HIV infection - symptoms, causes, stages, treatment and prevention of HIV. Can HIV infection be cured? Early symptoms of HIV. How long do people live with HIV? Rapid HIV test

AIDS – dangerous illness, the development of which is provoked by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). To this day, scientists have not yet been able to create a pharmaceutical that could defeat this “killer.” It is for this reason that the main method of combating HIV is its effective prevention. Scientists first started talking about AIDS in the 1980s. But in fact, HIV began affecting people from West Africa back in the thirties. Now this disease has become a modern “plague”, since everything is infected with it. more people. The consequences of AIDS are often disastrous (death).

- This is a whole group of different retroviruses, which are also called lenviruses or “slow”. This name is due to their characteristic feature– from the moment they enter the body until signs of pathology appear, it takes a very long time long time. This process may take more than one year. After transfer HIV to person, it penetrates the bloodstream and attaches to those blood cells that are directly responsible for the reactivity of the body, that is, for the full functioning of the immune system. Inside such cells, HIV actively multiplies, and before an immune response occurs, infectious agents spread throughout the human body. The first “target” is the lymph nodes, since they contain a large number of lymphocytes.

During the course of the disease, the body does not respond to the presence of HIV in it. This is due to the fact that the affected immune cells cannot function normally. It is also worth noting the fact that HIV can change its structure over time, so the immune system simply cannot identify the virus and destroy it.

It is worth immediately noting that the two terms “AIDS” and “HIV” differ from each other. These are not synonyms, as most people think. AIDS is the term for immune deficiency that can develop due to long-term exposure to radiation, chronic illnesses, taking potent pharmaceuticals. But recently this term is used only to refer to the last stage of HIV.

Etiology

The source of HIV can be a virus carrier who does not show symptoms of the disease, or a sick person.

• sexual transmission. HIV can be transmitted to a healthy person through sexual contact. Greatest danger represents anal and vaginal sex;
• perinatal route. In this case, the child becomes infected from the sick mother. A newborn can become infected while passing through a woman’s birth canal;
• blood transfusion route of transmission. Infection occurs during transfusion of blood, plasma, leukocyte and platelet mass;
• Milky Way. A child can become infected with HIV by consuming milk from an infected mother;
• injection route of transmission. It is more typical for people who use drugs and use the same syringe several times. But infection in this way is also possible in medical institutions where workers do not comply with the standards for the use of instruments and syringes;
• transplantation route of transmission. Infection occurs through organ or bone marrow transplantation from a sick person;
• household route of transmission. In this case, HIV can enter the body through microtraumas on the skin and mucous membranes (if a person comes into contact with the biological fluids of an AIDS patient).

You cannot become infected with AIDS:

• through a kiss;
• while coughing or sneezing;
• eating food with an infected person;
• through a handshake;
• in saunas and baths.

Symptoms

It is worth noting that HIV occurs in three stages:

• acute febrile;
• asymptomatic;
• AIDS or advanced stage.

Acute febrile

This stage appears 1–2 months after infection. It does not appear in all patients, but only in 50–70%. For the rest incubation period is replaced by an asymptomatic phase.

Symptoms:

• a sore throat;
• slight hyperthermia;
• diarrhea;
• nausea and vomiting;
• pain in joints;
• Various elements of a rash may appear on the skin.

Asymptomatic

Lasts for a long period of time. In half of the patients it lasts up to 10 years. The rate of progression of this stage is significantly influenced by the rate of virus reproduction in cells. Symptoms of the disease are not observed during the asymptomatic phase, but in in rare cases enlargement of some groups of lymph nodes is possible.

AIDS or advanced stage

This stage is characterized by the activation of opportunistic microorganisms that live in the body of every person. The symptoms of AIDS are the same in women and men. The entire pathological process can be divided into two stages.

The first signs of AIDS (stage 1):

• reduction in body weight by 10%;
• appears often;
• hairy mouth - characteristic symptom AIDS in men and women. A white coating accumulates on the lateral surfaces of the tongue;
• decrease in blood concentration. This causes the appearance of a hemorrhagic rash on the extremities;
• the patient often has problems, etc.;
• enlargement of several groups of lymph nodes;
• increased sweating at night;
• decreased visual function.

At the second stage of the disease, a decrease in body weight of more than 10% is observed. To the above pathological processes the following infections are associated:

• hyperthermia;
• diarrhea;
• Kaposi's sarcoma.

Diagnostics

If a person shows the first signs of AIDS, he should immediately contact medical institution for diagnosis, confirmation or refutation of diagnosis. Only a competent doctor can confirm the presence of such a dangerous disease after examination and receipt of test results. You can detect the presence of HIV by taking a blood test.

December 1 is World AIDS Day. In the mid-1980s, this diagnosis was a death sentence, and today the life of HIV-infected people is practically no different from the life of healthy people. We will tell you about the price of such success.

Humanity learned about HIV in 1981. At first it was a mysterious disease that killed its victims within a few years, but gradually scientists began to understand the nature of the disease and create drugs that prevent the virus from reproducing and infecting new cells.

Small and sneaky

The genome of one of humanity’s main enemies consists of only nine genes, which does not prevent the virus from effectively infecting cells and reproducing. 10 billion new viral particles are formed in the blood of an HIV-infected person per day, and many of them are not similar to their “parents” due to the variability of the virus.

The virus enters the body through biological fluids- blood, sperm and even breast milk. The particles infect cells of the immune system, which carry special receptors on their surface to which the virus attaches before penetrating inside. Cells without these HIV receptors are of no interest.

