Can HIV infection be cured? Early symptoms of HIV. How long do people live with HIV? Rapid test for HIV. Treatment of HIV at home

As a result of a person being infected with the immunodeficiency virus, the body loses the ability to resist infections and may die from any disease. HIV does not select a person based on skin color or gender. For many infected people, the diagnosis sounds like a death sentence. However, when following certain recommendations, such people lead active life long years.

The first step is to be informed about the causes and modes of transmission of infection in order to learn how to prevent infection, as well as how to treat HIV. The main conditions for transmission are blood and damaged skin. There are several ways of transmission of infection, well studied by science:

• through blood;
• unprotected sexual contact;
• from mother to child;

In the first case, infection occurs through poorly processed medical instruments, transfusion of contaminated blood, and transplantation of internal organs. The largest number of infections occurs through injection drugs. The cause of infection during sexual intercourse is the presence of the virus in semen or vaginal secretions.

The virus can be transmitted from mother to child. This - vertical path. There are several ways of such transfer:

• through the placenta during pregnancy;
• upon contact with maternal secretions during childbirth;
• through breast milk.

There may also be a risk of HIV infection when using other people's personal hygiene items, provided that there is damage to the skin and mucous membranes and the instruments have not been treated:

• razor;
• Toothbrush;
• manicure items.

Routes of infection through other fluids of the human body are not dangerous. The virus is contained in very small quantities in saliva, sweat, and tears. It is safe to kiss, hug, shake hands. You also cannot become infected through a towel or utensils, in the pool, through coughing or sneezing, or mosquito bites.

Which doctor treats HIV?

Many patients are interested in how to find out about infection, where to go, whether HIV can be completely cured or not? At first, you can find out about the disease only by the results of a blood test. However, they will show the most accurate result only after six months. Therefore, if you suspect an infection, it is extremely important to donate blood as quickly as possible. This can be done in centers where HIV is treated, or you can contact a specialist. Doctor to go to:

After the interview, the doctor will write out directions for the necessary laboratory tests. If suspicions of infection are confirmed, the person is registered with the same specialist, who will prescribe treatment.

Is the infection curable?

The variability of the virus does not yet allow the creation of a vaccine. However, thanks modern techniques, many believe that HIV infection can be treated. The drugs sharply limit the reproduction of the virus in the blood and preserve the human immune system. As a result, the life expectancy of a patient is the same as a healthy one while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. At the same time, you can get married and have children. The main thing is to fully comply with the treatment regimen.

The prospects for treating HIV-infected people are very good: long-acting drugs are being developed that a person can take once a week, a month, or less often, which will help further improve the quality of life.

The good news is that the infection dies very quickly in the external environment. And intact skin is an insurmountable barrier for it. The virus is also very sensitive to high temperatures: exposure above 56 degrees reduces its properties, above 70 degrees leads to death.

A cure for the immunodeficiency virus has been found!

Now the whole world is fighting HIV infection. Scientists are very optimistic. Proof of this is the development of new drugs, some of which are already being tested.

At the end of 2015, Germany developed a vaccine that does not suppress, but literally “cuts out” the virus from the body. “Gene scissors,” as the drug was called, was tested and had a positive effect in 70% of volunteers. The action of the drug occurs at the gene level. It not only suppresses the virus, but completely removes the infected tissue.

American scientists derived a vaccine, which they called “unconventional,” from the genome of macaques and tested them on them. One of the macaques, which was administered a sixteen-fold dose of the drug, was completely cured.

A loud discovery was made in 2016 in Pennsylvania. Scientists have created an artificial genome called “zinc fingers” that destroys the virus at an incredible rate. There are high hopes for the drug.

In Russia for a long time did not have similar developments. But in 2014, trials began on a vaccine derived from the genome of animals. It is known that tests carried out on a group of people had a huge effect. In the near future, it is planned to release another new medicine based on human DNA, which was developed by scientists from Novosibirsk.

According to links from news agencies, by the end of 2017, four vaccines against the human immunodeficiency virus will be produced in the Russian Federation. This means one thing: there is a cure for HIV and soon it will be possible to say with confidence that HIV infection can be cured.

The best treatment is prevention

The routes of transmission of infection have been thoroughly studied. Therefore, you need to know certain rules and follow them, which will save your health and life. These rules are simple, but time-tested and reliable:

• safe and protected sex;
• proper handling of medical instruments in medical institutions;
• use of disposable instruments;
• treatment of an infected mother during pregnancy;
• healthy lifestyle.

According to statistics, the largest number of HIV infections occurs through sexual contact or through blood. The safest sex is abstinence or marriage. If partners want to have a relationship, but want to be sure that there is no risk of infection, both should be tested for HIV and use condoms.

A disease such as HIV, the treatment of which with folk remedies does not completely cure a person, but strengthens the immune system and suppresses the viability of the virus, affects people more and more every day. Many people mistakenly believe that the disease can be overcome solely with the help of alternative medicine. It's a delusion. Full treatment should be carried out only under the strict supervision of doctors, and folk remedies can only complement the treatment of the disease, while cleansing the body as a whole and strengthening the immune system.

Most doctors are positive about the treatment of this virus traditional methods and means. But almost everyone has the same opinion: it is impossible to treat the virus only with alternative medicine. If a person has HIV, treatment with folk remedies can be carried out, but it is necessary to visit a doctor and follow all his recommendations.

