A clear and accurate view of HIV and AIDS

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which weakens the immune system of a person. Our body consists of different components, and the most basic structural component is called a Cell. There are different types of cells present in a body, and they carry out different activities. One such cell type is the CD4 cell. The CD4 cells are present on the layer of an immune cell type, T cell. 

HIV attacks these CD4 cells, which are responsible for sustaining the immunity of a person. HIV kills many CD4 cells over time, which causes a person to get endangered to different health issues. 

HIV is not transmitted through air or normal contact with an infected person. It is transmitted via blood and bodily fluids. If a person does not positively respond to the medical treatment, he/she might get affected by Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, also called AIDS. Because of AIDS, the immunity system becomes drastically weak and fails to fight against other diseases and infections. This massive downfall of the body’s immunity shortens the life expectancy by a huge margin after testing AIDS positive.

Symptoms: HIV progresses throughout the body for some years or decades. The first stage of symptoms can be felt after one month of contracting an HIV infection. The symptoms can be categorized according to the period of contraction and the medical history of the person. Some of the common symptoms include diarrhea, fatigue, pneumonia, vomiting, etc.

Prevention: Many medical associations and laboratories are developing a vaccine for HIV, but they have not been successful so far. We can still take steps to ensure that we prevent HIV from infecting us. 

1] Avoid using already injected needles: – As mentioned earlier, HIV can be transferred via blood or other fluids, so it is better to avoid using products that may have already come in contact with such fluids before.

2] Look for PrEP: – A person who feels that he might have contracted HIV should consider taking PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). It is a dosage of two drugs in pill form and can reduce the risk of contracting HIV.

Treatment: As there is no vaccine available at present, antiretroviral therapy is used to halt the progress of HIV. However, you can use the Tudofovir dosage to alleviate your symptoms and lessen the pain caused by the virus.