How Does HIV Proliferate?

Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV is the most widely known of all sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) especially among the youth.  It is considered as one of the most terrible pandemics that have ever hit mankind, accounting for 25 million deaths since it reached the public eye in 1981.

Origin

HIV is believed to have originated from West-Central Africa.  There are two know strains of the disease.  HIV-1 is thought to have evolved from the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) which afflicts wild chimpanzees.  HIV-2, meanwhile, is believed to have jumped species from the primate Sooty Mangabey to humans.

How Infection Proliferates

HIV is transmitted through transfer of bodily fluids.  Unprotected sexual relations remain to be the most prevalent mode of viral transmission. The virus is transmitted via contaminated sexual emissions from the host to the mucous membranes lining the genital, anal or oral orifice of the receiving partner.

Moreover, the receiving partner of unprotected anal intercourse is seen to be most at risk of infection from this type of viral transmission, with an estimated rate of 50 for every 10,000 exposures to an infected carrier.  The receiving female of unprotected penile-vaginal intercourse follows closely with an estimated rate of infection of 10 for every 10,000 exposures.

Contaminated needles can also transmit the virus with a high infection rate of 67 for every 10,000 exposures to an infected carrier.  People who use prohibited drugs are the most likely potential receptors of the infection.  There is also a small possibility of infection for workers in the medical profession as well as those into body art.

Blood transfusion was once a prevalent mode of transmission of the disease.  However, blood products are now largely screened for presence of HIV thus significantly reducing the likelihood of spreading the disease through this mode of transmission.  Blood transfusion is the most effective viral transmission mode with a rate of 9,000 for every 10,000 exposures to an infected carrier.

Mothers can also potentially transmit the virus to their children either while in the womb or during childbirth.  Childbirth comes in second in terms of effectiveness of viral transmission with a rate of 25,000 for every 10,000 exposures to an infected carrier. The infection can likewise be transmitted through breast feeding.

Prevention and Treatment

Keeping away from infected agents is still the most effective way to avoid the disease as there is no known vaccine or complete cure to date.  The current treatment option being used worldwide is known as highly active antiretroviral therapy or HAART which is a combination of drugs that inhibit the effect of the virus to the body.  While it significantly reduces the number of HIV-related deaths and results to a marked improvement in the quality of life of patients, it has no ability to eliminate altogether the viral infection.  GP