Which researchers discovered the human immunodeficiency virus. HIV infection. Symptoms, methods of infection, diagnosis and treatment. The story of the discovery of HIV by scientist Michael Gottlieb

It is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, characterized by acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which contributes to the occurrence of secondary infections and malignant tumors due to a deep inhibition of the protective properties of the body. HIV infection has a variety of course options. The disease can last only a few months or stretch up to 20 years. The main method for diagnosing HIV infection remains the detection of specific antiviral antibodies, as well as viral RNA. Currently, patients with HIV are treated with antiretroviral drugs that can reduce the reproduction of the virus.

General information

It is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, characterized by acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which contributes to the occurrence of secondary infections and malignant tumors due to a deep inhibition of the protective properties of the body. Today, the world is experiencing a pandemic of HIV infection, the incidence of the world's population, especially in Eastern Europe, is steadily growing.

Exciter characteristic

The human immunodeficiency virus is a DNA-containing virus that belongs to the Lentivirus genus of the Retroviridae family. There are two types: HIV-1 is the main causative agent of HIV infection, the cause of the pandemic, the development of AIDS. HIV-2 is a rare type found mainly in West Africa. HIV is an unstable virus, it dies quickly outside the carrier's body, is sensitive to temperature (reduces infectious properties at a temperature of 56 ° C, dies after 10 minutes when heated to 70-80 ° C). It is well preserved in the blood and its preparations prepared for transfusion. The antigenic structure of the virus is highly variable.

The reservoir and source of HIV infection is a person: suffering from AIDS and a carrier. Natural reservoirs of HIV-1 have not been identified, it is believed that wild chimpanzees are the natural host in nature. HIV-2 is carried by African monkeys. Susceptibility to HIV in other animal species has not been noted. The virus is found in high concentrations in blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and menstrual fluids. It can be isolated from women's milk, saliva, lacrimal secretions and cerebrospinal fluid, but these biological fluids pose a lesser epidemiological hazard.

The probability of transmission of HIV infection increases in the presence of damage to the skin and mucous membranes (trauma, abrasions, cervical erosion, stomatitis, periodontitis, etc.) HIV is transmitted using the blood-contact and biocontact mechanism in a natural way (during sexual contact and vertically: child) and artificial (mainly implemented with a hemopercutaneous transmission mechanism: with transfusions, parenteral administration of substances, traumatic medical procedures).

The risk of HIV infection with a single contact with a carrier is low, regular sexual contact with an infected person significantly increases it. Vertical transmission of infection from a sick mother to a child is possible both in the prenatal period (through defects in the placental barrier) and during childbirth, when the child comes into contact with the mother's blood. In rare cases, postnatal transmission with breast milk is recorded. The incidence among children of infected mothers reaches 25-30%.

Parenteral infection occurs by injection with needles contaminated with the blood of HIV-infected persons, with blood transfusions of infected blood, non-sterile medical procedures (piercing, tattoos, medical and dental procedures performed with instruments without proper processing). HIV is not transmitted by contact-household way. Human susceptibility to HIV infection is high. The development of AIDS in people over 35 years of age, as a rule, occurs in a shorter time from the moment of infection. In some cases, resistance to HIV is noted, which is associated with specific immunoglobulins A present on the mucous membranes of the genital organs.

The pathogenesis of HIV infection

The human immunodeficiency virus, when it enters the blood, invades macrophages, microglia and lymphocytes, which are important in the formation of the body's immune responses. The virus destroys the ability of immune bodies to recognize their antigens as foreign, populates the cell and proceeds to reproduction. After the multiplied virus enters the bloodstream, the host cell dies, and the viruses are introduced into healthy macrophages. The syndrome develops slowly (for years), in waves.

At first, the body compensates for the massive death of immune cells by producing new ones, over time, compensation becomes insufficient, the number of lymphocytes and macrophages in the blood decreases significantly, the immune system collapses, the body becomes defenseless both against exogenous infection and bacteria that inhabit organs and tissues normal (which leads to the development of opportunistic infections). In addition, the mechanism of protection against the reproduction of defective blastocytes - malignant cells - is disrupted.

The colonization of immune cells by the virus often provokes various autoimmune conditions, in particular, neurological disorders are characteristic as a result of autoimmune damage to neurocytes, which can develop even earlier than the immunodeficiency clinic manifests itself.

Classification

In the clinical course of HIV infection, 5 stages are distinguished: incubation, primary manifestations, latent, secondary diseases and terminal. The stage of primary manifestations can be asymptomatic, in the form of primary HIV infection, and can also be combined with secondary diseases. The fourth stage, depending on the severity, is divided into periods: 4A, 4B, 4C. The periods go through phases of progression and remission, differing depending on the antiretroviral therapy taking place or its absence.

Symptoms of HIV Infection

Incubation stage (1)- can be from 3 weeks to 3 months, in rare cases it can be extended up to a year. At this time, the virus is actively multiplying, but there is no immune response to it yet. The incubation period of HIV ends either with a clinic of acute HIV infection or with the appearance of HIV antibodies in the blood. At this stage, the basis for the diagnosis of HIV infection is the detection of the virus (antigens or DNA particles) in the blood serum.

Stage of primary manifestations (2) characterized by the manifestation of the body's reaction to the active replication of the virus in the form of a clinic of acute infection and an immune response (production of specific antibodies). The second stage may be asymptomatic, the only sign of developing HIV infection will be a positive serological diagnosis for antibodies to the virus.

Clinical manifestations of the second stage proceed according to the type of acute HIV infection. The onset is acute, observed in 50-90% of patients three months after the moment of infection, often preceding the formation of HIV antibodies. Acute infection without secondary pathologies has a rather diverse course: fever, a variety of polymorphic rashes on the skin and visible mucous membranes, polylymphadenitis, pharyngitis, lienal syndrome, and diarrhea may occur.

In 10-15% of patients, acute HIV infection occurs with the addition of secondary diseases, which is associated with a decrease in immunity. These can be tonsillitis, pneumonia of various origins, fungal infections, herpes, etc.

Acute HIV infection usually lasts from several days to several months, averaging 2-3 weeks, after which, in the vast majority of cases, it passes into a latent stage.

Latent stage (3) characterized by a gradual increase in immunodeficiency. The death of immune cells at this stage is compensated by their increased production. At this time, HIV can be diagnosed using serological tests (antibodies to HIV are present in the blood). The clinical sign may be enlargement of several lymph nodes from different, unrelated groups, excluding inguinal lymph nodes. At the same time, there are no other pathological changes in enlarged lymph nodes (soreness, changes in surrounding tissues). The latent stage can last from 2-3 years, up to 20 or more. On average, it lasts 6-7 years.

Stage of secondary diseases (4) characterized by the occurrence of concomitant (opportunistic) infections of viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoal genesis, malignant tumors against the background of severe immunodeficiency. Depending on the severity of secondary diseases, 3 periods of the course are distinguished.

