How to defeat HIV infection with folk remedies. Is it possible to cure HIV?

It is recommended to start HIV therapy as early as possible, as this can prevent the development of AIDS and some other diseases. Timely treatment can help a person stay relatively healthy for much longer. Often people ignore the prescription of such therapy, believing that there is no point in doing anything. This is, of course, not true. Doctors have a great desire to help HIV-infected people.

“I am curing HIV” - such a statement can be heard today from more and more people, since the number of infected people continues to grow.

How to treat HIV? There are several ways to do this.

Treatment of HIV-infected people through viral suppression

Then, when a person is accurately diagnosed with HIV, he can begin receiving special medications that have a negative impact on the life cycles of the virus and intensively suppress its activity and spread in the patient’s body. Such medications belong to the group of antiretroviral drugs.

Antiretroviral drugs

As the virus progresses, doctors are forced to expand the list of antiviral drugs that are used on the human body. What is the reason for this? The fact is that over time, the effect of one drug ceases to affect the virus. He becomes unstable to it. This is called viral resistance.

That is, if a patient is treated with the same drug for a long time, the therapeutic effect ceases to appear and the disease continues to progress. Then doctors have to combine antiviral therapy.

However, a universal scheme for such a combination simply does not exist. In all individual cases, the patient’s characteristics must be taken into account and a personal treatment regimen must be developed specifically for him. The condition of his body, the amount of antibodies produced, age, and symptoms of the disease are taken into account.

Sometimes even viral susceptibility to this method may decrease. However, this usually occurs only slightly. At the first such signs, doctors urgently change their action plan.

Prevention of opportunistic infections

As the virus unfolds its activity in the body, the disease tends to progress. The normal functioning of the immune system is disrupted quite seriously. This increases the risk of any other infections and their activity in the body of an already infected person. Due to this problem, therapy is significantly complicated.

For this reason, doctors often immediately prescribe a patient treatment that will prevent the development of various types of infections. For this purpose, medications with an antimicrobial spectrum are used.

Such treatment is effective only to prevent the development of secondary infections in the human body (). But such therapy does not harm the immunodeficiency virus; it continues to be active in the human body and disrupt the normal genetic code in cells.

Vaccination of the patient

Is there a cure for HIV? It is worth noting that therapy for the human immunodeficiency virus is mainly aimed at prolonging its life and as slowly as possible the transition of the disease to the terminal stage, which ends in death for the person.

In addition to infections, people with HIV are also at risk from viral diseases. In order to prevent this, various methods are used.

The first of them is the isolation of a person from large crowds of people during virus outbreaks. This is recommended to be done in late autumn and early spring.

The second way is to administer a special vaccine. Such vaccination can protect a person from a large number of problems of viral origin. But it must be taken into account that such a vaccine can only be administered at the initial stage of HIV, when the human immune system is not so globally damaged. That is, in this case, the body will still have the ability to produce antibodies to a particular disease.

Which vaccines should be used in this case can only be decided by a doctor.

HIV treatment 2017: news in Russia

“HIV News 2017: cure”, “HIV cure 2017: latest news” - what do these queries mean? The fact is that the news in the treatment of HIV-2017 is very positive.

The country's Ministry of Health announced to citizens that starting this year, four drugs for HIV and AIDS will be produced in Russia.

Treatment of HIV infection in 2017: news about the development of new drugs can give hope to many patients. The fact is that many drugs that are currently produced in Russia have already expired patents. The rest are not produced in our country, but are only supplied ready-made.

A new cure for HIV, the latest news about which is good news for those infected, appears in the country at the right time, since, according to doctors’ forecasts, the number of people infected with HIV by 2025 could increase to two hundred and fifty percent, and if this happens, the virus will come out from under control.

Today, the number of women who find out that they have HIV during pregnancy has increased significantly. This especially applies to the Kirov region. In addition, the number of teenagers infected with the virus who are promiscuous and use drugs is growing. In this case, infection can occur through the use of one syringe by an entire group of drug users.

It should be noted that anyone can take an HIV test today. If the disease is identified, the person will be provided with potential medical care that could prolong his life. If you suspect HIV symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor and do not try to treat yourself. Traditional medicine is not able to improve human health if he suffers from the human immunodeficiency virus. Only doctors know what to do in such a difficult situation.

Any person will perceive the immunodeficiency virus found in his blood as a death sentence.

Until recently, this was the case, but treatment in the early stages of HIV with antiretroviral drugs can not only prolong life, but also to some extent restore the patient’s immune system.

What kind of disease is this?

Human immunodeficiency virus is a viral disease that very slowly and gradually destroys the body's immune system. As a result, it weakens so much that it cannot protect itself from secondary infections and tumor diseases. In the later stages, the patient develops fungal, bacterial, viral and oncological diseases that are difficult to treat. This condition is called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The virus originally appeared in West Africa, but has now spread throughout the planet. Information about the structure, routes of transmission and vital activity of the virus did not help to create drugs that completely cure the disease, so every year the number of people infected with HIV and people with AIDS is growing in the world.

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Possible routes of infection

HIV infection can be transmitted:

• during unprotected sexual intercourse;
• when using someone else's syringes and needles;
• by transfusion of contaminated blood;
• from an infected mother to a child during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding;
• when blood or scratched human mucosa comes into contact with blood, semen, breast milk and other biological secretions of the patient;
• when using improperly sterilized piercing and tattoo instruments;
• when using someone else's toothbrush or razor with minimal blood residue.

HIV is not believed to be transmitted through sweat, saliva, tears, urine or feces. This is explained by the fact that you can become infected when a minimum dose of the virus enters the bloodstream and damaged mucous membranes. For example, to become infected with HIV, all it takes is a drop of blood placed on the end of a sewing needle. The same amount of virus is contained in 4 liters of saliva, and it is too difficult to consume such a volume.

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How to recognize HIV in the early stages

All people are afraid of the thought of possible HIV infection. Therefore, the question often arises: “How does HIV manifest in the early stages?” After all, it is still possible to treat the disease at the very beginning, but then the immune system is completely destroyed. As a result, it is not HIV itself that kills a person, but other diseases that the immune system is not able to fight. How to recognize HIV in the early stages? There are few signs that allow this to be done. It is almost never possible to determine HIV infection by early external signs.

Each of them is similar to the manifestations of common viral diseases - influenza, ARVI, rotavirus or enterovirus infection:

1. Unreasonable severe fatigue. Chronic fatigue can signal a huge number of diseases, including HIV infection. Don't panic if you feel constantly tired even after a normal night's rest. Take note of this. If you feel a complete loss of energy for several weeks or months, you still need to undergo a comprehensive examination to rule out HIV.
2. Muscle and throat pain, headache and chills are signs of flu and colds. However, all of them can also signal the activation of HIV.
3. Swollen tonsils in the throat and enlarged, painless lymph nodes in the neck, groin and armpits are characteristic of a systemic disease. With HIV, the cervical lymph nodes swell more than the inguinal and axillary ones. To understand and find out the diagnosis, an examination is necessary.
4. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may accompany the initial stages of HIV infection. If any of the signs persist for 1-3 weeks, it is worthwhile.
5. Sores in the mouth and genitals. If this symptom appears in combination with the signs of HIV listed above, you should be wary. Especially if you have not previously suffered from such skin problems.

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HIV does not appear immediately; it can “sleep” in the body for a long time or develop very unnoticed. The incubation period depends on the strength of the person’s immune system; it can range from several weeks to 10 years. In some patients, HIV leads to the development of AIDS within 10-12 years if left untreated.

Clinical manifestations of HIV infection are divided into several stages. The first stage of the disease occurs at least 2-6 weeks after HIV infection. The following features are characteristic of this period:

1. Some enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck, armpits and groin. Swollen lymph nodes are firm and painless.
2. Sore throat and swollen tonsils.
3. Chills and elevated body temperature (37.5-38 0 C).
4. Diarrhea.
5. A pinpoint rash, as with rubella (occurs in half of the cases).
6. Rare cases of meningitis and meningoencephalitis.

At an early stage, HIV infection may not manifest itself in any way, so a person does not know about the development of a terrible disease for a long time. However, people almost always attribute the listed symptoms to a cold, flu or poisoning, thereby depriving themselves of the chance to prolong their life.

The second stage of HIV infection occurs after acute manifestations have subsided. It lasts for 3-10 years, the disease almost does not manifest itself or these are very vague signs:

• joint pain;
• muscle pain;
• night sweats;
• weakness and increased fatigue;
• frequent diarrhea;
• problems with coordination of movements;
• frequent exacerbations of herpes infection;
• systematic rise in body temperature;
• persistent dry cough;
• dramatic weight loss in a couple of months.

In the early stages, women with HIV experience menstrual irregularities: intermenstrual bleeding, irregular cycles, painful periods or their absence. It is believed that HIV infection can provoke hormonal imbalances in the body. Inflammatory diseases of the genital organs in infected women are difficult to cure. In addition, the risk of developing cervical cancer increases several times. Men with HIV infection do not experience hormonal changes. The symptoms of the immunodeficiency virus in children have their own characteristics. Newborns with HIV often have diarrhea and suffer from recurring infections. Infected children under 2 years of age are characterized by frequent bacterial infections, stunted growth and body weight, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, pneumonia, infectious diseases of the skin and mucous membranes.