What is AIDS

Once inside the cell, the virus immediately “entrenches itself,” that is, integrates its genetic material into the cellular DNA. All descendants of the infected cell will then contain instructions for assembling virus particles. This clever trick makes life very difficult for scientists and doctors who are looking for a cure for HIV. Even if all viral particles in the body are destroyed, after some time they will be reborn from healthy-looking cells carrying viral genes. Over time, the virus completely destroys the immune system, and HIV-infected patients die from diseases that the body of healthy people copes with easily. The condition when an HIV-positive person develops all kinds of infections is called AIDS..

Hypothesis "Patient Zero" The human immunodeficiency virus is believed to have originated in Africa, mutating from a monkey variant of the disease. Local residents often eat chimpanzees and other primates, in addition, viral particles could enter the blood of people through bites. However, the first AIDS patients were described in the United States, from where the virus quickly spread throughout the world. To understand how HIV moved across the ocean, scientists mapped the contacts of sick people. It turned out that most of them were homosexuals, and after tracing the history of their connections, experts came across a man named Gaetan Dugas - in a scientific publication in 1984, which explained the origin of the virus, he appeared as “patient zero.” Dugas was gay, worked as a steward and was very loving: by his own estimates, he had about 2,500 sexual relationships throughout his life. Most likely, the young man contracted HIV from one of his lovers in Africa, where he often visited, and then transmitted the virus to partners from the United States. “Patient zero” died at the age of 31 from kidney damage, which developed against the background of decreased immunity. At the dawn of the HIV epidemic, many believed that the source of the disease was homosexual men. Dugas's story reinforced this belief, but it soon became clear that anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, could become infected with the virus. Not all experts believe in the hypothesis that a terrible disease was spread across the planet by one person, but none of them alternative versions there is also no absolutely reliable evidence.

Don't let it multiply

Scientists were able to “catch” the human immunodeficiency virus in 1983 - two research groups immediately isolated viral particles from blood samples of patients. In 1985, the first test was created that could determine whether a person was infected with HIV. But there was still no cure for the terrible disease. By 1987, the number of people living with HIV worldwide had reached, according to different estimates, from 100 to 150 thousand people. The authorities were silent for a long time about the beginning of a new epidemic, but it was impossible to further hide the scale of the disaster. Six years after the death of the first patients, American President Ronald Reagan first uttered the words HIV and AIDS in a public speech. And in the same year the first medicine appeared.

First cure

The drug molecule zidovudine is very similar to one of the four “building blocks” that are needed to build DNA. The virus synthesizes DNA molecules to integrate them into the genome of the host cell, and when instead of the correct “brick” it comes across zidovudine, the chain breaks. Unfinished virus genes cannot be integrated into the cellular genome, which means that the virus will not multiply in this cell. The enzyme that synthesizes viral DNA is called reverse transcriptase. Both zidovudine and similar drugs are its inhibitors, that is, substances that block the enzyme.

But the joy of scientists and patients did not last long - it quickly became clear that, although zidovudine works, the prognosis for patients still remains disappointing. In addition, the drug had seriousside effects, especially since at first the medicine was used in very high doses.

Combination therapy

In 1992, a second anti-HIV drug appeared - zalcitabine, which could be used instead of or together with zidovudine. Despite the fact that both drugs act similarly, their combination gave a much better effect than using each drug separately. Today, all HIV treatment protocols necessarily include several substances; this approach is called combination therapy. Various drugs block several processes necessary for the virus to reproduce at once, and as a result, it is often possible keep HIV in a “dormant” state for years.

Be careful, children

The story of the fight against HIV would be less dramatic if it concerned only adults. But the insidious virus is very well transmitted to children - on average, every third baby born from an HIV-positive mother was infected. IN children's body The virus is often much more active, and without adequate treatment, babies die within a few years.

Length is important

The next breakthrough came in 1996, when researchers learned to “turn off” another viral enzyme, protease. HIV synthesizes some of its proteins as double proteins, and only then cuts the long chain into pieces; a protease is responsible for this process. When combined with existing drugs, the new drugs worked so well that someoptimists started talking about victory over HIV. But very soon it became clear that it was too early to relax, and the virus, which had seemingly disappeared, made itself felt again, reborn from infected cells.

Healthy generation

At the end of 1996, during clinical trials doctors have found that zidovudine reduces the likelihood of transmission of the virus during childbirth before amazing 3-4 percent. Since then, even if the mother finds out about her diagnosis at later pregnancy, the baby has every chance of being born healthy. Moreover, in 2013, doctors managed to completely cure a girl born with HIV infection. Doctors began therapy when the baby was 30 hours old, and it seems that such early intervention did not allow the virus to “take hold” in the body.

One tablet

Every year, scientists create new drugs to treat HIV. In addition to zidovudine analogues and various protease inhibitors, drugs have emerged that prevent viral particles from attaching to CD4-receptors, and substances that tightly block reverse transcriptase. Patients often have to take almost a dozen tablets a day, each at strictly defined hours, including at night.

And in 2011, a drug appeared on the market for the first time, thanks to which people with HIV infection may not think about her around the clock. One tablet of medicine with a trade name Complera contains three different reverse transcriptase inhibitors. In order to prevent the virus from multiplying, patients need to take the medicine only once a day, although always at the same time. A year later another one appeared combination drug with other active ingredients, so that soon doctors will be able to prescribe a relaxed treatment for all more patients.

Every year the number of people infected with HIV is falling. At the same time, the life expectancy of patients is increasing and mortality is decreasing. It seems that doctors and researchers have managed to find a solution to the plague of the 21st century. We can talk about the final victory after the immunodeficiency virus vaccine, but there are still difficulties with this. But even if there is no vaccine, very soon HIV-positive people will remember their illness only by reading their medical records.

