Today, the epidemic situation suggests that HIV infection continues to spread among the general population due to the increase in sexual transmission.

There are two types of the pathogen – human immunodeficiency viruses 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2).

The former is widespread in all countries of the world, the latter – mainly in West Africa, but is already being detected in various countries of Europe and America. The pathogen contains RNA and belongs to the family of lymphotropic retroviruses that can cause immunosuppressive and neoplastic diseases in humans and animals after prolonged latency. In retroviruses, hereditary information is recorded in RNA, and in affected human cells – in the form of DNA. This is possible due to the existence of reverse transcription in the life cycle of these viruses, i.e. the ability to synthesize DNA on the RNA matrix. Reverse transcription is performed by a viral enzyme called reverse transcriptase. Hence the name retroviruses (lat. retro – back, reverse).

Infected people are called HIV-positive. However, only the IV clinical stage of the disease is called AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

It is very important to know how HIV is transmitted and how to protect yourself from it.

HIV is transmitted in three well-defined ways:

  1. HIV can be transmitted through unprotected sexual contact if one of the partners is infected. Therefore, sexual intercourse should be protected (use condoms).
  2. HIV can be transmitted through blood: transfusions of contaminated blood, use of dirty syringes while taking drugs, dirty needles, piercings, tattoos, use of contaminated, blood-contaminated blades. Therefore, it is extremely important to use disposable needles and blades. It is enough to wash your hands or objects that have been exposed to blood in hot water.
  3. HIV can be transmitted from an HIV-positive mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. If an HIV-positive mother decides to give birth to a child, the doctor will be able to provide information on measures to reduce the infection of the child.

Thus, there are only three ways to get HIV: through sexual contact, through the blood, and from mother to child, and the other ways you may hear about are just speculation.

The following statements are true:

The skin is an insurmountable barrier to HIV.

Insects such as mosquitoes do not carry HIV.

Anyone can get HIV: men, women, children.
It is difficult to get HIV through household contacts.

HIV cannot be inhaled, it is not present in tears, sweat, saliva, it is not possible to get infected by touching an infected person.

An HIV-positive woman can become a mother, and infected mothers can transmit HIV to their children during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. A pregnant woman with HIV can become a happy mother of a healthy baby by taking antiviral drugs and following the doctor’s recommendations.

But there are also myths, such as:

1.Only a few years left to live. The course of HIV infection is individual for each patient. Some people develop AIDS within a few months, due to the rapid weakening of the immune system by the virus. Others live with HIV for many years, and the infection does not affect their life expectancy. You can prevent the development of AIDS by visiting your doctor regularly and following his/her recommendations.

  1. You are infected if you have symptoms of HIV. Some people do not show symptoms of HIV infection for many years after they are infected. For many, it can take from 10 days to several weeks from the time of infection to the first symptoms. The first symptoms are similar to the flu or mononucleosis: fever, fatigue, rash and sore throat. As a rule, they disappear after a few weeks and may not manifest themselves for many years. The only way to find out if you have HIV is to get tested.
  2. HIV can be cured. At the moment, there is no medicine that can cure HIV infection, but there is some therapy that helps to contain the activity of the virus and support the immune system.

To know is to prevent!

Tests are the only way to detect the fact of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. This test helps to detect HIV in the early stages of the disease and is performed as a routine blood test.