HIV infection as transmitted in the home? Methods of transmission of HIV infection

People with respect to HIV infection can be divided into two groups: those who do not consider HIV a problem, continuing the usual way of life, and those who are too excited about their safety and are influenced by the flow of information emanating from the media and other sources. As one group, and the second is not quite right, because the infection for today is well studied, and experts can accurately say where there is a risk of infection, and where it is not. It is necessary to understand how the HIV infection is transmitted and how is not transmitted to protect yourself from possible problems and not to bother your nerves once again.

In the body of a patient who is infected with HIV, a virus sufficient quantity to infect another person is found in breast milk, vaginal secretions, in sperm and in blood. It is through these ways that HIV infection can enter the body of a healthy person. How is the virus transmitted through sweat, saliva, urine, feces? No way. There are only three ways of transmission: sexual, vertical and parenteral.

Properties of HIV

HIV belongs to the group of unstable viruses and can die under the direct influence of ether, acetone or alcohol. The virus, located on the surface of healthy skin, is destroyed by the action of bacteria and protective enzymes. Also, he is not inclined to suffer high temperatures and dies, being about 30 minutes at 57 degrees Celsius or at one-minute boiling.

The difficulty in creating a drug and a vaccine against HIV is that the virus is constantly changing.

Development of HIV infection

Primarily, the body reacts to the invasion of the virus, producing antibodies. The period that passes from infection to the moment when the active development of antibodies begins, can last from three weeks to three months. In some cases, antibodies appear only six months after infection. This period was called the period of the seroconversion window.

The latent or asymptomatic period can last from several months to 15 years. The disease at this stage is not manifested in any way. The infectious process develops after the asymptomatic period. The first sign that the disease is progressing is enlarged lymph nodes. After the stage of AIDS develops. The main symptoms of this period are: frequent or persistent headache, unmotivated diarrhea, loss of appetite, drowsiness, malaise, fatigue, weight loss. At a late stage, tumors and associated infections appear, which are extremely difficult to heal.

The disease is associated with loss of immunity and is dangerous for human life, so it is important to know how HIV is transmitted. Symptoms that may appear after a few years are difficult to overcome and return to a normal lifestyle.

Diagnosis of HIV infection

To make an accurate diagnosis and to determine the presence of the virus in the body can not only by external signs. Here you need to conduct a blood test, which will indicate the presence in it of a viral load and antibodies to HIV. For this purpose, HIV tests, ELISA (immunoassay), polymer chain reaction, various rapid tests are carried out. With the help of this kind of research it is possible to establish the presence of the virus in the blood and the degree of its development.

You can make a test in any healthcare organization. Preliminary it is necessary to undergo counseling. In the case of a positive result, the infected person should be given, first of all, emotional and psychological support and information on how to lead a further way of life. If the result is negative, then you need to talk with a person about how HIV is transmitted in everyday life. This will protect him from the possibility of infection.

Methods of transmission of HIV infection

This question should be of interest to everyone who is worried about their health. Transmission of HIV infection occurs only in three ways, which are divided into artificial and natural. The first is sexual. The second one is vertical. Its essence lies in the fact that the virus is transmitted directly from mother to child at birth (or to the fetus). These are natural ways.

The third way, which is usually referred to as artificial, is parenteral. In the latter case, infection can occur through blood transfusions, organ or tissue transplantation, intravenous injections with unsterilized devices. The main condition for infection is the presence of a virus in one and its absence from another person.

Infection through the blood

To infect a person can get into the body 1 / 10,000 milliliters of blood, which is not visible to the human eye. The incredibly small size of the virus makes it possible to fit 100 thousand particles on a line with a length of only 1 cm. This is also dangerous for HIV infection. As the virus passes through the blood, one can imagine, based on the fact that if the blood of a healthy person gets at least the smallest part of the blood of an infected person, the probability of infection is close to 100 percent. This can happen through donation, with the transfer of unverified donor blood.

HIV infection is transmitted through unprocessed medical or cosmetic items, if they have already been used by an infected person. Most often, these situations occur when piercing ears, drawing tattoos, when piercing in unspecialized salons. Remains of foreign blood can be invisible and remain even after washing with water. Tools must be treated with special agents or alcohol.

After the HIV epidemic began to spread, the Ministry of Health strictly controls the work of medical staff. This concerns donation, sterilization of medical equipment, general work of personnel. Therefore, the mechanism of HIV transmission has already been thoroughly studied, therefore, the risk of infection is reduced to a minimum in medical institutions.

The risk of infection with the virus is great among intravenous drug users through blood-soaked common needles, syringes, filters and other devices for drug use.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Talking about how HIV and AIDS are transmitted, we can not fail to mention the most common method - sex. The virus in the body of an infected person is in large numbers in the vaginal secretion and in seminal fluid. Any heterosexual unprotected sexual intercourse can lead to infection, and the focal point is the mucous of the genital organs. The fact is that on the mucous membrane during the sexual act, microdamages are formed, through which the virus can freely penetrate and get from there into the circulatory system, other organs and tissues. The possibility of infection with the virus increases with the conduct of promiscuous sexual life, with the frequent change of sexual partners, with the non-use of condoms, and when entering into sexual contact with a partner who systematically uses drugs.

