HIV Virus – Origin, Symptoms And Transmission

HIV  was first discovered by the researchers in France by the year 1983 and a year later it has also been known by the US researchers. In the year 1985 it was also found on West Africa.  HIV is the acronym for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus infects a particular white blood cell called the T-cells or the CD4 lymphocytes that are helper cells to the immune system of the body. HIV virus enters these CD4 lymphocytes and inserts its genetic structure or the RNA to produce more HIV and eventually the infected cells die. That is the reason why a person that has HIV infection is weak and is prone to sickness because the immune system of that person is not functioning well anymore.

The symptoms of having HIV infection include the swollen lymph glands, fever, tiredness, diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight, thrust (yeast infection) of the mouth and vagina, and night sweats. It may also lead to dementia, a mental disorder which affects thinking, sensory and memory of a person. When the infection already affected the brain, it may also cause movement or coordination problems.

HIV is mainly transmitted to three factors:

•    Sexual Intercourse – the sharing of genital fluids such as semen (male secretion) and vaginal secretion has a high risk of passing the virus to your partner. Having sexual relationship with multiple partners, homosexual or bisexual persons or having a very active sexual activity with your partner is also factors of HIV transmission.

•    Direct contact with infected blood or by sharing of needles and syringes that are unsterile and contaminated by infected blood. Blood transfusion is also a way of being infected if the blood donation was from a donor that is HIV positive. In rare cases, surgery, organ transplant and dental operations also lead to the transmission of HIV virus if the equipments are unsterilized.

•    Mother to child transmission during pregnancy, childbirth and while breastfeeding. An infected pregnant woman may pass the virus to her unborn child because of the hormones she passes to her baby. Even if the child is already born, the baby may also be infected by breastfeeding.

HIV virus is not transmitted through air, food, water, or insects. It is not also transmitted through kissing, hugging, holding hands or dancing, or any other physical contact that doesn’t involve sharing of bodily fluids with a person that has HIV infection.