Lets Talk AIDS



 AIDS ( Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). It is a communicable disease that is caused by the virus HIV ( Human Immunodeficiency Virus). HIV is a retrovirus and hence has the ability to integrate in the host DNA (human) and use the host cell machinery for its replication. Hence, making it difficult to control.



Some Important Facts to Remember about HIV :- 

1. AIDS is a disease caused by HIV

2. HIV is a virus and the person who is positive for HIV, does not necessarily have AIDS.

3. AIDS is an advanced condition of HIV infection 






4. HIV targets CD4+ve T cells, which as an important part of the cell mediated immunity, thereby causing further immunodeficiency

5. HIV +ve patients also suffer from various other life-threatening communicable diseases like herpes, cytomegalovirus infections, Pneumonia and much more, as it targets the important immune cells of the body that actually helps in neutralizing the antigen or the pathogen causing the disease. 

6. HIV is a blood borne infection, which transmits via sexual contact, blood transfusion, and improperly sterilized surgical apparatus, needles

7. Note that HIV does not spread by touching the HIV+ve patients, hence, it is important to not spread any kind of stigma attached to it and to ill-treat patients or push them into any kind of isolation. They require much support here, if you feel you have come in contact with any HIV positive patient, check with your nearest healthcare expert like your family physician or any doctor who can guide you with this. 


8. HIV can also pass from the pregnant mother to the fetus, but today there various ways to prevent the transmission, Check with your trusted OBGYN for the same, 

9. HIV patients undergo a lot of stigma and are often mistreated, as a citizen the least you can do is empathize with them and become aware about it rather than, pushing them more towards atrocities. 

10. As HIV has a longer latency period ( it does not get detected in the early stages ). So, it is best to periodically get the tests done for HIV.


11. HIV testing is a simple blood test, where the Phlebotomist or the medical lab technician will collect your blood and run a test for the presence of the virus.

12. This is a hassle free test. 

13. To know more about HIV/ AIDS you can refer to the website of WHO, PUBMED and COLD SPRING HARBOUR LABORATORY 


 There are various ways to prevent the transmission of HIV and I will write about it in my next post.

This article has been written for the AIDS awareness week which is from 1st DEC to 6th DEC yearly. 



Disclaimer - The article has been written to make people aware and not promote any website or link, hence, pictures added are only for readers to understand about HIV/AIDS. 


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