Infections that are sexually transmitted, to date, there are about 30. Many of them contribute to the development of various inflammatory diseases, which can also lead to infection with HIV. Most infections accompany inflammation and damage to the mucous membrane of the genital organs, which also facilitates easy penetration of HIV into the body. Dangerous for infection and sexual intercourse during menstruation. The concentration of the virus is much higher in semen than in vaginal discharge. Therefore, the probability of transmission of the virus from a woman to a man is lower than that of a man to a woman.

Homosexual unprotected contacts are even more dangerous. Due to the fact that the mucosa of the rectum does not have devices for sexual intercourse, the risk of traumatic injuries in this area exceeds the possibility of damage to the vagina. The infection through the anal passage is more real because of the fact that it is abundantly supplied with blood. By the way, you can get infected through oral sex, although here the probability is not so high as in previous cases.

Thus, with any sexual contact, HIV infection can enter the body. How is the virus transmitted and what are the ways to avoid infection? It is enough simply to regulate sexual life and use protective means.

Infecting a child from a mother

A few years ago this method of infection was very common, and the infected mother could not hope for the birth of a healthy child. Cases of exclusion were, but rarely. The development of modern medicine to date has achieved positive results in reducing the risk of infection of the child from the mother. The modes of transmission of HIV from mother to fetus or child are as follows: through breast milk during breastfeeding, during labor or even during pregnancy. It is extremely difficult to find out at what exact moment the infection has occurred, therefore it is necessary for pregnant patients to register and monitor the health of their future baby as soon as possible.

Possibility of infection in everyday life

Although the risk of contracting HIV in the home is low, but still there is. The most common is the transmission of infection through piercing-cutting objects. The question of how HIV is transmitted in everyday life, worries many, especially those who live under the same roof with an infected person.

The virus can be transmitted through personal hygiene products (for example, through shaving instruments). It is worth remembering that it is impossible to get infected through the general use of the toilet, since the virus is not transmitted with urine and feces, when swimming in the pool, through common utensils and other household items.

Infection in everyday life often occurs in an artificial way, through the damaged skin. If, for example, the blood or mucous discharge of a patient has got into the body of a healthy person, then one can already talk about infection.

HIV is not transmitted

The virus is not transmitted through the air (by airborne droplets), alternating food, water. Staying indoors with an infected person also does not threaten a healthy person. The use of household items (dishes, towels, bath, pool, laundry) also carries no danger. The virus is not transmitted through a handshake, kisses, when smoking one cigarette, when using one lipstick or a handset. Also, HIV is not transmitted through insect bites or through animals.

HIV and AIDS

HIV infection acts destructively on the immune system, thereby reducing the body's resistance to various diseases. If in the first period of infection can occur insensibly, do not externally, then in subsequent stages of the immune system is weakened to such an extent that the body becomes subject to any infectious disease. Such diseases belong to those who are very rarely affected by uninfected people: caused by microorganisms pneumonia, a tumor disease of Kaposi's sarcoma.

A condition in which an infectious disease that causes a problem in the immune system begins to appear in a person infected with HIV is called AIDS.

Prevention of HIV infection

No matter how HIV is transmitted, it is important that it is life-threatening to humans. In order not to face such a serious problem, it is necessary to lead a correct lifestyle and adhere to the recommendations of doctors.

Among all methods of fighting AIDS, the most effective is the prevention of HIV. It includes: the presence of only one sexual partner, avoidance of sexual contacts with drug addicts, prostitutes, as well as with little-known people, rejection of group contacts, use of protective equipment. These items are extremely important, as HIV is transmitted most often through sexual contact through unprotected sex.

For your safety, remember that you do not need to use other people's personal care items (medical instruments, toothbrushes, razors or shaving tools). Everyone has the right to insist that in the office of a cosmetologist, gynecologist, dentist and other specialists they be served with one-time new tools.

The healthcare sector should periodically take preventive measures regarding the AIDS disease. These include: the promotion of protected sex, the thorough examination of pregnant women, the screening of blood donors and people at risk, control of the birth of children, the refusal of infected women to breast-feed their babies.

Prevention within the walls of medical institutions implies: the use of only one-time tools for the treatment of HIV patients, thorough washing of hands after working with an infected patient. It is also necessary to carry out disinfection with contamination of the bed, environment or household items with secretions and secrets of the patient. Be sure to remember that it is better to prevent the problem than to solve it later, and in this case - than to live with it later.

Treatment of HIV infection

In this case, as in many others, the account of time goes on days. The earlier a problem is found, the more likely it is that the patient will return to normal life. The treatment of HIV is directed to a greater extent to delay the development and progression of the virus so that it does not turn into a more serious illness - AIDS. An infected person is immediately prescribed a treatment package that includes: drugs that interfere with the development of opportunistic infections, and medications that affect the virus directly, interfering with its development and reproduction.

It is difficult to live with such a disease as HIV infection. How it is transmitted, how it develops, how to protect itself - everyone should know the answers to these questions, because it is unlikely that the patient will be able to lead a habitual way of life, especially if he learns about the problem a few years after infection. Therefore, it is so important to monitor your behavior and take care of your health, because this is the most expensive thing that we have, and unfortunately, or fortunately, it is not bought for money.