• 4A - weight loss does not exceed 10%, infectious (bacterial, viral and fungal) lesions of integumentary tissues (skin and mucous membranes) are noted. The performance is reduced.
• 4B - weight loss of more than 10% of the total body weight, prolonged temperature reaction, prolonged diarrhea that does not have an organic cause is possible, pulmonary tuberculosis may join, infectious diseases recur and progress, localized Kaposi's sarcoma, hairy leukoplakia is detected.
• 4B - general cachexia is noted, secondary infections acquire generalized forms, candidiasis of the esophagus, respiratory tract, pneumocystis pneumonia, tuberculosis of extrapulmonary forms, disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma, neurological disorders are noted.

Substages of secondary diseases go through phases of progression and remission, which differ depending on the presence of antiretroviral therapy or its absence. In the terminal stage of HIV infection, secondary diseases that have developed in a patient become irreversible, treatment measures lose their effectiveness, and death occurs after a few months.

The course of HIV infection is quite diverse, not always all stages take place, certain clinical signs may be absent. Depending on the individual clinical course, the duration of the disease can range from several months to 15-20 years.

Clinical features of HIV infection in children

HIV in early childhood contributes to delayed physical and psychomotor development. Recurrence of bacterial infections in children is noted more often than in adults, lymphoid pneumonitis, enlarged pulmonary lymph nodes, various encephalopathies, and anemia are not uncommon. A common cause of childhood death in HIV infections is hemorrhagic syndrome, which is a consequence of severe thrombocytopenia.

The most common clinical manifestation of HIV infection in children is a delay in the pace of psychomotor and physical development. HIV infection received by children from mothers ante- and perinatally proceeds much more severely and progresses faster, in contrast to that in children infected after a year.

Diagnostics

Currently, the main diagnostic method for HIV infection is the detection of antibodies to the virus, which is carried out mainly using the ELISA technique. In the case of a positive result, the blood serum is examined using the immune blotting technique. This makes it possible to identify antibodies to specific HIV antigens, which is a sufficient criterion for the final diagnosis. Failure to blot detect antibodies of a characteristic molecular weight, however, does not rule out HIV. During the incubation period, the immune response to the introduction of the virus has not yet been formed, and in the terminal stage, as a result of severe immunodeficiency, antibodies cease to be produced.

When HIV is suspected and no positive immune blotting results are available, PCR is an effective method for detecting viral RNA particles. HIV infection diagnosed by serological and virological methods is an indication for dynamic monitoring of the state of the immune status.

Treatment of HIV infection

Therapy of HIV-infected persons implies constant monitoring of the body's immune status, prevention and treatment of emerging secondary infections, and control over the development of neoplasms. Often, HIV-infected persons require psychological assistance and social adaptation. Currently, due to the significant spread and high social significance of the disease on a national and global scale, support and rehabilitation of patients is being carried out, access to social programs is expanding that provides patients with medical care that facilitates the course and improves the quality of life of patients.

To date, the predominant etiotropic treatment is the appointment of drugs that reduce the reproductive ability of the virus. Antiretroviral drugs include:

• NRTIs (nucleoside transcriptase inhibitors) of various groups: zidovudine, stavudine, zalcitabine, didanosine, abacavir, combination drugs;
• NTRTs (nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors): nevirapine, efavirenz;
• protease inhibitors: ritonavir, saquinavir, darunavir, nelfinavir and others;
• fusion inhibitors.

When deciding to start antiviral therapy, patients should remember that the use of drugs is carried out for many years, almost for life. The success of therapy directly depends on strict adherence to the recommendations: timely regular intake of drugs in the required dosages, adherence to the prescribed diet and strict adherence to the regimen.

Occurring opportunistic infections are treated in accordance with the rules of effective therapy against the pathogen that caused them (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral agents). Immunostimulating therapy for HIV infection is not used, since it contributes to its progression, cytostatics prescribed for malignant tumors depress the immune system.

Treatment of HIV-infected people includes general strengthening and supporting the body means (vitamins and biologically active substances) and methods of physiotherapeutic prevention of secondary diseases. Patients suffering from drug addiction are recommended to be treated in appropriate dispensaries. Due to significant psychological discomfort, many patients undergo long-term psychological adaptation.

Forecast

HIV infection is completely incurable, in many cases antiviral therapy gives little result. Today, on average, HIV-infected people live 11-12 years, but careful therapy and modern medications will significantly lengthen the life of patients. The main role in curbing the developing AIDS is played by the psychological state of the patient and his efforts to comply with the prescribed regimen.

Prevention

Currently, the World Health Organization is conducting general preventive measures to reduce the incidence of HIV infection in four main areas:

• sexual safety education, distribution of condoms, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, promotion of a culture of sexual relations;
• control over the manufacture of drugs from donor blood;
• managing the pregnancy of HIV-infected women, providing them with medical care and providing them with chemoprophylaxis (in the last trimester of pregnancy and during childbirth, women receive antiretroviral drugs, which are also prescribed for newborn children for the first three months of life);
• organization of psychological and social assistance and support for HIV-infected citizens, counseling.

Currently, in world practice, special attention is paid to such epidemiologically important factors in relation to the incidence of HIV infection as drug addiction, promiscuity. As a preventive measure, many countries provide free distribution of disposable syringes and methadone substitution therapy. As a measure to reduce sexual illiteracy, courses on sexual hygiene are being introduced into curricula.

The main problem of humanity is the inability to counteract HIV. Any infectious disease must be fought by influencing the mechanism of development of the pathological process. But unfortunately, every attempt to prevent the activity of the retrovirus leads to an even greater spread of the disease in the world.

To determine how to deal with the pathogen, scientists began to find out how the virus got to humans and where did HIV come from? To understand how AIDS appeared and to determine its reservoir in nature, the smartest people on the planet traveled the whole world. As a result, the emergence of HIV was associated with monkeys that live in southern Africa. When examining these animals, it was possible to isolate the HIV virus. As it turned out, the HIV virus was found in large quantities in saliva, seminal fluid, vaginal secretions and blood of sick animals. It was surprising that the monkeys did not feel the presence of the pathogen in the body, since it did not cause any changes in the state of health. In medicine, this phenomenon is called virus carrying.

According to the laws of nature, a person has a so-called innate (species) immunity to many diseases that only animals suffer from. The most common of these include:

1. Plague of animals.
2. Intestinal flu.

It is impossible to determine how long people become infected, and who was the first person to get AIDS, because it was only in the middle of the 20th century that it became possible to observe and evaluate changes in the immune system of an infected person.

How did people get AIDS?

The emergence of HIV in humans is associated with a bite or ingestion of blood particles when cutting the carcass of a sick animal through a violation of the integrity of the skin. When exactly this happened is not known, but the first clinical confirmation of the carriage of HIV and AIDS was registered in 1981, when a group of gay men was examined in Los Angeles. Once in the scientific world, during one of the conferences, the case history of a man who died from a variety of infectious diseases in 1959 in the Congo appeared for everyone to review. Later, scientists will be 99% convinced that this patient lost his life precisely from AIDS. Officially, this man is the first AIDS patient. It is not possible to find out who is the first HIV-infected person in the world, although many scientists claim that it was a patient from the western territories of Africa.

