-

 

International HIV / AIDS and aging awareness day


 

September 18 is the international HIV\AIDS and aging awareness day , in honour of that here is some background information on the virus and how the aging process works with the anti retroviral therapy .

 About HIV/AIDS

 The human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as the name indicates is a type of virus that severely affects the human immune system by attacking the white blood cells (specifically the CD4 T-cells, macrophages and dendritic cells ) , which are responsible for disease prevention and protection of the body. If the virus is left untreated , it can cause susceptibility to opportunistic diseases like tuberculosis , salmonella and Herpes and it will further progress into Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) a progressively fatal syndrome with no cure . HIV is a serious global health issue having claimed 42.3 million lives to this date and killing almost 1 million people per year ; It mostly affects Sub-Saharan countries.

Transmission mechanisms of HIV/AIDS

HIV is commonly transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse ( as it's one of the sexually transmitted diseases (STD)) as well as blood transfusion. Even-though your chances of getting HIV are higher through anal sex, it can also be transmitted through oral sex on rarer cases. HIV can also be transmitted when certain Bodily fluids like semen (), rectal/ vaginal fluids and breast milk comes in contact with a non infected person's bloodstream. Another transmission way is when sharing needles and other injection equipments , sharing tattooing materials, and other sharp tools with an HIV positive person. On rar cases an HIV positive mother can transmit the virus to the child during pregnancy, delivery and breast-feeding ; transmission can also occur during transplantation of organs / tissues . But HIV can't be transmitted through :

·        Contact with saliva , sweat and tears

·        Swimming in the same pool as an infected person

·        Casual contact (non sexual) like a handshake or a hug

·        Eating together and sharing the same toilet seat

·        Mosquito bites

Treatment

HIV doesn't have a curing medicine but fear not as it does have an anti retroviral therapy (ART) , the therapy involves taking a combination of HIV medicines on daily basis. The therapy is recommended to be taken by HIV patients immediately after diagnosis as it helps the patients to lead a long , healthy and fulfilling life . Anti -retroviral therapy also reduces the risk of HIV transmission by reducing the rate of HIV cell multiplication. Other factors like maintaining a healthy diet , quitting smoking and drinking can aid your immune system in fighting the virus , but again since no effective cure is found is better to be cautious and follow prevention mechanisms The Basics of HIV Prevention | NIH.

How HIV impacts aging

In the earlier years of the epidemic people would expect to live just 1-2 years after the diagnosis, But now thanks to the improvements made to the anti-retroviral therapy(by reducing high pill burdens, inconvenient dosing, incomplete virological suppression), HIV positive people can suppress the virus and lead a happy life if they get onto therapy as soon as they get diagnosed and stay on it . Evidence from centre of disease control and prevention reported that of the 1.1 million people diagnosed with HIV in the United states in 2022 , approximately 54% were aged 50 & Up also 16% of the newly diagnosed cases of HIV in 2022 were 50 and up , this indicates that people who got diagnosed with HIV at younger ages are surviving and aging due to improvements made in ART and \or the number of people acquiring HIV at a later age is increasing . Even-though HIV positive people can lead a long life above the age of 50, older people with HIV face challenges and are at higher risk of developing certain comorbidities such as neuro cognitive decline, diabetes , dementia, cardiovascular diseases , inflammation and certain types of cancer; Moreover these people get stigmatization from their surrounding people which leads to them experience mental illnesses , isolation and addiction ; These factors have traumatic impact on their health and quality of life , so it's important to equip health-care systems to deal with growing population of old HIV positive people and provide more care to help them live their lives to it's full potential .

 


 

 

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding the Human Heart and Preventing Heart Disease: A Complete Guide to Heart Health

-
Image
When was the last time you thought about your heart, not emotionally, but literally? This amazing organ works 24/7 to keep you alive, yet most of us only pay attention to it when something goes wrong. Let’s dive into how the heart works, the most common heart diseases, and how you can protect your heart for years to come. What Does the Heart Actually Do?  Your heart is a powerful muscle, about the size of your fist, located slightly to the left of your chest. Its job? Pump blood throughout your entire body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every cell. It has four chambers two upper (atria) and two lower (ventricles) and works like a highly coordinated machine. Blood flows in one direction thanks to a series of valves, and everything is controlled by electrical signals that keep your heart beating rhythmically, around 100,000 times a day. ___________________________________________________________________________________   Common Heart Diseases You Should Know About Heart dis...
Read more

Breast Cancer

-
Image
  “Cancer may have started the fight, but I will finish it.” By Jill Conley   Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, accounting for about 12% of all new cancer cases and approximately 25% of all cancers in women. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were approximately 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide in 2020, and it resulted in around 685,000 deaths. The incidence and mortality rates can vary significantly by region due to factors like access to healthcare, screening programs, and awareness. What's breast cancer? Breast cancer is an abnormal growth of breast cells, which we might describe as 'cell madness,' where breast cells grow non-stop if not caught early and treated appropriately. Breast cancer have many types but the most common types are: 1. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC): also called infiltrating ductal carcinoma, is the most common type of breast cancer. About 80% of all breast cancers ar...
Read more

Blood Donation

-
Image
The Blood As we need water to hydrate ourselves, our body organs need hydration too. Human blood is one of the vital fluids within our body. It makes up to 7-8% of the human body. Blood isn’t just a liquid; it’s a lifeline. It transports oxygen and nutrients to every corner of our body, powers our muscles, energizes our brain, and keeps our heart beating. But blood doesn’t stop there. It also removes waste like carbon dioxide and other toxins, ensuring our system remains clean and balanced. Blood Diseases When blood is not functioning as it should, the entire body suffers. Blood diseases range from conditions that affect the quantity of blood cells to those that impact their quality or functionality. The common types of blood diseases are as follows: Anaemia: A condition where the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the tissues. Leukaemia: A cancer of the blood-forming tissues, which can disrupt the production of normal blood cells. Sickle Cell Anaemia...
Read more