Where to treat HIV and AIDS? Is there a cure for HIV in Russia? Where is HIV treated?

Events

Two weeks after a child was first cured of HIV, scientists said: similar treatment can help adults.

The most important thing is to start early treatment, although this does not guarantee success.

Professor Azier Saez-Sirion(Asier Sáez-Cirión) from Pasteur Institute in Paris analyzed 70 people with HIV who were treated with antiretroviral drugs between 35 days and 10 weeks after infection. This is much earlier than HIV patients are usually treated.

All participants' medication regimens were interrupted for various reasons. For example, some people made their own decisions to stop taking medications, while others tried other medications.

In most volunteers, the disease returned after stopping treatment, and the virus recurred to the same level as before treatment. But in 14 patients, among whom there were 4 women and 10 men, there were no relapses of the virus after stopping treatment, which was carried out for an average of 3 years.

Although 14 patients had traces of HIV in their blood, the levels were so low that their bodies could control it without medication.

Treatment of HIV infection

On average 14 participants stopped taking medications 7 years ago, and one of them managed without medication for 10.5 years.

Just recently, it was announced that a baby was “functionally cured” of HIV after being given three antiretroviral drugs almost immediately after birth: zidovudine, lamivudine And nevirapine. However, experts warned that rapid treatment is not suitable for everyone, but it is important to start as early as possible.

"There are three benefits to early treatment," Saez-Siriona explained. "This limits the HIV reservoir, the diversity of the virus, and preserves the immune response to the virus that controls it."

However, none of the 14 patients were so-called “super-controllers,” that is, the 1 percent of people who are naturally resistant to HIV and quickly suppress the infection. Additionally, most had severe symptoms that led to early treatment.

"No matter how paradoxical it may sound, the worse they felt at the beginning, the better they felt later", the scientists said.

How long does it take for HIV to appear?

A month or two (2-4 weeks at the earliest) after HIV has entered the body, the first signs of infection may appear. But sometimes HIV symptoms may not appear for years or even ten years after infection. This is why it is important to get HIV tests to help detect the presence of the virus.

First signs of HIV

During the first 2 to 4 weeks after HIV infection (and up to 3 months), 40 to 90 percent of people may experience acute illness symptoms that are similar to the flu. It is called " acute retroviral syndrome" and is a natural reaction to HIV infection. At this time, the level of the virus in the blood is high, and a person can more easily transmit it to others.

Symptoms may include:

Heat

Night sweats

A sore throat

Muscle pain

Headache

Fatigue

Enlarged lymph nodes

After the early symptoms of HIV disappear, the virus becomes less active, although it is still present in the body. During this time, the person may not experience any symptoms. It is called latent phase, which can last up to 10 years and longer.

After HIV progresses to AIDS, symptoms of fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, fever, chills and others appear.

Probability of HIV infection

The risk of HIV infection depends on various factors.

Transfusion of infected blood - about 90 percent

Pregnancy and childbirth – 30-50 percent

Breastfeeding – about 14 percent

Intravenous injection – 0.5 -1 percent

Accidental sticking with a needle contaminated with HIV - 0.3 percent

Unprotected anal sex – 3 percent

Unprotected vaginal sex – about 1 percent

World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1st. The number of HIV-infected people in the Moscow region is growing every year and today reaches 40 thousand people. A resident of the Moscow region Orekhova-Zueva Oksana (the heroine’s name has been changed - ed.) is one of them. The girl told a correspondent of the Orekhovo-Zuevsky news agency about how she manages to lead a full life, get rid of drug addiction, become a happy wife and mother, and how to protect herself from AIDS.

The problem of combating HIV remains one of the priorities for world society. The UN General Assembly in 2015 set the goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030. In the Moscow region, the incidence rate increased in 2014 by 7.7% to 555.2 per 100 thousand population. The largest number of HIV-infected people was registered in Orekhovo-Zuevo (1518.3), Mytishchi (903.1), Pushkinsky (819.9) and Noginsky (779.4) districts.

Diagnosis

Instead of a girl tormented by illness, Oksana turned out to be an energetic, cheerful, intelligent beauty. Although the path to this was not easy.

“When I found out about my diagnosis, it was a real shock for me. For some time I was in a complete stupor. And then I thought that I would die in six months,” recalls 30-year-old Oksana.

She was diagnosed with HIV 10 years ago. It was a moment that changed her entire life.

"My parents divorced. Mom and I were left alone, and most of the time I was left to my own devices. She grew up reckless and did whatever she wanted. It came down to drugs. Five years of life in the fog,” says the girl.