Strengthening the immune system with herbs, vegetables and fruits

A lot of folk remedies have accumulated to strengthen the immune system and cleanse the body in case of HIV. You can support and strengthen your body various herbs, fruits and vegetables on which the recipes are based. Let's look at the most popular and effective ones.

Alcohol tincture of calendula. It must be taken orally, but according to a special scheme: in the morning - 2 drops, at lunch - 1, in the evening - again 2. According to this scheme, the tincture is consumed for 3 days, then take a one-day break, again follow the same scheme. Treatment with calendula tincture requires 5 months. Why calendula? The tincture prepared from it has a beneficial effect on the entire body and increases its resistance to harmful bacteria.

Potent natural remedy is kvass made from banana peels. This kvass perfectly strengthens the human immune system. It is prepared using a very simple technology.

• 1 tsp. sour cream;
• 3 liters of water;
• 3 cups crushed banana peel;
• 1 cup of sugar.

All ingredients are thoroughly mixed. The resulting mass is placed in a warm place for 14 days. The container in which the kvass is infused must be covered with gauze. After the required time has passed, the finished kvass can be consumed 4 times a day, half an hour before meals.

St. John's wort decoction. Prepare the decoction as follows: take 100 g of chopped St. John's wort and add 1 liter of water. Then the mixture is put on fire and boiled for 50-60 minutes. After this time, the broth is removed from the heat and filtered. Next, add 50 g of sea buckthorn oil and shake well. The decoction is left to infuse for 2 days, finished form It is taken 4 times a day, 1/2 cup.

Licorice root decoction. This decoction significantly reduces the level of infection particles in the blood and strengthens the patient’s immunity. Ingredients for preparing the decoction:

• 4 cups boiling water;
• 3 tbsp. l. crushed licorice root;
• 6 tbsp. l. honey

Place licorice root in boiling water and boil the mixture for an hour. Next, the broth is filtered and honey is added to it. The composition is thoroughly mixed. Drink 1 glass of the decoction in the morning on an empty stomach.

Many patients recommend strengthening the immune system for HIV with a vitamin cocktail. This cocktail tastes very good. To prepare it you will need: 0.5 kg of lingonberries and viburnum, 1 kg of apples, 2 kg of sugar and 2 cups of chopped walnuts. The first step is to prepare the sugar syrup. To do this, sugar is mixed with water and boiled over low heat. While the syrup is boiling, you need to mix the viburnum, lingonberries and sliced ​​apples. As soon as the syrup is ready, pour it into the mixture and mix thoroughly. The vitamin cocktail can be poured into separate jars. You need to take the cocktail once a day, 1 tbsp. l. immediately after waking up.

A mixture based on bee products and prepared at home is considered effective in treating HIV. Take 1 tsp. propolis, 2 tsp. bee death and 0.5 liters of water. Podmor is filled with water and cooked for 2 hours over very low heat. After this time ready mixture it is necessary to strain and add propolis there. Take the mixture once a day before any meal in the amount of 1 tbsp. l.

Chinese cucumber is considered effective auxiliary in the treatment of an illness.

The fruits of this plant contain a huge amount of water, vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. In other words, the fruit of the Chinese cucumber contains almost all the substances necessary to strengthen the immune system and maintain vital functions.

A decoction is prepared from Chinese cucumber. In order to prepare a decoction, the fruit must be finely chopped and filled with water. The composition is placed on low heat and brought to a boil. As soon as the water boils, you need to add nettle leaves, which must be fresh, into it. Next, the mixture is boiled for another 5 minutes, and then removed from the heat and chamomile flowers are added. The broth must be closed with a tight lid and placed in a dark place for 2 days. After this time, you can take a decoction of 1/2 cup once a day after meals. During treatment with the decoction, drinking alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited.

How to treat HIV

Health is the most important thing in the life of any person. Therefore, the question of whether HIV can be cured with early stages fully. After all, it is this disease that is currently claiming the lives of millions of people, spreading at an unimaginable speed. Terrible diagnosis delivered to more than 30 million people. So HIV received the “title” of the plague of the 20th century. Despite the constant emphasis on this problem, many still do not know the details about this disease.

What is HIV and AIDS?

HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus. In other words, the body of an infected person becomes defenseless against any infection that a healthy person can cope with without special effort. This is why the disease is so dangerous.

Why are the concepts of HIV and AIDS inextricably linked? The fact is that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is the latest, and, accordingly, the most severe stage of HIV. But AIDS can develop in a person for other reasons. Treatment for late-stage brain cancer and AIDS is complex and expensive and is always fatal.

Routes of HIV infection:

1. Sexually (the probability of infection with a single vaginal contact is 0.1%, anal contact is 1%)
2. Through blood: through transfusion or use of non-sterile instruments (90% chance of infection)
3. Mother to child (30% chance of infection)

Diagnosis of HIV disease

Diagnosis of the disease is particularly difficult. It turns out that it is not so easy to detect a destructive virus in the human body. Therefore, a huge number of patients do not even realize that they are infected.