Photo: Spirit Of America/Shutterstock, Shutterstock (x4)

Good day, dear readers!

In today's article we will look at this serious illness, how - HIV infection, and everything connected with it - causes, how it is transmitted, incubation period, first signs, symptoms, stages of development, types, tests, tests, diagnosis, treatment, medications, prevention and other useful information. So…

What does HIV mean?

HIV infection in children

HIV infection in children is in many cases accompanied by developmental delays (physical and psychomotor), frequent infectious diseases, pneumonitis, encephalopathy, hyperplasia of the pulmonary lymphatics, hemorrhagic syndrome. Moreover, HIV infection in children acquired from infected mothers is characterized by a more rapid course and progression.

The main cause of HIV infection is infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. The cause of AIDS is also the same virus, because AIDS is the last stage of development of HIV infection.

is a slowly developing virus belonging to the family of retroviruses (Retroviridae) and the genus of lentiviruses (Lentivirus). It is the word “lente” translated from Latin that means “slow”, which partially characterizes this infection, which develops quite slowly from the moment it enters the body until the last stage.

The size of the human immunodeficiency virus is only about 100-120 nanometers, which is almost 60 times smaller than the diameter of a blood particle - an erythrocyte.

The complexity of HIV lies in its frequent genetic changes during the process of self-reproduction - almost every virus differs from its predecessor by at least 1 nucleotide.

In nature, as of 2017, 4 types of virus are known - HIV-1 (HIV-1), HIV-2 (HIV-2), HIV-3 (HIV-3) and HIV-4 (HIV-4), each of which differs in genome structure and other properties.

It is HIV-1 infection that plays a role in the disease of most HIV-infected people, therefore, when the subtype number is not indicated, 1 is implied by default.

The source of HIV is people infected with the virus.

The main routes of infection are: injections (especially injection drugs), transfusions (blood, plasma, red blood cells) or organ transplantation, unprotected sexual contact with a stranger, unnatural sex (anal, oral), trauma during childbirth, feeding a baby breast milk(if the mother is infected), trauma during childbirth, use of undisinfected medical or cosmetic items (scalpel, needles, scissors, tattoo machines, dental and other instruments).

For HIV infection and its further spread throughout the body and development, it is necessary that the infected blood, mucus, sperm and other biomaterials of the patient enter the human bloodstream or lymphatic system.

An interesting fact is that some people have an innate defense against the human immunodeficiency virus in their bodies, so they are resistant to HIV. The following elements have such protective properties: the CCR5 protein, the TRIM5a protein, the CAML protein (calcium-modulated cyclophilin ligand), as well as the interferon-inducible transmembrane protein CD317/BST-2 (“tetherin”).

By the way, the CD317 protein, in addition to retroviruses, also actively counteracts arenaviruses, filoviruses and herpesviruses. The cofactor for CD317 is the cellular protein BCA2.

HIV Risk Groups

• Drug addicts, mainly injecting drug users;
• Sexual partners of drug addicts;
• Persons who are disorderly sex life, as well as those who engage in unnatural sex;
• Prostitutes and their clients;
• Donors and people in need of blood transfusion or organ transplantation;
• People suffering from sexually transmitted diseases;
• Doctors.

The classification of HIV infection is as follows:

Classification by clinical manifestations (in the Russian Federation and some CIS countries):

1. Incubation stage.

2. The stage of primary manifestations, which, depending on the course options, can be:

• without clinical manifestations (asymptomatic);
• acute course without secondary diseases;
• acute course with secondary diseases;

3. Subclinical stage.

4. The stage of secondary diseases caused by damage to the body by viruses, bacteria, fungi and other types of infection that develop against the background of weakened immunity. Downstream it is divided into:

A) body weight decreases by less than 10%, as well as frequently recurring infectious diseases of the skin and mucous membranes - pharyngitis, otitis media, herpes zoster, angular cheilitis ();

B) body weight decreases by more than 10%, as well as persistent and frequently recurring infectious diseases of the skin, mucous membranes and internal organs– sinusitis, pharyngitis, herpes zoster, fever or diarrhea (diarrhea) for a month, localized Kaposi’s sarcoma;

C) body weight is significantly reduced (cachexia), as well as persistent generalized infectious diseases of the respiratory, digestive, nervous and other systems - candidiasis (trachea, bronchi, lungs, esophagus), Pneumocystis pneumonia, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, herpes, encephalopathy, meningitis, cancerous tumors(disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma).

All options for the course of the 4th stage have the following phases:

• progression of pathology in the absence of highly active antiretroviral therapy(HAART);
• progression of pathology during HAART;
• remission during or after HAART.

5. Terminal stage(AIDS).

The above classification largely coincides with the classification approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Classification by clinical manifestations (CDC - US Center for Disease Control and Prevention):

The CDC classification includes not only clinical manifestations diseases, but also the number of CD4 + T-lymphocytes in 1 μl of blood. It is based on the division of HIV infection into only 2 categories: the disease itself and AIDS. If the following parameters meet criteria A3, B3, C1, C2 and C3, the patient is considered as having AIDS.

Symptoms according to CDC category:

A (acute retroviral syndrome) – characterized by asymptomatic or generalized lymphadenopathy (GLAP).

B (AIDS-associated complex syndromes) – may be accompanied by candidiasis oral cavity, herpes zoster, cervical dysplasia, peripheral neuropathy, organic damage, idiopathic thrombocytopenia, leukoplakia or listeriosis.