One day Oksana came to the gynecology department for a medical examination. The doctor gave me a referral for tests. After some time, she came to find out about the results, and - like a bolt from the blue: “Your HIV test is positive.”

"How? Can't be! With anyone, just not with me,” flashed through Oksana’s head, and then - complete emptiness and hopelessness. The gynecologist tried to reassure the girl: “You don’t have cancer. This one is much scarier."

This did not calm me down; thoughts of suicide appeared. However, Oksana turned out to be a tough nut to crack, managed to pull herself together - and the fight for life began. Fortunately, she was not in mortal danger.

After all, AIDS and HIV are not the same thing. AIDS is the last stage of the disease, but there is no need to wait for such a verdict: it is better to see a doctor in time and get tested. If an HIV infection is discovered, you cannot give up, you need to act, says Oksana, although at that time she was helpless and confused.

“What frightened me most was the state of uncertainty: where to go, what to do? It’s also scary that no preliminary psychological work was carried out. They immediately stunned me - HIV - and named a clinic where I could go with my problem. At that moment I thought that I wouldn’t have enough strength to get to her,” the agency’s interlocutor shares.

Safety Harbor

“AIDS and HIV are not a death sentence, you can live with it, and even be happy. I’m happy because I have a family, a job I love, and many hobbies,” Oksana is sure.

She was very supported by infectious disease doctors back then. And then she began to search for information on the Internet about her illness and found self-help groups. And not only regarding the diagnosis of HIV, but also in the fight against drug addiction. The community where they worked according to the 12 Step program helped me get rid of drug addiction. Gradually her circle of friends and acquaintances began to change, and Oksana realized that she had just begun to live.

“For me, the disease, namely AIDS and HIV, has become a haven of salvation and played a positive role,” the girl admitted.

Oksana not only managed to overcome the disease, but also began to help others who faced the same problem. Desperate people began to come to her, the girl began to consult patients. Moreover, she graduated from a university and received a diploma in psychology.

I also met love at work. Maxim conducted consultations on the prevention of drug addiction, AIDS and HIV. This feeling completely crossed out my past life. Oksana remembers her first date well, how she walked around Moscow with Maxim, then suddenly they started talking about St. Petersburg. “Let's go to St. Petersburg!” suggested her companion. And the lovers, fortunately it was Friday, having bought tickets for the “Red Arrow”, rushed to the city on the Neva. Oksana and her husband love to travel. They have traveled almost half of Russia and dream of going abroad.

Addict

Oksana’s second hobby, besides psychology, is photography. Several years ago she graduated from the Mossovet Polytechnic College and organized several of her own photo exhibitions. Her works include nature, portraits, and architectural ensembles. In one of the pictures there is a photograph of a drug addict guy, squeezed by the black buildings of the metropolis. The girl is also interested in painting and writes in watercolors. Joined the Union of Artists of Russia.

HIV is not a death sentence

Oksana believes that people should understand that AIDS and HIV are a disease that can be treated, and no one is immune from it. A dangerous virus can penetrate through manicure tools in a beauty salon, and in a medical facility during a blood transfusion or operation, and in other ways.

“For example, I have a friend who is 60 years old. She never led a disorderly lifestyle, did not use drugs, but HIV somehow appeared in her body,” says the agency’s interlocutor.

In her opinion, today society is still not ready to adequately accept AIDS patients. Although if you approach this issue wisely, you must remember that the virus is transmitted only through blood.

“I am convinced that when people begin to talk openly about their illness, without hiding their names, the status of outcasts will gradually change. Yes, this will not happen immediately, it will take a lot of time. But I believe that this will happen,” says the girl.

She herself does not hide her real name (the heroine’s name has been changed in the text - editor’s note). Although there is no medicine yet to completely cure AIDS and HIV. She needs to undergo courses of antiretroviral therapy throughout her life - this treatment blocks the development of the virus. But you can live with this, work, make plans for the future.

The most difficult question to ask was whether the heroine has children, because there is an opinion that this topic is closed to those who have been diagnosed with HIV. It turned out that fate smiled on Oksana here too. She and her husband have healthy twin daughters. True, she had to give birth in a specialized maternity hospital, but this did not detract from her happiness as a mother.

Disappointing statistics presented by WHO indicate that 36 million people around the world are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. However, HIV today has ceased to be a death sentence. Many large clinics in Israel carry out its successful treatment.

Why is timely treatment important?