Children over 2 years of age infected with HIV suffer from digestive disorders, intractable pneumonia and viral infections, as well as candidiasis of the mucous membranes and skin.

The third stage of HIV infection begins with the development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Without treatment, AIDS begins 3-10 years after infection. The patient’s immunity cannot cope with anything; the person is tormented by endless fungal, bacterial, viral and protozoal infections. Along with this, HIV encephalopathy, HIV dementia, tuberculosis, cervical cancer, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, etc. are quite common in AIDS patients. The patient has enlarged lymph nodes, a feverish state and a temperature of about 38-40 0 C.

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HIV Treatment Trends

Scientists around the world are struggling with the problem of treating HIV, but have not yet found a means to completely cure patients. Treatment regimens only slow down the progression of the disease and slightly improve the quality of life. Finding out that you have HIV is a huge stress, so the patient needs constant psychological support from psychologists and psychiatrists, as well as from their own family and friends. Not everyone can cope with the situation. In this regard, such people require a gentle protective psychological regime. At the same time, active therapy with antiretroviral drugs is carried out. HIV patients require constant medical supervision for early detection and treatment of secondary diseases.

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended starting treatment for HIV-infected patients when CD4 cell counts are below 350/mm3. However, new WHO research confirms that early initiation of HIV treatment leads to better results. They insist that patients should be given antiretroviral drugs as early as 500 CD4 cells/mm³ or below. This makes treatment safer and more affordable. In addition, early therapy reduces the number of viruses in the blood. This reduces the risk of transmitting HIV to others.

Regarding infected children, WHO insists on the need for antiretroviral therapy for all children under 5 years of age, regardless of CD4 cell count. The same applies to HIV-positive pregnant and lactating women, married couples where only one of the partners is infected. WHO recommendations have not changed regarding the provision of antiretroviral treatment to all HIV patients with active tuberculosis or hepatitis B.

Good day, dear readers!

In today's article we will look at such a serious disease as HIV infection, and everything connected with it - causes, how it is transmitted, first signs, symptoms, stages of development, types, tests, tests, diagnosis, treatment, medications, prevention and other useful information. So…

What does HIV mean?

HIV infection in children

HIV infection in children is in many cases accompanied by developmental delays (physical and psychomotor), frequent infectious diseases, pneumonitis, encephalopathy, hyperplasia of the pulmonary lymphatics, and hemorrhagic syndrome. Moreover, HIV infection in children acquired from infected mothers is characterized by a more rapid course and progression.

The main cause of HIV infection is infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. The cause of AIDS is also the same virus, because AIDS is the last stage of development of HIV infection.

is a slowly developing virus belonging to the family of retroviruses (Retroviridae) and the genus of lentiviruses (Lentivirus). It is the word “lente” translated from Latin that means “slow”, which partially characterizes this infection, which develops quite slowly from the moment it enters the body until the last stage.

The size of the human immunodeficiency virus is only about 100-120 nanometers, which is almost 60 times smaller than the diameter of a blood particle - an erythrocyte.

The complexity of HIV lies in its frequent genetic changes during the process of self-reproduction - almost every virus differs from its predecessor by at least 1 nucleotide.

In nature, as of 2017, 4 types of virus are known - HIV-1 (HIV-1), HIV-2 (HIV-2), HIV-3 (HIV-3) and HIV-4 (HIV-4), each of which differs in genome structure and other properties.

It is HIV-1 infection that plays a role in the disease of most HIV-infected people, therefore, when the subtype number is not indicated, 1 is implied by default.

The source of HIV is people infected with the virus.

The main routes of infection are: injections (especially injection drugs), transfusions (blood, plasma, red blood cells) or organ transplantation, unprotected sexual contact with a stranger, unnatural sex (anal, oral), trauma during childbirth, feeding a baby with breast milk (if the mother is infected), trauma during childbirth, the use of undisinfected medical or cosmetic items (scalpel, needles, scissors, tattoo machines, dental and other instruments).

For HIV infection and its further spread throughout the body and development, it is necessary that the infected blood, mucus, sperm and other biomaterials of the patient enter the human bloodstream or lymphatic system.

An interesting fact is that some people have an innate defense against the human immunodeficiency virus in their bodies, so they are resistant to HIV. The following elements have such protective properties: the CCR5 protein, the TRIM5a protein, the CAML protein (calcium-modulated cyclophilin ligand), as well as the interferon-inducible transmembrane protein CD317/BST-2 (“tetherin”).

By the way, the CD317 protein, in addition to retroviruses, also actively counteracts arenaviruses, filoviruses and herpesviruses. The cofactor for CD317 is the cellular protein BCA2.

HIV Risk Groups

• Drug addicts, mainly injecting drug users;
• Sexual partners of drug addicts;
• Persons who are promiscuous, as well as those who engage in unnatural sex;
• Prostitutes and their clients;
• Donors and people in need of blood transfusion or organ transplantation;
• People suffering from sexually transmitted diseases;
• Doctors.

The classification of HIV infection is as follows:

Classification by clinical manifestations (in the Russian Federation and some CIS countries):

1. Incubation stage.

2. The stage of primary manifestations, which, depending on the course options, can be:

• without clinical manifestations (asymptomatic);
• acute course without secondary diseases;
• acute course with secondary diseases;

3. Subclinical stage.

4. The stage of secondary diseases caused by damage to the body by viruses, bacteria, fungi and other types of infection that develop against the background of weakened immunity. Downstream it is divided into:

A) body weight decreases by less than 10%, as well as frequently recurring infectious diseases of the skin and mucous membranes - pharyngitis, otitis media, herpes zoster, angular cheilitis ();

B) body weight decreases by more than 10%, as well as persistent and often recurring infectious diseases of the skin, mucous membranes and internal organs - sinusitis, pharyngitis, herpes zoster, or diarrhea (diarrhea) for a month, localized Kaposi's sarcoma;

C) body weight is significantly reduced (cachexia), as well as persistent generalized infectious diseases of the respiratory, digestive, nervous and other systems - candidiasis (trachea, bronchi, lungs, esophagus), Pneumocystis pneumonia, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, herpes, encephalopathy, meningitis, cancer tumors (disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma).

All options for the course of the 4th stage have the following phases:

• progression of pathology in the absence of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART);
• progression of pathology during HAART;
• remission during or after HAART.

5. Terminal stage (AIDS).

The above classification largely coincides with the classification approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Classification by clinical manifestations (CDC - US Center for Disease Control and Prevention):

The CDC classification includes not only the clinical manifestations of the disease, but also the number of CD4 + T-lymphocytes in 1 μl of blood. It is based on the division of HIV infection into only 2 categories: the disease itself and AIDS. If the following parameters meet criteria A3, B3, C1, C2 and C3, the patient is considered as having AIDS.

Symptoms according to CDC category:

A (acute retroviral syndrome) – characterized by an asymptomatic course or generalized lymphadenopathy (GLAP).

B (AIDS-associated complex syndromes) - may be accompanied by oral candidiasis, herpes zoster, cervical dysplasia, peripheral neuropathy, organic lesions, idiopathic thrombocytopenia, leukoplakia or listeriosis.

C (AIDS)-can be accompanied by candidiasis of the respiratory tract (from oropharynx to lungs) and/or esophagus, pneumocystosis, pneumonia, herpetic esophagitis, HIV-enemyption, isosporosis, histoplasmosis, mycobacteriosis, cytomegalovirus infection, cryptocydiasis, coccyidia, coccyidia, and coccydoids, and coccyxia coccyxia uterus, sarcoma Kaposi, lymphoma, salmonellosis and other diseases.

Diagnosis of HIV infection

Diagnosis of HIV infection includes the following examination methods:

• Anamnesis;
• Visual examination of the patient;
• Screening test (detection of blood antibodies to infection using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - ELISA);
• A test confirming the presence of antibodies in the blood (blood testing using the immune blotting method (blot)), which is carried out only if the result of the screening test is positive;
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR);
• Tests for immune status (counting CD4 + lymphocytes - performed using automatic analyzers (flow cytometry method) or manually using microscopes);
• Viral load analysis (counting the number of HIV RNA copies per milliliter of blood plasma);
• Rapid tests for HIV - diagnosis is made using ELISA on test strips, agglutination reaction, immunochromatography or immunological filtration analysis.

Tests alone are not enough to diagnose AIDS. Confirmation occurs only with the additional presence of 2 or more opportunistic diseases associated with this syndrome.

HIV infection - treatment

Treatment of HIV infection is possible only after a thorough diagnosis. However, unfortunately, as of 2017, officially, adequate therapy and medications that would completely eliminate the human immunodeficiency virus and cure the patient have not been established.

