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HIV: Transmission, and Treatment HIV

Overview

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) occurs at the most advanced stage of infection.

HIV targets the body’s white blood cells, weakening the immune system. This makes it easier to get sick with diseases like tuberculosis, infections and some cancers.

HIV is spread from the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids. It is not spread by kisses, hugs or sharing food. It can also spread from a mother to her baby.

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms of HIV vary depending on the stage of infection.

HIV spreads more easily in the first few months after a person is infected, but many are unaware of their status until the later stages. In the first few weeks after being infected people may not experience symptoms. Others may have an influenza-like illness including:

• fever
• headache
• rash
• sore throat.

The infection progressively weakens the immune system. This can cause other signs and symptoms:

• swollen lymph nodes
• weight loss
• fever
• diarrhoea
• cough.

Without treatment, people living with HIV infection can also develop severe illnesses:

• tuberculosis (TB)
• cryptococcal meningitis
• severe bacterial infections
• cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma.

HIV causes other infections to get worse, such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B and mpox.

HIV can be transmitted via the exchange of body fluids from people living with HIV, including blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal secretions. HIV can also be transmitted to a child during pregnancy and delivery. People cannot become infected with HIV through ordinary day-to-day contact such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food or water.

Diagnosis

HIV can be diagnosed through rapid diagnostic tests that provide same-day results. This greatly facilitates early diagnosis and linkage with treatment and prevention. People can also use HIV self-tests to test themselves. However, no single test can provide a full HIV positive diagnosis; confirmatory testing is required, conducted by a qualified and trained health worker or community worker. HIV infection can be detected with great accuracy using WHO prequalified tests within a nationally approved testing strategy and algorithm.

Most widely used HIV diagnostic tests detect antibodies produced by a person as part of their immune response to fight HIV. In most cases, people develop antibodies to HIV within 28 days of infection. During this time, people are in the so-called “window period” when they have low levels of antibodies which cannot be detected by many rapid tests, but they may still transmit HIV to others. People who have had a recent high-risk exposure and test negative can have a further test after 28 days.

There is no cure for HIV infection. It is treated with antiretroviral drugs, which stop the virus from replicating in the body.

Current antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not cure HIV infection but allows a person’s immune system to get stronger. This helps them to fight other infections.

Currently, ART must be taken every day for the rest of a person’s life.

ART lowers the amount of the virus in a person’s body. This stops symptoms and allows people to live full and healthy lives. People living with HIV who are taking ART and who have no evidence of virus in the blood will not spread the virus to their sexual partners.

Pregnant women with HIV should have access to, and take, ART as soon as possible. This protects the health of the mother and will help prevent HIV transmission to the fetus before birth, or through breast milk.

COVID Care at Home

Healthcare Administrative Departments across the world, prioritize testing and treating high-risk individuals due to a limited supply of resources. In this situation, how do you take care of yourself or your loved ones if you suspect a COVID infection? How do you keep everyone safe? Read along to find out how and learn a few tips to take care of a Covid patient at home or in a non-healthcare setting.

Primarily there are two common scenarios where people who have tested positive are asked to take care of themselves at home.

The first scenario is when the healthcare system is bursting at the seams. That is, there is a huge spike of cases and the beds within hospitals are all filled or almost filled.

This case was seen in a large number of countries where these spikes come with waves of Covid infections. In such situations, the healthcare department may give basic care and advice for the patient and then ask them to take care at home.

In the second scenario, the infected person may not display any symptoms or have only very mild symptoms and they do not have any underlying diseases. However, these individuals must stay in touch with their doctors to get real-time advice.

Additionally, if the doctor suspects a case of Covid and the patient is awaiting test results, they may recommend home care.

Anyone who is sick with flu-like symptoms must stay at home - even if Covid-19 has not been confirmed- unless medical care is required.

Detecting Covid is important to prevent its spread and treat it. Testing for Covid-19 at home is possible, several testing methods can be used for the same.

These kits come with a saline solution that you should gargle for about 15 seconds. The saline solution is spat into the accompanying tube which will be sent to a lab for testing.

This is perhaps one of the most convenient methods of Covid testing available. However, the test results will take time depending on the logistics.

These kits come with a nasal swab, a Test Card, a Prefill Extraction Tube, and a Disposal Bag. The nasal swab is used to collect samples from the nasal pathway. The sample is then dipped into the tube.

The contents of the tube are tested for Covid with the test card. The results are out within 15 minutes. However, the results may not be as accurate as an RT PCR test and may not be very comfortable.

Apart from these testing methods, many diagnostic labs offer tests at home. They may send trained professionals to collect samples and send you the results online.