History of HIV infection (AIDS)

The history of HIV infection as a specific disease begins with the beginning of the sexual revolution in the United States. It was then that doctors began to notice a similar clinical picture and the course of diseases in homosexual men. It represented a large number of diseases caused by opportunistic flora. In most cases, such pathologies are impossible in humans, since their immune system inhibits the development and activation of this flora. At that time, some scientists believed that it was the microorganisms that live in our body that were the main provocateurs of a weakened human immune status. In this regard, the history of the discovery of the AIDS virus (HIV infection) is accompanied by a lot of gossip and uncertainty. Since the history of AIDS has been associated with homosexuals, some members of the medical community have begun to refer to the disease as "Homosexual Cancer". When it became clear that the cause of such a stormy picture of the disease is immunodeficiency, a new name appeared - “Gay Immunodeficiency Syndrome”.

The story of the discovery of HIV by scientist Michael Gottlieb

In the early nineties, Michael Gottlieb spoke to the global medical community with the identification of a new medical unit. This unit was a disease that is accompanied by a catastrophic decrease in the immune status of a person. During this report, most scientists noticed the incredible similarity of the clinical picture of the disease described by Michael Gottlieb with the previously identified symptoms of the disease, called "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome." The author's mistake is that the scientist identified some unknown factor contributing to the development of immunodeficiency as the main cause of the disease, and not homosexual contacts and drugs. Another option that scientists considered as the cause of the disease was a congenital pathology of the immune system, which finally manifested itself in adulthood.

In what year was the AIDS virus (HIV) discovered and discovered?

In 1983, the scientist Montagnier removed a lymph node from an AIDS patient. The history of the emergence of the HIV virus and its description as a causative agent of immunodeficiency begins from this year. He determined that the onset of AIDS is caused by a pathogen of a viral nature.

Scientist Robert Gallo announced the discovery of HIV. This happened in 1984, when the HIV infection virus was isolated. The famous scientist isolated the pathogen from the peripheral blood cells of one of his patients diagnosed with AIDS. When he voiced his opinion about the history of HIV and the results of research, it turned out that the scientific work of Montagnier and Gallo was almost identical. Since then, both of these scientists are considered the first people in the world to discover where HIV (AIDS) came from. And therefore, to the question: who discovered AIDS, the answer is the scientists Gallo and Montagnier. The next step in the fight against the disease was to find out where HIV came from and how to treat it?

What year was the AIDS virus discovered? AIDS is the last stage of HIV infection, which is accompanied by the development and vigorous activity of opportunistic flora in the human body. The causative agent of this disease was identified before the immunodeficiency virus, since these are often the simplest microorganisms that are not difficult to find even under a light microscope.

Theories of the origin of HIV

For many years, humanity has been at war with a retrovirus, the origin of which is described only in the form of theoretical assumptions. As a disease, AIDS was discovered many years ago. But heated debates about how, why and when AIDS appeared in the world are still ongoing. Scientists have long determined where AIDS (HIV) came from, but how this virus mutated and got to a person, causing such big changes in health, one can only guess.

The first theory about the history of the development of HIV essentially resembles a Hollywood action movie, but it should not be ruled out, since everything is possible in our world. In one of the military laboratories in the United States, weapons of mass destruction were invented, which were supposed to cause permanent changes in the human body to reduce the quality of his health and imminent death. During development, one of the experiments got out of control. This led to the spread of the virus and the emergence of danger over the existence of all mankind. This theory can be refuted by the fact that the source of the causative agent of immunodeficiency is in Africa.

The second theory of the history of AIDS in the world

The virus was isolated by mutation to renew the principle of natural selection among humans. In connection with the overpopulation of the globe, due to the development and improvement of medical care, a means is needed that will maintain the population of the planet within the required limits, preventing hunger and unemployment that accompanies the increase in the number of individuals.

The theory is refuted by expensive laboratory experiments that are paid for by states in order to ensure a safe life for their citizens. Although if you look at the fact that these experiments often do not lead to positive results, we can talk about a high probability of confirming this theory.

The third theory that tells where AIDS came from in the world

She is one of the most insane and incredible. This hypothesis is refuted by a large number of scientific facts, but its existence among physicians and ordinary people is substantiated by various myths and legends that have overgrown the history of AIDS as the disease of the century.

This theory says that in fact the HIV virus does not exist. And the pathological changes that are observed in those infected are associated with a non-standard reaction of the immune system to a foreign protein, which enters the human blood with the sperm of a man. This theory is based on the fact that the disease was first discovered in homosexuals, and they, as you know, rarely use mechanical types of contraception. In the rectum, there are many vessels through which the body can absorb the remaining water from the feces back into the body. This mechanism of absorption of liquid molecules prevents the body from excessive loss of moisture, which can lead to dehydration. Through these pores, the sperm proteins of the active partner enter the blood of the passive partner, where they cause a specific reaction of the immune system and its further change.

A similar theory exists in the mechanisms and stages of the pathogenesis of some gynecological diseases. For example, infertility in women often has an immune cause. This factor is considered to be the pathological perception by the woman's immune system of a foreign protein that is contained in the man's sperm. The result is a "militant" action of the patient's defense mechanisms against her partner's ejaculate, which ends with the splitting and destruction of spermatozoa. The root cause of this behavior of the immune system is the ingress of a man's ejaculate into the female stomach with ulcers and erosions of the mucous membrane.

Such theories are at first glance unbelievable and have a lot of controversial and untruthful moments. But the biochemical and physiological basis for them is also fixed. The refutation of this theory is the scientific confirmation of the viral etiology of AIDS and the isolation of the HIV virus as the causative agent of this disease.

History of the development of HIV (AIDS) in Russia

When the first person with AIDS appeared in Russia, this question is of interest to many. In our country, all the forces of health care are directed to fight the HIV virus, millions of funds are being spent to prevent and treat this disease among Russians. The result of the state program, under which centers for examination, treatment and emergency prevention of AIDS patients have been opened in almost all regional and territorial points. These centers have a large amount of equipment that is in line with the latest technological innovations. They allow you to correctly diagnose, prescribe appropriate treatment and conduct the necessary laboratory and instrumental studies to identify, confirm and treat complications of any category that always accompany the last fourth stage of HIV.

The history of the emergence of HIV (AIDS) in Russia began at the end of the 20th century. Then in the USSR it was already known about a new disease that was caused by HIV infection, the origin of the AIDS virus. At that time, the infection was considered a foreign curiosity and, due to the low awareness of the population, was not perceived as a most dangerous disease. The first cases of AIDS (HIV) in Russia were registered in the late nineties, early 2000. At that time, many citizens of both European countries and the United States began to visit Russia. There was also a large number of tourists from Africa who came to see the great country. The film "Intergirl", which was filmed during perestroika, touched upon the topic of a disease that Soviet citizens become infected with from foreigners through unprotected sexual contact. The film is about the disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus and the fact that the population was completely unaware of the possible threat from intimacy with a citizen of another country. Who became the first HIV-infected person in the USSR remains unknown.

When did the HIV virus appear in Russia?

The officially documented case of a long-distance sailor was ill in 1985. He became the first victim of AIDS with laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis. This case became a big sensation and brought a lot of grief to the patient's family. Sailor is the first person to contract AIDS in Russia. According to some sources, this happened during sexual contact with a woman of easy virtue in one of the countries that he visited during the voyage. The patient was diagnosed with AIDS, he died from the disease within six months. After some time, the man's family had to move to another city, as the rumor about the "infectiousness of relatives" spread quite quickly.