C (AIDS) – may be accompanied by candidiasis respiratory tract(from the oropharynx to the lungs) and/or esophagus, pneumocystosis, pneumonia, herpetic esophagitis, HIV encephalopathy, isosporosis, histoplasmosis, mycobacteriosis, cytomegalovirus infection, cryptosporidiosis, coccidioidosis, cervical cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma, lymphoma, salmonellosis and other diseases.

Diagnosis of HIV infection

Diagnosis of HIV infection includes the following examination methods:

• Anamnesis;
• Visual examination of the patient;
• Screening test (detection of blood antibodies to infection using enzyme immunoassay– ELISA);
• A test confirming the presence of antibodies in the blood (blood testing using the immune blotting method (blot)), which is carried out only when positive result screening test;
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR);
• Analyzes for immune status(counting CD4 + lymphocytes is done using automatic analyzers (flow cytometry method) or manually using microscopes);
• Viral load analysis (counting the number of HIV RNA copies per milliliter of blood plasma);
• Rapid tests for HIV - diagnosis is made using ELISA on test strips, agglutination reaction, immunochromatography or immunological filtration analysis.

Tests alone are not enough to diagnose AIDS. Confirmation occurs only with the additional presence of 2 or more opportunistic diseases associated with this syndrome.

HIV infection - treatment

Treatment of HIV infection is possible only after a thorough diagnosis. However, unfortunately, as of 2017, officially, adequate therapy And medicines, which would completely eliminate the human immunodeficiency virus and cure the patient have not been established.

The only modern treatment for HIV infection today is highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which is aimed at slowing the progression of the disease and stopping its transition to the AIDS stage. Thanks to HAART, a person’s life can be extended for several decades; the only condition is lifelong use of appropriate medications.

The insidiousness of the human immunodeficiency virus is also its mutation. So, if anti-HIV medications are not changed after some time, which is determined based on constant monitoring of the disease, the virus adapts and the prescribed treatment regimen becomes ineffective. Therefore, at different intervals, the doctor changes the treatment regimen, and with it the medications. The reason for changing the drug may also be the patient’s individual intolerance to it.

Modern drug development aims not only to achieve the goal of effectiveness against HIV, but also to reduce side effects from them.

The effectiveness of treatment also increases with changes in a person’s lifestyle, improving its quality - healthy sleep, proper nutrition, stress avoidance, active image life, positive emotions etc.

Thus, the following points can be highlighted in the treatment of HIV infection:

• Drug treatment HIV infections;
• Diet;
• Preventive actions.

Important! Before using medications, be sure to consult your doctor for advice!

1. Drug treatment of HIV infection

At the beginning, we must immediately remind you once again that AIDS is last stage development of HIV infection, and it is at this stage that a person usually has very little time to live. Therefore, it is very important to prevent the development of AIDS, and this largely depends on timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of HIV infection. We also noted that the only method of treating HIV today is considered to be highly active antiretroviral therapy, which, according to statistics, reduces the risk of developing AIDS to almost 1-2%.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)– a method of treating HIV infection based on simultaneous administration three or four drugs (tritherapy). The number of drugs is related to the mutagenicity of the virus, and in order to bind it at this stage for as long as possible, the doctor selects a complex of drugs. Each of the drugs, depending on the principle of action, is included in separate group– reverse transcriptase inhibitors (nucleoside and non-nucleoside), integrase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, receptor inhibitors and fusion inhibitors (fusion inhibitors).

HAART has the following goals:

• Virological – aimed at stopping the reproduction and spread of HIV, which is indicated by reducing the viral load by 10 times or more in just 30 days, to 20-50 copies/ml or less in 16-24 weeks, as well as maintaining these indicators for as long as possible;
• Immunological – aimed at restoration normal functioning and the health of the immune system, which is due to the restoration of the number of CD4 lymphocytes and an adequate immune response to infection;
• Clinical – aimed at preventing the formation of secondary infectious diseases and AIDS, which makes it possible to conceive a child.

Medicines for HIV infection

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors– the mechanism of action is based on the competitive suppression of the HIV enzyme, which ensures the creation of DNA, which is based on the RNA of the virus. It is the first group of drugs against retroviruses. Well tolerated. Side effects include: lactic acidosis, bone marrow suppression, polyneuropathy and lipoatrophy. The substance is excreted from the body through the kidneys.

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors include abacavir (Ziagen), zidovudine (Azidothymidine, Zidovirine, Retrovir, Timazid), lamivudine (Virolam, Heptavir-150, Lamivudine-3TC ", "Epivir"), stavudine ("Aktastav", "Zerit", "Stavudin"), tenofovir ("Viread", "Tenvir"), phosphazide ("Nikavir"), emtricitabine ("Emtriva"), as well as complexes abacavir + lamivudine (Kivexa, Epzicom), zidovudine + lamivudine (Combivir), tenofovir + emtricitabine (Truvada) and zidovudine + lamivudine + abacavir (Trizivir).

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors– delavirdine (Rescriptor), nevirapine (Viramune), rilpivirine (Edurant), efavirenz (Regast, Sustiva), etravirine (Intelence).

Integrase inhibitors— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the viral enzyme, which is involved in the integration of viral DNA into the genome of the target cell, after which a provirus is formed.

Integrase inhibitors include dolutegravir (Tivicay), raltegravir (Isentress), and elvitegravir (Vitecta).

Protease inhibitors— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the viral protease enzyme (retropepsin), which is directly involved in the cleavage of Gag-Pol polyproteins into individual proteins, after which the mature proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus virion are actually formed.

Protease inhibitors include amprenavir (“Agenerase”), darunavir (“Prezista”), indinavir (“Crixivan”), nelfinavir (“Viracept”), ritonavir (“Norvir”, “Ritonavir”), saquinavir-INV (“ Invirase"), tipranavir ("Aptivus"), fosamprenavir ("Lexiva", "Telzir"), as well as combination remedy lopinavir + ritonavir (Kaletra).

