AIDS
AIDS
AIDS,
or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is the most advanced stage of HIV
infection. HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system, making it
vulnerable to opportunistic infections and diseases.
A
person with HIV is considered to have AIDS when:
- The number of their
CD4 cells falls below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood (200
cells/mm3). (In someone with a healthy immune system, CD4 counts are
between 500 and 1,600 cells/mm3.)
- OR
- They develop a specific AIDS-defining
complication.
AIDS-defining
complications include a variety of infections and diseases, such as:
- Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia
(PCP)
- Kaposi's sarcoma
- Progressive multifocal
leukoencephalopathy (PML)
- Cryptococcal meningitis
- Tuberculosis
- Severe wasting
Without treatment,
people with AIDS typically survive about three years. However, with effective
HIV treatment, people with AIDS can live long and healthy lives.
The history of AIDS is a complex one, dating back to the early
20th century. The first known case of HIV infection was identified in 1959 in
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, it wasn't until the early
1980s that AIDS was recognized as a new disease.
In 1981,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported five cases of a
rare form of pneumonia in young, gay men in Los Angeles. The CDC later
identified this disease as Kaposi's sarcoma, a cancer that is rare in people
with healthy immune systems.
In the
following years, more cases of AIDS were reported in the United States and
around the world. It became clear that AIDS was a serious and deadly disease,
and that it was spreading rapidly.
In 1984,
scientists identified the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as the cause of
AIDS. HIV is a retrovirus that attacks the body's immune system, making it
vulnerable to opportunistic infections and diseases.
There are two main types of AIDS:
- Primary AIDS: This is the most common type of AIDS and
is caused by the HIV virus.
- Secondary AIDS: This type of AIDS is caused by
other diseases or conditions, such as cancer or malnutrition.
Primary AIDS:
Primary
AIDS is caused by the HIV virus. HIV is a retrovirus that attacks the body's
immune system. This makes the body more vulnerable to infections and diseases..
Secondary AIDS:
Secondary
AIDS is caused by other diseases or conditions, such as cancer or malnutrition.
These diseases and conditions can weaken the immune system, making the body
more vulnerable to AIDS-defining illnesses.
Secondary
AIDS is more common in people with HIV, but it can also occur in people without
HIV.
AIDS-defining illnesses:
AIDS-defining
illnesses are infections and diseases that occur in people with AIDS. These
illnesses are caused by the weakened immune system.
Some common AIDS-defining illnesses include:
- Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia
(PCP)
- Kaposi's sarcoma
- Progressive multifocal
leukoencephalopathy (PML)
- Cryptococcal meningitis
- Tuberculosis
- Severe wasting
Prevention of AIDS:
There are several ways to prevent AIDS, including:
- Practicing safe sex, such as using
condoms and avoiding contact with the blood of others
- Avoiding sharing needles or other
drug paraphernalia
- Getting tested for HIV regularly
- Taking pre-exposure prophylaxis
(PrEP), which is a daily medication that can prevent HIV infection in
people at high risk
If you
think you may have been exposed to HIV, it is important to get tested right
away. Early diagnosis and treatment can help to prevent the development of AIDS
and other complications.
Symptoms of AIDS:
The symptoms of AIDS
vary depending on the opportunistic infections and diseases that develop. Some
common symptoms include:
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Diarrhea
- Cough and shortness of breath
- Confusion
- Skin changes
Treatment for AIDS:
There is no cure for
AIDS, but there are effective treatments that can suppress the HIV virus and
prevent it from damaging the immune system. These treatments are known as
antiretroviral therapy (ART).
ART is a combination of
two or more HIV medications that are taken daily. ART can suppress the HIV
virus to undetectable levels, which means that the virus cannot be transmitted
to others. People with HIV who take ART as prescribed can live long and healthy
lives.
Prevention of AIDS:
There are several ways to prevent AIDS, including:
- Practicing safe sex, such as
using condoms and avoiding contact with the blood of others
- Avoiding sharing needles or other
drug paraphernalia
- Getting tested for HIV regularly
- Taking pre-exposure prophylaxis
(PrEP), which is a daily medication that can prevent HIV infection in
people at high risk
If you think you may
have been exposed to HIV, it is important to get tested right away. Early
diagnosis and treatment can help to prevent the development of AIDS and other
complications.