Introduction
HIV infection is a slowly progressive infectious disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. This disease is characterized by damage to the immune and nervous systems, with the subsequent development of concurrent infections and neoplasms leading an HIV-infected person to death (Saag, 2021). The rapid spread of HIV among the young population leads to an increase in mortality, a decrease in the birth rate, and a reduction in the life expectancy of the people, causing a multifactorial destructive impact on the social and economic life of society.
History and etiology
The human immunodeficiency virus belongs to the family of retroviruses, the genus of lentiviruses. Retroviruses have reverse transcriptase in the structure of virions — an enzyme that synthesizes DNA on the RNA matrix of the virus (Saag, 2021). This type of virus is characterized by a slow rate of development of the infectious process in the body and a long incubation period. The first disease cases appeared in the USA, Sweden, Tanzania, and Haiti in the late 1970s, in 1983, the infectious nature of HIV infection was proved (Melhuish & Lewthwaite, 2018). Doctors tried to treat this contagious disease with cancer drugs, but it did not bring effective results, so scientists in many countries began to work on inventing a more successful HIV treatment. In simple words, HIV affects the human immune system, which reduces the body’s ability to protect itself from infections, and the disease spreads parenterally, sexually, through the womb.
Symptoms and Stages of Development
HIV has several symptoms that can easily be confused with a common malaise. These symptoms include weight loss and muscle mass, chronic diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and chest pain (Vega & Espinoza, 2018). An infected person experiences depression, and there is a frequent occurrence of papilloma, herpes, and various oral mucosa diseases. The first symptoms appear within the first three months after infection (Vega & Espinoza, 2018). The symptoms of the virus are various in men, women, and children and occur in different ways. The development of HIV infection begins with the incubation period, which appears after infection. This is the time interval between the moment of the condition of a person with a virus and the occurrence of the body’s first reaction. The next stage is latent; there are no clinical symptoms of HIV, and the disease continues to develop inside the body (Vega & Espinoza, 2018). In the period of secondary infections, the patient has diseases caused by chronic pathogens that the destroyed immune system of the body cannot cope with. The last is the terminal stage, in which irreversible changes manifest themselves, and treatment is ineffective.
External Signs
As a result of HIV, different internal organs can be affected, depending on which virus the weakened or absent immunity of the body could not resist. Externally, it is impossible to distinguish a healthy person from an infected one (Melhuish & Lewthwaite, 2018). Nevertheless, suppose a person has noticed frequent colds, a sharp weight loss, constant diarrhea, drowsiness, and a pathological increase in lymph nodes in the body. For the entire population, the eradication of HIV means an absolute reduction of infection and the reduction of future cases to zero, which is practically impossible, since currently there is no cure for the disease.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the human immunodeficiency virus is one of the most acute and frequently encountered diseases in the modern world. Many young people suffer from it, which can later be transmitted to their children. It is impossible to visually see an infected person since the disease proceeds without visible symptoms. People need to take care of their health and take tests and undergo medical diagnostics in case of doubt or suspicion.
References
Melhuish, A., & Lewthwaite, P. (2018). Natural history of HIV and AIDS. Medicine, 46(6), 356-361.
Saag, M. (2021). HIV infection — Screening, diagnosis, and treatment. The New English Journal of Medicine, 384(1), 2131-2143.
Vega, L., & Espinoza, L. (2018). HIV infection and its effects on the development of autoimmune disorders. Pharmacological Research, 129(1), 1-9.