AIDS

The word Aids derive from (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome). This means a deficiency of the immune system.  This is acquired during the lifetime of an individual indicating that is not a  congenital (genetic) disease.  In AIDS "S" means syndrome means symptoms. AIDS was first reported in 1981 and in the last two years, this is spread all over the world. It is a life-threatening disease. Aids should kill more than 35 million people
all over the world. AIDS is a type of viral disease.


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CAUSE OF AIDS

AIDS is a type of viral disease. Which is caused by the HIV(Human Immuno Deficiency) virus. HIV is a member of a group of viruses called a retrovirus, which has an envelope enclosing the RNA genome. 

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Transmission of HIV


Transmission of HIV is generally caused by:-
  • Sexual contact with an infected person.
  • By sharing infected needles as in the case of intravenous drug abusers.
  • By transfusion of contaminated blood and blood product.
  • From infected mother to her child through the placenta.

So people who are at high risk of getting this infection include,
  • Individuals who have multiple sexual partners.
  • Drug addicted who have to take drugs intravenously.
  • Individuals who required repeated blood transfusion.
  • Children born to have an HIV-infected mother.
MYTH OF HIV

  1. It is important to note that HIV is not spread by mere touch or physical touch; it spread only through body fluids
  2. It is hence imperative for physical and psychological well-being that the HIV-infected person is not isolated from family and society.
  3. There is always a time lag between infection and appearance of AIDS symptoms, this period may vary from months or many years(usually 5-10 years). 

 Life Cycle of HIV

After getting into the body of the person, the virus enters into the macrophage where the RNA genome of the virus is replicated to form viral DNA with the help of the enzyme reverse transcriptase. This viral DNA gets incorporated into the host This viral DNA gets incorporated into the host.

HIV virus has two periods:-

  1. Incubation period: Time interval between the entry of pathogen and appearance of symptoms.
  2. Window period: Period between infection to the time when it can be laboratorically detected.


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After getting into the body of the person, the virus enters macrophages to produce virus particles. The macrophages continue to produce viruses and in this way acts as an HIV factory. Simultaneously, HIV enters into helper T-lymphocytes (THelper cells), and produces progeny viruses. The progeny viruses released in the blood attack other helper T lymphocytes. This is repeated leading to a progressive decrease in the number of helper T lymphocytes in the body of the infected person.

Note: Infected cells can survive while viruses are being replicated and released.

  1. Due to a progressive decrease in the number of helper T lymphocytes (normal cell count is 900 million/liter), the person starts suffering.
  2. Initially from AIDS-Related Complex (ARC)
  3. finally from full-blown AIDS. 

AIDS-Related Complex (ARC)


  •  The mild form of AIDS.
  • Symptoms: Bouts of fever, repeated episodes of diarrhea, weight loss, prolonged cough, swollen lymph nodes, night sweats (in more than 50% cases), etc. 

Full-blown AIDS

  1. Cell count of helper T lymphocytes: Below 200 million/liter
  2. The patient becomes severely immunodeficient in this period, therefore starts suffering from opportunistic infections (infections that could have been otherwise overcome) such as:
  • Tuberculosis by Mycobacterium avium (bacterium)
  • Candidiasis (ulcers of mouth and esophagus) by Candida albicans (fungus)
  • Pneumonia by Pneumocystis carinii (fungus)
  • Kaposi sarcoma (cancer of skin and lymph nodes) by herpes virus
  • Encephalitis by Toxoplasma gondii (protozoan) 

Diagnosis

  1. A widely used diagnostic test for AIDS is enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), but it is a screening test only.
  2. A confirmatory test for AIDS is the Western blot test.

Treatment

  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors     
  • Integrase Inhibitors 
  • Protease Inhibitors 
  • HAART (Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy) or Cocktail Treatment: It includes both Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors and Protease Inhibitors
  • Treatment of AIDS with anti-retroviral drugs is only partially effective. They can only prolong the life of the patient but cannot prevent death, which is inevitable

Prevention

  1. As AIDS has no cure, prevention is the best option. 
  2. HIV infection, more often, spreads due to conscious behavior patterns. The only excuse may be ignorance and it has been rightly saying – “don’t die of ignorance”.
  3. In our country, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are doing a lot to educate people about AIDS.
  4. Infection with HIV or having AIDS is something that should not be hidden – since then, the infection may spread to many more people.
  5. WHO has started several programs to prevent the spreading of HIV infection.

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How to prevent the spreading of HIV infection?

  1. Advocating safe sex and promoting regular check-ups for HIV in the susceptible population.
  2. Free distribution of condoms
  3. Making blood (from blood banks) safe from HIV
  4. Ensuring the use of only disposable needles and syringes in public and private hospitals and clinics
  5. Controlling drug abuse
  6. HIV/AIDS-infected people need help and sympathy instead of being shunned by society. Unless society recognizes it as a problem to be dealt with collectively, the chances of a wider spread of the disease increase manifold.