Receptor inhibitors— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the penetration of HIV into the target cell, which is due to the effect of the substance on the coreceptors CXCR4 and CCR5.

Receptor inhibitors include maraviroc (Celsentri).

Fusion inhibitors (fusion inhibitors)- the mechanism of action is based on blocking last stage for the introduction of the virus into the target cell.

Among the fusion inhibitors, one can highlight enfuvirtide (Fuzeon).

The use of HAART during pregnancy reduces the risk of transmission of infection from an infected mother to a child to 1%, although without this therapy the percentage of infection of the child is about 20%.

Side effects from the use of HAART medications include pancreatitis, anemia, skin rashes, kidney stones, peripheral neuropathy, lactic acidosis, hyperlipidemia, lipodystrophy, as well as Fanconi syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and others.

The diet for HIV infection is aimed at preventing the patient from losing weight, as well as providing the body’s cells with the necessary energy and, of course, stimulating and maintaining the normal functioning of not only the immune system, but also other systems.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the certain vulnerability of an immune system weakened by infection, so protect yourself from infection with other types of infection - be sure to follow the rules of personal hygiene and cooking rules.

Nutrition for HIV/AIDS should:

2. Be high in calories, which is why it is recommended to add butter, mayonnaise, cheese, and sour cream to food.

3. Turn on drinking plenty of fluids, it is especially useful to drink decoctions and freshly squeezed juices with big amount vitamin C, which stimulates the immune system - decoction, juices (apple, grape, cherry).

4. Be frequent, 5-6 times a day, but in small portions.

5. Water for drinking and cooking must be purified. Avoid eating expired foods, undercooked meat, raw eggs, unpasteurized milk.

What can you eat if you have HIV infection:

• Soups - vegetable, cereal, with noodles, meat broth, maybe with the addition of butter;
• Meat - beef, turkey, chicken, lungs, liver, lean fish (preferably sea);
• Cereals – buckwheat, pearl barley, rice, millet and oatmeal;
• Porridge - with the addition of dried fruits, honey, jam;
, and zinc, therefore, they need to be done Special attention when eating food. In addition, we would like to remind you once again that it stimulates the immune system, which is very important in the fight against infection.

What not to eat if you have HIV infection

In case of human immunodeficiency virus, it is necessary to completely abandon alcoholic drinks, smoking, weight loss diets, highly allergenic foods, sweet carbonated drinks.

3. Preventive measures

Preventive measures for HIV infection that must be followed during treatment include:

• Avoiding repeated contact with infection;
• Healthy sleep;
• Compliance with personal hygiene rules;
• Avoiding the possibility of infection with other types of infection -, and others;
• Avoiding stress;
• Timely wet cleaning in the place of residence;
• Avoidance of prolonged exposure to sunlight;
• Complete cessation of alcoholic beverages and smoking;
• Good nutrition;
• Active lifestyle;
• Holidays at sea, in the mountains, i.e. in the most environmentally friendly places.

We will look at additional HIV prevention measures at the end of the article.

Important! Before use folk remedies against HIV infection, be sure to consult your doctor!

St. John's wort. Pour well-dried chopped herbs into an enamel pan and fill it with 1 liter of soft purified water, then put the container on the fire. After the product boils, cook the product for another 1 hour over low heat, then remove, cool, strain and pour the broth into a jar. Add 50 g to the decoction sea ​​buckthorn oil, mix thoroughly and set aside in a cool place to infuse for 2 days. You need to take the product 50 g 3-4 times a day.

Licorice. Pour 50 g of chopped into an enamel pan, fill it with 1 liter of purified water and place on the stove over high heat. After bringing to a boil, reduce the heat to minimum and simmer for about 1 hour. Then remove the broth from the stove, cool it, strain, pour into a glass container, add 3 tbsp. spoons of natural, mix. You need to drink 1 glass of the decoction in the morning, on an empty stomach.

or not is a question that worries millions of people around the world. It is worth noting that hundreds of scientists are working to find a vaccine or cure for this disease. Did they manage to find a miracle cure that makes HIV curable today? Unfortunately, no one can give a positive answer to this question yet. When talking about whether HIV can be treated, you should pay attention to the fact that there is no talk of complete elimination yet. However modern medicine has made great progress on this issue.

Will HIV be cured soon?

To answer the question of whether HIV can be cured in the near future, we should consider the most important discoveries recent years in the field of immunodeficiency virus research. Perhaps they will shed light on this issue. What studies, the results of which were recently published, are we talking about:

Have you ever been cured of HIV?

The question of whether there are cases of cure for HIV worries many. People look for such information on the Internet, on forums and websites. But this is not entirely correct. For such information, it is better to refer to statistics from the WHO or the Ministry of Health, if we are talking about data for Russia. Both organizations cannot answer the question of whether HIV and AIDS are curable. The fact is that they have no recorded data on miraculous cases of relief from this terrible disease. But on forums and websites there are fierce debates about whether HIV can be treated or not. A separate category are made up of AIDS dissidents who completely deny the existence of this terrible disease. These people believe that talk about whether HIV infection can be cured forever is pointless. After all, the immunodeficiency virus is a smart move by the world’s ruling elite, with the help of which money is laundered and so on. Although there is a lot of official evidence that the disease actually exists. This is evidenced by the high mortality threshold and the consequences that the virus leads to at the stage of secondary manifestations. AIDS dissidents are considered dangerous because they discourage some infected people from taking medications and preventative measures.