The only modern treatment for HIV infection today is highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which is aimed at slowing the progression of the disease and stopping its transition to the AIDS stage. Thanks to HAART, a person’s life can be extended for several decades; the only condition is lifelong use of appropriate medications.

The insidiousness of the human immunodeficiency virus is also its mutation. So, if anti-HIV medications are not changed after some time, which is determined based on constant monitoring of the disease, the virus adapts and the prescribed treatment regimen becomes ineffective. Therefore, at different intervals, the doctor changes the treatment regimen, and with it the medications. The reason for changing the drug may also be the patient’s individual intolerance to it.

Modern drug development is aimed not only at achieving the goal of effectiveness against HIV, but also at reducing side effects from them.

The effectiveness of treatment also increases with changes in a person’s lifestyle, improving its quality - healthy sleep, proper nutrition, avoiding stress, an active lifestyle, positive emotions, etc.

Thus, the following points can be highlighted in the treatment of HIV infection:

• Drug treatment of HIV infection;
• Diet;
• Preventive actions.

Important! Before using medications, be sure to consult your doctor for advice!

1. Drug treatment of HIV infection

At the beginning, we must immediately remind you once again that AIDS is the last stage of the development of HIV infection, and it is at this stage that a person usually has very little time left to live. Therefore, it is very important to prevent the development of AIDS, and this largely depends on timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of HIV infection. We also noted that the only method of treating HIV today is considered to be highly active antiretroviral therapy, which, according to statistics, reduces the risk of developing AIDS to almost 1-2%.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)– a method of treating HIV infection based on the simultaneous use of three or four drugs (tritherapy). The number of drugs is related to the mutagenicity of the virus, and in order to bind it at this stage for as long as possible, the doctor selects a complex of drugs. Each of the drugs, depending on the principle of action, is included in a separate group - reverse transcriptase inhibitors (nucleoside and non-nucleoside), integrase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, receptor inhibitors and fusion inhibitors (fusion inhibitors).

HAART has the following goals:

• Virological – aimed at stopping the reproduction and spread of HIV, which is indicated by reducing the viral load by 10 times or more in just 30 days, to 20-50 copies/ml or less in 16-24 weeks, as well as maintaining these indicators for as long as possible;
• Immunological – aimed at restoring the normal functioning and health of the immune system, which is due to the restoration of the number of CD4 lymphocytes and an adequate immune response to infection;
• Clinical – aimed at preventing the formation of secondary infectious diseases and AIDS, which makes it possible to conceive a child.

Medicines for HIV infection

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors– the mechanism of action is based on the competitive suppression of the HIV enzyme, which ensures the creation of DNA, which is based on the RNA of the virus. It is the first group of drugs against retroviruses. Well tolerated. Side effects include: lactic acidosis, bone marrow suppression, polyneuropathy and lipoatrophy. The substance is excreted from the body through the kidneys.

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors include abacavir (Ziagen), zidovudine (Azidothymidine, Zidovirine, Retrovir, Timazid), lamivudine (Virolam, Heptavir-150, Lamivudine-3TC ", "Epivir"), stavudine ("Aktastav", "Zerit", "Stavudin"), tenofovir ("Viread", "Tenvir"), phosphazide ("Nikavir"), emtricitabine ("Emtriva"), as well as complexes abacavir + lamivudine (Kivexa, Epzicom), zidovudine + lamivudine (Combivir), tenofovir + emtricitabine (Truvada) and zidovudine + lamivudine + abacavir (Trizivir).

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors– delavirdine (Rescriptor), nevirapine (Viramune), rilpivirine (Edurant), efavirenz (Regast, Sustiva), etravirine (Intelence).

Integrase inhibitors— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the viral enzyme, which is involved in the integration of viral DNA into the genome of the target cell, after which a provirus is formed.

Integrase inhibitors include dolutegravir (Tivicay), raltegravir (Isentress), and elvitegravir (Vitecta).

Protease inhibitors— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the viral protease enzyme (retropepsin), which is directly involved in the cleavage of Gag-Pol polyproteins into individual proteins, after which the mature proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus virion are actually formed.

Protease inhibitors include amprenavir (“Agenerase”), darunavir (“Prezista”), indinavir (“Crixivan”), nelfinavir (“Viracept”), ritonavir (“Norvir”, “Ritonavir”), saquinavir-INV (“ Invirase"), tipranavir ("Aptivus"), fosamprenavir ("Lexiva", "Telzir"), as well as the combination drug lopinavir + ritonavir ("Kaletra").

Receptor inhibitors— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the penetration of HIV into the target cell, which is due to the effect of the substance on the coreceptors CXCR4 and CCR5.

Receptor inhibitors include maraviroc (Celsentri).

Fusion inhibitors (fusion inhibitors)— the mechanism of action is based on blocking the last stage of the introduction of the virus into the target cell.

Among the fusion inhibitors, one can highlight enfuvirtide (Fuzeon).

The use of HAART during pregnancy reduces the risk of transmission of infection from an infected mother to a child to 1%, although without this therapy the percentage of infection of the child is about 20%.

Side effects from the use of HAART medications include pancreatitis, anemia, skin rashes, kidney stones, peripheral neuropathy, lactic acidosis, hyperlipidemia, lipodystrophy, as well as Fanconi syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and others.

The diet for HIV infection is aimed at preventing the patient from losing weight, as well as providing the body’s cells with the necessary energy and, of course, stimulating and maintaining the normal functioning of not only the immune system, but also other systems.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the certain vulnerability of an immune system weakened by infection, so protect yourself from infection with other types of infection - be sure to follow the rules of personal hygiene and cooking rules.

Nutrition for HIV/AIDS should:

2. Be high in calories, which is why it is recommended to add butter, mayonnaise, cheese, and sour cream to food.

3. Drink plenty of fluids, it is especially useful to drink decoctions and freshly squeezed juices with plenty of vitamin C, which stimulates the immune system - decoction, juices (apple, grape, cherry).

4. Be frequent, 5-6 times a day, but in small portions.

5. Water for drinking and cooking must be purified. Avoid eating expired foods, undercooked meat, raw eggs, and unpasteurized milk.

What can you eat if you have HIV infection:

• Soups - vegetable, cereal, with noodles, meat broth, maybe with the addition of butter;
• Meat - beef, turkey, chicken, lungs, liver, lean fish (preferably sea);
• Cereals – buckwheat, pearl barley, rice, millet and oatmeal;
• Porridge - with the addition of dried fruits, honey, jam;
• Bread;
• Fats – sunflower oil, butter, margarine;
• Plant foods (vegetables, fruits, berries) - carrots, potatoes, cabbage, zucchini, pumpkin, legumes, peas, apples, grapes, plums and others;
• Sweets - honey, jam, marmalade, jam, marmalade, pastille, sugar, sweet pastries (no more than once a month).

Also, with HIV infection and AIDS, there is a shortage of such and

3. Preventive measures

Preventive measures for HIV infection that must be followed during treatment include:

• Avoiding repeated contact with infection;
• Healthy sleep;
• Compliance with personal hygiene rules;
• Avoiding the possibility of infection with other types of infection -, and others;
• Avoiding stress;
• Timely wet cleaning in the place of residence;
• Avoidance of prolonged exposure to sunlight;
• Complete cessation of alcoholic beverages and smoking;
• Good nutrition;
• Active lifestyle;
• Holidays at sea, in the mountains, i.e. in the most environmentally friendly places.

We will look at additional HIV prevention measures at the end of the article.

Important! Before using folk remedies against HIV infection, be sure to consult your doctor!

St. John's wort. Pour well-dried chopped herbs into an enamel pan and fill it with 1 liter of soft purified water, then put the container on the fire. After the product boils, cook the product for another 1 hour over low heat, then remove, cool, strain and pour the broth into a jar. Add 50 g of sea buckthorn oil to the decoction, mix thoroughly and set aside in a cool place to infuse for 2 days. You need to take the product 50 g 3-4 times a day.

Licorice. Pour 50 g of chopped into an enamel pan, fill it with 1 liter of purified water and place on the stove over high heat. After bringing to a boil, reduce the heat to minimum and simmer for about 1 hour. Then remove the broth from the stove, cool it, strain, pour into a glass container, add 3 tbsp. spoons of natural, mix. You need to drink 1 glass of the decoction in the morning, on an empty stomach.

Propolis. Pour 10 g of crushed powder into half a glass of water and place the product in a water bath to simmer for 1 hour. Afterwards, cool the product and take it 1-3 times a day, 50 g each.

Syrup from berries, apples and nuts. Mix together in an enamel pan 500 g of fresh red berries, 500 g of lingonberries, 1 kg of chopped green apples, 2 cups of chopped apples, 2 kg of sugar and 300 ml of purified water. Set aside until the sugar dissolves, then put the product on low heat for 30 minutes and cook syrup from it. Afterwards, the syrup must be cooled, poured into a jar and taken in the morning, on an empty stomach, 1 tbsp. spoon, which can be washed down with a sip of boiled water.