When the immunodeficiency virus enters the body, it begins to behave very aggressively. Its cells attach to the CD4 proteins present on the surface of T-lymphocytes (cells responsible for immunity) and introduce their own DNA into them. As a result, the behavior of T-lymphocytes becomes similar to the behavior of the viruses themselves: they begin to infect healthy cells. Therefore, the most important condition for successful treatment is early detection of the virus and initiation of therapy. This is quite difficult, because, despite the active damage to lymphocytes, external symptoms of the disease can appear several years after infection, when we are no longer talking about HIV, but about AIDS. These concepts need to be distinguished. Suppressing HIV is a difficult task, but quite realistic; As for AIDS, it develops as a result of an advanced virus, and today this disease is incurable.

Diagnostic methods

The diagnostic methods used in Israeli medical institutions make it possible to detect HIV even at a latent stage, when the virus has not yet had time to weaken the immune defense, which is fraught with the addition of concomitant pathologies.

Diagnostics is quite lengthy and can take 2 weeks or more. It includes two stages:

1. Consultation with a specialist.
2. Analyzes.

All procedures for diagnosing and treating HIV infection in Israel are completely confidential. The analyzes include:

1. General blood analysis.
2. Biochemical analysis.
3. Other tests depending on the changes detected.
4. ELISA – enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The result obtained is speculative and may also be a false positive. It is also possible to obtain a negative result from an infected person when less than 3 months have passed since the infection. Sometimes a negative result occurs 8 months after the virus enters the body.
5. Western Blot, or immunoblotting, is a more accurate method for confirming infection. However, it is also associated with antibodies, which are often absent in short periods.
6. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a highly accurate method that allows you to detect the virus from an early stage. Using the reaction, the RNA of the pathogen (a specific strain of the virus) is detected.

The block of instrumental studies carried out to identify side pathologies includes radiography, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and a number of other methods.

Based on the data obtained, the patient is prescribed individual treatment: the most effective medications and procedures are selected. The attending physician informs the patient about the prospects and possible risks of the therapy, gives recommendations on the necessary adjustments to lifestyle, diet, and physical activity.

Main directions of therapy

The main danger of AIDS is the suppression of the function of lymphocytes responsible for immune defense. The result is a sharp decrease in immunity. As a result, the penetration of even a minor infection can pose a mortal threat, regardless of whether it leads to the development of, for example, lymphoma or the common cold.

Given this point, the main goal of treatment in Israel is to ensure a sufficiently high level of immune protection.

The second direction of the therapy is to suppress the development of HIV-infected cells.

Particular attention is paid to constant monitoring of the patient's condition for the timely detection and elimination of developing diseases (pneumonia, Kaposi's sarcoma, etc.). Thus, the efforts of specialists are aimed both at suppressing the underlying pathology and at preventing other diseases.

Another significant goal of the therapy is psychological support for patients and their loved ones. According to experts, it is very important for people to understand: HIV is not a death sentence. Currently, thousands of people who have undergone treatment in Israel live normal lives, work, get married, and have children.

Basic methods of treating HIV in Israeli clinics

Therapeutic prescriptions are made based on data obtained as a result of a thorough examination of the patient. Concomitant diseases caused by weakening of the body's defenses are also taken into account.

Antiretroviral drug therapy is carried out, aimed at reducing the viral load in the body and suppressing the further development of HIV cells. Three groups of drugs are considered the most effective today:

• The first includes nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs for short), which are a defective version of the constituent fragments necessary for the reproduction of viral cells. These include Zidovudine, Emtricitabine, Tenofovir, Azidotimidine, Hivid, Stavudine, Lamivudine, Zeffix, Videx, etc.
• The second consists of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). Their action is to block the protein substance necessary for the virus to reproduce. The main drugs in this category: Nevirapine, Stokrin, Viramune.
• The third group is protease inhibitors, the effectiveness of which is based on the deactivation of the protease protein, which is an essential component of the process of viral cell division. The most commonly used drugs are Ritonavir, Atazanavir, Darunavir, Fosamprenavir
• The fourth group is fusion inhibitors. These are blocks of fusion between the virus and CD4 lymphocytes. The main drugs of the group: Enfuvirtide, Maraviroc.
• The fifth group is integrase inhibitors. Their action is aimed at blocking the integrase protein required by the virus when introducing DNA into a CD4 leukocyte. The medications used include Raltegravir.

Taking Tenofovir is contraindicated if you have kidney problems. An enhanced protease inhibitor is prescribed if the virus is resistant to nucleoside and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. This category includes:

• Darunavir;
• Saquinavir;
• Atazanavir;
• Fosamprenavir.

