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AIDS review
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - cause, transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
This article offers a review of:
- the definition and cause of AIDS,
- symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS,
- and common misconceptions about HIV/AIDS
Key terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| AIDS | Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome |
| HIV | Human immunodeficiency virus |
| HIV-positive | Someone who has an HIV infection |
| Retrovirus | An RNA virus that reverse transcribes its genome into DNA |
| ELISA | Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay |
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It refers to a range of immune conditions caused by prolonged and untreated infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is considered to be a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, and affects millions of people around the world.
How can you develop AIDS?
Remember that AIDS itself is an immune disorder caused by a prolonged HIV infection. This means that you cannot "catch" or get infected by AIDS, but you can contract HIV.
HIV is mainly transmitted in the following ways:
- unprotected sexual intercourse
- sharing of infected needles
- contaminated blood transfusions
- from infected mother to baby during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
People at high risk of contracting the virus include those with multiple sexual partners, those requiring frequent blood transfusions, and intravenous drug users who share equipment.
Diagnosis and treatment
HIV can take years to develop into AIDS. As the infection progresses, the immunity of the infected person worsens, and they struggle to fight off infections by normally harmless bacteria and viruses. This period is often characterized by repeated bouts of fever, diarrhea, and weight loss.
Diagnostic tests check for the presence of HIV antibodies and antigens using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Currently, there is no cure for AIDS. HIV infections can be managed with antiretroviral treatments that prevent the virus from replicating within host cells.
Social stigma and misconceptions
One of the most common misconceptions about HIV is that it can spread via casual physical contact, insect bites, or through bodily fluids like tears, sweat or saliva. This can lead to the social isolation and ill-treatment of HIV-positive people.
Other misconceptions include the following:
- HIV and AIDS are the same thing. HIV is the cause and AIDS the resulting complication. HIV can be transmitted, while AIDS cannot.
- AIDS only affects a specific gender or sexuality. There is no such association.
- HIV infections always lead to death. The right treatments and lifestyle can allow HIV-positive people to live long and healthy lives.