In addition to a blood test, HIV can be detected by other signs, but it is worth understanding that they often indicate the duration of the disease:

• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Sweating during sleep
• Increased body temperature
• Constant fatigue
• Unreasonable weight loss
• Soreness
• Dark red skin lesions

Treatment of a dangerous virus in a clinic setting

Scientists have not yet invented drugs that would destroy the terrible virus. Treatment HIV infection consists only of temporary suppression of the virus. This can significantly prolong the life of HIV-positive people. Their age with proper treatment reaches 35-40 years.

Stages of treatment for the virus:

1. Reducing the amount of virus in the body - etiotropic therapy
2. Reducing to a minimum its ability to reproduce.
3. Increasing human immunity - pathogenetic therapy
4. Treatment of diseases that appear against the background of a weakened body; symptomatic therapy

Treatment is based on the use medicines according to a special scheme. They are divided into several groups:

1. Reduce the activity of viral enzymes: timazide, retrovir “Glaxo Wellcome”, didanosine, hivid, zerit, epivir, combivir.
2. Antiretroviral drugs: delaverdine, nevirapine, loveride.
3. Drugs that block the ability of the virus to infect new cells: indinavir, saquinavir, nelfinavir.

A new drug is Ziagen. Ribavirin and foscarnet are being tested. According to statistics, azidothymidine, suramin, and combivir are popular.

To restore immunity, practice:

• bone marrow transplantation;
• lymphocyte infusion;
• Various immunomodulators are used.

Infections that develop against the background of a progressive disease are difficult to treat with antibiotics and antifungal agents. Very often they return in a more severe form. Some of them are treated only radiation therapy.

Practice has shown that the simultaneous use of three types of drugs gives good results. Compared with treatment with one drug, such therapy halved mortality and the number of concomitant diseases. This is due to the fact that after using the drug the virus becomes resistant to it and continues to develop.

It is worth noting that all people respond differently to treatment. It helps some people well, and they practically forget about their illness and live a full life. Others feel virtually no change.

The following are used in the treatment of HIV:

1. Medicines
2. Herbs
3. Acupuncture
4. Massage
5. Homeopathy
6. Ayurveda

Treatment is prescribed by a doctor who carefully studies the patient’s medical history, his tests, past illnesses and many other features. Treatment will depend on these factors: the combination of drugs and the scheme of their use.

Tri-therapy is a rather expensive “pleasure”, it costs more than ten thousand dollars a year. Therefore, it is not available to many HIV-infected people. In such a situation, people use folk remedies to treat HIV.

Doctors say that folk remedies as the main treatment will not give results. Therefore, it is recommended to use them only as auxiliary ones. Herbs have a beneficial effect on the immune system, strengthening and maintaining it.

How to treat HIV at home with herbs:

St. John's wort. Pour dry herb (100 g) into a liter of water, boil and keep on low heat for an hour. Strain the liquid, add 50 g of sea buckthorn oil and mix well. Let it brew for two days. Apply 4 times a day? glasses.

Sprunela. Pour the chopped herb into 1.5 liters of boiling water. After 3 hours, strain and add 50 g of nettle leaves. Boil over low heat for an hour, strain. Drink a glass a day gradually.

Liquorice root. Pour 50 g of root into 0.5 liters of water and simmer over low heat for about an hour. Then strain and add honey (3 tablespoons). Drink 200 ml on an empty stomach for three months. The tincture is also easy to prepare. You need to soak 100 g of licorice root in water, after 24 hours rub it and pour in 0.5 liters of vodka. IN dark place stand for 10 days. Then take 5 drops dissolved in a small amount of water.

Chinese cucumber, nettle, chamomile. Finely chopped Chinese cucumber, add water, boil, then add nettle leaves. After 7 minutes, strain and add chamomile. Leave the broth in a warm place for several days. Drink once a day after meals.

Calendula. Ready-made tincture can be purchased at a pharmacy. Take this way: in the morning on an empty stomach - 2 drops, every hour - 1 drop, before bedtime - 2 drops. After 3 days, do not drink the tincture. Then take it again for 3 days. Drink for five months.

HIV prevention

It is a well-known truth that best treatment disease is its prevention, which is best suited for in this case. Following simple measures will help you avoid HIV infection, which will allow you to live fully and enjoy every day you live.

Prevention of the disease includes several key points:

• Regular sexual partner
• Using condoms during sexual intercourse
• Avoid intimate relationships with strangers and people at risk (girls of easy virtue, drug addicts)
• Use disposable syringes and other instruments (dental, for tattooing).
• Maintain personal hygiene (use only personal toothbrushes and razors).
• At planned operations use your own blood (if a transfusion is needed).

If the disease is not treated, then specialists predict death within 9-11 years.

How to cure HIV? Unfortunately, it is incurable, so the only way staying away from this disease means not getting infected. The immunodeficiency virus does not spread by airborne droplets, through household items and is not spread by insects. Therefore, strict adherence simple rules will protect you from a dangerous disease.

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Is it possible to treat AIDS at home and how to do it?

• Manifestations of HIV infection
• Products to strengthen the immune system
• Lifestyle as a method of combating HIV

Before treating AIDS at home, it is necessary to clearly understand that at the moment there is no effective cure for HIV infection. But this is not a reason to give up, because using traditional medicine recipes, you can reduce the number of viruses in the blood, support the immune system, and partially restore impaired organ functions. At the same time, at home, you can help your body every day using certain methods.