Treatment tactics

At the initial stage, the patient is prescribed a combination of drugs from three main groups - the first line of therapy. This takes into account the characteristics of the course of the disease, drug tolerance and the body’s response to treatment. The patient takes the medications once or twice a day. Tests are regularly prescribed to objectively assess the effectiveness of treatment. Factors such as the stage of the disease and the presence of concomitant pathologies (pneumonia, Kaposi's sarcoma, etc.) are also taken into account. If necessary, a course of preventive drug therapy is prescribed to prevent diseases caused by weakened immune defenses.

If HIV begins to show activity to the combination of drugs used, or undesirable reactions from the body appear, a change in therapy is necessary. The patient is prescribed a new combination of three new drugs, which significantly increases the chances of treatment success. Highly active antiretroviral therapy, based on the use of a “cocktail” of several antiviral drugs, has an aggressive effect on HIV and prevents the virus from becoming addicted to a particular medication. Constantly changing the ingredients of the medicinal cocktail quickly suppresses the resistance of the virus. During therapy, innovative antiretroviral drugs are used, which makes it possible to control the development of the virus and significantly slow down the progression of the disease.

The goal of complex drug treatment is also to eliminate symptoms and prevent complications of concomitant diseases (lymphoma, pneumonia, etc.)

Throughout the treatment, the patient undergoes a series of tests, based on which the doctor monitors the condition of the infected person. A decrease in the number of CD4 lymphocytes is evidence of disease progression, and an increase indicates the effectiveness of treatment.

Taking antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV must last a lifetime, which is problematic for many patients due to their relatively high cost. Therefore, in many clinics and research centers in Israel, research is being conducted, new treatment options and vaccines are being developed, the use of which will not be aimed at reducing the viral load, but at completely destroying the virus.

Additional programs

Since a person can become infected with HIV at almost any age, Israeli doctors are doing everything possible to comprehensively improve the quality of life of patients. After completing a special therapy program, a person with HIV can even become a parent. The use of modern technologies makes it possible to exclude the transfer of a viral infection from mother or father to the fetus.

New medical technology, developed by specialists, allows a male carrier to have a healthy child. The essence of the method is to remove the virus from the semen by washing the seminal fluid. After this, artificial insemination is carried out. Israeli medical institutions also take special measures to prevent transmission of the virus from woman to child. New methods of treating young patients diagnosed with HIV are constantly being developed.

The latest methods and developments in the field of HIV treatment

AIDS vaccine

Scientists have noticed that taking an antiretroviral cocktail can neutralize the deadly virus. However, the decrease in the number of leukocytes continues. The weakening of immune defense provoked by the virus progresses. Autoimmune processes are launched, that is, the human body practically fights with itself. Israeli specialists have developed a special vaccine to support the immune system. The basis for its creation was affected leukocytes isolated from the blood of an HIV-infected person, which “eat” healthy cells. They are destroyed and administered to the patient in the form of a vaccine. This triggers a sharp reaction in the body from the immune system, which continues to destroy similar cells in the blood. The tests carried out gave good results. The use of a new vaccine will make it possible to turn HIV into a common chronic disease requiring maintenance therapy.

Other innovations

Recently, Israeli specialists have developed a unique substance that can destroy cells infected with a deadly virus. The revolutionary discovery, which gives hope for the final victory over the virus, was the result of a collaboration between biologists and chemists at the Hebrew University (located in Jerusalem).

The protein was isolated during the work of a group of scientists led by Dr. Assaf Friedler. The introduction of the protein into HIV-infected cells led to the death of the latter within two weeks. However, no side effects were observed. Previously used drugs helped slow down the infectious process or kill the virus, but could not cope with infected cells that constantly reproduce the dormant virus.

Traditional treatment methods often result in HIV developing immunity to the drugs, which allows it to continue infecting new cells. The value of the new technique is that the removed protein leads to their immediate death.

Full-scale studies of the innovative product are planned in the near future. For now, the drug is not available for widespread use. Despite this, scientists around the world recognize that its creation is a real breakthrough in medicine.

Another sensational invention of Israeli scientists is a special device that allows you to determine the presence of HIV in a person in just a few minutes. As already mentioned, diagnostic tests used today last at least two weeks, which significantly increases the cost of treatment in Israel and creates a lot of other problems, especially for foreign patients.

The new diagnostic method does not even require a blood test. Externally, the device is similar to a blood pressure measuring device. The cuff with electrodes reads data, which is then studied using a special computer program. The results obtained contain information about the presence or absence of HIV infection in the patient.

A large number of different viruses are constantly present in human blood, each of which has its own unique “handwriting”. The work of the unique device is based precisely on this: it reads the electrical signal emanating from HIV, which is then analyzed by a computer system.