Around the same year, cases of the same disease were registered in Russia among visiting students from Kenya and other African countries. Where HIV appeared in Russia for the first time is very difficult to determine, since the volume of documentation is of an incredible scale. And why is this, if by the end of the 90s more than 150 cases of HIV infection were registered throughout Russia. Cases of the disease were recorded both among adults and children. In one of the epidemic outbreaks, more than 20 cases of infection of babies in the maternity hospital from an infected mother and her newborn child were detected. The reason for this was the negligence of the medical staff, who allowed themselves the use of a non-sterile instrument for injections in patients of the hospital department.

Since that time, the incidence of HIV infection has increased and gradually led to a large number of deaths from immunodeficiency. The first AIDS center for the care and treatment of patients was built in Moscow on the basis of one of the institutes that studied this disease.

Now in all regions, on the basis of medical universities and large medical clinics, AIDS centers are open and actively functioning, providing emergency prevention, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring of all patients who seek medical help.

At the moment it is known that HIV is not transmitted through water, food and skin contact. Therefore, it is possible to talk about the danger of infected people only through direct contact with their blood and the possibility of unprotected sex, and there is also a high probability of transmitting a retrovirus to an infant in the absence of timely therapy. Any other way of infection with a pathogen is extremely difficult, so you should not avoid sick people.

Information about the human immunodeficiency virus must be fully owned, since at the moment only knowledge about this disease and preventive measures are aimed at preventing infection, can prevent the disease and protect against the introduction of the pathogen.

The emergence of AIDS on our planet is still covered in secrets and legends. For many years, neither scientists nor doctors can answer where the disease came from. The medical community believes that solving this historic question will help create a cure for HIV and save millions of lives.

It is unlikely that scientists will be able to reliably determine when AIDS appeared, and how HIV developed in the Homo Sapiens population. If in the past people died from AIDS, then the cause of death was indicated differently. Studies of the remains of a resident of the Congo who died of an unspecified disease in 1959 indicate, most likely, a fatal outcome precisely from HIV infection. With what degree of probability can it be argued that before 1959 people were? At that time, there were no studies, and no one knew about a new incurable disease. A brief history of the emergence of AIDS confirms this theory - as early as the 1970s, in several countries in Africa and Europe, there were cases of incomprehensible and strange deaths in young and previously healthy people. Many years later, doctors confirmed the emergence of a virus that causes immunodeficiency, and retrospectively assessed the cause of death from AIDS.

Discovery of HIV

HIV has always existed

The hypothesis about the nature of HIV is associated with the first cases of AIDS in Africa, where there are still tribes living isolated from society and civilization. Scientists suggest that AIDS has always existed in the tribes of Africa. The life expectancy of the indigenous people did not exceed 30 years. No one knows how the inhabitants of the continent got sick and what they died from, because Africans never go to doctors and do not let doctors or scientists near them. According to the hypothesis, the natives infected other inhabitants of Africa - the spread of infection with an HIV-infected partner. It is impossible to prove or disprove such a theory, but many world-famous scientists support precisely this version of the appearance of AIDS about the world.

A man got HIV from a monkey

The assumption about the infection of humans from monkeys has scientific evidence. Many studies and experiments have been carried out. A virus suspected of causing AIDS has been identified. The detected virus is very similar to the human retrovirus. According to scientists, human infection occurred around 1930. This period coincides with the active extermination of monkeys. It is possible that eating meat with the blood of animals led to infection. More daring assumptions refer to sexual contact with primates with AIDS.

Virus mutation theory

The theory intersects with the hypothesis of human infection from a monkey, but this fact happened millions of years ago. Then SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus) got into the human body and over the years mutated, turning into HIV - the human immunodeficiency virus. This theory is proved by the ability of a retrovirus to quickly change and adapt to external conditions, for example, during treatment with antiretroviral drugs.

The theory of scientists' mistakes

In the 1950s, scientists tried to create a polio vaccine using monkey liver. There was an assumption that something went wrong during development, and the vaccine actually infected people with AIDS. The hypothesis is confirmed by the high incidence of immunodeficiency in Africa, where test vaccination of residents was carried out. But if this theory is correct, then the number of infected people in the world should be many times greater. The polio vaccine became mandatory, and almost every second inhabitant of the earth received it.

Theory of secret developments

Not so long ago, a hypothesis appeared about the artificial creation of the virus by geneticists from the United States. The military tried to develop biological weapons to destroy human immunity. There are more secrets and questions in this theory, but all studies of the retrovirus indicate the impossibility of excluding the laboratory origin of the causative agent of immunodeficiency. This version, oddly enough, has a large number of followers, and the scientific search for evidence is still being conducted in many countries of the world, except for the United States.

The history of the discovery of HIV and AIDS is full of controversy. In the second half of the 20th century, doctors in the United States and Europe were alarmed by cases of strange fatal diseases: the body of young patients was completely disconnected from the struggle for life. The killer virus of human immunity was "caught" by scientists in 1983, the place of its birth was established - Africa. Since then, it has spread throughout the earth, infecting more than 50 million people. Perhaps by unraveling the mystery of the emergence of HIV among humans, scientists will stop AIDS, the deadly disease that this virus causes.

In the photo, the same mysterious virus - HIV, which leads to the development of AIDS and scientific facts about the appearance of the disease

Summer 1981 In the US medical circles, the first official message about a disease new to mankind appeared. It was called Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome - AIDS. At first, the disease was considered a "homosexual cancer" - it was in this category of US residents that the first victims appeared. Against the background of complete suppression of immunity, patients died from pneumonia, skin cancer, fungal and herpetic infections. Soon it was noticed that not only homosexuals, but also female prostitutes suffer from this disease. Similar symptoms have been found in drug addicts. Discussions began about the nature of AIDS, where it came from.

The disease began to become threatening when the immunodeficiency syndrome became widespread among patients with hemophilia. The suspicion that the disease could be transmitted through blood transfusion was confirmed in late 1982.

A large group of carriers of the mysterious disease were immigrants from Haiti - this fact lifted the curtain on the mystery of the origin of AIDS. The affected residents of the island were not homosexuals from the United States or drug addicts - the carriers of the disease in Haiti were originally from Africa.

A brief history of the origin of the epidemic today is as follows:

• In 1959, a resident of the Congo (Central Africa) died with symptoms of AIDS; it is assumed that the infection was already widespread there at that time, and people from Africa could have transferred AIDS to the Caribbean countries.
• In the United States, the disease came from Haiti in 1969-1971: (scientists came to this conclusion based on the analysis of the earliest American samples of HIV).
• The sexual revolution of the 60s and 70s, the hippie movement, did their job: hundreds of thousands of people were already infected with AIDS by the time the doctors sounded the alarm.
• In the 80s. AIDS swept the entire territory of the United States, from where it became known throughout the world.

