Posts Tagged ‘HIV Transmission’
HIV Transmission
Since the medical discovery in 1980, HIV has presented one of the worst problems of human survival. But what does HIV mean? HIV stands for virus called human immunodeficiency virus. This is a type of retrovirus that causes a disease called AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS includes syndromes where the immune system begins to fail and the patient is at risk the lives of many life threatening infections.
In the first stage of the HIV infects key components of the human immune system and, directly or indirectly, destroys the cells of the same. After the destruction has done enough, the immune system starts to malfunction leading to the state of AIDS. HIV also affects the organs like kidneys, heart and brain. It also leads to opportunistic infections and cancers.
HIV is transmitted through mucous one? S, the body is a direct contact between a body fluid such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions, pre-ejaculate or breast milk contains HIV. Since its discovery, three main routes have been identified through which HIV can enter the human body.
Sexually:
Most HIV infections are due to unprotected sex, cancel, vaginal or oral.
Blood or blood product route:
This path is particularly risky for those who inject drugs, hemophiliacs and transfusion of blood. These days in the blood is carefully tested for HIV before transfusion. Blood products are also checked for the same purpose. But there is cause for concern if they are forced to go for a blood transfusion in a region where injection equipment is not used in a hygienic manner. In most countries the poorest of the unhygienic practices still prevail. HIV can also spread by this defeat, if one submits to tattoos, piercings and scarification procedures in environments poor and uncertified.
Mother-child transmission (MTCT)
This type of transmission from mother to child in utero occurs during the last weeks of pregnancy or childbirth. If the mother does not receive treatment, the rate of transmission between mother and child is 25%. Displayed in the presence of treatment, especially when combined with birth by caesarean, the risk of transmission has been reduced to 1%. However, HIV can be transmitted from mother to child through infected breast milk.
In some cases, the HIV virus in small quantities have been found in saliva, tears or urine of infected patients, but this type of discharge have little power to transmit the disease to another person.