The device has already successfully passed the testing stage and has proven its effectiveness. Its use will reduce diagnostic time from 14 days to several minutes.

Clinics offering HIV therapy

You can undergo a course of treatment for the human immunodeficiency virus in the following medical institutions in the country:

• Hadassah - the center’s specialists have been conducting research in the field of diagnosis and therapy of the human immunodeficiency virus for more than 20 years. There is a reproductive department for infected people, which helps patients conceive and give birth to a healthy baby.
• Meir is one of the leaders in HIV treatment. Modern diagnostic facilities, laboratories equipped with the latest technology, experienced specialists - all this guarantees effective medical care.
• – patients are offered a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
• – in the treatment of HIV, the latest antiretroviral drugs are used, which make it possible to achieve a significant reduction in the amount of virus in the body.

• Assaf HaRofe Medical Center.
• Herzliya Medical Center.
• LevIsrael is a network of clinics.
• Tel Aviv Clinic.

Approximate prices for treatment

Preliminarily calculating the cost of HIV treatment in Israel is quite difficult. Costs include the price of specialist consultations, diagnostic examinations, drug treatment, physiotherapeutic procedures, accommodation, and care of staff. A significant part of the financial costs is made up of medicines. It is difficult to predict which medications will be prescribed: it all depends on the patient’s condition and test results. It is also necessary to take into account the possibility of developing concomitant diseases, which entails new costs. As for the cost of diagnostic procedures carried out to detect HIV, they cost approximately 1500-2700 USD. A doctor’s consultation costs at least 400 USD, one day of hospitalization – from 500 USD.

Ekaterina Stepanova spoke about why Russia needed a private clinic for people with HIV and why doctors should engage in education.

You recently became the chief physician of Russia’s first private infectious diseases clinic, H-Clinic. How did this offer come about? Was it easy to agree?

“I have known for a long time those who conceived and created this clinic - we have worked together for many years on various social projects. When Andrey Zlobin invited me to work at H-Clinic, there was no doubt. I know that all of this person’s projects are aimed at a specific result.

The biggest discussions were regarding the position. Being just a doctor is more valuable to me than being a chief physician. But the diploma of a healthcare organizer and the already existing management experience in private clinics should not be lost.

Why did the idea come up to open a private clinic for the treatment of infectious diseases in Russia?

— There are several aspects here.

Firstly, one should not exaggerate the social significance of free healthcare in megacities such as Moscow. Each of us, one way or another, uses the services of commercial clinics or specialists. We choose based on our needs and capabilities. If it is difficult for someone to see a therapist in a regular clinic, for example, he is not affiliated with a district clinic, then he goes to a private center and receives his sick leave there. People with various infections have very limited choice of places to get help. Each clinic has an office for infectious diseases, but there are practically no private clinics that would be licensed to see an infectious disease doctor. People living with HIV can receive a recommendation from any specialist: “get treated at your AIDS center.” For them, all roads lead to the AIDS center, and this means they have no choice.

Secondly, not everyone can receive even this single help. If a person does not live at his place of registration, he cannot undergo examination and receive therapy at his place of residence. And for many this means either refusing observation and treatment, or self-medication. Of course, for these people our clinic is a salvation. It is much easier to come to us for an appointment than to fly from Moscow to the AIDS center of Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude.

Is working at a government AIDS center different from working at an H-Clinic?

- Yes and no.

To begin with, about the similarity that was unexpected for me. When I went to work at this clinic, I thought that mild and “healthy” patients were waiting for me. However, in the very first days I saw people with an advanced stage of HIV infection. For various reasons, they had not received treatment previously. Some people have been waiting a long time for an alternative opportunity to receive medical care. Others did not believe in the existence of HIV infection. There are patients who received help from some shamans and traditional healers. This reminds me very much of working in my “palliative care department” at the AIDS center.

As for the differences, they are primarily in comfort and opportunities for implementing an individual approach to each patient. Our patients are deprived of the stress that they might experience in an AIDS center, sitting in line and looking at each other. At H-Clinic they practically don’t see each other.

We do not have the goal of defeating HIV and other infectious diseases in general; we are doing everything to ensure that a specific person who turns to us for help receives it professionally and without unnecessary stress. And the main idea, which the clinic administration regularly reminds us, is that if a person comes to us with a problem, we are obliged to help him solve it. As a doctor, it is very important for me that all the clinic staff accept this idea, because if the issue is outside the scope of diagnosis and treatment, then I do not always have the opportunity to solve it. For example, a patient needs consultation with a specialist and I can refer the patient to the Assistance manager. This is an entire service that is constantly developing a base of specialists, whose expertise and calm attitude towards concomitant diseases provide a guarantee of receiving quality care without worrying that HIV or viral hepatitis will become an obstacle.