HIV prevention includes:

• Compliance ;
• Blood and organ donor examinations;
• Screening all pregnant women for the presence of antibodies to HIV;
• Monitoring the birth of children in HIV-positive women and preventing breastfeeding;
• Conducting lessons to inform young people about the consequences of certain sexual relationships;
• There are movements to work with drug addicts, the goal of which is psychological assistance, teaching about safe injections and exchanging needles and syringes;
• Reducing drug addiction and prostitution;
• Opening of rehabilitation centers for drug addicts;
• Promoting safe sex practices;
• Refusal of unnatural sexual relations (anal, oral sex);
• Compliance by medical workers with all safety rules for working with biomaterials of infected people, incl. diseases such as;
• If a healthcare worker has contact of mucous membranes or blood (cut, puncture of the skin) with an infected biomaterial, the wound must be treated with alcohol, then washed with laundry soap and treated with alcohol again, and after that, in the first 3-4 hours, take drugs from the HAART group ( for example - “Azidothymidine”), which minimizes the possibility of developing HIV infection, and be observed by an infectious disease specialist for 1 year;
• Mandatory treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) so that they do not become chronic;
• Refusal to get a tattoo, as well as visiting unverified beauty salons, cosmetologists at home, little-known dental clinics with a dubious reputation;
• As of 2017, a vaccine against HIV and AIDS has not yet been officially developed; at least some drugs are still undergoing preclinical trials.

The expression “People living with HIV” (PLHIV) is used to refer to a person or group of people who are HIV-positive. This term was coined due to the fact that PLHIV can live in society for several decades and die not from the infection itself, but from the natural aging of the body. PLHIV should never be a stigma to be shunned and kept in isolation. Also, PLHIV have the same rights as an HIV-negative person - to medical care, education, work, and the birth of a child.

Which doctor should I see if I have HIV infection?

HIV infection - video

HIV infection is considered one of the most dangerous diseases on the planet. Despite preventive measures, the virus is spreading rapidly, especially in Africa and Latin America.

The main mode of transmission is unprotected sex with an infected partner. Most sexually mature people are interested in the question: is HIV infection curable or is the disease fatal? Scientists around the world have been trying to find a cure for the virus for decades.

What it is

Many people confuse the concepts of HIV and AIDS. Human immunodeficiency virus is a disease that destroys the immune system.

The pathogen itself is not fatal, but it blocks the immune system; even a cold or fungal infection can lead an infected person to a sad outcome. AIDS is the final stage of infection.

There are four stages of the disease:

• The incubation period extends to one year from the moment of infection. Although for some people it appears within a couple of weeks. During this period, even tests do not show the pathogen in the human blood.
• Primary manifestations or second period. The patient's lymph nodes enlarge throughout the body, the temperature rises, general health worsens, and a rash appears.
• The third stage lasts up to 15 years, the person’s lymphatic system is disrupted.
• AIDS is the final period of HIV. The immune system is unable to cope with and recognize infected cells, and the virus multiplies at a frantic pace. Death occurs within a few months due to problems with the heart, liver or kidneys. The cause may also be an oncological tumor.

How is it transmitted?

Preventing HIV infection is the best way to protect yourself from it. People should know how the virus is transmitted to avoid illness.

1. Infection as a result of unprotected sex. This is the most common cause of infection. The pathogen is found in sperm and vaginal secretions, through microcracks or injuries in the vagina, and on the penis it enters the human body. There is an opinion that it is not always possible to become infected after one unprotected contact, however, the probability is very high. HIV is transmitted regardless of the type of sex; homosexuals are not protected from it and are at high risk.
2. The second common route of transmission is the patient’s blood. Most often this happens if you use one syringe, so drug addicts often become infected. Previously, infection occurred as a result of blood transfusion of a sick person. Today, donors are carefully checked, and the likelihood of infection in the hospital is practically excluded.
3. Vertical mode of infection, when the pathogen passes from the mother to the child during pregnancy or feeding. But if a woman knows that she is sick, then she undergoes special therapy, which prevents the baby from becoming infected. Also, the mother is prohibited from breastfeeding her baby.

The infection cannot be contracted through airborne droplets, through kissing, hugging or other household methods. Do not be afraid and avoid infected people.

Therapy

People faced with pathology wonder whether HIV infection can be treated at the initial stage. Scientists and doctors are still looking for a vaccine and a cure for the pathogen, but have not yet found it.

HIV cannot be completely cured at any stage. Once it enters the body, the infection remains forever in the blood, lymph and secretions of a person. The only thing doctors can do is provide treatment.

It aims to slow down the virus’s development and spread throughout the body, reducing the risk of complications. When undergoing therapy, the patient’s life increases, and the quality is almost no different from that of a healthy person.

How long can you live with HIV? It depends on how responsibly the patient approaches treatment. With high-quality therapy, the patient lives up to 70 years. If the infected person is treated with publicly available means, he can expect 20-30 years from the moment of infection.

Smoking and alcohol sharply reduce life expectancy; even with therapy, people live one and a half times less. In the absence of any treatment, an infected person will live for about seven years.

Not a single folk remedy can cure a patient with HIV. You cannot refuse conservative therapy and self-medicate. This will lead to the rapid development of the disease and its transition to AIDS.

How is the disease treated?

The main method is antiretroviral therapy, abbreviated as HAART. Doctors prescribe therapy individually, depending on the general condition of the patient and the stage of the disease.

There are four types of antiretroviral drugs:

1. Fusion inhibitors (Fuzeon) are the latest and most advanced type of medicine in existence. It has the fewest side effects. The drug attacks and blocks pathogen cells in the second stage.
2. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or NNRTIs (Edurant, Rescriptor). This group is similar to nucleotides. The first drug of this group was registered in 1987. Medicines are allowed to be used even by infected pregnant women, as a preventative measure for medical workers. They are able to block the 4th degree of development of the microorganism.
3. Protease inhibitor (Norvir, Aptivus) - these drugs inhibit the development of the tenth stage of the virus, when they are formed.
4. Nucleo-drugs (Ziogen, Retrovir) - these drugs block the virus at the fourth stage of development, when it is able to transform into DNA.

Doctors prescribe taking several types of drugs at the same time. This allows you to slow down the spread of the virus at an early stage.

The microorganism will not be able to adapt to the drugs for a long time. If only one type of medication is prescribed, the virus soon develops resistance: it stops accepting the medicine.

In addition to HAART, it is necessary to completely reconsider the lifestyle. It is necessary to exclude unprotected sex, because this leads to infection of other people. Sex with a sexual partner is possible only with a condom.

Treatment of complications

Additional diseases are often associated with the virus. Among them: candidiasis, pneumonia, acute respiratory infections, herpes, papillomatosis. These diseases are treated in the early stages.

The therapy differs from the traditional treatment of a healthy person, so the doctor must know about the patient’s HIV-positive status in order to prescribe the necessary medications. Self-medication is contraindicated even with a banal ARVI.

Emergency therapy

The possibility of contracting HIV exists not only among drug addicts or people with promiscuous sex lives, but also among medical workers. If the blood or secretions of an infected person gets on the wound or mucous membranes, then emergency measures are taken.

Within 24 hours, a potentially infected person is given a loading dose of chemotherapy drugs. The incident is then reported to the nearest AIDS treatment center. The consultation will decide on further therapy.

Conclusion

The human immunodeficiency virus is fatal; it is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person through blood, semen, and vaginal secretions.

The disease goes through four stages. When asked whether HIV can be completely cured in its early stages, yes or no, doctors give a firm answer: “No.” All that can be done is to prolong the life of an infected person, improve its quality and minimize the manifestation of complications of the pathology.

HIV infection is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, characterized by acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which contributes to the occurrence of secondary infections and malignancies due to the profound inhibition of the body's protective properties.

A feature of the virus that causes HIV infection is the development of a sluggish infectious-inflammatory process in the human body, as well as a long incubation period. We will look in more detail about what kind of disease this is, what are the causes of its development, symptoms and routes of transmission, as well as what is prescribed as treatment.

What is HIV infection?

HIV infection is a slowly progressive viral disease that affects the immune system, the extreme stage of development of which is AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a retrovirus from the genus of lentiviruses, infection with which suppresses the activity of the immune system and leads to the development of a slowly progressive disease, HIV infection.

In the human body, nature has a mechanism through which immune cells produce antibodies that can resist microorganisms with foreign genetic information.

When antigens enter the body, lymphocytes begin to work in it. They recognize the enemy and neutralize it, but when the body is infected by the virus, the protective barriers are destroyed and the person can die within a year of infection.

Main types of HIV:

• HIV-1 or HIV-1 – causes typical symptoms, is very aggressive, and is the main causative agent of the disease. Discovered in 1983, it is found in Central Africa, Asia and Western Europe, North and South America.
• HIV-2 or HIV-2 – HIV symptoms are less intense and is considered a less aggressive strain of HIV. Discovered in 1986, it is found in Germany, France, Portugal and West Africa.
• HIV-2 or HIV-2 is extremely rare.

Causes and routes of transmission

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. And vice versa - 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 with HIV in their body increases their danger as a carrier of the disease several times.

