HIV Epidemiology Description of HIV; the causes, symptoms, complications, mode of transmission and treatment

HIV is a condition that manifests in the virus attacking the immune system of the victim. When the immune system is weakened, the body does not effectively fight off diseases. The combination of the infection plus the virus that triggers it is referred to as HIV. The immune system heavily relies on the presence of white blood cells to carry out the defence activities. The HIV virus targets and destroys a type of white blood cells referred to as CD4 cells. If the virus destroys a significant number of these cells, the body begins to fail to fight infections. The final stage of infection by HIV is called AIDS. AIDS is an abbreviation for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. People with AIDS suffer ailments that are not commonly experienced by healthy people. They may acquire rare cancers and other infections. These infections and conditions are, often, life threatening.

HIV Causes and Transmission

The human immunodeficiency virus is the cause of HIV. Infection has been occurring through three main modes, i.e. parenteral, sexual and transmission from mother to child. The global pandemic has been caused by HIV-1. HIV-2 has been found to be less communicable and it is more commonly found in West Africa. There is little evidence to prove that varying HIV-1 types have different chances of transmission (Morison, 2001).

The HIV Symptoms

HIV symptoms usually occur after a long time. The symptoms of HIV are often confused with flu. Early common symptoms include

The symptoms often disappear after a couple of weeks.
HIV Diagnosis

If saliva or urine test shows that you are positively infected, you will be subjected to a blood test to confirm the results. Most physicians apply a dual blood test procedure referred to as the ELISA and the Western blot. The second test is usually done to put doubt to rest. Antibodies for HIV usually appear in the bloodstream within three months of infection. They even take longer; up to six months.

HIV Treatment

A combination of medicines is used to treat HIV in modern medical practice. This combination is referred to as antiretroviral therapy. ART is the common abbreviation for the regime. The medicines are effective in slowing down the rate of transmission of HIV viruses. Using ARTs can help people stay healthy and live much longer than if they didn't use them yet they had the infection. Experts point out that it is a wise move to start using ARTs as soon as one realizes that they have HIV infection.

Complications

HIV weakens your body's immune system and makes you more likely to contract infections or develop certain cancers. If one is infected with HIV but does not go for treatment, the infection develops to AIDS. So, it remains impossible to treat AIDS. The condition usually leads to the death of the victim (rayur, 2012).

AIDS victims usually contract any or all of the following infections

• Toxoplasmosis

• Tuberculosis (TB

• Candidiasis.

• Cytomegalovirus

• Cryptococcal meningitis

Cryptosporidiosis

Demographics: Morbidity, Incidence, Mortality, And Prevalence

So far, over 70 million individuals have been infected with the HIV virus. Thirty-five million, of the number, have died thus far. By the end of 2015, about 36.7 million people were reported to be living with HIV. Approximately 0.8% of people between the ages of 15 to 49 are living with the condition globally. It is important to note that the burden of the HIV infection pandemic varies between countries. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the…