I also have more time for consultation, which means I can think and understand the situation. Here I have a wider range of options for additional laboratory tests and antiretroviral drugs. Unlike the AIDS center, I am not limited by what is currently in stock. I can prescribe any drugs that are registered in Russia. However, this is not always comfortable for me. Both tests and medications are paid for. We have to discuss these issues with patients, take into account their financial capabilities and select the most optimal solution.

The official opening will take place only on September 21, but the clinic has been operating since July. What do you remember about meeting your first patients?

“From the first days I realized that I was in the right place. This is my favorite job - helping people with HIV, people with hepatitis. They were the first to come to us, although our clinic is ready to help with other infections.

I will repeat myself, but it was really unexpected for me that there are a lot of seriously ill patients who need an expert opinion. These are people with drug resistance, in the AIDS stage, those who need serious help.

Another negative and traumatic thing for me was that several patients told me about a doctor who treated them privately, violating the principles of antiretroviral therapy: he changed regimens without indications, took vacations, and injected immunoglobulins. I was shocked and really want the strict principles of evidence-based medicine to be followed by all doctors.

And this is positive for me - now many people have the opportunity to be treated correctly.

In addition to meeting with patients, I had meetings with our doctors - and this is a real delight. Could I have thought, listening to Vasily Iosifovich Shakhgildyan’s lectures, that I would work with him in the same team? All our doctors have extensive experience, are supporters of evidence-based medicine, and are guided by the recommendations of European and American colleagues. Science and practice in the field of HIV infection and hepatology are developing so dynamically that it is very difficult for one person to cover all the new research. And here a strong team is a gift. When my colleagues and I begin to discuss a clinical case, everyone knows some of the points better than others and as a result, we all become enriched with knowledge, and our patients receive more and more advanced doctors.

Do HIV-negatives also come to you?

— Yes, such people still seek help as the infection progresses. When a person has complaints, the instinct of self-preservation kicks in and the search for a solution to the problem begins.

I don’t think these are real deniers, dissidents. These are rather people who were not helped to go through the stages of accepting a diagnosis. Those who stopped at the stage of denial because it’s easier.

We know you as a medical specialist who conducts a lot of training events for HIV activists and patients living with HIV. Why is it important for you to participate in training?

— This is where I am very pragmatic.

Firstly, I really enjoy passing on my knowledge. You know, when there is a lot of knowledge, it needs to be shared, not hoarded.

And secondly, for me it is actually beneficial. The patient who is educated, savvy and trained is already a partner for me. Treating HIV is a lifelong situation, and if we work together it becomes easier. If I start working alone, and the patient doesn’t know anything, doesn’t have a clue, it will be much more difficult. For me, an intelligent patient is a gift. I know that very often doctors do not like it when patients educate themselves. But I am very happy when a patient comes to me for an appointment and says “oh, I know this, I read about it and I want it like this.” Then we discuss almost as equals what he wants. Education helps patients become partners with their doctors. I really wish there were more doctors who would pass on information to people. And in the clinic I dream of introducing a “Patient School”.

Are patients now more educated than, say, five years ago?

— Undoubtedly. Patients are more educated, patients read, they move forward. This is very valuable. In recent years, many resources have appeared on the Internet - arvt.ru, "Guys PLUS" - there is a lot of useful information there. It is important to recognize good sources of information. And it is important to pay attention on the forums to who answers you. Sometimes a very active forum member can spread his erroneous opinion. And this can already harm someone.

How do you find time to support the sick after work? They probably write to you a lot on social networks, right?

- There is little energy and little time left for this - I have two more children. Now I travel between two cities all the time - and it’s all very difficult. I posted on social networks that I am helping here for a charitable contribution.

If a person wants me to help him, then he should also help someone. I have several charity groups that I help. You can choose any of them, make any contribution and get an answer to your question from me.

What do you think about fighting the stigma of HIV-positive people? Will private clinics help fight this?

— We have very strict confidentiality requirements in our clinic. For example, doctors do not have access to any information other than name, age and medical information. Likewise, administrators do not have access to medical information, diagnoses, etc. It turns out that the patient’s information is completely closed. We help him keep a secret if that's what he wants. But my personal global task is to make sure that people with HIV are not afraid of their status, but adapt to it, and can talk about it calmly, without tears. I dream that the time will come when people will come to us only for high-quality medical care, and super-strict requirements for confidentiality will cease to be one of the advantages and generally a value.