People often write on religious forums that HIV is completely curable. They declare that prayer, coming to faith and cleansing from all mortal things helped them get rid of a terrible fatal illness. Believing in it or not is a personal matter for everyone. However, official medicine urges people to take all precautions and trust only trusted sources regarding whether it is possible to be cured of HIV infection forever.

Relatively recently, a foreign scientific publication published information that several cases of complete elimination of the immunodeficiency virus have been recorded. At the same time, we are not talking about people who were tested on new drugs and vaccines. It’s just that at a certain point, several cases of complete recovery from HIV infection were recorded in positive patients. This happened to Europeans, and some scientists have found a reasonable explanation this phenomenon. The fact is that a gene was found in the body of Caucasian people that is responsible for the fight against virus cells. With its help, they are even developing a vaccine against this terrible disease. It is quite possible that the complete treatment of HIV, or rather its amazing disappearance, is directly related to some modification of this genome, with the help of which the virus was destroyed in the body of previously infected people.

Why HIV is not curable: what reasons are voiced by scientists and medical experts?

At the end of 2015, American scientists were able to find an answer to the question of why the immunodeficiency virus cannot be cured. This discovery made it possible to give a negative answer to the question of whether HIV and AIDS can be cured forever from the body. The fact is that we learned to suppress the virus itself ten years ago, but sooner or later it makes itself felt again. It's about about situations when the body's immune response weakens. It turned out that along with the virus, a special protein enters the body, the presence of which was previously unknown. It completely blocks the work of a certain protein, which is responsible for the production of substances that suppress virus-infected cells. This study in the future it may help to find the answer to the question of how to cure HIV.

Modern medicine also has its own educated guesses on this matter. Experts believe that AIDS and HIV can be treated and suppressed up to a certain point. We are talking about acute stage, which lasts only a few weeks. During this time, it is not possible to completely destroy infected cells. During this period, the virus is suppressed. This is followed by a long asymptomatic stage. It is characterized by the absence of any manifestations. Whether HIV infection is cured or not during this period is clear thanks to modern methods diagnostics After all, disease cells are detected at this moment, but do not manifest themselves in any way. They literally eat into the genetic tissue, after which they “fall asleep” for a certain time. A sharp exacerbation occurs before the onset of the stage of secondary manifestations. The body, which gets used to the fact that the virus cells are inactive, does not have time to cope with their rapid spread. Antibodies are produced slowly, and the consequences of the disease become irreversible.

In search of an answer to the question of whether HIV infection is completely curable, scientists tried to prescribe antiretroviral therapy to patients during the latent asymptomatic period. But this did not bring any results. The virus cells showed absolute resistance to any ART drugs.

The human immunodeficiency virus is a pathology that destroys the body's natural defenses. Its danger is that it reduces the body's resistance various infections, contributing to the development of serious diseases and their complications.

It is completely impossible to cure the disease, since its structure is constantly changing, which does not allow pharmacists to create substances that can destroy it. Treatment for HIV infection is aimed at strengthening the immune system and blocking the activity of the virus.

The disease has four stages, the last of which – AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) – is terminal.

HIV infection has a very long incubation period. After entering the body, the virus for a long time does not manifest itself in any way, but continues to destroy the immune system. A person begins to get sick more severely and for a longer period of time, since the immune system is unable to cope even with “harmless” infections, which give complications, worsening health conditions more and more.

At the terminal stage, the immune system is completely destroyed, which gives impetus to the development oncological tumors, severe damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, respiratory system, etc. The result is the death of the patient from one of the diseases of these organs.

HIV has four types, of which the first two are diagnosed in 95% of cases of infection, the third and fourth are extremely rare.

The virus is not resistant to exposure environment, antiseptics, alcohol solutions, acetone. He also can't stand high temperatures and dies already at 56 degrees within half an hour, and when boiled it is destroyed instantly.

At the same time, its cells remain viable when frozen (they are able to “live” 5-6 days at a temperature of 22 degrees); in solutions of narcotic substances they remain active for about three weeks.

For a long time, HIV was considered a disease of drug addicts, homosexuals and women of easy virtue. Today, among the carriers of the virus there are people with high social status and heterosexual orientation. Neither adults nor children are immune from infection. The main route of transmission is biological body fluids. Pathogenic cells are found in:

• blood;
• lymph;
• sperm;
• cerebrospinal fluid;
• vaginal secretion;
• breast milk.

The risk of infection increases in proportion to the number of pathogenic cells in these fluids, and at least ten thousand viral particles are required to transmit infection.

Methods of infection

The main routes of transmission of the virus are considered to be

• Unprotected sexual intercourse.

According to statistics, infection through this route is diagnosed in 75% of patients, but the risk of transmitting pathogenic cells is the lowest: about 30% of sexual partners become infected during the first vaginal contact, about 50% during anal contact, and less than 5% during oral contact.

Increases the risk of genitourinary pathologies (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, fungi), trauma and microdamage to the mucous membranes of intimate organs (scratches, ulcers, erosions, cracks) anus etc.), frequent sexual contact with an infected person.

Women are more likely to accept the virus than men, since the area of ​​the vagina and direct contact with pathogenic cells is larger.

• Intravenous injections.

The second most popular way, since more than half of drug addicts suffer from it. The reasons are the use of one syringe or utensils to prepare the solution, as well as unprotected intimate contacts with dubious partners while under the influence of drugs.

• Intrauterine path.

During pregnancy, the risk of the virus passing through the placenta does not exceed 25%, natural childbirth and breastfeeding increase it by another 10%.

• Penetrating injuries from non-sterile instruments: infection occurs when surgical operations in dubious clinics, tattooing, manicure procedures, etc.

