the night
 Swollen or enlarged Glands
 The above symptoms can last from a few days to
several weeks. A person with HIV often experiences
no symptoms, feels healthy, and appears healthy.
  Tests for HIV and AIDS:
Blood tests are the most common way to diagnose the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that
causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
These tests look for antibodies to the virus that are
present in the blood of infected individuals. People
exposed to the virus should get tested immediately.
Early testing is crucial with HIV.
If you test positive for the virus,
You and your doctor can develop
a treatment plan to help fight HIV
and ward off complications.
Early testing also can alert you to avoid high-risk
behavior that could spread the virus to others.
Because it can take from six weeks to six months to
develop antibodies to the virus, follow-up tests may be
needed. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms,
medical history and risk factors and perform a physical
examination.
The primary tests for diagnosing HIV and AIDs include:
ELISA Test ELISA, which stands for enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay, is used to detect HIV infection. If
an ELISA test is positive, the Western blot test is usually
administered to confirm the diagnosis.
 If an ELISA test is negative, but you think you may have
HIV, you should be tested again in one to three months.
ELISA is quite sensitive in chronic HIV infection, but
because antibodies aren't produced immediately upon
infection, you may test negative during a window of a few
weeks to a few months after being infected. Even though
your test result may be negative during this window, you
may have a high level of the virus and be at risk of
transmitting infection.
 Home Tests The only home test approved by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration is called the Home Access
Express Test, which is sold in pharmacies.
 Saliva Tests A cotton pad is used to obtain saliva from
the inside of your cheek. The pad is placed in a vial and
submitted to a laboratory for testing. Results are
available in three days. Positive results should be
confirmed with a blood test.
 Viral Load Test This test measures the amount of HIV in
your blood. Generally, it's used to monitor treatment
progress or detect early HIV infection. Three
technologies measure HIV viral load in the blood —
reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-
PCR), branched DNA (bDNA) and nucleic acid
sequence-based amplification assay (NASBA). The basic
principles of these tests are similar. HIV is detected using
DNA sequences that bind specifically to those in the
virus. It is important to note that results may vary
between tests.
 Western Blot This is a very sensitive blood test used to
confirm a positive ELISA test result.
Prevention of AIDS:
HIV’s infection can be detected with the help of a test
called ELISA which stands for ‘Enzyme Linked Immuno
Sorbent Assay’. AIDS is incurable, so far; thus, HIV
prevention is the wisest option. As we have already
discussed the causes of AIDS, the prevention can be
deduced from them.
For example – Using disposable needles, practising safe
sex, i.e., use of protection like condoms, regular health
check-ups and monitoring blood transfusion and
pregnancy.
Another important factor is the awareness of AIDS. As it
does not spread by mere physical contact, the infected
persons should not be discriminated and must be treated
in a friendly manner.