AIDS

AIDS or Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome is caused by HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus which is a retrovirus, that is it contains special enzymes that can synthesize DNA from RNA. Once inside the body, the virus makes several copies of itself & affects the CD4 expressing cells, which are vital for the functioning of the immune system. Initially, there are no manifestations externally; only on testing the blood of the affected person can the presence of the virus be detected. Such people are regarded as being HIV positive but not having AIDS. Initiating treatment at this stage can even prevent the development of full blown AIDS, the stage where very severe & even fatal manifestations & infections can occur, so it is necessary that the infected & at risk individuals be screened regularly & treated accordingly.

The disease manifests itself by reducing the human body’s resistance to various infections & the ability to combat malignancies & other disorders of cellular functions by paralyzing the body’s immune system. As a result, infections that are normally mild & rather harmless in normal individuals can turn fatal in a person affected by AIDS. Patients can also develop cancers as mutant cells that are normally destroyed at their inception by the immune system are now free to proliferate unchecked. Even though there are several drugs that have been developed to check the multiplication of HIV inside the body, yet there has been no proof till date that the virus can be completely eliminated from the body by these drugs. There is also no vaccine that has been approved till now for the prevention of HIV infection. So prevention is the only way to avoid infection by HIV.

How HIV can enter the body:

• Through transfusions of blood & blood products contaminated with HIV.
• Through cuts & pricks by needles & other sharp objects that have been used on HIV infected patients. Health care professionals are particularly at risk from this.
• Sharing needles for intravenous drug abuse.
• From an HIV infected mother to her child.
• Contact of broken skin with HIV infected blood, placenta & other body fluids.
• Unprotected sexual contact, both heterosexual & homosexual.

HIV is not spread through:

• Kissing, touching, hugging, shaking hands or sharing food with an HIV infected person.
• Coughing or sneezing.

Thus there is no reason to isolate or avoid a person infected with HIV. The greater the taboo associated with the disease, the more likely is an affected person to conceal his/her disease & not seek treatment, thereby endangering himself/herself as well as others in the society.

How to determine if you have been infected by HIV?

As mentioned before, people who carry HIV in their blood may not show any signs & symptoms at the beginning of the infection. If you suspect that you are at risk from any of the above modes of transmission of the virus, then you should approach a testing centre near you, known as VCTC in India. The identity of the individual is kept confidential & in case HIV is detected in the blood, the affected person is also referred for anti retroviral drug treatment from suitable institutions. It is particularly essential for all pregnant women to get themselves tested early in their pregnancy because with proper treatment it is possible to prevent the transmission of the virus to her baby

If you have any of the following symptoms then you must get yourself tested at a VCTC center:

• Very high fever (over 103″) that last for more than three to five days
• Prolonged cough with expectoration (for several weeks).
• Purplish blotches on the skin. (not due to any chemicals or other known causes)
• Sores and infections that persist even after medical treatment.
• Feeling tired or weak over many weeks without any cause.
• Swollen lymph nodes in at least two sites of the body.
• Rapid, unexplained weight loss (10 lbs or more)
• Painful or thick whitish patch in the mouth, or rectum with no apparent cause.
• Repeated colds, flues, or flu like symptoms that last for days at a time and recur frequently.
• Frequent diarrhea that has no apparent cause.

Remember, it is possible to keep the virus under control & lead a normal & healthy life if you are detected & treated early, but in late stages the disease may prove to be fatal.

How to prevent spread of HIV:

• Insist on fresh needles & blades which come in sterilized packs, every time you need an injection or any medical or surgical procedure.
• Use a condom during sexual intercourse. If there is any slipping or breakage then immediately contact the nearest VCTC center.
• Pregnant mothers should volunteer to get themselves tested for HIV before deliver to avoid endangering her baby & also the personnel assisting her delivery.
• Do not share needles or any sharp object that can penetrate your skin & come in contact with your bloodstream.
• Couples getting married should ideally get themselves tested for HIV before the wedding.
• At any suspicion of exposure, get yourself tested. It is safe & easy & might just save your life & those of your loved ones as well.

Remember, AIDS is not a curse & all the superstitions surrounding this disease only makes it easier for the virus to thrive & spread through the community. So let us all come forward & work towards eliminating this deadly disease. Only by combined effort & awareness we can achieve this goal of an AIDS free world.