Methods of transmission of HIV to humans:

1. During sexual intercourse without using a condom. And also during oral sex, if there are cuts or damage.
2. Using an injection syringe, a medical instrument after a person infected with HIV.
3. The entry into the human body of blood already infected with the virus. Occurs during treatment and blood transfusion.
4. Infection of a child from a sick mother in the womb during childbirth or lactation.
5. Using an instrument after an HIV-infected person during cosmetic procedures, manicure or pedicure, tattooing, piercing, etc.
6. Using other people's personal hygiene items in everyday life, for example, razors, toothbrushes, toothpicks, etc.

How can you avoid becoming infected with HIV?

If there is an HIV-infected person in your environment, you must remember that you cannot become infected with HIV if:

• Coughing and sneezing.
• Handshake.
• Hugs and kisses.
• Consumption of shared food or drinks.
• In swimming pools, baths, saunas.
• Through “injections” in transport and the metro. Information about possible infection through infected needles that HIV-infected people place on seats, or try to inject people in a crowd with them, is nothing more than myths. The virus does not persist in the environment for very long; in addition, the virus content at the tip of the needle is too small.

HIV is an unstable virus, it dies quickly outside the host’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 blood and its preparations prepared for transfusion.

At-risk groups:

• intravenous drug users;
• persons, regardless of orientation, who use anal sex;
• recipients of blood or organs;
• medical workers;
• persons involved in the sex industry, both prostitutes and their clients.

Without highly active antiretroviral therapy, the life expectancy of patients does not exceed 10 years. The use of antiviral drugs can slow down the progression of HIV and the development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - AIDS. Signs and symptoms of HIV at different stages of the disease have their own colors. They are varied and increase in severity of manifestation.

The first signs of HIV in adults

Human immunodeficiency virus is a retrovirus that causes HIV infection. Depending on the clinical signs of HIV infection, the following stages are distinguished:

• Incubation period.
• Primary manifestations: acute infection; asymptomatic infection; generalized lymphadenopathy.
• Secondary manifestations. damage to the skin and mucous membranes; persistent damage to internal organs; generalized diseases.
• Terminal stage.

HIV has no symptoms of its own and can masquerade as any infectious disease. In this case, blisters, pustules, and seborrheic dermatitis appear on the skin. The virus can only be detected using tests: an HIV test.

The first signs you need to pay attention to:

• Fever of unknown origin for more than 1 week.
• Enlargement of various groups of lymph nodes: cervical, axillary, inguinal - for no apparent reason (no inflammatory diseases), especially if lymphadenopathy does not go away within several weeks.
• Diarrhea for several weeks.
• The appearance of signs of candidiasis (thrush) of the oral cavity in an adult.
• Extensive or atypical localization of herpetic eruptions.
• A sharp decrease in body weight, regardless of any reason.

Symptoms of HIV infection

The course of HIV infection is quite diverse; all stages do not always occur; 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.

Main symptoms of HIV infection:

• Enlargement of 2 or more lymph nodes, unconnected, which are painless, and the skin over them does not change its color;
• Increased fatigue;
• A gradual decrease in CD4 lymphocytes, at a rate of approximately 0.05-0.07 × 10 9 / l per year.

Such symptoms accompany the patient for approximately 2 to 20 years or more.

In the human body, HIV goes through 5 stages, each of which is accompanied by certain signs and symptoms.

Stage 1 human immunodeficiency virus

HIV infection stage 1 (window period, seroconversion, incubation period) – the period from infection of the body with the virus until the appearance of the first antibodies detected in it. Usually ranges from 14 days to 1 year, which largely depends on the health of the immune system.

Stage 2 (acute phase)

The appearance of primary symptoms, which are divided into periods A, B, C.

• Period 2A - no symptoms.
• Period 2B - the first manifestations of infection, similar to the course of other infectious diseases.
• 2B - manifests itself in the form of herpes, pneumonia, but at this stage of development of the disease, infections respond well to treatment. Period 2B lasts 21 days.

Latent period and its symptoms

The latent stage of HIV lasts up to 2-20 years or more. Immunodeficiency progresses slowly, HIV symptoms are expressed by enlarged lymph nodes:

• They are elastic and painless, mobile, the skin retains its normal color.
• When diagnosing latent HIV infection, the number of enlarged nodes is taken into account - at least two, and their location - at least 2 groups not connected by a common lymph flow (with the exception of inguinal nodes)

Stage 4 (pre-AIDS)

This stage begins when the level of CD4+ lymphocytes drops critically and approaches 200 cells in 1 μl of blood. As a result of such suppression of the immune system (its cellular component), the patient develops:

• recurrent herpes and, genitals,
• hairy leukoplakia of the tongue (whitish raised folds and plaques on the lateral surfaces of the tongue).

In general, any infectious disease (for example, tuberculosis, salmonellosis, pneumonia) is more severe than in the general population.

Stage 5 HIV infection (AIDS)

The terminal stage is characterized by irreversible changes, treatment is ineffective. The number of T helper cells (CD4 cells) falls below 0.05x109/l, patients die weeks or months from the onset of the stage. In drug addicts who have been using psychoactive substances for several years, CD4 levels may remain almost within normal limits, but severe infectious complications (abscesses, etc.) develop very quickly and are fatal.

The number of lymphocytes decreases so much that infections that otherwise would never have arisen begin to cling to a person. These diseases are called AIDS-associated infections:

• Kaposi's sarcoma;
• brain;
• , bronchi or lungs;
• Pneumocystis pneumonia;
• pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis, etc.

Pathogenic factors that accelerate the development of the disease from stage 1 to AIDS:

• Lack of timely and adequate treatment;
• Coinfection (addition of other infectious diseases to HIV infection);
• Stress;
• Poor quality food;
• Elderly age;
• Genetic characteristics;
• Bad habits – alcohol, smoking.

HIV has no symptoms of its own and can camouflage for any infectious diseases. At the same time, blisters, pustules, lichen, appear on the skin. The virus can only be detected using tests: an HIV test.

Diagnosis and test for HIV

If you suspect HIV infection, you should contact an infectious disease specialist. The test can be taken anonymously at the AIDS Prevention and Control Center, which is located in every region. There, doctors also provide consultations on all issues related to HIV infection and AIDS.

Considering the fact that the course of the disease is characterized by a duration of absence of severe symptoms, diagnosis is possible only on the basis of laboratory tests, which boil down to identifying antibodies to HIV in the blood or directly upon detection of the virus.

The acute phase mainly does not determine the presence of antibodies, however, three months after infection, they are detected in about 95% of cases.

HIV diagnosis consists of special tests:

1. 1-th test - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This is the most common diagnostic method. Three months after the virus enters the bloodstream, the amount of antibodies that can be determined by an enzyme immunoassay accumulates in the human body. It gives false positive or false negative results in about 1% of cases.
2. 2nd test - immunoblot (Immune Blotting). This test determines the presence of specific antibodies to HIV. The result can be positive, negative and doubtful (or uncertain). An indeterminate result may mean that HIV is present in a person’s bloodstream, but the body has not yet produced the full range of antibodies.
3. PCR or polymerase chain reaction used to determine any infectious pathogen, including the HIV virus. In this case, its RNA is detected, and the pathogen can be detected at very early stages (at least 10 days must pass after infection).
4. Rapid tests, thanks to which you can determine the presence of HIV infection within 15 minutes. There are several types of them:
   • The most accurate test is immunochromatographic. The test consists of special strips onto which capillary blood, urine or saliva is applied. If antibodies to HIV are detected, the strip has a colored line and a control line. If the answer is no, only the line is noticeable.
   • Home use kits "OraSure Technologies1". Developer - America. This test was approved by the FDA.

The incubation period of the HIV virus is 90 days. During this period, it is difficult to detect the presence of pathology, but this can be done using PCR.

Even after the final diagnosis of HIV infection, throughout the entire period of the disease, it is necessary to conduct regular laboratory tests of the patient in order to monitor the course of clinical symptoms and the effectiveness of treatment.

Treatment and prognosis

A cure for HIV has not yet been invented, and there is no vaccine. It is impossible to remove the virus from the body, and this is a fact at this time. However, one should not lose hope: active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can reliably slow down and even practically stop the development of HIV infection and its complications.

Treatment is predominantly etiotropic and involves the prescription of drugs that reduce the reproductive capabilities of the virus. In particular, these include the following drugs:

• nucleoside transcriptase inhibitors (otherwise known as NRTIs), corresponding to various groups: Ziagen, Videx, Zerit, combination drugs (combivir, trizivir);
• nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (otherwise known as NTRTIs): stocrine, viramune;
• fusion inhibitors;
• protease inhibitors.

The main task of the treating specialist when selecting a drug regimen for antiviral treatment of HIV is to minimize adverse reactions. In addition to the use of specific medications, the patient must correct eating behavior, as well as work and rest patterns.

In addition, it should be taken into account that some HIV-infected people belong to the category of non-progressors, who have viral particles in their blood, but the development of AIDS does not occur.

