How AIDS is spread
AIDS is an infectious disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Its main modes of transmission include the following:
▸Sexual transmission: This is the most common route of transmission. HIV can be spread between men and women or same-sex people through unprotected sex. The virus is present in the semen, vaginal secretions and cervical secretions of an infected person and enters the other person's blood system through sexual contact. Using condoms can significantly reduce the risk of sexual transmission, but they are not completely safe as condoms can break or be used incorrectly.
▸ Blood Transmission: HIV can be transmitted through blood or blood products. This includes sharing needles for drug use and using unsterile needles for tattoos or ear piercings. Additionally, blood products can be a route of transmission if they are not tested or handled improperly. In many countries, blood products are tested for HIV before use to reduce the risk of transmission.
▸ Mother-to-child transmission: HIV-infected pregnant women can pass the virus to their babies through the placenta, during delivery, or through breastfeeding. The risk of mother-to-child transmission depends on the pregnant woman's viral load and whether she takes preventive measures. The risk of mother-to-child transmission can be significantly reduced through measures such as antiretroviral treatment (ART) and cesarean section.
▸Organ transplant or human tissue transplant: If the donor is HIV-infected, the recipient may become infected. However, this is rare because most countries conduct strict HIV testing of donors.
It is worth noting that HIV is not transmitted through daily contact, such as shaking hands, hugging, sharing tableware, using public facilities, mosquito bites, etc. Understanding transmission routes can help you take effective preventive measures to reduce the risk of infection.
Symptoms of AIDS patients
The symptoms of AIDS patients vary depending on the stage of infection and individual differences, and are usually divided into three stages:
▸Acute HIV infection stage: 2-4 weeks after being infected with HIV, some patients will develop flu-like symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, rash, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, etc. These symptoms usually last 1-3 weeks and then resolve on their own. At this time, the viral load in the patient's body is high, but the antibody level has not yet reached a detectable level and is in the "window period." Because symptoms are non-specific, they can easily be ignored or misdiagnosed.
▸Asymptomatic HIV infection period: After the acute infection period, patients enter the asymptomatic period, which can last for several years or even more than ten years. During this period, patients usually have no obvious symptoms or only mild discomfort, such as occasional fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, etc. However, the virus continues to replicate in the body, gradually destroying the immune system, resulting in a decrease in the number of CD4+ T cells. Regular HIV testing and monitoring of CD4+ T cell counts are critical for early detection and treatment.
▸AIDS: When the CD4+ T cell count drops below 200 cells/μL or AIDS-related clinical manifestations appear, the patient enters the AIDS stage. At this time, the immune system is severely damaged and various opportunistic infections and tumors are prone to occur. Common opportunistic infections include tuberculosis, pneumonia, meningitis, oral candida infection, etc., and tumors such as Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma. Symptoms may include persistent fever, weight loss, night sweats, persistent diarrhea, skin lesions, neurological symptoms, and more. Patients in the AIDS stage require active treatment and care to prolong survival and improve quality of life.
It is worth noting that the symptoms of AIDS are diverse and complex, and different patients may have different symptoms. Early detection and treatment are crucial to controlling the progression of the disease, so high-risk groups should undergo regular HIV testing to keep abreast of their health status.
How to treat AIDS patients
The goal of AIDS treatment is to inhibit viral replication, restore and maintain immune function, prolong the patient's life, improve the quality of life, and reduce the risk of HIV transmission. At present, antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the main method of AIDS treatment. Combined with other comprehensive treatment measures, AIDS can be effectively managed.
1: Antiretroviral therapy (ART)
ART is the core of AIDS treatment. By combining multiple antiretroviral drugs, it inhibits the replication of the virus in the body and reduces the viral load to an undetectable level, thereby transforming AIDS into a controllable chronic disease. ART usually includes the following types of drugs:
2: Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs): such as tenofovir, lamivudine, etc. They inhibit the synthesis of viral DNA by blocking the reverse transcriptase of the virus.
3: Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs): such as efavirenz and nevirapine. They inhibit the activity of reverse transcriptase by binding to it and preventing viral replication.
4: Protease inhibitors (PIs): such as lopinavir and darunavir. They inhibit viral protease to prevent viral maturation and release.
5: Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs): such as dolutegravir and bictegravir. They inhibit viral integrase to prevent viral DNA from integrating into the host cell genome.
6: Fusion inhibitors and attachment inhibitors: such as enfuvirtide and ibavir. They inhibit viral entry into cells by preventing the fusion or attachment of the virus to the host cell.
The ART regimen needs to be formulated according to the patient's specific situation, such as viral load, CD4+ T cell count, drug resistance, comorbidities, patient's living habits and preferences, etc. During treatment, patients need to regularly monitor viral load and CD4+ T cell count to evaluate the treatment effect and adjust the treatment regimen. Good compliance is the key to the success of ART. Patients should strictly follow the doctor's instructions to take medicine on time, avoid missing or stopping medicine, so as to prevent viral resistance and treatment failure.
Comprehensive treatment measures
In addition to ART, AIDS patients also need comprehensive treatment measures to manage their condition and improve their quality of life:
1: Prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections: AIDS patients are prone to opportunistic infections due to their impaired immune system. Preventive measures include vaccination (such as pneumococcal vaccine, influenza vaccine, etc.), maintaining good personal hygiene habits, avoiding contact with infection sources, etc. For patients who have already developed opportunistic infections, appropriate antibacterial, antifungal or antiviral drugs should be selected for treatment according to the type and severity of the infection.
2: Tumor treatment: AIDS patients have a higher risk of developing certain tumors, such as Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, etc. The treatment of tumors depends on factors such as tumor type, stage, and overall condition of the patient, and may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, etc.
3: Comorbidity management: AIDS patients may have other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, liver disease, kidney disease, diabetes, etc. The corresponding treatment plan should be formulated according to the type and severity of comorbidities, while paying attention to the interaction between drugs and the impact on immune function.
4: Psychological support and behavioral intervention: AIDS patients may face psychological stress, anxiety, depression and other problems, and need psychological support and intervention. Psychotherapy, psychological counseling, support groups, etc. can help patients relieve psychological stress and enhance their confidence and ability to cope with the disease. In addition, behavioral intervention measures, such as quitting smoking, quitting drinking, eating healthy, and exercising moderately, can also help improve the overall health of patients.
5: Nutritional support: Reasonable nutritional support is essential for the recovery and maintenance of health of AIDS patients. A personalized diet plan should be formulated according to the specific situation of the patient to ensure sufficient energy and nutrient intake, enhance immunity, and promote body repair and functional recovery.
Treatment challenges and future directions
Although the treatment of HIV has made significant progress, it still faces some challenges, such as drug resistance, side effects of long-term treatment, treatment accessibility and compliance issues, etc. Future research directions include developing new antiretroviral drugs and treatment strategies to improve the effectiveness and safety of treatment; exploring methods to functionally cure AIDS, such as gene editing technology, immunotherapy, etc.; strengthening preventive measures to reduce the risk of HIV transmission risks; and improving access to and equity in HIV treatment globally, especially for patients in resource-limited settings.
In short, through scientific and standardized treatment and comprehensive management, AIDS patients can effectively control their disease, extend their survival, improve their quality of life, and achieve the goal of healthy living. The whole society should pay more attention to AIDS, eliminate discrimination and prejudice against patients, provide more support and help to patients, and jointly respond to AIDS, a global public health challenge.