Discovery of HIV

It is important to separate the concept of HIV - HIV and AIDS - AIDS

The development of the epidemic left no doubt that AIDS is an infectious disease. What is its pathogen did not remain a mystery for long - the situation became clear in 1983. Almost simultaneously, Luc Montagnier in France and Robert Gallo in the United States isolated from lymph nodes and blood of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome of the causative agent of the disease. The strains of the virus obtained in Europe and America turned out to be identical. Since 1987, by decision of the World Health Organization, the causative agent of AIDS has been named HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and the disease itself has become known as HIV infection.

This man is the discoverer of the human immunodeficiency virus.

After the discovery of the immunodeficiency virus, its close study began.

1. It was found that infection can occur during the contact of the biological fluids of a sick and healthy person, these include blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and mother's milk.
2. It was found that a retrovirus (and HIV belongs to this family of viruses), once in the blood, infects T-lymphocytes. Their decrease in the blood indicates the development of infection, but the disease itself develops asymptomatically.
3. It became clear that the symptoms of AIDS would begin to appear when HIV destroyed a huge number of lymphocytes, and the body could not resist even the smallest infection.

However, until now, scientists have not been able to answer the question of where HIV came from. One of the most popular theories of the origin of AIDS is the infection of humans from monkeys. West African chimpanzees are carriers of a retrovirus similar to human HIV. After being bitten or injured while cutting the carcass of an animal, the monkey virus could get into the blood of people and start a mutation dangerous for humans. The ancestor of a virus identical to human HIV appears in 1930 - this is the result scientists obtained during computer reconstruction. At the same time, experiments were carried out on transplanting thyroid glands from monkeys to humans. The purpose of the operations was both the return of youth and the restoration of the sexual function of representatives of humanity, worn out by life. It was then, perhaps, that HIV and the first cases of AIDS appeared.

Proponents of another theory - HIV dissidents - believe that AIDS is not a viral disease, but develops as a result of a non-standard immune response to a foreign protein. This opinion was refuted by the fact that HIV was found, studied in the works of many scientists, official medicine today can significantly extend the life of patients using antiviral therapy.

History of the AIDS epidemic

The development of the AIDS epidemic, the history of the disease has not been fully elucidated by scientists. It is impossible to scientifically refute or prove the theories that explain that AIDS is a biological weapon, it was artificially created in the secret laboratories of the Pentagon, in order to destroy people.

It is important to know not only where AIDS came from, but also what circumstances can be infected, the photo shows one of the clear examples of possible infection, blood for transfusion and an explanation of the causes of infection, even after testing the donor for HIV

Most scientists still consider Africa to be the place where AIDS originated. Here, in the 30s of the XX century, the first transmission of the immunodeficiency virus from monkeys to humans occurred. The first deaths from AIDS in the depths of Africa did not attract much attention. The new disease was noticed shortly after it arrived on other continents.

In 1969, in Missouri, doctors drew attention to the strange death from pneumocystis pneumonia of a black homosexual teenager. Doctors now consider pneumocytosis a typical clinical picture for those who are sick with HIV.

The sailor Arne, who opened the account for the victims of AIDS in Europe, was infected in Africa. Many years later - in 1975 - he, his wife and daughter died from symptoms characteristic of AIDS: lymphoderema, pneumonia.

Popular in the early 1980s among physicians was the notion that patients with AIDS symptoms were all male homosexuals. It soon became clear that among the HIV-infected were not only men, but also women, as well as children. This fact can be illustrated by the history of AIDS in Russia.

• Translator Vladimir has been seeking help from doctors since 1982, his illness was not amenable to diagnosis. The key was the fact that the patient had Kaposi's sarcoma, a disease that in the 80s became an indicator of HIV infection. Vladimir well understood how he got AIDS: being a homosexual, he became infected in Tanzania, and upon his return he managed to infect 14 more people. He died of illness in 1991.
• Even earlier (in 1988), Olga G., who had contacts with African tourists, died of pneumocystosis. She was diagnosed with AIDS after her death.
• There is an opinion that the main carriers of HIV are homosexuals and drug addicts. In the late 1980s, HIV infection was a major public health problem in the United States, and measures to prevent it were actively promoted there. And in the children's hospitals of Elista, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don at that time they did not even think where they could get AIDS. Only because of the negligence of the medical staff, about two hundred people were infected with HIV, most of them children. Today, Russia is among the top three countries in the world in terms of the spread of HIV infection: only South Africa and Nigeria are ahead.

Classification of HIV infection

In the 90s of the XX century. WHO has developed a classification of human immunodeficiency syndrome, using advances in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Today, medicine puts all changes in the blood in line with the clinical manifestations of the disease. Doctors distinguish the following stages of HIV infection:

1. Acute retroviral syndrome. The virus enters the bloodstream and begins to multiply actively, symptoms similar to a severe flu appear. The number of T-lymphocytes in the blood decreases, but antibodies to the virus are not detected. The duration of the acute period is from 0.5 to 3 months.
2. Stage of primary manifestations. There is an increase in lymph nodes in different parts of the body. The amount of antibodies to the virus increases in the blood - the only detectable symptom of the disease at this stage. A temporary balance is established between the infection and the immune response to it. The latent state can last for many years (up to 15-20), on average, the stage lasts 6-8 years.
3. Stage of secondary diseases. Recurrent fungal, viral and bacterial infections develop against the background of depletion of the body's immune forces. The content of T-lymphocytes in the blood drops to 28-14%. Without treatment, the patient can live 1-2 years.
4. AIDS is the deadly stage of immunodeficiency. In general, its manifestations are associated with lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma, pneumocystis pneumonia and other opportunistic infections against the background of a complete failure of the immune system. Without treatment, death occurs within six months, therapy prolongs the life of patients, but not for long.

At all stages of the disease, the patient is able to infect others, this danger increases as sexual relations with various partners increase.

Epidemiology of AIDS

The AIDS epidemic in the United States began 2 years after the first description of its symptoms, and a year later they began to talk about the HIV epidemic around the world. Could the disease have spread throughout the earth in such a short time? Today, scientists associate the reasons for the high rate of spread of the disease with the latent period of its development. Between infection and clinical symptoms, 6-7 years pass, so the beginning of the epidemic falls on the 70s of the last century. Unaware of their diagnosis, hundreds of people infected their partners with HIV, spreading the infection across the land.

30 years after the discovery of the disease, 60 million people have already become infected with it. Most patients are in Africa (67%), South Asia and Southeast Asia (18%). In the USA, China, Russia, 3% of all HIV-infected people live. Drug injections and unprotected heterosexual relationships are most associated with the disease. A dangerous trend for Russia is the involvement of socially prosperous people in the number of infected people.

is an abbreviation for the term Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The virus infects the immune system of the human body, introducing HIV infection into it. Developing, this infection manifests itself with various symptoms, combined in the “acquired immunodeficiency syndrome” or AIDS.

Fundamental differences between AIDS and HIV infection:

AIDS (AIDS) is a state of immunity in which the body is practically defenseless against the harmful effects of the environment and the development of oncological processes. Any infection that is harmless to a healthy person, in an AIDS patient, transforms into a serious illness with subsequent death from complications, inflammation of the brain,;

HIV infection is a slowly developing viral infection that has a long-term course. All currently known methods of treating HIV infection do not lead to a complete cure. The disease affects the immune system, which protects the human body from the negative effects of the external environment. The virus, having entered the body from a carrier of the disease, may not manifest itself in any way for a long time, but over the course of several years it consistently destroys the immune system.