Factors that slow down the transition of HIV infection to the AIDS stage:

• Timely initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). In the absence of HAART, the patient's death occurs within 1 year from the date of diagnosis of AIDS. It is believed that in regions where HAART is available, the life expectancy of HIV-infected people reaches 20 years.
• No side effects from taking antiretroviral drugs.
• Adequate treatment of concomitant diseases.
• Adequate food.
• Rejection of bad habits.

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 extend the life of patients.

The main role in containing the developing AIDS is played by the psychological state of the patient and his efforts aimed at complying with the prescribed regimen.

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus is a fairly young, but increasingly widespread, serious disease that poses a deadly danger. Therefore, everyone who discovered it in their early stages is interested in the question, is it possible to cure it during this period and how can this be done? After all, this virus poses a direct threat to the health and very lives of infected people and is capable of quite quickly destroying both.

Pathogenesis of HIV

Detecting HIV is quite difficult. Difficulties are associated with the specific development of the disease:

• the incubation period, which for this virus lasts quite a long time - 1-6 months;
• a short stage of acute infection, manifested by symptoms similar to a cold;
• long asymptomatic latent stage.

A person can live with the virus present in the body from 5 to 12 years, and only after that the last, terminal stage of HIV - AIDS will begin. This is why it is so important to diagnose HIV in the early stages in order to start treatment on time and not take the matter to an extreme degree.

The earliest stage of the disease - the incubation period - is characterized by the fact that the virus is already in the body of patients and gradually destroys it, but the immune system, which has not yet been affected by the pathological process, does not produce specific antibodies to it.

Accordingly, tests for HIV infection at this time always remain negative and do not reveal any signs of decreased immunity. The duration of this phase of the disease is determined by the number of pathogens that have entered the body - the more there are, the shorter the incubation period.

Symptoms of HIV infection

At the next early stage of HIV - acute infection - the disease begins to manifest itself with the following symptoms:

• enlargement and soreness of the cervical, jaw, supraclavicular and axillary lymph nodes, which lasts more than 3 months in a row;
• heavy sweating at night;
• persistent febrile temperature;
• tonsillitis;
• pharyngitis;
• fungal infection of nails;
• sudden weight loss;
• vomiting;
• prolonged diarrhea;
• headache;
• herpes;
• pain in joints and muscles;
• chronic fatigue;
• dark red rashes on the skin and mucous membranes in the form of small ulcers.

All of these symptoms indicate that the disease should be treated immediately. But even such signs occur only in 70% of patients, and in the remaining 30% the disease is completely asymptomatic. However, it has been noted that the more active T-lymphocytes in the body of patients, the sooner the first signs of the disease will begin to appear.

In this regard, tests that would determine the presence of HIV should be taken not once, but several times. Since this infection is a sexually transmitted infection, and infection occurs during sexual intercourse, you need to be examined immediately after having sex with a stranger without using condoms, and then 2 more times - 3 and 6 months after that. Only after receiving all three negative answers can we assume that no infection has occurred.

Features of symptoms of HIV in men and women

Photo: lymph nodes with HIV at the initial stage

Practicing doctors have noticed that representatives of the stronger sex live a much more active life and do not take very good care of their health, which is why signs of the early stages of HIV appear much earlier, but not clearly.

Often men do not pay close attention to health problems and consider the above symptoms to be signs of a simple cold. Therefore, they usually rarely visit the doctor and let the disease progress. And this ends up being diagnosed with HIV quite late.

Women are much more attentive to their body, so the infection develops rather slowly in them. In addition, their general symptoms may include mucous vaginal discharge, severe pain during menstruation, enlarged inguinal lymph nodes and breast swelling. This condition is accompanied by depression, insomnia and anxiety.

HIV Treatment Basics

So Is it possible to get rid of HIV in the early stages? It is definitely difficult to answer such a question, because throughout the entire existence of the retrovirus that causes it, it has not been possible to find an effective medicine that can reliably cope with it. The only thing that modern doctors can offer is a comprehensive treatment that suppresses the destructive effect of the virus and makes it possible to delay as much as possible the last stage of this terrible disease, that is, AIDS, and at the same time significantly extend the quality of life of patients.

Therapeutic therapy is based on reducing the number of retroviral cells in the body of patients and limiting their ability to reproduce. At the same time, it strengthens the body’s immune defense, prevents and treats other diseases arising from HIV. Patients should take antiretroviral medications for the rest of their lives, adhering to a strictly defined regimen and changing them periodically to avoid addiction to them. Only in this case can the development of HIV be slowed down for a significant period of time and the risk of complications reduced.

Recent research into the best time to start antiretroviral treatment for HIV infection in people may give people a much better chance of recovering their immune system in the future. The results of these studies have shown that therapy for the disease, which is started no later than the first 4 months after the infection enters the body, almost completely restores the previous level of the immune system.

Patients who started treatment at this time have a rapid increase in CD4 and T immune cells, which is not the case for patients who started treatment at a later date. These cells block various pathogenic microorganisms that cause infectious diseases entering the human body. Their number is determined according to a specific blood test, which shows the degree of their concentration in 1 cubic meter. mm. It shows how severely the infection has affected the patient's immune system, the depth of the pathogenic process, whether there is a likelihood of other infections and the time when therapy should be started. The normal limits for the content of CD4+ T immune cells for a healthy person are 600 - 1900 pcs. per 1 ml. blood, with a slight deviation up or down.

Treating HIV at an early stage

Treatment for HIV consists of 3 types of antiretroviral drugs that suppress and control the growth of viral cells. All of them are very expensive, for this reason they are provided free of charge from the state to all sick people. But even in this case, people react to them in their own way: for some they turn out to be a natural salvation and extend their lives for many years, while for others they have almost no effect. Such unlucky patients, in the hope of recovery, resort to traditional medicine, but, for obvious reasons, it is impossible to cure the disease with their help. All that home remedies can do is support the immune system a little.

In addition to special medications, antibacterial and antifungal medications, physiotherapy, homeopathy, acupuncture and massage are used as additional therapy for HIV. They are prescribed by the doctor to each patient strictly individually after a comprehensive study of his medical history, and also determines the treatment regimen and the duration of the therapy itself.

Today, there are several unconventional ways to try to cure HIV. To do this, patients are transplanted with bone marrow, lymphocytes are infused, and immunomodulatory drugs are used. Thanks to this, their body gradually rejuvenates, and the immune system strengthens and begins to produce antibodies and protect patients from infections. This is very important, since any foreign infection that enters the body with HIV can lead to a serious illness that it cannot cope with. But these methods are aimed only at restoring and strengthening the immune system and do not in any way relieve patients from the deadly retrovirus.

HIV prevention

Photos of HIV-infected people at the initial stage

It is much easier to prevent any disease than to cure it. This also applies to HIV infection. To prevent the disease from developing, you need to take precautions. The retrovirus is transmitted from sick people to healthy people only through blood, so any contact with suspicious blood should be avoided. Here's what you need to do:

• have sex exclusively using condoms;
• sleep only with a regular partner;
• use personal razors, toothbrushes and bath accessories and do not share them with others;
• quit bad habits, especially drugs;
• eat properly and nutritiously;
• spend more time in the fresh air;
• exercise;
• When taking tests, undergoing dental treatment or undergoing cosmetic procedures, you need to ensure that only disposable instruments are used;
• Also, when giving blood transfusions, ensure that it has been clinically tested;
• If possible, refrain from organ transplantation.

There is no need to be afraid that the retrovirus will be transmitted through the bites of insects or animals, since they cannot be its carriers. It is also impossible to become infected with HIV by being in the same room with a patient and breathing the same air with him, by sharing food and drinks, or by visiting bathhouses, swimming pools, and saunas together.

Useful video

Today, humanity knows several thousand diseases, but HIV infection is one of the most terrible. This disease is a complete weakening of the human immune system, where the body is unable to fight any type of bacteria, infection with which often leads to death. Any person infected with this virus asks the question: is it possible to cure HIV with folk remedies?

Treatment of HIV with folk remedies is often carried out at home, since there is no medicine and people try to fight the infection using old methods. An infected person can maintain their immune system and put up a barrier of defense against bacteria.

The infection occurs in three ways: sexually, through the blood, and infection in utero from the mother. Throughout his subsequent life after infection, a person is forced to carefully monitor his health and condition.

Many people are deeply mistaken when they claim that HIV infection often leads to death.

According to experts, if the patient follows precautions and uses medications prescribed by doctors for prevention, then death can be avoided. HIV-infected people live to old age and can even give birth to offspring, although this is not recommended for them. They often use folk remedies to treat HIV. Treatment with herbs is often used here, from which several types of infusions and decoctions are made. Their action is aimed at destroying the virus. So how can you cure HIV forever from the body using folk remedies? Traditional medicine offers several methods.

It is always necessary to treat this type of infection with herbs. The patient must strengthen his immunity in order to achieve protection from the effects of dangerous bacteria. Therefore, treatment should not be stopped, but only breaks can be taken, not exceeding several weeks.

