What Is Hiv? Learn About Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, And More

The human immunodeficiency virus, commonly called HIV, is a virus that, if not treated, causes your body's immune system to deteriorate until your body has trouble fighting off even minor infections. If your immune system becomes severely damaged after long-term infection with HIV, it's called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS.

HIV is a blood-borne retrovirus that infects certain cells in your body's immune system (called CD4 T cells). CD4 cells normally play an important role in your immune system. They are responsible for detecting harmful pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses, so that your body can begin to fight those pathogens.

There is no cure for HIV, and once you're infected, the virus stays in your body for life. Over time, if left untreated, HIV can damage your immune system, making you susceptible to AIDS-defining illnesses—infections and diseases that wouldn't normally make you sick if your immune system was functioning normally.

Symptoms, causes, and risk factors for HIV

Many people don't have any symptoms at all when they first become infected with HIV. However, most people experience some nonspecific symptoms in the first few weeks after infection. This means that the symptoms are typical of many illnesses and don't immediately indicate that a specific illness is the cause. Nonspecific symptoms of HIV include:

• Flu-like symptoms
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle stiffness or muscle pain
• Rash
• Mouth sores
• Sore throat
• Night sweats
• Swallow lymph nodes

After this initial illness, called "seroconversion," most people live without any symptoms for many years until the virus damages their immune system, making them more susceptible to infection and disease.

HIV is present in the blood, pre-ejaculate, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk of people infected with the virus. HIV can be spread through:

• Sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex, and through sharing sex toys
• Sharing needles, most often in people who use intravenous drugs
• Blood transfusions from infected people; this is rare in developed countries because donated blood is often tested for blood-borne viruses such as HIV
• Birth; HIV can be spread from a pregnant mother to her child during pregnancy or childbirth
• Breastfeeding; HIV is present in breast milk and can be passed to a child

In rare cases, HIV can also be spread through:

• Eating food pre-chewed by a person with the virus; this is a common practice in some underdeveloped countries, often used to feed young children or the elderly
• Being bitten or bitten by an HIV-positive person
• Kissing when your mouth is bleeding
• Body modifications, such as tattoos or piercings, if instruments are not properly sterilized between clients

The vast majority of HIV cases in the United States are spread through sexual contact. HIV cannot be spread through:

• Air
• Water
• Insect bites
• Saliva
• Sweat
• Tears
• Casual contact, such as a handshake or hug

HIV Diagnosis

HIV is usually diagnosed through a blood test. The most accurate and reliable test is what is called a fourth generation test. It tests both a specific part of the HIV virus structure (called the p24 antigen) and your own body's response to infection (HIV antibodies).

Point-of-care tests are also available, which are different from fourth generation tests. A small sample of saliva or blood is collected and the results are available in less than an hour. However, these tests are less sensitive and may not detect all cases of HIV because the concentration of antibodies in saliva or a small sample of blood is low. You should always do a confirmatory lab test after getting a point-of-care test result. Self-collection and home tests are also available.

Any positive result is usually repeated to check if it is a rare false positive. If you are diagnosed with HIV, you will be referred to an HIV specialist center right away to discuss treatment.

HIV has a time span, i.e. it may take some time for the test to detect the virus in your body. Many of the newer tests can detect results 45 days after 99% of people may have been exposed. If you think you may have been exposed to HIV, it may not show up in a blood test until 45 days later. Point-of-care and home tests can take longer, sometimes up to 12 weeks.

HIV Treatment

There is no cure for HIV, but the infection can be controlled so that those affected can live long, normal lives. HIV treatment usually includes a combination of several different antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. The virus requires an enzyme called protease to replicate, so treatment includes a protease inhibitor and an antiretroviral drug. This combination of drugs is called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

The goal of treatment is to reduce the number of circulating viral particles in your body to the point where HIV is undetectable. This means that the concentration of the virus is so low that it doesn't cause as much damage to your immune system, and you're unlikely to spread it to other people. Undetectable means untransmittable. Many people reach this level within six months of treatment.

Like all drugs, HIV drugs can cause side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and rashes. Some people experience long-term side effects, such as changes in blood cholesterol levels or problems with liver and kidney function. Once you start medication, you will be monitored regularly for these side effects.

How well the treatment works is monitored by two parameters: HIV viral load, which is how many virus particles are in your blood, and CD4 count, which indicates how much the HIV virus has damaged certain blood cells in your immune system.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a series of medicines you can take immediately after you may have been exposed to HIV. In most cases, these medicines prevent infection. This treatment should only be used in an emergency and must be taken within 72 hours of exposure. PEP is usually taken for 28 days.

If you are at higher risk for HIV infection, you can take medicines called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) (brand names Truvada® and Descovy®). These medicines can protect you from contracting the virus. You can take PrEP daily or “on demand”, You will take the medicine immediately before you may have been exposed to the virus.

HIV Prognosis

HIV is a chronic disease that currently has no cure, but people with the virus have many effective options to manage the disease and live a comfortable life. Without treatment, almost everyone with HIV will develop AIDS. However, if doctors detect HIV early and start treatment right away, the prognosis for people with HIV is very good. Today, people diagnosed early with a high CD4 count have the same life expectancy as people who are not infected with HIV. However, people with HIV appear to develop several other diseases earlier than those without HIV, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, lung disease, diabetes, and cancer, which can lead to differences in quality of life.

If someone does not receive treatment early, the viral disease can progress and weaken the immune system, which can lead to further complications later in life. However, treatment can be effective regardless of the timing of diagnos is.

There are a very small number of people who never develop AIDS despite having HIV in their bodies. These patients are called "long-term non-progressors," and it is not clear what makes them resistant to the effects of HIV.

The best way to prevent the spread of HIV is to practice safe sex, as most cases are spread this way. Consistent and correct condom use can prevent the spread of the virus. Sharing needles during injection drug abuse is another common form of transmission, and it is important not to share another person's needles or syringe supplies. If you are seeking help to overcome drug addiction, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for a free and confidential consultation.

HIV can be passed from a pregnant mother to her unborn child. Therefore, if you have HIV and become pregnant, it is important that you notify your obstetrician right away. They can help you take steps to reduce the risk of passing the disease to your unborn baby. If you cannot avoid potential HIV exposure, consider using PrEP to prevent infection.