Human Immuno Deficiency virus infection/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/ AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by Human Immunodeficiency virus(HIV)
TRANSMISSION:
- HIV is transmitted primarily via unprotected sexual intercourse, contaminated blood transfusion and hypodermic needles,and from mother to child during pregnancy,delivery or breast feeding
- some body fluids such as saliva and tears do not transmit HIV
- prevention of HIV infection primarily through safe sex and needle exchange programs is a key strategy to control the disease
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
- The PATHOPHYSIOLOGY of aids is complex.
- ultimately HIV causes AIDS by depleting CD4+ T cells.
- This weakens the immune system and allows opportunistic infection(infections caused by pathogens).
- Tcells are essential to the immune response and without them the body cannot fight infections (or) kill cancerous cells.
- thus weakening of CD4 T cells mainly includes the function of HIV virus
DIAGNOSIS:
HIV infection is commonly diagnosed by blood tests. there are three main types of tests that are commonly used
- HIV antibody test
- RNA tests
- combination test that detects both antibodies and a piece of the virus called P24 protien
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