Explain the difference between hiv and aids with definition and symptoms

The difference between HIV and AIDS is that AIDS is the disease that results from infection by the HIV virus . You can be infected with HIV but not develop AIDS. explain the difference between hiv and aids

Since the first case was detected in 1981, 78 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and 35 million people have died from AIDS. So far, there is no vaccine to prevent HIV infection, but infected people can be treated with antiretroviral therapy.

What is HIV? explain the difference between hiv and aids

HIV is the virus that causes the disease known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. HIV is the acronym for human immunodeficiency virus , while HIV is its acronym in English.

There are two types of HIV virus: HIV-1 and HIV-2. Both belong to the group of retroviruses , which are RNA viruses, and to lentiviruses , viruses with very long incubation periods. HIV-1 is found in Europe and America, while HIV-2 is found in West Africa. explain the difference between hiv and aids

Like all viruses, HIV needs a host cell in order to reproduce. In this case, HIV attacks white blood cells, specifically CD4 ⁺ T lymphocytes . Lymphocytes are part of the immune system responsible for protecting the body against invading agents.

How does HIV destroy immune cells?

When the virus enters an organism, a period of reproduction begins within the immune cells, during which the symptoms of the disease do not appear. During this time, the infected person is considered seropositive , that is, the HIV test is positive, but the person does not show symptoms.

HIV infection explain the difference between hiv and aids

HIV transmission occurs through the exchange of body fluids from infected people, such as blood, milk, semen, and vaginal secretions. There is no risk of infection from simple skin contact, such as kissing or shaking hands, or sharing personal items, water, or food.

Healthcare workers or individuals who share syringes are at risk of being infected from a needle stick contaminated with HIV.

HIV infection has three stages:

1. Acute infection : between 2 and 4 weeks after entry of the virus.
2. Clinical latency : period where the person has no symptoms. It can last up to ten years.
3. AIDS : the most severe last stage of HIV infection. The person is diagnosed with AIDS when his CD4 cell count is less than 200 / mm ³ or presents an opportunistic infection.

Prevention of HIV infection

So far there is no cure for HIV. The prevention is the most effective measure against HIV infection and the consequences of AIDS. For this it is recommended:

• the correct use of condoms , especially when there is no commitment to sexual fidelity.
• Do not share needles or syringes.
• Any instrument that pierces the skin must be sterile.
• Antiretroviral treatment for infected pregnant women to prevent infection of the baby.

HIV control treatment

People infected with HIV can control their viral load with antiretrovirals. The antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a mixture of drugs which reduces the multiplication of the virus in the body. It also reduces the risk of HIV transmission.

What is AIDS? explain the difference between hiv and aids

AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection, characterized by the development of different types of cancer, opportunistic infections and other clinical manifestations. AIDS is the acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome . In English, it is known as AIDS.

AIDS was first detected in 1981, when large numbers of gay men began to suffer from opportunistic infections and rare cancers. AIDS can take between 2 and 15 years to develop after the individual was infected.

AIDS and opportunistic infections

Opportunistic infections are infections that occur in people with weakened immune systems. Since HIV attacks the immune system, the symptoms of AIDS are related to diseases caused by the attack of other infectious agents:

• swollen glands,
• weightloss,
• fever,
• diarrhea,
• cough.

World AIDS Day

December 1 was instituted as World AIDS Day by the UN. It is a global opportunity to fight HIV infection and show support for people living with the virus.

AIDS and HIV are all too often confused medical terms. In fact, most of the time they are considered the same condition, when the reality is that they are two completely different issues. HIV, on the one hand, is the acronym for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. On the other hand, AIDS is the acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is important to mention that having HIV does not mean that the person has AIDS.

Difference Between HIV And AIDS?

HIV is mainly transmitted sexually, although it can also be through contact with blood or fluids from an infected person and from the infected mother to the unborn child or newborn. People most at risk of acquiring this virus are those who engage in high-risk practices, such as taking drugs and sharing needles, and having promiscuous sexual habits and not paying enough attention to their health. A person with HIV can develop AIDS immediately or it may take years for this to happen.