Manifestations of HIV infection

The first mention of the human immunodeficiency virus appeared in the 80s of the last century. HIV infection is a disease characterized by a sluggish course and manifested in weakening immune system. The last stage pathologies in which secondary diseases and tumor processes occur as a result of decreased immunity are commonly called “AIDS” (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

This severe pathology cannot be treated and, as a rule, leads to fatal outcome. At this time, the human body is so weakened that the cause of death can be a simple cold.

Aware of the dangers of HIV infection, many people are interested in information on how to detect AIDS at home. The main thing here is to know that the infection can hide in the human body for a long time. In some cases, even special tests are not able to detect the virus. Symptoms of the disease begin to appear only during the destruction of the body.

Often signs of AIDS include:

• fungal infections mucous membranes and lungs;
• prolonged fever with increased body temperature;
• rash on skin;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• general deterioration of health;
• lack of appetite;
• development of Kaposi's sarcoma and much more.

If one or more symptoms occur, each person can be tested for HIV infection by taking a test and undergoing a series of necessary procedures.

It is impossible to get rid of the infection, but it is possible to cure secondary pathologies that develop against the background of HIV infection. Here you will need to use complex methods, which will include the use of drugs that affect the ability of viruses to reproduce, strengthen the immune system and protect the body from possible infection with another infection.

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You can prepare preparations at home that differ high efficiency when affecting the immune system. So, one of the most potent drugs Kvass is considered to be made from banana peels. To prepare it you will need:

• 3 cups finely chopped banana peel;
• 1 cup granulated sugar;
• 1 tsp. sour cream;
• 3 liters of boiled cool water.

The peel is placed in a glass container and filled with water, sugar and sour cream are added there. The container is covered with gauze and left in a warm place for 14 days. Active selection gases will be a sign that the kvass is ready. It is consumed 4 times a day, 125 ml 30 minutes before meals.

To prepare a new portion of kvass, you can use the old starter: when the container is half empty, add water to it and leave until ready. It is necessary to change the starter when the drink loses its characteristic specific taste.

Calendula is often used to strengthen the immune system. At the pharmacy you need to purchase an alcohol tincture of calendula, which is taken according to the following scheme:

• in the morning – 2 drops;
• during the day – 1 drop;
• in the evening – 2 drops.

The tincture is consumed for 3 days, then take a break for 1 day. The course of admission is 5 months.

good therapeutic effect Beekeeping products have benefits, but when using them you must completely avoid drinking alcohol. To make a decoction of dead meat and propolis you should take:

• 2 tsp. death;
• 1 tsp. propolis;
• 500 ml water.

The dead meat is placed in a container, filled with liquid and boiled for 120 minutes. Then the broth is filtered and propolis is added to it. Use the drug 1 tbsp. l. per day after meals.

Licorice-based products have good anti-inflammatory, antitoxic and wound-healing properties. The substances that make up the plant have versatile biological activity and are widely used in both traditional and folk medicine.

In addition, you can prepare a berry-fruit mixture rich in vitamins and microelements. You will need:

• 500 g each of lingonberries and viburnum;
• 1 kg of green apples;
• 2 cups walnut kernels;
• 2 kg granulated sugar.

First of all, you need to add a little water to the granulated sugar and cook the syrup. Then all the prepared ingredients are poured into syrup and placed in jars. The medicine is taken 1 tbsp. l. a day before breakfast.

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Important medical complex The fight against HIV infection in general and AIDS in particular is a change in lifestyle.

A person must completely stop drinking alcohol and smoking. This will increase the concentration of vitamins and microelements in the blood, as a result of which the ability of the immune system to resist infection will also increase.

The diet requires the use of only natural products that do not irritate the organs gastrointestinal tract. It is necessary to exclude the intake of fatty, spicy, heavy foods, smoked and canned food, baked goods and sweets.

Great importance should be attached to the daily routine. So, you should create a schedule according to which the patient will eat at the same time. Eating after 19:00 is strictly prohibited. Every day after meals and before bed you need to chew 9 g of honey in a honeycomb.

Doctors believe that visiting a bathhouse and fasting have a good effect on strengthening the immune system. The Russian steam room has always helped to cure colds and infectious diseases, and eliminated the symptoms of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. It will also provide effective assistance for AIDS.

The use of active fasting is designed to increase the protective properties of the immune system. In this way, the body redirects resources from the process of digesting food to fighting infectious agents. Active fasting involves completely refusing to eat for a day or more. To eliminate the feeling of hunger, you can drink an unlimited amount of liquid with the addition of apple cider vinegar and honey.

After consulting a doctor, you can conduct a course of wet wraps to strengthen the body's defenses. The procedure requires a large piece of linen cloth, which is soaked in warm water and wrapped around the body. Then you need to put the patient to bed and carefully wrap him in a blanket. After 2 hours, you need to unwrap the fabric and take a lukewarm shower. After a shower, it is important to put your body warm again.

And the main recommendation for HIV infection is to remember that a full life is possible even in case of illness. Every day must be met with good mood and the desire to get well. Scientists are actively working, and cures for AIDS will soon appear.

Treatment of HIV with folk remedies

In the manifest period (the period of the height of the disease), clinical manifestations opportunistic infection. The most common symptoms are pneumonia caused by pneumocystis, gastrointestinal and pulmonary forms of cryptosporoidosis, generalized toxoplasmosis infection, which often occurs in the form of encephalitis, generalized manifestations of herpetic and cytomegalovirus infections, mycoses, and bacterial infections.