In this article we will consider the question: “Can HIV infection be cured?” You will learn about the types, diagnosis and prognosis of this pathology. Let's start with the fact that the disease is possible when the body is infected with the immunodeficiency virus. HIV infection is dangerous because the patient experiences a strong suppression of the body's protective properties, which can lead to a number of problems. This list includes secondary infections, malignant tumors, and so on.

The disease can take different forms. HIV infection is detected in the following ways:

• antibody detection;
• detection of viral RNA.

Treatment is currently provided in the form of a complex of special antiretroviral drugs. The latter are able to reduce the reproduction of the virus, which promotes a speedy recovery. You can learn more about everything that was said in this part by reading the article to the end.

HIV infection

In order to answer the main question (“Can HIV infection be cured?”), you need to understand what kind of disease it is. One thing that can be said about this virus is that it progresses very slowly, and the entire threat comes from the cells of the human immune system. For this reason, the immune system is slowly but surely suppressed. As a result, you can “earn” acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (popularly called AIDS).

The human body ceases to resist and protect itself from various infections, resulting in diseases that do not develop in a person with a normal immune system.

Even without medical intervention, a person infected with HIV can live up to 10 years. If the infection has acquired the status of AIDS, then the average life expectancy is only 10 months. It is also important to point out that when undergoing a special treatment course, life expectancy increases significantly.

The following are factors that affect the rate at which the infection develops:

• state of the immune system;
• age;
• strain;
• presence of concomitant diseases;
• nutrition;
• therapy;
• medical care.

In older people, HIV infection develops more rapidly; insufficient medical care and concomitant infectious diseases are another reason for the rapid development of the disease. So, can HIV infection be cured? It is possible, but it takes a lot of time for the treatment process itself and even more for rehabilitation.

Classification

HIV infection is considered the plague of the 21st century, but virologists already know that there is no single causative agent of this disease. In this regard, many scientific works are being written, which may subsequently give results and allow us to answer in detail the question: “What are the types of HIV infection?”

What is known so far? The types of terrible disease differ only in the location of the source in nature. That is, depending on the region, there are types: HIV-1, HIV-2, and so on. Each of them spreads in a specific area. This regional division allows the virus to adapt to local unfavorable factors.

In science, the most studied type of HIV-1 is, but how many of them there are is a question that remains open. This happened because there are many blank spots in the history of the study of HIV and AIDS.

Stages

Now we will try to understand the question of how many people live with HIV infection. To do this, we will look at the stages of the disease. For convenience and better clarity, we will present the information in the form of a table.

Thus, with proper and timely treatment, proper nutrition and lifestyle, you can live a full, long life (up to 70-80 years).

Symptoms

Now we will talk in more detail about the symptoms that accompany this disease.

Early symptoms of HIV infection:

• fever;
• rashes;
• pharyngitis;
• diarrhea.

At later stages, some other diseases may appear. They arise as a result of decreased immunity. These include:

• angina;
• pneumonia;
• herpes;
• fungal infections and so on.

After this period, the latent stage will most likely begin. It leads to the development of immunodeficiency. Now immune cells are dying. On the body you can notice signs of the disease - inflamed lymph nodes. It is also important to note that each organism is individual; the stages may occur in the order given above, but some steps may be missing. The same can be said about symptoms.

HIV in children

In this section you will find out whether HIV infection in children can be cured. First, let's talk about the causes of infection. These include:

• infection in the womb;
• use of unprocessed medical instruments;
• organ transplantation.

Regarding the first point, the probability of transmitting the infection is 50%. Treatment during pregnancy is a condition that significantly reduces the risk of infection. Now about the risk factors:

• lack of treatment;
• premature birth;
• natural childbirth;
• uterine bleeding;
• taking drugs and alcohol during pregnancy;
• breast-feeding.

Considering these factors, you can reduce the risk to 10-20 percent. Treatment for HIV infection is certainly necessary. At this stage of medical development, there is no medicine that completely eliminates HIV. However, proper treatment can significantly improve the patient’s condition and make it possible to live a full and happy life.

Diagnostics

Why is disease diagnosis needed? Of course, to make a final and accurate diagnosis. If your fears are confirmed, you should immediately go to the doctor. There is no need to hesitate here: the sooner you start treatment, the fewer problems there will be in the future. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.