Folk remedies for treating HIV: there are several ways to prepare infusions and decoctions:

1. To partially suppress the virus, it is necessary to use a decoction of St. John's wort. . Here they take a liter of water and bring it to a boil in a saucepan. Then you should add six tablespoons of dry crushed herbs. Boil the broth for an hour, stirring occasionally. After the broth has cooled slightly, filter it through cheesecloth and add three tablespoons of sea buckthorn oil. The resulting decoction needs to stand for two days, and then it is taken half a glass every day, 4 times. This course of treatment can not be interrupted.
2. Licorice is another useful plant for treating AIDS with folk remedies. . It can not only suppress the virus, but also destroy it, although the course of treatment should also not be interrupted. To prepare the decoction, take three tablespoons of licorice roots and boil them in a saucepan with four glasses of water for an hour. After the broth has cooled slightly, add at least three tablespoons of honey (can be preheated). The resulting decoction must be taken warm every time before meals for about 20 minutes.
3. Together with the decoction, immunodeficiency can be treated with tincture of licorice roots. . To prepare it, take the roots of the plant in the amount of half a glass. The roots should be soaked for a day in warm water. After time, the raw materials are grated on a fine grater and poured with half a liter of high-quality vodka. The resulting mixture is left in a dark place for 10 days.

This tincture should be taken correctly and only by those who do not have a ban on alcohol. 5 drops of tincture should be mixed in a tablespoon of water and drunk after meals. Liquid intake should not exceed two times a day, and the course of treatment should not be less than three months. Then a short break is taken and the course of treatment begins again.

1. There is another tincture that must be taken to eliminate the virus . This is a calendula tincture that can be purchased at a pharmacy. The course of treatment takes at least 5 months. Then a short break is taken in the form of a two-week or even ten-day vacation and the drug is resumed again. With the help of this tincture, the patient will be able to significantly normalize and improve blood counts, which characterizes the suppression of the virus and the normal functioning of the body.

The tincture is drunk throughout the day. In the morning and evening, drink two drops diluted in water, which can be taken in a convenient amount. Then drink one drop every hour throughout the day. After three days of use, you can take a break for one day. After 5 months of such treatment, the patient is recommended to undergo blood tests to determine its parameters. If they return to normal or at least come close, treatment continues after a short break.

Treating immunodeficiency with herbs does not mean wasting time. Scientists have proven that traditional medicine in the treatment of HIV infection can bring the patient’s body to full functionality, and, consequently, increase his chances of a long life.

Honey also has a positive effect on destroying the virus and restoring the body’s full and normal functioning. Here it is necessary to use a special alcohol tincture of propolis. It will help cleanse the blood and saturate it with vitamins and beneficial microelements.

To prepare the tincture, you need to take 100 grams of crushed propolis and pour half a liter of pure ethyl alcohol. It is better to mix in a bottle, because afterward the mixture must be shaken thoroughly for at least half an hour. Then the tincture is left in a dark place for five days, shaking it periodically. After the tincture is ready, it is taken 1.5 hours before meals and before bedtime, after diluting 20 drops in boiled warm water.

If the tincture is required for children or people who are prohibited from drinking alcohol, use a slightly different preparation method without adding alcohol.

In this case, take the same 100 grams of grated propolis and fill it with 100 ml of water. Keep the mixture in a water bath for three hours and then strain. Using the same principle as with an alcohol solution, take the resulting liquid one teaspoon at a time.

Before using traditional methods of treating HIV, the patient must go through preparatory stages of cleansing the body and giving up certain foods. The patient should not eat salty, spicy, smoked, or pickled foods. You should also give up coffee and replace black tea with green tea. Meals should be at strictly designated times, the interval between which does not exceed 4 hours. Only after an established regimen does the patient begin the presented treatment with the use of propolis.

Doctors and other specialists who have been studying such infections for many years are favorable towards treating the immunodeficiency virus with folk remedies.

In their memory, there are many cases when a patient, with the help of treatment with herbs and other natural products, was completely cured and lived a long and fulfilling life.

But they are also forced to warn that it is impossible to treat the virus with folk remedies and not visit a doctor. Such methods can be fatal. Therefore, even if the patient feels well, he must undergo regular examinations and take medications prescribed by the attending physician.

In order to do an HIV test at home and get checked, you need to purchase special testers at the pharmacy. They are inexpensive, but allow you to quickly determine the presence of this disease. The main method for determining HIV infection is based on one-step detection of the presence of antibodies to the virus. A qualitative assessment is carried out for the presence of antibodies in whole blood (serum, plasma), which is taken from a finger prick. The assessment is carried out visually by the person himself. The analysis result can be obtained in 15 minutes.

Do not neglect the recommendations that are given for all occasions: lead a healthy lifestyle, eat only natural and healthy food and exercise more. Additionally, you need to completely give up bad habits.

Video: Love is responsibility. And an HIV test at home

Video: Symptoms of HIV. How to detect HIV at home

HIV infection is a viral disease. It should not be confused with AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). However, although these are different concepts, they are inextricably linked, since AIDS is the final and most severe stage of infection.

It got its name in honor of the pathogen - a virus. The action of this retrovirus is aimed at the human immune system, due to which characteristic symptoms and conditions appear. The disease is anthroponotic, that is, it is transmitted only from person to person, and not every contact with an infected person is dangerous. It is impossible to transmit HIV through tactile interactions or kisses. It is difficult to say whether this disease can be treated. Scientists have been working on solving this problem for many years, but a way to completely get rid of the virus has not yet been invented. It is possible to carry out maintenance therapy, which will stop the development of the disease and prevent it from developing into AIDS for many years. This significantly prolongs the patient's life, but he still remains

Etiology

It is transmitted directly from person to person, and the routes of its spread are different. First of all, it is worth mentioning sexual contact. The maximum amount of the virus is contained not only in the blood, but also in semen and vaginal secretions. Unprotected sexual intercourse makes the risk of infection quite high, although there is evidence that single intercourse leads to the introduction of the virus into the body only in rare cases. The likelihood of infection increases significantly in the presence of microdamages on the skin and mucous membranes. It is these small injuries that become entry points for infection. Both men and women are susceptible to the virus, and the sexual orientation of the partners does not play a role, since HIV is also transmitted through homosexual contacts.

In second place is contact with the blood of an infected person. Most often, drug addicts become infected in this way by sharing the same syringe with an infected person. Infection can also be introduced into the body through careless handling of medical instruments. Thus, a health care worker can become infected with HIV from a patient. Previously, cases of transfusion of contaminated blood to patients were quite common. At the moment, strict measures have been introduced to screen donors and keep donated blood for 5 months, followed by re-testing it for the presence of the virus. This has significantly reduced the likelihood of transmission of infection through transfusion, but such cases, unfortunately, sometimes occur.

Another way is to infect the child from the mother. Transmission of the virus is possible both during pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, if the mother knows that she has HIV, special treatment and refusal to breastfeed can avoid infecting the child.

What to do if contact with the virus does occur? Next we will look at whether HIV can be treated in its early stages.

What happens when a virus enters the body?

A thorough study of pathogenesis has made it possible to answer the main question regarding HIV: is the infection curable? The harmful effect of the causative virus is associated with its effect on T-helper cells - cells directly involved in the formation of the immune response. HIV causes the programmed death of these cells, which is called apoptosis. The rapid reproduction of the virus accelerates this process, as a result, the number of T-helper cells decreases to such a level that the immune system becomes unable to perform its main function - protecting the body.

Is there a cure for HIV infection?

Therapy carried out in HIV-infected people is aimed only at reducing the reproduction of the virus and prolonging life. Patients can lead a full life due to the influence of special drugs on the process of HIV reproduction. Is the pathology treated at any stage? Unfortunately no.

Infected people are forced to take the strongest drugs throughout their lives. This is the only way to avoid a rapid transition to the terminal stage - AIDS. In this case, the treatment plan must be changed periodically, since long-term use of the same drugs leads to mutation of the virus, as a result of which it becomes resistant to them. The solution to the problem is periodic replacement of medications.

An addition to drug treatment is a healthy lifestyle. Patients are advised to give up bad habits, exercise and eat right.

Forecast

Overall it is unfavorable. We should not forget the answer to the question: “Is HIV completely curable?” This is a currently incurable disease that requires constant maintenance therapy. However, the development of pharmacology and medical technologies makes it possible to prolong the lives of such patients and even gives them the opportunity to have children.

Emergency prevention

The actual question is: can HIV be treated in the early stages? All people, especially health care workers, should be informed that infection can be prevented at an early stage. Any contact with a suspicious biological fluid (blood, semen and vaginal secretions) requires immediate emergency prevention, which means short-term use of antiviral drugs to prevent infection. It is carried out in specialized medical centers, but no more than 24 hours should pass from the moment HIV enters the blood.

How not to get infected?