Dermatological indicators of HIV

Various lesions of the skin and mucous membranes are a very common manifestation of HIV infection. They appear in virtually all clinical forms of the disease, and not only in the stage of developed AIDS, and have diagnostic and prognostic significance.

Almost half of the patients in the acute period develop an asymptomatic, widespread, symmetrical rash. measles-like rash or syphilitic roseola. Localized mostly on the torso. Lasts from 3 days to 2–3 weeks. Histologically, such exanthema is characterized by perivascular infiltrates of lymphocytes and histiocytes.

With symptoms of HIV infection, hemorrhagic spots may also appear. up to 3 mm in diameter, similar to hemorrhagic allergic vasculitis. Such rashes can be combined with ulcerations of the mucous membranes of the mouth and esophagus and severe dysphonia. Possible accession viral lesions skin (molluscum contagiosum).

During the period of HIV infection, seborrheic eczema is detected; in the acute stage of the disease it is observed less frequently, and in the stage of developed AIDS - in 46–83%. A number of patients have the first clinical symptom of HIV infection, appearing from time to time 1–2 years before the appearance of other clinical signs. The difference from eczema is that the patchy elements are located on the scalp, neck, and face.

Common fungal infections of the skin and nail plates appear relatively often during HIV infection. The disease can occur in the form of lesions typical for dermatomycosis. Atypical manifestations are noted on the face and neck; the clinical picture may resemble exudative erythema, seborrheic dermatitis, folliculitis. Rubrophytosis of the palms and soles receives indicators of palmoplantar keratoderma. Pityriasis versicolor characterized by dissemination of lesions with a tendency to infiltration and lichenification of the skin.

All dermatological manifestations atypical in age, localization, course, usual location, and resistance to therapy should alarm the doctor.

Kaposi's sarcoma as one of the signs of the HIV virus

Kaposi's sarcoma is the most characteristic dermatological tumor symptom of HIV infection. The disease most often begins with the appearance on the skin lower limbs reddish-bluish spots, they grow to 5 cm or more in diameter. After some time, symptoms of HIV infection appear, such as dense elastic nodules up to the size of a pea; they can merge into infiltrative plaques and tumor-like formations. The process is accompanied by swelling. Along with rashes, there are hemorrhages with secondary deposition of hemosiderin into the skin.

Foci of sarcoma in HIV infection are localized in the middle and upper third of the dermis, less often in the lower part of the dermis, spreading into the subcutaneous fatty tissue. Histologically, it is a disordered neovascularization, proliferation of spindle cells resembling sarcoma cells.

Clinical indicators that distinguish Kaposi's sarcoma associated with HIV infection from the classical form (in elderly people):

young age (up to 35 years);

more severe, progressive course;

widespread temperamental skin lesions with rapid generalization of the process and involvement of the mucous membranes of the mouth, lymph nodes, internal organs.

In addition, Kaposi's sarcoma associated with HIV infection is characterized by a lack of therapeutic results from the treatment and high mortality in the first 1–2 years after its origin. Damage to peripheral lymph nodes in patients may precede the appearance of clinical signs of HIV infection on the skin and mucous membranes. This is the highlight of Kaposi's sarcoma. Of other tumor processes noted squamous cell carcinoma mucous membrane of the mouth and anorectal area.

Herpes simplex is severe chronic course with education ulcerative lesion, distribution herpetic rashes on different areas skin and mucous membranes. Ulcerative herpetic lesions are very painful. The only one therapeutic agent, which in such patients can reduce the condition and also lead to temporary remission - acyclovir, administered intravenously.

Shingles can appear at any time and vary in severity. Relapses of the disease are likely.

Hairy leukoplakia of the oral mucosa has so far been described only in patients with symptoms of HIV infection. We are confident that the causative agent is the Epstein-Barr virus or human papillomaviruses. In most cases, it is localized in the posterior and middle third of the lateral surface of the tongue in contact with the teeth; There are no subjective sensations. Histologically, it corresponds to the elements of simple warts.

Candidiasis on the mucous membrane begins with thrush, but unlike simple candidiasis in patients with symptoms of HIV infection, it appears white coating quickly fuses with the underlying mucous membrane and is not removed when scraped. Upon completion of forced removal, bleeding erosions appear. Candida rashes are virtually untreatable. It is possible to try to improve the condition of patients through the use of nizoral.

Based clinical picture it is possible to suspect HIV infection. To confirm the diagnosis, tests for antibodies to HIV are needed. Many cases of the asymptomatic phase of HIV infection are detected during mass examinations. To determine the concentration of viral RNA, the reverse PCR method is used. The dynamics of viral RNA concentration allows us to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of treatment, the degree of infectivity of the patient and the prognosis of AIDS.

Methods for detecting proviral DNA by PCR are used mainly for scientific purposes. HIV genotyping and phenotyping are used to detect pathogen resistance to antiretroviral drugs.

Full indications for screening for symptoms of HIV infection are:

acute febrile stage;

Kaposi's sarcoma in guys and in an unusual place;

molluscum contagiosum in an adult.

How to treat HIV infection?