Facts, history and statistics of HIV infection

The danger and pace of the spread of HIV infection are so great that it has been called the "plague of the 20th century." Every day, about 5,000 people die from the consequences of this disease in the world. Until recently, nothing was known about this deadly disease to mankind. Only in the 70s of the last century were the first cases of the disease with symptoms similar to AIDS registered.

The first facts of official recognition of the existence of HIV infection:

1981 - publication of scientific articles describing the unusual course of pneumocystis pneumonia caused by a yeast-like fungus and malignant skin lesions (Kaposi's sarcoma) in men with a non-traditional sexual orientation;

July 1982 - the emergence of the term "AIDS";

1983 - the simultaneous discovery of the virus in two independent laboratories: at the French Institute. Louis Pasteur (research leader - Luc Montagnier) and at the US National Cancer Institute (research leader - Robert Gallo);

1985 - development of a method for enzyme immunoassay, which determines the presence of antibodies to the immunodeficiency virus in the blood;

1987 - the first person infected with HIV appeared in the USSR. The man worked as a translator in African countries, had homosexual relationships;

About the history of HIV

There are several hypotheses for the emergence of the human immunodeficiency virus. One of them is infection from great apes. From the blood of chimpanzees living in Central Africa, researchers have isolated a virus that can cause in the human body. It is possible that a person could become infected by a monkey bite or by contact with raw animal meat.

This type of virus is not capable of causing significant harm to the human body, since the immune defense is able to destroy it within 7 days. In order for it to acquire the properties characteristic of HIV infection, it is required to transfer it to another person within this short period. In this case, mutations occur with the virus, and it acquires characteristics that are dangerous for humans.

In addition to this hypothesis, it is suggested that AIDS existed long before its official discovery by science, affecting the indigenous people of Central Africa. Its rapid spread across countries and continents began due to active migration in the twentieth century.

Statistical data on the number of HIV-infected people

Worldwide, as of December 1, 2016, the number of infected people was 36.7 million.

In Russia, as of December 2016, there were about 800,000 people, with 90,000 identified in 2015. In the same year, more than 25,000 people died of AIDS in Russia, and over 200,000 over the entire observation period since 1987.

For the CIS countries (data for 2015):

• Ukraine - about 410 thousand,

  Kazakhstan - about 20 thousand,

  Belarus - more than 30 thousand,

  Moldova - 17800,

  Georgia - 6600,

  Armenia - 4000,

  Tajikistan - 16400,

  Azerbaijan - 4171,

  Kyrgyzstan - about 10 thousand,

  Turkmenistan - official authorities claim that there are isolated cases of HIV infection in the country,

  Uzbekistan - about 33 thousand.

Since the statistics record only officially detected cases, the real picture is much worse. A huge number of people do not even suspect that they are HIV-infected, and continue to infect others.

Since the beginning of the spread of the infection, the number of deaths from AIDS worldwide has exceeded 36 million. This epidemic is being contained and even reduced in annual death rates by HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy).

Famous people who died as a result of AIDS:

Rudolf Nureyev - the famous ballet soloist of world renown, passed away in 1993;

Gia Karanji - American top model, was addicted to hard drugs, died in 1986;

Michael Wastphal, a promising tennis player, passed away at the age of 26.

Freddie Mercury is a legend of rock music, the lead singer of the band Queen. Passed away in 1991;

Ryan White is the first child to be infected with AIDS. He gained fame thanks to the fight for the rights of HIV-infected people to a normal life, which he led with the support of his mother. He became infected at the age of 13 during a blood transfusion, which he needed due to a hereditary disease - hemophilia. He passed away at the age of 18, in 1990, leaving a memory of himself as a person who proved that HIV-infected people do not pose a threat to society if precautions are taken.

Despite close attention to the nature of the virus and the recognition of its exceptional danger to humans, scientists have made little progress in the search for an effective cure for AIDS. A feature of HIV is that it mutates extremely quickly, changing at a rate of 1000 mutations per gene. For comparison, influenza virus mutations occur 30 times less frequently. The rapid modification of HIV has affected the fact that a vaccine against this infection has not yet been created, there is no one hundred percent effective drug for the treatment of AIDS. Additional problems create a variety of strains of the virus.

The structure of the human immunodeficiency virus

Main types of HIV:

HIV-1 or HIV-1 - causes typical symptoms, is very aggressive, is the main causative agent of the disease. Opened in 1983, found in Central Africa, Asia and Western Europe, North and South America.

HIV-2 or HIV-2 - the symptoms of HIV are not as intense, it is considered a less aggressive strain of HIV. Opened in 1986, found in Germany, France, Portugal and West Africa.

HIV-2 or HIV-2 are extremely rare.

The virus has the shape of a sphere measuring 100-120 nanometers. Its dense shell consists of a double layer of lipids, has peculiar “spikes”, and a p-24-capsid protein layer is enclosed under the fat-like upper layer.

Elements of the virus under the capsule:

Ribonucleic acid (RNA), which stores genetic information;

Virus enzymes: integrase, protease, reverse transcriptase;

The human immunodeficiency virus belongs to the family of retroviruses that do not synthesize protein and do not have a cellular structure. The reproduction of such a virus occurs extremely slowly, exclusively in the cells of the human body.

Thanks to one of their enzymes, reverse transcriptase, retroviruses convert their own RNA molecule into DNA. Then they introduce this custodian and transmitter of genetic information into the cells of the organism in which they are located.

Resistance to the external environment:

Outside the carrier dies within a few minutes;

At t above 56 ° C, it dies in half an hour;

When boiled, it dies instantly;

It dies very quickly under the influence of ether, acetone, 5% hydrogen peroxide solution, 70% alcohol, chloramine solution;

In the dried state at t + 22 ° C, it lasts from 4 to 6 days;

Heroin solution lasts up to 3 weeks;

In the cavity of a medical needle, it remains viable for several days.

The virus is not affected by ultraviolet and ionizing radiation; after freezing, it remains active.

Features of the life cycle of the virus - prefers to introduce cells of the immune system:

Macrophages - absorbers and utilizers of pathogenic viruses and microorganisms;

T-lymphocytes (helpers) - stimulants of the immune system, producing substances to counteract foreign cells: viruses, fungi, microbes, allergens;

Monocytes are cells that digest pathogenic cells after their death;

Cells of the nervous system with special receptors - CD4 cells.

Phases of the HIV life cycle (on the example of a T-lymphocyte)

The virus enters the body, finds a T-lymphocyte and binds on its surface with special receptors - CD4 cells. Having got into the cage with their help, he throws off his protective outer shell;

With the help of the reverse transcriptase enzyme, one strand of DNA is synthesized on the RNA template of the virus, then it is completed into a 2-stranded molecule;

With the help of the integrase enzyme, the DNA molecule is introduced into the nucleus of the T-lymphocyte and integrated into its DNA;

A molecule can remain dormant for several months or even years. A test for antibodies to the virus at this stage can already detect its presence in the body;

An infection of any etiology can provoke further reproduction of the virus by transferring information from a copy of the DNA to the RNA template of the virus;

With the help of cell ribosomes, HIV proteins are synthesized on viral RNA;

New viruses are assembled from the RNA template and new synthesized proteins. Leaving the cell, they destroy it;

New viruses find themselves new cells for introduction (other T-lymphocytes), the cycle repeats.

