AT present, around 35.3 million people worldwide are living
with HIV or AIDS. Each day, almost 6,300 people are infected with HIV - the
equivalent to 262 every hour. There is not yet a cure for the virus, although
there are treatments that can help manage and slow its progression. But not
everyone with HIV knows they have it.
Of the 1.1 million who are living with HIV (human
immunodeficiency virus) in the US, almost 1 in 8 do not even realize they have
the infection, meaning they are at increased risk of death due to lack of
treatment.
[HIV / AIDS ]
And the lack of HIV awareness and testing is even more of a
concern among low- and middle-income countries, where the disease is most
prevalent. In 2012, only 35% of infants living in these countries who were born
to mothers with HIV received an HIV test in the first 2 months of life, indicating
that more needs to be done on a global scale to ensure people with the virus
receive diagnosis and treatment.
[HIV / AIDS ]
In this Spotlight, we look at the signs and symptoms of HIV,
the testing procedures available, whether there is still stigma associated with
the virus, and how this may be preventing at-risk individuals from being tested.
[HIV / AIDS ]
HIV is a virus that weakens the human immune system by
destroying T cells or CD4 cells that normally fight infection and disease. The
virus uses these cells to make copies of itself, enabling it to spread.
Once the virus has destroyed a large number of these immune
cells, this can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) - the final
stage of the HIV infection - in which the body is no longer able to stave off
life-threatening infection.
Although not all people experience symptoms in the early
stages of HIV infection, many people can experience flu-like symptoms within
the first 2-4 weeks, such as fever, swollen glands, sore throat, headache, fatigue,
rash and aches and pains in the muscles or joints. This is referred to as acute
retroviral syndrome (ARS) or primary HIV infection.
Following the early stages of HIV infection is what is
referred to as the "clinical latency" stage, or chronic HIV infection.
During this stage, the infection may not cause any symptoms at all or very mild
ones.
During the later stages of infection - as it is progressing
toward AIDS - symptoms may include rapid weight loss, chronic fatigue, prolonged
diarrhea, pneumonia, sores of the mouth, anus or genitals, memory loss, depression
and blotches under the skin or inside the mouth, nose or eyelids. However, antiretroviral
therapy (ART) - a combination of at least three antiretroviral drugs - may slow
the development of such symptoms.
Many people with HIV can live with infection for more than 10
years without any symptoms developing and only experience symptoms - such as
sickness - when they are progressing toward AIDS. Therefore, it is important to
know the risk factors for HIV and undergo testing for the infection as early as
possible.
How can HIV be transmitted?
A person who is infected with HIV can transmit the virus
through certain bodily fluids, such as blood, semen, rectal fluids, vaginal
fluids and breast milk. In order to transmit infection, the fluids must come
into contact with a mucous membrane (found inside the vagina, rectum, mouth and
opening of the penis), damaged tissue or receive an injection directly through
the blood stream from a needle or syringe.
In the US, the virus is most commonly contracted through
unprotected sex with an HIV-infected partner, and sharing needles, syringes or
other injection-drug tools with a person infected with HIV.
HIV may also be transmitted to a child by an infected mother
through pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding, or a person may become infected
through receiving blood products or organ/tissue transplants contaminated with
HIV, though such incidences are rare.
As stated previously, many people with HIV may not
experience any symptoms, or the symptoms may even be mistaken for other
illnesses. If a person believes they are at risk of HIV, the best way to find
out is to undergo an HIV test.
HIV testing
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend
that every individual between the ages of 13 and 64 undergo an HIV test as part
of routine medical care. People at high risk of HIV infection - such as those
who have had unprotected sex, or who have sex in exchange for money or drugs - are
recommended to have an HIV test at least once a year.
HIV testing[
There are three main tests that can detect HIV: the HIV
antibody test, the HIV RNA test and the Western blot test.
There are three main tests that can detect HIV. The most
common is the HIV antibody test, which can detect HIV antibodies - proteins
produced in response to HIV infection - in urine, blood or mouth fluids. This
test is not usually carried out until 3-6 months after potential HIV infection,
as it can take this long for antibodies to be produced.
The HIV RNA test, however, may detect whether HIV is present
in a person's blood within 9-11 days of infection, and test results can be
available within a few days to weeks.
The Western blot test is usually carried out if results from
the HIV RNA or HIV antibody tests are positive. It is used to confirm whether
HIV is present in the blood.
There are also two home tests available that have been
approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One of these involves
taking a blood sample and sending it to a laboratory for testing, while the
other involves taking a swab of the gums with a device to obtain a sample of
oral fluids before inserting the sample into a test solution. If the results of
these tests are positive, they must be followed up with a Western blot test[HIV
/ AIDS ]
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