After finishing HIV virus entered the body, it will be in a state of hibernation. This condition can last from one month to several years. There have been cases where people were carriers for 20 years. The incubation period depends on your health status, lifestyle and medications taken. Treatment consists of maintaining immune defense body. It is necessary to avoid diseases, because with a weakened immune system, in addition to that's easy A cold without treatment can be fatal.

Antiretroviral drugs include HIV protease inhibitors (Indinavir, Ritonavir, Nelfinavir), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (Zidovudine, Didanosine, Zalcitabine, Stavudine, Lamivudine) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (Nevirapine, Delavirdine). Combination treatment reduces the concentration of viral RNA, slows the progression of immunodeficiency, increases the life expectancy of patients, and prevents the development of infection when prescribed after sexual intercourse.

The prognosis for life is unfavorable.

Folk remedies for HIV

The infection is the plague of the 21st century. At this stage of development, no completely effective medicine from this trouble. No remedy has yet been discovered that could completely wipe out deadly microbes from the face of the earth. Many, having lost faith in classical methods of treatment, choose to treat AIDS with folk remedies. Based on the interpretation of this problem, the disease leads to a decline in human immunity, and at the same time, immune bodies in the blood are actively destroyed. The main drugs for treating HIV using folk remedies include:

• St. John's wort decoctions help keep the infection at bay. To make a decoction, you need to dry it and grind it into powder, mix it with sea buckthorn oil and water. The proportions are respectively 2:1:10. The herb is boiled in boiling water for about 60 minutes. Then the liquid is filtered and oil is added to it. The composition is vigorously mixed and left for 48 hours. Use this folk remedy you need 100 ml 4 times a day.
• Treatment with sprunella decoction. Such a plant is very difficult to acquire, since it very rarely appears in pharmacies. 100 grams of the plant are brewed in 3 liters of boiling water, then infused for 180 minutes, filtered. 100 grams of crushed dry nettle is poured into the liquid. Everything is boiled over low heat for about 60 minutes. and filtered again. You need to take 200 ml per day.
• Decoctions from licorice root. It will excellently reduce infection particles in the blood, along with this, immunity increases. A decoction for treating HIV is very simple to prepare. 100 grams of roots are boiled for about 60 minutes, after which 6 huge spoons of honey are filtered and dissolved. On an empty stomach you need to drink a glass of decoction. It is best to do this in the morning.
• Calendula infusion. This folk remedy is drunk on an empty stomach, 2 drops every day. Later during the day, drink another drop at any hour, then 2 more drops at night. Take it with the following schedule: drink for 3 days, pause for 3 days.

Circumstances of development and prevention of HIV

The causative agent of AIDS is a human T-lymphotropic virus belonging to the retrovirus family. Since 1986, the designation human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or AIDS (AIDS), was introduced. Retroviruses contain an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. The pathogen enters through microtraumas of the skin (contact with blood) and mucous membranes of the genital tract or rectum. From the moment of infection until the first signs of infection appear incubation period– from 1 month to 4–6 years.

The basis of the pathogenesis of HIV infection is the T-lymphotropy of the virus. Persistence and accumulation of the virus occurs in lymphoid tissue. By multiplying in T4 cells (happers), AIDS viruses destroy them. But sometimes AIDS gets into the blood and can be found in the discharge. With the emergence clinical symptoms viremia becomes more intense.

Lack of immunity leads to the activation of a latent infection or the addition of an opportunistic infection caused by opportunistic microbes. These diseases lead in most cases to the death of patients in the next 1–2 years after the appearance of the first clinical signs of HIV infection. The higher the concentration of viral RNA in the plasma, the higher the risk of infection. The concentration of viral RNA in plasma is enormous during the acute febrile stage of HIV infection and severe immunodeficiency.

Routes of transmission of AIDS

Laboratory and epidemiological studies indicate that STIs that manifest as genital ulcers (syphilis, genital herpes), causing inflammatory transformations (gonorrhea, trichomoniasis), and, perhaps, a number of non-inflammatory diseases of the genital organs (bacterial vaginosis), increase the risk transmission and infection of HIV infection through sexual contact.

Perhaps it is the different incidence and prevalence of STIs that cause different share HIV infections during heterosexual sexual intercourse in various countries of the world. HIV is transmitted sexually (through homosexual and heterosexual contacts), through transfusion of blood and its preparations, from an infected mother to a newborn in the prenatal period, during childbirth or during breastfeeding.

The most popular route of transmission of HIV infection worldwide is sexual. Transmission through kissing is unlikely. HIV transmission through sexual contact contributes to

or not is a question that worries millions of people around the world. It is worth noting that hundreds of scientists are working to find a vaccine or cure for this disease. Did they manage to find miracle cure, thanks to which HIV can be cured today? Unfortunately, no one can give a positive answer to this question yet. When talking about whether HIV can be treated, you should pay attention to the fact that there is no talk of complete elimination yet. However, modern medicine has made great progress in this matter.

Will HIV be cured soon?

To answer the question of whether it will be possible to cure HIV in the near future, we should consider the most important discoveries of recent years in the field of immunodeficiency virus research. Perhaps they will shed light on this issue. What studies, the results of which were recently published, are we talking about:

Have you ever been cured of HIV?

