HIV & AIDS

An overview

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Viruses, unlike plant or animal cells, are nothing more than simple pieces of genetic material wrapped in a protective shell. Like other viruses, HIV is so simple that it is unable to reproduce by itself and therefore it requires host cell in order for it to replicate. If the virus is left untreated and is allowed to replicate at its normal rate it will, in time, lead to the condition known as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

HIV is part of a family of viruses known as retroviruses and it is so small it can only be seen with an electron microscope. The virus gets into the blood and attacks and infects cells found in the immune system that normally coordinate the body's defences against infection.

If HIV is left untreated, levels of infection-fighting cells can drop to dangerously low levels and the body becomes susceptible to a variety of illnesses known as opportunistic infections (OIs). Whereas a healthy immune system would fight such infection off naturally, a person with a weak immune system would find this more difficult.

Being HIV positive is NOT the same as having AIDS. It simply means that antibodies (the bodies response) to the virus have been detected in the bloodstream showing that the virus is present in the body. An HIV-positive person might not get sick for many years (if at all) although they can still spread the virus to others.

Many doctors class no longer class HIV as a terminal illness and instead refer to it being a "chronic manageable" condition. Despite this, there is often a lot of stigma attached to the terms HIV & AIDS. Much of this comes from the often ruthless misrepresentations of the disease in the media since it was first discovered. It is more common therefore for medical professionals use less emotive terms such as "advanced" or "symptomatic" HIV infection rather than AIDS.

With the advent of new treatments that slow down the replication of HIV, even an immune system that has been severely damaged can start to recover. Although there is still no cure for HIV, these new medications mean that those infected with the virus are able to live full, healthy and long lives.

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