Without countermeasures in the form of treatment, the human immunodeficiency virus reproduces its own kind at a rate of 10 to 100 billion per day.

Ways and risks of HIV infection

No one is safe from HIV infection, a person of any gender, age, social status, sexual orientation and financial situation is a target for the virus. The source of its spread is an HIV-infected person, regardless of the stage of development of the disease.

The medium that transmits the virus is blood, semen, breast milk, vaginal discharge, cerebrospinal fluid, that is, the biological fluids of the human body. It is impossible to get HIV by airborne droplets. The infectious dose is at least 10 thousand viral particles that enter the bloodstream.

Ways of getting HIV infection:

Heterosexual contacts that are not protected. Vaginal sex is the most common way of transmission of the virus from person to person (70-80% of the total number of infected people worldwide). In Russia, 40% of those infected with HIV received the virus in this way.

A single sexual contact with ejaculation carries a minimal risk. For a passive partner, it is 0.1-0.32%, for an active one - from 0.01 to 0.1%. These values ​​increase if one of the partners has a sexually transmitted disease (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, etc.). In the focus of inflammation there is always a high concentration of cells of the immune system, for example, T-lymphocytes. The human immunodeficiency virus will definitely take advantage of such a situation.

With sexual infections, the mucous membrane of the reproductive organs is often prone to inflammation and microtrauma in the form of sores, cracks and erosions. This is another factor in the increased risk of contracting HIV.

Regularly repeated sexual contacts significantly increase the risk of infection. A man infected with HIV within 3 years in 45-50% of cases necessarily infects his permanent partner, and a woman with HIV infection infects a permanent partner in 35-40% of cases. For women, this risk is higher because infected semen has longer contact with the vaginal mucosa and covers a larger area.

intravenous drug use. For Russia, this route of infection is typical in 57.9% of cases, global statistics are 5-10%. Infection of drug addicts occurs through common needles for injecting drugs that are not subject to sterilization, possibly through a common container for preparing an intravenous solution. It is this route of infection that is typical for 30-35% of cases. The remaining indicators are related to infection due to promiscuity of persons addicted to intravenous drugs.

Unprotected anal sex. The route of infection is characteristic of both homosexual and heterosexual contacts. Even with a single act, the risk of infection for a passive partner is 0.8-3.2%, and for an active one - 0.06%. This difference is explained by the vulnerability and good blood supply to the rectum.

Unprotected oral sex. With a single contact that ended in ejaculation, the risk of infection for a passive partner is 0.03-0.4%, and for an active one it is practically safe. However, such contact becomes more dangerous if there are defects in the mucous membrane such as “jam”, sores, and wounds in the oral cavity.

Transmission of the virus to a child from an HIV-infected mother. In 25-35% of cases, children become infected during childbirth through contact with fragments of the placenta, as well as during breastfeeding. A healthy woman can get the virus from an infected baby while breastfeeding if the baby has damage to the oral mucosa, and the woman has cracked nipples.

Accidental injuries during medical manipulations, subcutaneous and intramuscular injections. The probability of infection is 0.2-1%, provided that there was contact with any biological fluid of an infected person.

Blood transfusion and organ transplant. The probability of infection from an infected donor is almost 100%.

The higher the immune status of a healthy person, the lower the risk of getting an infection when in contact with an HIV-infected patient. Conversely, weak immunity will lead to an increased risk of infection and a severe course of the resulting disease. A high viral load in a person who has HIV in the body increases his risk as a carrier of the disease several times.

HIV symptoms in men and women

It is almost impossible to identify the specific symptoms of HIV infection, as they are masked as manifestations of other diseases. And the first sign and symptom of HIV in men and women as such does not exist at all. In addition, HIV infection has a different course depending on the state of the immune system of patients.

Stages of HIV infection in accordance with the clinical classification of V.I. Pokrovsky, adopted in Russia:

Symptoms of HIV at stage 1

Incubation lasts from the moment of infection to 1-1.5 months (in some cases up to a year), characterized by active reproduction of the virus.

The first symptoms of HIV, both in men and women, are absent, testing does not detect antibodies to the virus. Suspicion of the onset of infection exists in the presence of a dangerous situation: unprotected sex, blood transfusion.

HIV symptoms in stage 2

There is an immune response to the invasion and reproduction of the virus. The first symptoms of HIV infection may appear before seroconversion. The second stage lasts from 2-3 weeks to several months.

There are 3 options for the course of stage 2:

Symptoms of HIV in stage 4

Kaposi's sarcoma is a malignant tumor of the skin;

Symptoms in Stage 4B

Stage 4B develops 10-12 years after infection. It is characterized by the appearance of diseases that threaten life. The course of infections is extremely severe, they are difficult to treat. However, this stage is also reversible with HAART.

Characteristic symptoms of HIV and disease at stage 4B:

Extreme exhaustion, accompanied by weakness, patients are forced to spend most of the time in bed;

Pneumocystis pneumonia is a characteristic symptom of HIV infection, caused by a fungus;

recurrent herpes;

Fungal infection of the skin and internal organs: esophagus, respiratory organs;

Cryptococcal meningitis caused by a soil fungus does not occur in a healthy person;

Mycobacterioses, which target the gastrointestinal tract, brain, lungs, central nervous system, are characteristic of HIV infection;

Diseases of the central nervous system (clumsiness in movements, dementia, absent-mindedness, memory impairment, intelligence) are the result of complications and the effect of the virus on the cells of the nervous system;

Damage to the heart and kidneys;

Oncological diseases.

Symptoms of HIV at stage 5

The terminal stage develops as the patient's condition worsens. Symptoms of stage 5 HIV progress due to ineffective treatment of secondary infections. Frequent deaths within a few months.

All stages and manifestations of HIV infection are given for the average case. Not all infected people pass through them sequentially, they may skip some stages or linger on some of them. The duration of the disease depends on the state of the patient's immune system and the type of virus, it can last from 7-9 months to 20 years.

This Pokrovsky classification is not the only one; there is a less structured WHO classification. However, experts use a more detailed structure.

Features of HIV symptoms in men, women and children

In men, the symptoms do not have any specificity. Women are noted with cycle disorders, an increased risk of malignant degeneration of the tissues of the cervix. Inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs in women infected with HIV occur 3 times more often, have a more severe course.

Children infected with HIV are mentally and physically delayed compared to their peers.

An effective drug for a complete cure for this disease has not yet been created. However, there are many effective drugs that reduce the viral load and improve the quality of life of patients with HIV. With strict adherence to the recommendations for their intake, an increase in CD4 cells is noted and a minimum HIV titer is recorded with the most sensitive diagnostic methods.

This result is easily achieved with the developed self-discipline of the patient: timely and continuous medication, observing the correct dosage.

The main directions of therapy:

Maintaining the quality of life of HIV-infected people;

Prevention and temporary delay of conditions that threaten the life of the patient;

Achieving remission with HAART and prevention of secondary infections;

Practical and psychological support for patients;

Providing free medicines.