The question of whether there are cases of cure for HIV worries many. People look for such information on the Internet, on forums and websites. But this is not entirely correct. For such information, it is better to refer to statistics from the WHO or the Ministry of Health, if we are talking about data for Russia. Both organizations cannot answer the question of whether HIV and AIDS are curable. The fact is that they have no recorded data on miraculous cases of relief from this terrible disease. But on forums and websites there are fierce debates about whether HIV can be treated or not. A separate category consists of AIDS dissidents who completely deny the existence of this terrible disease. These people believe that talk about whether HIV infection can be cured forever is pointless. After all, the immunodeficiency virus is a smart move by the world’s ruling elite, with the help of which money is laundered and so on. Although there is a lot of official evidence that the disease actually exists. This is evidenced by high threshold mortality, and the consequences that the virus leads to at the stage secondary manifestations. AIDS dissidents are considered dangerous because they discourage some infected people from taking medications and preventative measures.

People often write on religious forums that HIV is completely curable. They declare that prayer, coming to faith and cleansing from all mortal things helped them get rid of a terrible fatal illness. Believing in it or not is a personal matter for everyone. However official medicine encourages people to take all precautions and trust only trusted sources regarding whether it is possible to be cured of HIV infection forever.

Relatively recently, a foreign scientific publication published information that several cases of complete elimination of the immunodeficiency virus have been recorded. At the same time, we are not talking about people who were tested on new drugs and vaccines. It’s just that at some point there were several cases recorded complete cure from HIV infection in positive patients. This happened to Europeans, and some scientists have found a reasonable explanation for this phenomenon. The fact is that in the human body Caucasian a gene was found that is responsible for the fight against virus cells. With its help, they are even developing a vaccine against this terrible disease. Quite possible, full treatment HIV, or rather its amazing disappearance, is directly related to some modification of this genome, with the help of which the virus was destroyed in the body of previously infected people.

Why HIV is not curable: what reasons are voiced by scientists and medical experts?

At the end of 2015, American scientists were able to find an answer to the question of why the immunodeficiency virus cannot be cured. This discovery made it possible to give a negative answer to the question of whether HIV and AIDS can be cured forever from the body. The fact is that we learned to suppress the virus itself ten years ago, but sooner or later it makes itself felt again. We are talking about situations when the body's immune response weakens. It turned out that along with the virus, a special protein enters the body, the presence of which was previously unknown. It completely blocks the work of a certain protein, which is responsible for the production of substances that suppress virus-infected cells. This study in the future it may help to find the answer to the question of how to cure HIV.

Modern medicine also has its own educated guesses on this matter. Experts believe that AIDS and HIV can be treated and suppressed up to a certain point. This is an acute stage that lasts only a few weeks. During this time, it is not possible to completely destroy infected cells. During this period, the virus is suppressed. This is followed by a long asymptomatic stage. It is characterized by the absence of any manifestations. Whether HIV infection is cured or not during this period is clear thanks to modern methods diagnostics After all, disease cells are detected at this moment, but do not manifest themselves in any way. They literally eat into the genetic tissue, after which they “fall asleep” certain time. A sharp exacerbation occurs before the onset of the stage of secondary manifestations. The body, which gets used to the fact that the virus cells are inactive, does not have time to cope with their rapid spread. Antibodies are produced slowly, and the consequences of the disease become irreversible.

In search of an answer to the question of whether HIV infection is completely curable, scientists tried to prescribe antiretroviral therapy to patients during the latent asymptomatic period. But this did not bring any results. The virus cells showed absolute resistance to any ART drugs.

The question of whether HIV can be cured or not worries many people. Currently, this disease is often called the “plague of the 21st century.” But high mortality does not mean at all that every person who is diagnosed with the immunodeficiency virus is doomed in advance. To understand how dangerous this disease is, you should learn more about it.

The dangers of an HIV diagnosis

The immunodeficiency virus was discovered in the late 80s. last century and has since claimed the lives of thousands of people. The disease itself is not fatal, but it is called deadly.

The virus affects the human immune system. It enters the body and circulates freely throughout blood vessels and affects healthy cells. Under its influence, the production of T-leukocytes is blocked, that is, those blood cells that are responsible for recognizing the disease and producing substances that can “kill” the virus and other threats. The virus invades the nucleus of the T-leukocyte and changes its program.

A decrease in the number of white blood cells leads to a weakening of the body's defenses. At a late stage of the disease - AIDS - a person becomes practically defenseless against the effects of viruses, and even slight cold can lead to tragic consequences.

The virus can enter the body in different ways:

1. From an HIV-positive mother through the placenta or breast milk. This method of infection is observed in 30% of cases. Currently, it is only possible if the mother is not undergoing treatment. Modern drugs and treatment technologies make it possible to effectively treat HIV in pregnant women, and the child is born healthy.
2. During unprotected sexual intercourse.
3. In case of contact with an injured mucous membrane.

It is better to treat any disease in the early stages, including the immunodeficiency virus. But the fact is that detecting an insidious virus is not so easy. Test results even for an infected person may be negative for some time. Therefore, many patients sometimes do not even realize that they are infected and it is time to start treatment.

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Symptoms of a developing disease

Most often, signs of the disease appear within one to six months, but in in rare cases it may take several years until this point. The incubation period depends on individual characteristics body and is usually directly proportional to the state of the human immune system.