In order to answer this question, we should recall the main routes of transmission. First of all, promiscuous unprotected sexual intercourse is dangerous. You should be careful when choosing a partner, which will reduce the risk of infection to a minimum. To prevent infection, medical workers must follow the rules for handling equipment and biological fluids. And another measure to reduce the risk of HIV transmission is drug addiction prevention. People need to know whether HIV infection can be treated. This will force them to take all necessary measures to avoid contracting this terrible disease.

Pregnancy and HIV

The infection can be transmitted from mother to child, but this can be avoided if the woman is informed about her condition - HIV infection. Is there a cure for the child’s illness? Carrying out antiretroviral therapy at certain stages of pregnancy helps to avoid infection of the baby. In addition, after birth, these drugs are prescribed to the child for a certain period of time. However, we should not forget that the infection can be transmitted through breast milk. The child should be fed only artificial milk formulas.

HIV infection is a dangerous disease because, despite the treatment, the patient remains a source of HIV throughout his life. However, you should not completely avoid contact with such a person, making him an outcast, because he is a full-fledged member of society. The virus is not transmitted through touching, kissing, or clothing; the airborne route is also excluded. You just need to avoid sexual intercourse and contact with blood.

Just a few years ago, a diagnosis of HIV infection meant the inevitable death of a person in the near future. To date, this disease remains incurable, since there is not a single treatment method that would completely rid the patient of viral particles that attack the immune system. However, modern medicines make it possible to transfer this disease from “definitely fatal” to the rank of “chronic”, that is, with regular use of medications, life expectancy increases significantly. Such patients with minor restrictions can continue to work, start families, travel and even give birth to children. The MedAboutMe portal highlights the problem of modern treatment of this serious and mysterious disease - HIV infection.

HIV doesn't concern me

The routes of transmission of HIV infection are well known to many, and most people associate them with the presence of various addictions and non-traditional orientation. Therefore, the diagnosis “HIV+” is often a certain stigma that divides a person’s life into “before” and “after”. And yet, the number of patients often includes people who lead an absolutely healthy and decent lifestyle, but due to the nature of their activities or under a certain set of circumstances, they encountered the blood of an HIV patient, as a result of which infection occurred. Among these people are surgeons and dentists, ambulance and rescue services employees, beauty salon and tattoo artists... This list can be continued endlessly.

The statistics are inexorable - every resident of a large city has a person with HIV+ status in his social circle, but most likely does not know about it.

HIV infection and AIDS are different stages of the same disease. After the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has entered the body, the incubation stage begins, during which there are no clinical manifestations or antibodies yet. The disease is not diagnosed in any way, although a person can actively infect others.

After a few weeks, the patient develops very nonspecific symptoms, which many do not pay attention to:

• slight fever
• weakness,
• enlarged lymph nodes,
• bowel dysfunction, etc.

At the same time, your own immunity can still cope with the infection, so spontaneous improvement of the condition and a good response to treatment are possible. However, gradually viral particles increasingly destroy human immune cells, leading to the progression of immunodeficiency.

As the number of viral particles increases and the activity of the human immune system decreases, the AIDS stage begins. On it, the patient begins to suffer from a variety of “opportunistic” infectious diseases caused by those pathogens that the immune system of a healthy person can cope with without much effort. Among them are viral (cytomegalovirus and herpetic infections), fungal (Pneumocystis, candidal infections), various bacterial diseases (meningitis, pneumonia, etc.). Patients develop damage to the skin, nervous system, digestive tract, sensory organs, etc. There is not a single organ that does not suffer from this disease.

It is very difficult to treat such patients, because attempts to cope with the consequences do not in any way affect the cause itself - HIV infection, which will not disappear anywhere. As a result, sooner or later, they die from one of the complications of AIDS or, as often happens, from several at once.

Unfortunately, today it is impossible to completely eliminate the human immunodeficiency virus from the body. Thus, this disease continues to remain incurable. And yet, huge amounts of money are spent on scientific research and finding a way out of a problem that worries millions of people around the world. As a result, a group of drugs was synthesized that affect the reproduction of viral particles - antiretroviral drugs. When they are taken, the viral load in patients (and this is the criterion doctors use to determine the severity of the disease) decreases many times, and the number of healthy immune cells increases.

However, certain difficulties arise here: the first antiretroviral drugs actually showed excellent results. But after some time, the number of viral particles in people who took them continued to increase again. This is due to the phenomenon of resistance. That is, HIV gradually becomes insensitive to a particular drug and its effectiveness decreases. But a solution was still found: modern treatment regimens involve taking several antiretroviral drugs at once, alternating combinations, and changing them at the first signs of resistance.

Therefore, today we can say that the fate of HIV-infected people is no longer so sad and depends entirely on themselves. If they carefully follow all the doctor’s recommendations and regularly take all medications, their life expectancy increases by several decades. Theoretically, with constant antiretroviral treatment, a person can live his entire life with HIV infection, and the AIDS stage will not occur at all.

It is fundamentally important for a doctor to know what stage of the disease a person has: HIV infection or AIDS. The treatment of each patient is very individual. It can be divided into two main areas:

• Effect on the human immunodeficiency virus itself.
• Treatment of complications and concomitant diseases.

Today, drugs from the group of antiretroviral drugs act on HIV, and the treatment itself is abbreviated as HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy). Modern medications that affect HIV infection are divided into 5 groups:

• Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
• Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
• Protease inhibitors.
• Integrase inhibitors.
• Fusion inhibitors.

In each case, the doctor chooses a specific combination and dose of drugs. To do this, he takes into account the most important criteria such as the level of CD4 lymphocytes (cells of the human immune system), the degree of viral load and the presence of clinical signs of disease or complications. Before starting to take medications, the patient is completely examined to assess the functioning of all organs and systems.

Positive HIV status is an indication for lifelong medication use. However, this does not mean that after they are prescribed, the patient can stop contacting the doctor. As mentioned above, there is such a thing as drug resistance of the virus. Therefore, for the most effective treatment, patients should be regularly examined by a doctor, who assesses the level of CD4 lymphocytes and the degree of viral load, after which he makes a conclusion whether this combination is effective for the patient or whether it is worth choosing an alternative tactic.

Most often, treatment involves a combination of 3 or 4 drugs. It has been clinically proven that mono- or dual therapy does not control the number of viral particles due to the fact that they quickly mutate and adapt to such treatment. The schedule is strictly hourly; you absolutely cannot skip taking medications. The cost of treatment is very high, and in our country there are periodic interruptions in the supply of medicines, and sometimes patients have to buy them at their own expense or look for them in other countries. All this significantly complicates the life of such patients, but life itself would not be otherwise.

After starting antiretroviral drugs, patients experience a large number of side effects. Sometimes they are very pronounced, but there are no manifestations of HIV infection yet, that is, the patient thinks that without such “treatment” he felt much better. This causes people to take breaks “to rest” or give up therapy altogether.

Most often, patients are bothered by pain or discomfort in the abdomen, loss of appetite, nausea and even vomiting, diarrhea, which sometimes lead to severe dehydration. However, these symptoms are observed more often in the first days or weeks of use and completely disappear after 4-8 weeks. Sometimes doctors give certain recommendations on the selection of food or a certain time of consumption. For example, the side effects of some drugs are reduced when the drugs are taken together with cookies or kefir. Sometimes, a few minutes before taking the pills, antiemetic drugs are prescribed. In extreme cases, they are replaced with other drugs from the antiretroviral group.

Other side effects often include allergic reactions, complications from the nervous system, kidneys, and bone marrow. However, in each case there are alternative treatment methods, which the attending physician will definitely tell you about.

Withdrawal of drugs is fraught with the fact that the viral load quickly increases, the number of immune cells (CD4 lymphocytes) begins to fall rapidly, and HIV infection progresses to the AIDS stage. And in this case, the effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs is much lower, if they work at all.

In addition to antiretroviral drugs, people with HIV infection take other medications to treat complications of the disease. This is a large arsenal of antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, immunomodulatory drugs for the development of corresponding diseases. Opportunistic infections are very difficult to treat. In addition, it does not in any way affect the cause of the disease itself - the human immunodeficiency virus.

Therefore, only regular intake of all recommended antiretroviral drugs is an effective prevention of complications of this serious disease. Sometimes, according to indications, vaccination against certain viral diseases is recommended, but it is effective only when one’s own immune system is still able to produce antibodies against viruses. Otherwise, the vaccine will not only not protect, but, on the contrary, will cause very serious complications.

Science does not stand still. Scientists around the world are struggling with the problem: how to completely eliminate the human immunodeficiency virus from the body. Researchers have invented a way to “cut out” part of the DNA of human immune cells that have undergone changes under the influence of the virus. Hypothetically, this will make it possible to stop the disease, and, given that the composition of lymphocytes is constantly renewed, it is possible to completely get rid of it. Currently, a study is being conducted on the use of one's own stem cells to treat HIV infection, but the results will not be available soon.

And yet, I would like to believe that, as in the case of other diseases that until recently were considered incurable, such as viral hepatitis B and C, HIV infection will sooner or later be defeated. And people who are constantly taking antiretroviral drugs today will be able to stop fearing what awaits them in the future and live a normal life.

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