AIDS is a popular term for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, also known as acquired immune deficiency syndrome. More strictly speaking, chronic HIV infection to the late stage, CD4 + T lymphocytes less than 200/L, into the AIDS phase of acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is called AIDS.
By the end of 2017, China had reported more than 750,000 surviving HIV infections, and 130,000 new HIV infections were found in 2017, of which more than 95% were infected through sexual acts. A total of 30,000 deaths were reported in 2017 [1]. At present, China provides free antiviral drugs for HIV infected persons. After HIV infection is confirmed, free drugs can be received in designated hospitals or CDC with confirmatory reports.
Why is AIDS terrible?
No one died of HIV infection itself. The main harm of HIV infection is to destroy the immune system of human body, mainly manifested by the decrease of the number of CD4 + T lymphocytes with the extension of infection time, which eventually leads to immune function defects and causes various opportunistic infections and tumors.
To make a common analogy, Comparing the human body to a country, The immune system is the police in this country, The main duty of the police is to catch all kinds of criminals. As far as the human body is concerned, [Criminals] are viruses, Bacteria, tumor cells, etc. HIV will gradually and slowly kill the police one by one. When the number of police is reduced to a certain level, it will be impossible to maintain the stability of law and order. At this time, all kinds of criminals, including robbers, murderers and thieves, will come out to sabotage, and even honest people who usually seem to be keeping their peace will take the opportunity to make insurrection and turn into murderers and arsonists.
AIDS patients, Not from HIV infection itself, In the end, they died of the destruction of these criminals. So, Infected with AIDS, most people in a long period of time, did not have any clinical manifestations, looks the same as ordinary people. Because at the beginning of the infection for a period of time, only a small number of police died, the rest of the police can also maintain the stability of public order, so everything seems normal.
This [seemingly normal] period is the asymptomatic period of AIDS. The asymptomatic period can last for months to decades, with an average of about 8 years. Although asymptomatic, the asymptomatic period is still infectious, and this group of people are the main source of AIDS infection.
Is the source of AIDS infection what? How to prevent infection?
The source of AIDS infection is HIV carriers or AIDS patients. The route of infection includes sexual behavior (including unsafe same-sex, opposite-sex or bisexual contact), blood or blood products, and mother-to-child transmission.
The high-risk groups of HIV infection include: sex workers, men who have sex with men, intravenous drug users, people who have sexual contact with HIV infected persons, and people with multiple sexual partners.
Ordinary daily life contact does not infect HIV, including sharing meals, working together, sharing toilets, living together (without sexual contact), etc., so we don’t have to panic too much, shaking hands and hugging with infected persons are impossible to spread HIV.
Preventive measures for HIV infection include: safe sexual behavior, correct and full condom use, no drug abuse, no needle sharing, blocking measures for HIV-infected pregnant women, and prevention before or after exposure for sexual partners of HIV-infected persons.
Despite these measures to prevent HIV infection, However, there are still many new cases every year. One of the important reasons is that Many HIV-infected people do not show any signs during the asymptomatic period of several years or even more than ten years, do not know that they are infected with HIV, or conceal their medical history and have sex with others, thus causing the spread of HIV. From another angle, if you know that the other person is HIV-infected, will you still have sex with him/her? To sum up, there is only one sentence: impulse is the devil.
So, what if there is unprotected sex with HIV-infected people? Don’t panic yet, To prevent HIV infection, there are [regret drugs] that can be taken. Prophylactic medication should be taken in the shortest possible time after high-risk behaviors occur, that is, blocking after HIV exposure. The blocking time after exposure should preferably not exceed 24 hours, and as far as possible within 2 hours. However, even if it exceeds 24 hours, preventive medication is recommended, and the course of medication is continuous for 28 days.
How should I treat it?
HIV infection is not an incurable disease. Although HIV infection cannot be cured at present, effective antiviral therapy can inhibit HIV replication for a long time. HIV infection wants to survive for a long time, the premise is: early detection, early treatment, standardized medication and regular reexamination.
Starting antiviral therapy before HIV destroys the immune system can prevent HIV from coming out for a long time and causing damage. The immune system plays the same role as normal people, so there will be no complications such as opportunistic infection and opportunistic tumors. It can live like normal people and have basically the same life span as healthy people.
If HIV has destroyed the police system, Countries that lose order will become robbers. A paradise for criminals such as murderers. That is, antiviral drugs are used. The reconstruction of the police system is also a long process, which may take several years or even cannot be restored all the time. The police may still not be able to effectively protect the national security. Therefore, early detection, early treatment and antiviral treatment before the immune system is destroyed can ensure long-term survival.
In short, AIDS can be prevented and treated, and ordinary contact in daily life will not infect AIDS. I hope everyone will treat it rationally. The most important thing is to try to avoid all kinds of high-risk behaviors of HIV infection, to be clean, [regret medicine] is not omnipotent, prevention is always the most important, and at any time do not let yourself be exposed to danger, which is the best blocking.