There are symptoms that can be used to determine the presence of an infection, but their presence already indicates that quite a lot of time has passed since the infection:

• fatigue;
• weight loss for no reason;
• sweating;
• dark red spots;
• temperature increase;
• enlarged lymph nodes.

The presence of HIV infection in the body leads to decreased resistance to disease.

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Modern methods of treating HIV

Today, the question of whether HIV is curable or not can only be answered in the negative. All existing means are aimed only at suppressing the virus and increasing the immunity of the human body in conditions of constant threat of attack on the immune system by a viral agent.

First of all, etiotropic therapy is used, aimed at reducing the amount of virus. Then medications are prescribed to minimize the spread of HIV infection. The patient is prescribed drugs from the following groups:

• antiretroviral: loverid, deloverdine;
• reducing the ability of the virus to block healthy cells: nelfinavir, indinavir;
• reducing the viability of the virus: Glaxo Wellcom, epivir, zerit.

There are several groups in total antiviral drugs. For effective treatment, it is recommended to take three drugs from different groups. The use of only one medicine leads to the fact that the virus becomes resistant to its effects, and its effectiveness decreases.

An HIV-infected person will have to take the recommended medications throughout his life and repeatedly throughout the day, which requires willpower. Skipping a medication will render the therapy useless. The virus begins to develop again and continues to have a destructive effect on the body. It is believed that 100% compliance with the medication regimen provides a fairly high (about 80%) guarantee of stopping the development of the virus and not progressing to the AIDS stage.

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Restoring the immune system during treatment

The development of a complex of drugs made it possible to avoid addiction and halve the mortality rate from HIV.

To enhance immunity, pathogenetic therapy is prescribed. At the same time, concomitant diseases are treated.

To restore immunity, bone marrow and lymphocyte transplantation is practiced, or immunomodulators are used. Concomitant diseases in an organism weakened by the immunodeficiency virus are extremely difficult to treat. Relapse is often observed, and in an even more complex form. Radiation therapy is prescribed to treat a number of concomitant diseases.

Viruses can live for a very long time inside a cell. But those that do not remain in the lymph or blood die within 24 hours without any treatment. Tritherapy prevents viruses from entering the cell. As a result, their numbers are reduced so much that tests may not detect them. However, the procedure does not provide complete recovery.

Modern treatment methods are not suitable for all patients. Some note an improvement in their well-being and can return to almost their previous life. Immunity is restored to almost the same level as before infection. The risk of developing concomitant diseases is significantly reduced. This suggests that the body can again cope with most diseases. But there is a group of patients for whom treatment does not produce results.

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How long can a patient with HIV live?

It is very difficult to say exactly how long people living with HIV live. But this does not mean that the diagnosis is a death sentence, and it is time to prepare for the inevitable. If you believe the statistics, then average duration Life expectancy with HIV ranges from 5 to 15 years, and some people can live to a ripe old age.

It is not possible to measure the life expectancy of HIV-positive people for a number of reasons:

1. Some people who became infected with HIV back in the 80s are still alive. That is, they have been considered sick for more than 25 years, but this figure is not the limit, since it only indicates the time that has passed since the discovery of the disease.
2. Effective medications and treatments were invented more than ten years ago and help slow the spread of the virus in the body.
3. Medicine does not stand still, medical technology and pharmaceuticals are developing, and new treatment methods are being developed. Therefore, it is quite possible to expect the emergence in the near future of revolutionary methods that will help get rid of HIV.

At the moment the most effective medicine are considered antiretroviral drugs. They are able to block the virus’s access to the blood elements necessary for its existence. Due to this, its activity is suppressed, reproduction and spread are controlled.

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Modern developments of scientists

Scientists around the world, wondering whether HIV is curable or not, have been looking for effective ways to treat the immunodeficiency virus for more than 20 years. Currently, there are already significant achievements that bring closer the discovery of an effective drug. Some developments are already beginning to be tested on people.

Research has shown that a small percentage of people - only about 1% - are not affected by HIV due to a small gene mutation. Currently, geneticists are studying this mutation and looking for opportunities to use it in other patients.

It is assumed that cells will be removed from an HIV-positive patient in which, using methods genetic engineering will not leave receptors suitable for virus penetration. The modified cells are then “returned” back to the patient. Maintaining a stable population of such cells will eventually make it possible to completely cure the immunodeficiency virus.

Radiologists put forward the theory that HIV at an early stage can be cured using targeted radio wave exposure to damaged cells.

It is still difficult to say whether HIV can be cured with the latest developments scientists, but there is a high probability that in a few years at least one of them will help overcome the virus.

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 malignant tumors due to deep oppression protective property body.

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, which 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 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, very aggressive, 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 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 increased risk infection and 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. Virus in environment It does not last 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. Application antiviral drugs helps 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 a few 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 take into account the number of enlarged nodes - 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 inherent 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 normal, 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. 1th test - 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.
   • Sets home use"OraSure Technologies1". Developer - America. This test was approved by the FDA.

Incubation period HIV virus life 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 has been established, regular monitoring is necessary throughout the entire period of the disease. laboratory research 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 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 drug regimen antiviral treatment for 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 insignificant results. Today, on average, HIV-infected people live 11-12 years, but careful therapy and modern medicinal preparations will significantly extend the lifespan of patients.

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