Principles of prescribing HAART according to the stages of the disease:

At the first stage, treatment is not carried out; in case of contact with HIV, chemoprophylaxis is carried out;

In the second stage, treatment is carried out depending on the level of CD4-lymphocytes present;

At the third stage, HAART is prescribed if the patient actively desires or if the RNA level exceeds 10,000 copies and if the level of CD4-lymphocytes is less than 200 CD4/mm3;

At the fourth stage, treatment is prescribed when the level of RNA is more than 100 thousand copies and the level of CD4-lymphocytes is less than 200 CD4/mm3;

The fifth stage is always accompanied by treatment.

The current standards of HIV care may change in line with recent research showing that early HAART initiation leads to better outcomes.

At the moment, therapy includes a combination of the following groups of drugs:

HIV protease inhibitors,

Nucleoside inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase,

Non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase.

There is evidence of the development of a new drug for the treatment of HIV infection - Quad, which is more effective and has fewer side effects. The drug is taken once a day and replaces several drugs.

HIV prevention measures

It has become an axiom that it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it later. This is true for the prevention of AIDS and HIV infection.

Hetero- and homosexual relations:

Have one HIV-negative sexual partner;

Protect sexual intercourse with a reliable condom (latex with standard lubrication).

Even such a condom cannot give a 100% guarantee of safe intercourse, since the virus can penetrate through the pores of the latex. In addition, when rubbed, they can expand. You can significantly reduce the risk of infection with the correct use of a condom: choosing the appropriate size, putting it on before intercourse, avoiding a gap (removing air between the latex layer and the genitals). Condoms made from other materials are completely unreliable.

Intravenous injections for drug addiction and the inability to stop taking drugs:

Use for injections of disposable spitz once;

Preparation of a solution for intravenous injection in an individual container.

Reducing the risk of conceiving a fetus in an HIV-infected woman:

Using the method of self insemination (with a partner who does not have HIV);

Semen disinfection for further fertilization (with an HIV-infected partner);

IVF (in vitro fertilization).

Before conception, a woman who decides to become a mother with a positive HIV status is informed about the possible risk to her health and the health of the fetus. Further, STDs, chronic pathologies are necessarily treated, factors that reduce the protective properties of the placenta are excluded: smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction. The key to successful bearing and birth of a healthy child is the exact implementation of the recommendations of doctors, protecting yourself from infection, diagnosing the viral load and the level of CD4 cells.

The pregnant woman is taking the following medications:

HAART for the treatment and prevention of infection;

Iron preparations;

Multivitamins.

Pregnancy with HIV infection is resolved by caesarean section in order to exclude the contact of the child with cervical mucus and placenta containing a large number of viruses.

Protection of medical personnel from infection:

Use of personal protective equipment (mask, goggles, gloves, clothing);

Disposal of used needles in special containers with puncture protection;

In case of accidental contact with infected biological fluids - HAART chemoprophylaxis;

In case of accidental contact of damaged skin with a presumably infected environment - do not stop bleeding from a puncture or cut for several seconds, treat with alcohol with a strength of at least 70%;

In case of accidental contact of intact skin with the biological environment - wash with soap under running water, wipe with 70% alcohol;

If swallowed, rinse with 70% alcohol;

In case of contact with eyes, rinse with running water;

In case of contact with shoes or clothes, wipe with a disinfectant solution or soak in it, wipe the skin under clothing with alcohol;

In case of contact with tiled floors and walls - pour disinfectant for half an hour, wipe.

HIV: answers to questions

Infection occurs from an HIV-infected patient, regardless of the stage of the disease. A healthy person becomes infected when a sufficient dose of the virus enters his bloodstream to cause infection.

How the virus is transmitted:

Heterosexual and homosexual unprotected intercourse with an HIV-infected partner. Most often, infection occurs in those who have promiscuous sex. The risk is increased with anal sex, regardless of the orientation of sexual partners;

In drug addicts with intravenous drug injections with non-sterile syringes, using one container for preparing a solution for injection;

Children from HIV-infected mothers during pregnancy, during childbirth, while breastfeeding;

During medical manipulations, injections associated with contact with infected biological fluids;

In blood transfusion and donor organ transplantation, the situation may arise with a false negative result in the donor during the “window period”.

According to the law on the protection of the rights of HIV-infected people, information about their status must be kept secret and cannot be transferred to third parties. Such a measure allows not to be afraid of discrimination in case of a positive result.

An HIV blood test is carried out free of charge in two ways:

Anonymously. The test is assigned a number to obtain the result, and the name of the person taking the test remains secret;

Confidentially. Laboratory staff maintain medical secrecy, although they know the name and surname of the person being tested for HIV.

Testing is carried out:

At the regional AIDS prevention center;

In the polyclinic at the place of residence in the anonymous testing room,

In a private medical center with special facilities (for a fee).

Before and after testing, psychological support and counseling are provided for a person who decides to undergo an HIV diagnosis. Test results can be obtained on the same day, or 2-3 to 14 days after diagnosis.

What to do if the HIV test is positive?

If the result is positive, an anonymous conversation is held with the doctor about the course of the disease, the necessary additional studies and treatment methods, about possible risks and complications. Such advice can be obtained from an infectious disease doctor at the place of residence or at the regional center for the prevention and control of AIDS.

Required Research:

To determine the level of CD4 cells;

The presence or absence of viral hepatitis;

on viral load;

For the p-24 capsid antigen.

According to the indications, studies of the general immune status, STD pathogens, markers of malignant neoplasms, CT, etc. are carried out.

Airborne (when sneezing and coughing);

When using shared cutlery;

In the bath, sauna, steam room;

When swimming in a pool, a common pond;

When bitten by an animal or insect;

During the medical examination;

In public places, in transport;

When using one toilet;

Through a kiss or a handshake.

Patients with viral hepatitis, for example, are much more dangerous to others than people infected with HIV.

These are people who deny the existence of the human immunodeficiency virus.

Their beliefs are based on the following arguments:

The virus has not been identified and not cultivated outside the human body. No one has seen HIV, so far only a set of proteins has been isolated, it is arguable that they belong to the same virus. In fact, there are a large number of photographs of the virus taken using an electron microscope;

Patients die more frequently from antiviral therapy for AIDS than without treatment. Indeed, the first drugs for the treatment of HIV infection had many side effects. But modern drugs are effective and safe, besides, new, even more effective developments are constantly appearing;

AIDS is a conspiracy of pharmaceutical concerns. If this were true, then companies would offer a remedy for the disease, which is not available until today;

AIDS is an autoimmune disease that is not viral in nature. Allegedly, immunodeficiency is caused by toxic poisoning, stress, radiation and other causes. The argument against this statement is that after the start of taking HAART, patients improve. Such statements disorientate patients, some of them refuse treatment. In fact, special therapy started on time allows HIV-infected people to lead a normal life, have healthy children, and work. At the same time, the course of the disease slows down, life expectancy is preserved. All this is possible with timely diagnosis and timely initiation of HAART.

About the doctor: From 2010 to 2016 practicing physician of the therapeutic hospital of the central medical unit No. 21, the city of Elektrostal. Since 2016, she has been working at the diagnostic center No. 3.