What is AIDS all about?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which is a disease of the human immune system. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks and damages our immune systems gradually reducing our ability to fight off other deadly and opportunistic infections. Basically, AIDS can be termed as a collection of symptoms and infections arising due to the damage caused to human immune system by the HIV virus.

What is human immunodeficiency virus?

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus is a retrovirus that attacks the human immune system at a cellular level. It particularly infects the CD4 T cells and macrophages, both of which happen to be the main components of the immune system. HIV virus gradually damages our immune systems leading to its progressive deterioration making the infected person vulnerable to a host of diseases and illnesses that would be rare in a normal healthy individual. When human immune system gradually looses its ability to fight off deadly infections then it can be termed as being deficient, hence the name immunodeficiency virus. The infections that affect a HIV positive person taking advantage of weakened immune system are known as opportunistic infections

Are all HIV positive people suffering from AIDS?

AIDS is actually the last or most advanced stage of HIV infection. AIDS is a classification assigned to a person who has been diagnosed with more than 20 opportunistic infections and illnesses. Those illnesses are termed as AIDS defining illnesses and conditions. United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention defines AIDS based on less than 200 cell count of CD4 positive T cells per cubic millimeter of blood.

The symptoms of AIDS have changed with years as number of illnesses and conditions have been added to the list of AIDS defining conditions. While in the beginning only 12 conditions were collectively called “AIDS”, today there are more than 28 such illnesses. A HIV positive person will develop signs of HIV related diseases within 5-10 years if left untreated. However, the time period between becoming HIV positive and being diagnosed with full fledged AIDS can be as long as
10-15 years or more. Antiretroviral therapy is recommended as it slows down the progress of the virus considerably by reducing the viral load of the patient. There is however no known cure or vaccine for the virus, hence more emphasis is placed on preventing infection in the fight against the pandemic.

How is HIV virus transmitted?

HIV virus is transmitted by transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate and breast milk as the HIV virus is present within these in two forms - free virus and virus in infected cells of immune system. Thus, HIV infection can be transmitted in humans via unprotected or unsafe penetrative sex both vaginal and anal as well as oral sex, contaminated syringes and needles, breast milk as well blood transfusion from infected persons. It can also be passed on by infected mother to her child during birth and this is known as perinatal transmission.

HIV cannot be transmitted in day to day contact with infected persons through shaking hands, talking, playing, hugging, and using the same toilet, being exposed to coughing or sneezing, drinking from same glass or eating off the same plate and general interaction.