Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) refers to a virus that, if not managed, may result in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Different from certain other viruses, even with treatment, the body of humans cannot jettison HIV totally, and thus, once a person gets infected with HIV, he/she has it for life. HIV is a worldwide pandemic. By the year 2016, roughly 36.7 million individuals had HIV globally, with the sum of fresh infections being approximately 1.8 million (World Health Organization 2017). Marginally more than fifty percent of the infected people are females while about 2.1 million are kids. In the year 2016, HIV caused around 1 million deaths. In the U.S., nearly 1.2 million persons had HIV, causing almost 17,500 losses in the year 2008. In the United States, by the year 2016, approximately 675,000 individuals had passed away due to HIV/AIDS since the start of the HIV pandemic ( Shiels & Engels, 2017).
HIV infection comes about once certain body fluids (that is, breast milk, semen, blood, and vaginal fluid) having the virus meet a different individual’s tissues underneath the skin (for instance, through broken skin or needle puncture), or mucous membranes. Also, a majority of HIV infections nowadays are caused by unprotected sex and the sharing of inserting kit (Oster, France & Mermin, 2018). HIV is also spread through infected blood transfusions, subcutaneous needles, as well as from mum to baby during delivery, breastfeeding, or pregnancy.
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Even though there lacks HIV vaccination, HIV is totally preventable by safe behavior. For instance, practicing safe sex through the use of condoms lessen the possibility of acquiring HIV. Moreover, needle exchange initiatives, managing persons who have the virus, and circumcision for males may help prevent the HIV from spreading. Virus in a child may habitually be avoided by providing both the child and mom with antiretroviral medicine (Landefeld et al., 2018). What is more, all donated body organs and blood should be screened for HIV infection. Furthermore, Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) may prevent a person from getting infected if he/she has been exposed to HIV, which should start immediately, possibly within three days following exposure in order to be effective. Antiretroviral therapy may decelerate the progression of the illness and might result in a near-average life expectancy. Management is suggested immediately the identification is made. Minus management, the typical survival duration following infection is eleven years.
After initial infection, an individual might not see any signs or might go through a transitory moment of influenza-like disease. Normally, this is shadowed by a protracted period without indications. As the virus advances, it inhibits the immune system, swelling the possibility of acquiring general infections for instance tuberculosis, in addition to other unscrupulous infections, and growths which hardly affect individuals with functioning immune systems. The late signs of illness are called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a period habitually linked to involuntary weight loss.
The endorsed HIV screening examination seeks the existence of HIV antibodies in addition to a certain HIV antigen known as p24 in a blood sample (World Health Organization 2017). The infection is most popularly detected by examining saliva or blood for antibodies to HIV. Regrettably, it may take longer for the human body to form these antibodies — typically at least three months. A faster examination pursues an HIV antigen, which is a protein formed by the disease soon following infection. It may ratify an identification immediately after infection and permit the individual to take more rapid measures to stop spreading of the disease to other people.
Presently, there is no treatment or successful HIV vaccine. Management comprises of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) that decelerates advancement of the illness. By the year 2010 in excess of 6.6 million individuals were taking HAART in middle- and low-earning nations. Also, treatment takes in the active and preventive management of opportunistic illnesses. Steps to stop opportunistic diseases are successful in numerous individuals living with HIV.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has given out proposals concerning nutrient necessities in HIV. A commonly healthy nutrition is encouraged. At RDA levels, nutritional consumption of micronutrients by adults infected with HIV- is endorsed; greater consumption of iron, zinc, and vitamin A may generate undesirable effects in adults who are HIV positive and is not endorsed except if there is recognized shortage (World Health Organization 2017). Nutritional supplementation for HIV positive persons and who have dietary deficiencies or insufficient nutrition might reinforce their immune systems or facilitate the recovery from illnesses, but, proof showing a general usefulness in illness or lessening in mortality isn’t reliable. Proof for supplementation with selenium is combined with certain unsure data of benefit. For lactating and expectant females who are HIV positive, multivitamin enhancement boosts result for both babies and moms. In case the lactating or expectant mother has been recommended to consume anti-retroviral medicine to stop mom-to-child HIV diffusion, multivitamin enhancements must not substitute these treatments.
In a nutshell, HIV has had a huge effect on the community, both as a disease in addition to as a basis of discrimination. Moreover, the infection has huge economic consequences. There exist numerous misapprehensions regarding the disease, for instance, the notion that it may be spread through casual non-sexual interaction. HIV has become topic to numerous debates encompassing religion counting the Catholic Church's opinion not to promote condom usage as a prevention strategy. HIV has drawn global political and medical attention in addition to extensive funding from the time it was detected during the 1980s .
References
Landefeld, C. C., Fomenou, L. A., Ateba, F., & Msellati, P. (2018). Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Yaounde: Barrier to Care. AIDS care , 30 (1), 116-120.
Oster, A. M., France, A. M., & Mermin, J. (2018). Molecular epidemiology and the transformation of HIV prevention. Jama , 319 (16), 1657-1658.
Shiels, M. S., & Engels, E. A. (2017). Evolving epidemiology of HIV-associated malignancies. Current Opinion in HIV and AIDS , 12 (1), 6-11.
World Health Organization. (2017). HIV treatment: transition to new antiretrovirals in HIV programmes: policy brief. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/iris/handle/10665/255888 . License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