• Direct blood transfusion, untested organ transplantation.

If the donor is HIV positive, transmission is 100%.

The possibility of infection depends on the strength of the recipient's immunity. If the natural defense is strong, the course of the disease will be weaker and the incubation period itself will be longer.

Manifestations of pathology

Symptoms of HIV infection are a manifestation of curable diseases provoked by a weakened immune system, which makes diagnosis very difficult, since a person only tests necessary tests, treats the consequences of an illness without even realizing his true status. There are slight differences depending on the stages of infection.

There are no symptoms characteristic of the virus: the manifestations of the disease are individual and depend on general condition health of the patient, diseases caused by him.

The first stage is the incubation period. This is the initial stage, developing from the moment pathogenic cells enter the body until one year. In some patients, the first symptoms appear within a couple of weeks, in others - no earlier than several months.

The average incubation period is one and a half to three months. During this period, symptoms are completely absent; even tests do not show the presence of the virus. A dangerous disease can be detected at an early stage only if a person has encountered one of the possible routes of infection.

The second stage is the stage of primary manifestations. They arise as a reaction of the immune system to the active proliferation of harmful cells. Usually occurs 2-3 months after infection, lasting from two weeks to several months.

It can happen in different ways

• Asymptomatic when the body produces antibodies and there are no signs of infection.
• Spicy.

The stage is typical for 15-30% of patients, the manifestations are similar to those of acute infectious pathologies:

• temperature increase;
• fever;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• skin rashes;
• bowel disorders;
• inflammatory processes of the upper respiratory tract;
• increase in the size of the liver and spleen.

In rare cases, the development of autoimmune pathologies is possible.

• Acute with secondary pathologies – typical for most patients.

Weakened immunity allows existing representatives of opportunistic microflora to actively reproduce, which leads to exacerbation or the emergence of infectious diseases. At this stage, it is not difficult to cure them, but soon their relapses become more frequent.

The third stage is deterioration of work and condition lymphatic system. Lasts from two to 15 years, depending on how the immune system copes with viral cells. Enlargement of lymph nodes occurs in groups (except for the inguinal ones) that are not interconnected.

After three months their size comes to healthy condition, pain on palpation disappears, elasticity and mobility return. Sometimes relapses occur.

The fourth stage is terminal – the development of AIDS. The immune system is practically destroyed, the virus itself multiplies unhindered. All the remaining ones are susceptible to destruction healthy cells, many of them degenerate into malignant ones, and severe infectious pathologies develop.

AIDS also occurs in four stages

• The first occurs after 6-10 years. It is characterized by a decrease in body weight, rashes on the skin and mucous membranes containing purulent contents, fungal and viral infections, and diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Cope with infectious processes It is possible, but the therapy is long.
• The second develops after another 2-3 years. Weight loss continues, body temperature rises to 38-39 degrees, weakness and drowsiness occur. Frequent diarrhea, lesions of the oral mucosa, fungal and viral lesions skin, the manifestations of all previously diagnosed infectious pathologies intensify, and pulmonary tuberculosis develops.

Conventional medications are unable to cope with the disease; only antiretroviral therapy can alleviate the symptoms.

• The third stage occurs 10-12 years after infection. Symptoms: exhaustion, weakness, lack of appetite. Pneumonia develops, viral infections worsen, and healing of their manifestations does not occur. Pathogenic microflora covers all internal and external organs and their systems, diseases are acute and give new complications.

The duration of HIV infection from the moment of infection until the death of the patient varies from person to person. Some die after 2-3 years, others live 20 years or more. Cases have been recorded of people dying from the virus within a few months. A person’s lifespan depends on his general health and the type of virus that has entered the body.

Features of HIV in adults and children

The clinical picture of the disease in representatives of the stronger sex does not differ from the manifestations that develop when the immune system is weakened. Girls suffer the infection more severely, as they begin to experience menstrual irregularities.

Menstruation occurs with severe pain, become abundant, bleeding is observed in the middle of the cycle. A common complication of the virus is malignant formations organs of the reproductive system. Cases of organ inflammation are increasing genitourinary system, they occur more severely and take longer.

In babies and newborns, the disease does not manifest itself for a long time, external signs are missing. The only symptom by which one can suspect the presence of pathology is mental retardation and physical development child.

Diagnosis of the disease

It is difficult to detect HIV at an early stage, since the symptoms are absent or similar to the manifestations of curable pathologies: inflammatory processes, allergies, infectious diseases. The disease can be detected by chance, during a routine medical examination, admission to a hospital, or registration during pregnancy.

The main diagnostic method is a special test, which can be done both in the clinic and at home.

There are a lot of diagnostic methods. Every year, scientists develop new tests and improve old ones, reducing the number of false positive and false negative results.

The main material for research is human blood, but there are tests that can make a preliminary diagnosis by examining saliva or urine using scrapings from the surface of the oral cavity. Wide Application They have not yet been found, but are used for home preliminary diagnostics.

HIV testing in adults is carried out in three stages:

• screening test - gives a preliminary result, helps to identify people who have been infected;
• reference – carried out to persons whose screening results are positive;
• confirming – establishes the final diagnosis and duration of presence of the virus in the body.

This phasing of the examination is associated with high cost research: each subsequent analysis is more complex and expensive, so carry out full complex is not economically feasible for all citizens. During the study, antigens are identified - cells or particles of the virus, antibodies - leukocytes produced immune system to pathogenic cells.

The presence of harmful cells can be determined only after seroconversion is achieved - a state when the number of antibodies is sufficient to be detected by test systems. From the moment of infection until the onset of seroconversion, a “window period” occurs: during this time, transmission of the virus is already possible, but no test can detect it. This period lasts from six to twelve weeks.