It is also important to know that many diseases can be hidden under the mask of HIV infection, which can be eliminated quite quickly with the help of medicine. In which country is HIV treatment treated? In all cases, you just have to go to a special institution where you need to get tested. When you receive an answer in your hands, if the result is positive, do not hesitate, go to a specialist.

To confirm the diagnosis, you need to undergo a rapid test to detect infection. If it gives a positive result, then further research is carried out in the laboratory, where the stage is detected using ELISA or PCR methods.

Express test

A rapid test for HIV infection is currently the most common method that allows you to identify the disease at home yourself. Remember, until recently it was necessary to donate blood from a vein, but now you go to the pharmacy and find out the result 5 minutes later. You can also order a rapid HIV test via the Internet.

The test requires just a drop of blood from your finger. Don’t forget that you need to wash your hands, for a puncture it is better to use a “doll” (purchased at a pharmacy), wipe your finger with alcohol. The HIV test is a real breakthrough in diagnosing this disease. The thing is that HIV may not manifest itself at all. The infection penetrates the cells and begins to destroy them, and when there are few healthy ones left, the body is no longer able to resist. This stage is called AIDS, and this disease is very dangerous.

• wash your hands with soap;
• wipe dry;
• open the package with the dough;
• massage the finger you will be piercing, treat it with alcohol;
• make a puncture and place your finger over the blood reservoir;
• drop 5 drops of solvent into a special container;
• We wait 15 minutes.

Treatment

Treatment of HIV infection is carried out using special antiretroviral drugs. It is necessary to start treatment as early as possible, this helps to delay the development of AIDS. Many people ignore treatment because the virus has not shown itself for a long time. This should not be done, because sooner or later the body will give up. It should be remembered that the virus has the most negative impact on the immune system; without treatment, you will soon have to wait for a whole series of serious and unpleasant diseases.

To prevent the development of AIDS, doctors try to suppress the virus. From the first day of detection of the disease, the patient must take special antiviral drugs that adversely affect the life cycle of the pathogen. That is, under the influence of antiretroviral drugs, the virus cannot fully develop in the human body.

A feature of HIV infection is rapid adaptation to an unfavorable environment. For this reason, after taking the same medicine for a long time, the virus gets used to it and adapts to it. Then doctors resort to a trick - combining antiviral drugs. This is necessary so that it is impossible to develop resistance to them.

Drugs

In this section we will talk about what drugs are used to treat HIV infection. It was previously mentioned that therapy is carried out using antiretroviral drugs. In total, there are 2 types of them:

• reverse transcriptase inhibitors;
• protease inhibitors.

The standard treatment regimen involves taking two drugs of the first type and one of the second. They are prescribed only by a qualified, experienced doctor. The first type includes the following drugs:

• "Epivir."
• "Retrovir".
• "Ziagen".

The second type includes:

• "Norvir."
• "Ritonavir."
• "Invirase".

Do not self-medicate; take medications in the dosage and according to the regimen prescribed by your doctor.

Is it possible to be completely cured?

So, can HIV infection be completely cured? At the moment, no remedy has yet been developed that would get rid of the virus 100%. However, medicine does not stand still; perhaps a miracle drug for HIV infection will soon be developed.

Currently, medicine will help those infected to live a long and happy life by maintaining their health with antiviral drugs.

Which doctor should I contact?

A doctor who treats HIV infection is an infectious disease specialist. If you suspect immunodeficiency, you should contact this specialist. Where can I find it? Reception should be carried out in each clinic. If the medical institution to which you are geographically attached does not have this doctor, then feel free to contact the regional hospital.

You can list all your complaints to an infectious disease specialist, and he will prescribe special blood tests. Further clinical observation will be carried out. This is a mandatory part if the diagnosis is confirmed.

It is also important to know that there are anonymous AIDS centers everywhere. Help and initial consultation with an infectious disease specialist can also be obtained there.

Forecasts

How long do people live with HIV infection? If treated, it is possible to live up to 80 years with this disease. The earlier you start treatment, the easier it is to prevent the development of AIDS, which is the cause of death in this disease.

There is currently no drug that eliminates HIV infection 100%. The average life expectancy of HIV-infected people is 12 years. But it is worth remembering that a lot depends on your efforts.

Prevention

Above we described how HIV-infected people are treated in Russia, and now we will name the main preventive measures. In Russia, as in other countries, an integrated approach is used. The main means of therapy are antiviral drugs.

• lead a safe and orderly intimate life;
• be sure to treat sexually transmitted diseases;
• avoid contact with other people's blood;
• use disposable sealed syringes (do not use if packaging is damaged).

These simple rules will help you avoid such a serious disease as AIDS. Follow them and be healthy!