If the diagnostic results are positive, you should contact your doctor to prescribe antiretroviral therapy. Which doctor treats HIV infection? An infectious disease specialist who is usually present at the central clinic of a city or regional center.

Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus

Once the virus enters the body, it remains there forever. Although research into the infection has been going on for decades, scientists have not been able to invent drugs that can destroy pathogenic cells. Therefore, almost 100 years after the discovery of the virus, the answer to the question of whether HIV infection can be treated remains a sad “No.”

But medicine is constantly inventing drugs that can slow down the activity of HIV, reduce the risks of developing pathologies, help cope with them faster and prolong the life of the infected person, making it full. Treatment of HIV infection involves taking antiretroviral therapy drugs, prevention and treatment of concomitant inflammatory processes.

Therapy is taking medications, but immunodeficiency can be cured using methods traditional medicine impossible. Refusal of pharmaceutical products in favor of unconventional recipes is a direct path to the development of AIDS and the death of the patient.

The effectiveness of treatment depends on many factors, but the most important condition therapy – the patient’s responsible attitude towards the prescribed treatment. In order for it to produce results, medications should be taken at a strictly defined time, their dosage should be observed, and interruptions in treatment should not be allowed. Diet and healthy lifestyle are also recommended.

If these recommendations are followed, the number of protective cells increases dramatically, the virus is blocked, and even highly sensitive tests often cannot detect it. Otherwise, the disease continues to progress and leads to dysfunction of vital organs: heart, liver, lungs, endocrine system.

With HIV infection, the most effective treatment– antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Its main task is to prevent the development of complications and accompanying pathologies that can shorten the patient's life. HAART also helps improve the patient’s quality of life and make it full.

If therapy is carried out correctly, the virus goes into remission, secondary pathologies are not developing. This treatment also has a positive effect on psychological state infected: feeling supported and knowing that the disease can be “slowed down,” he returns to to the usual way life.

In our country, all antiretroviral drugs are provided to a person free of charge after he receives the status of an HIV-positive patient.

Features of antiretroviral therapy

HAART is prescribed in individually, and the tablets included in its composition depend on the stage of development of the infection. On initial stage specialized treatment not prescribed, it is recommended to take vitamins and special mineral complexes, helping to strengthen the body's natural defenses.

As preventive method Chemotherapy is indicated, but only for those persons who have been in contact with an HIV-positive person or a potential carrier of the virus. Such prevention is effective only in the first 72 hours after possible infection.

In the second and subsequent stages, therapy is prescribed based on the results clinical tests, determining the state of immunity. The terminal stage, that is, the presence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, requires mandatory medication. In pediatrics, HAART is always prescribed, regardless of the clinical stage of the child’s disease.

This approach to treatment is determined by the standards of the Ministry of Health. But new research shows that early initiation of antiretroviral therapy produces better treatment results and a more positive effect on the patient's condition and life expectancy.

HAART includes several types medicinal substances, which are combined with each other. Since the virus gradually loses sensitivity to the active substances, the combinations are changed from time to time, which makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of treatment.

Several years ago, scientists presented synthetic drug Quad, which includes the main properties of prescribed drugs. A huge advantage of the medicine is taking only one tablet per day, which greatly facilitates treatment. This remedy has virtually no side effects, is easier to tolerate by the body, and solves the problem of loss of sensitivity to active components.

Many patients are interested in whether it is possible to block the activity of the virus using traditional methods and how to treat HIV infection at home? It should be remembered that such treatment is possible, but only if it is auxiliary and agreed with the treating doctor.

Folk recipes are shown to strengthen the body's defenses. This can include decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs, the use of gifts of nature rich in vitamins, minerals and beneficial microelements.

Preventive actions

The immunodeficiency virus is a disease that can be prevented, but it cannot be cured. Today, developed countries have developed special programs aimed at preventing HIV and AIDS, which are monitored at the state level. Basics preventive measures Every person should know, since there is no guarantee that infection will not happen.

You can avoid serious pathology if you take responsibility for your own intimate life. You should avoid sexual contact with questionable people, and always use condoms when having sex with a new sexual partner about whose condition there is no reliable information.

It is important that the sex partner is one and permanent, and has medical reports confirming the absence of HIV.

One of the popular myths is that a condom is unable to protect against the virus, since the latex pores are larger than the virus cells. This is wrong. Today, barrier contraception is the only way to prevent infection during sexual intercourse.

If a person suffers from drug addiction and injects drugs, he should always use disposable medical instruments, give injections with sterile gloves, and have individual containers for preparing a narcotic solution. To avoid becoming a victim of direct transmission of the virus through the blood, you should refuse blood transfusions.

To carry out procedures where there is access to blood, choose trusted establishments, ensure that their employees carry out all manipulations with gloves, and that instruments are disinfected in the presence of the client.

If HIV is present in a woman who is preparing to become a mother, the baby’s condition is monitored throughout the pregnancy. Reduces the risk of infection in a child C-section and refusal breastfeeding. It will be possible to determine the baby’s HIV status no earlier than six months later, when the mother’s antibodies to the virus leave the baby’s body.

Artificial insemination methods can prevent severe infection in a child.

The expectant HIV-positive mother should eliminate all factors that reduce the baby’s immunity: stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol, take more vitamins, cure all infectious and inflammatory diseases, carry out therapy for chronic ailments to prevent their recurrence during pregnancy.

By following these rules you can prevent infection dangerous pathology and prevent its transmission to healthy people. Since there is no cure for the disease, the only way to rid the world of the virus is to block its spread.