HIV

**Human immunodeficiency virus** (**HIV**) is a type of virus called a Lentivirus, which means "slow virus". This is a kind of retrovirus. It infects the human immune system, which is the system in the body which fights off infections. 

HIV may cause AIDS. This kills the white blood cells which a healthy body uses to fight diseases.

African Americans, gay and bisexual men, black women, transgender women and drug users are most affected by the disease.

South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe have the highest rate of HIV in the world.

## How people get infected 
A person can get infected with HIV if any body liquid with the virus gets into their body. The body liquids that carry HIV are blood, semen, liquid from the vagina, and breast milk. 

Most often, people get HIV through the vagina or anus during sex. However, the virus may get into the body anywhere that there is injured skin. 

Some common ways to get HIV include:
* A person with HIV can give a sexual partner the virus if they have unprotected sex. That means having sexual intercourse without a condom.
* A person can get HIV if they use the same needle as a person with HIV, which most often happens when injecting drugs or getting a tattoo.
* Babies can get the virus from their mothers when they are born or when they are breastfeeding. A baby may be protected from getting HIV this way if their mother takes certain medications while she is pregnant.
* In the past, blood transfusions using HIV-infected blood was a common cause of HIV. The blood had been taken from people with HIV infections. Now, in the developed world screening of blood products for HIV has mostly stopped this happening. However, people may still get HIV from blood transfusions in less-developed countries if the blood is not screened.

A person cannot get infected with HIV from non-sexual touching, like a hug or handshake, or touching or swallowing someone else's saliva. A person cannot get HIV from an insect bite, a cough, or a sneeze. People also cannot get HIV from touching light switches, using toilets, or drinking from the same glass as a person with HIV.

### Data 

:a Other studies found insufficient evidence that male circumcision protects against HIV infection among men who have sex with men
:b Oral trauma, sores, inflammation, concomitant sexually transmitted infections, ejaculation in the mouth, and systemic immune suppression may increase HIV transmission rate.
:† "best-guess estimate"
:‡ Pooled transmission probability estimate.
:Bracketed values represent 95% confidence interval.

## Treatment 
### Drug treatment 
HIV infects and kills cells in the body that prevent disease, which makes people with HIV more prone to illness. There are many drugs available to treat HIV, but there is no cure for HIV, though lots of research is in progress. Drugs that treat HIV are called antiretroviral therapy (ART) or highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). HAART treatment generally consists of a combination of two or three drugs, each of which target a different part of the HIV virus life cycle. Together, HAART slows the progression of the HIV virus in the body. HAART also prevents the HIV virus from multiplying and destroying CD4 T cells, which are necessary to help protect the body from infections and cancer.

It is recommended to start HAART if a person has HIV and has a CD4 cell count of less than or equal to 350 cells/mm3. This number can be determined by a doctor.

### General treatment 
There has been controversy surrounding when the correct time to start therapy should be after a person discovers that they have HIV. Recently, the answer has been that earlier treatment is recommended. This is because, first, effective therapy can prevent non-AIDS-related deaths. Second, therapy can prevent harm to a person’s immune system. Third, therapy can help prevent transmission of HIV to others, and can therefore reduce HIV prevalence overall. Most research has occurred in developing countries, and little research has been done on the impacts of ART on household wellbeing.

Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)
* Lactic acidosis, hepatic steatosis, and body fat redistribution (lipodystrophy)
* Fever, headache, , nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue

Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs)
* Rash, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis
* Fatigue, mood changes, liver function, insomnia
* May have significant interactions with other drugs; dosage adjustments would be required

Protease Inhibitors (PIs)
* Metabolic abnormalities including dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and lipodystrophy
* May increase risk of bleeding in hemophiliacs
* Rash, diarrhea, vomiting, taste perversion, fatigue
* May have significant interactions with other drugs; dosage adjustment would be required

Fusion Inhibitors
* Injection site reactions, neutropenia, increased frequency of pneumonia
Chemokine Coreceptor Antagonists
* Diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, headache, liver function, joint pain

Integrase Inhibitors
* Nausea, diarrhea, headache, rash

Pharmacokinetic Enhancers
* Increased serum creatinine, proteinuria, nausea, diarrhea  Stress management can increase quality of life for a person with HIV.

Another type of alternative therapy for treating HIV is micronutrient supplementation. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals, so these supplements would be in the form of a general daily multivitamin. These supplements have been proven to help treat HIV because HIV can cause micronutrient deficiencies, so the supplements can help replenish these needed vitamins and minerals. Although the supplements may not help ease all negative symptoms, they offer some benefits and are safe for HIV-infected patients.

Alternative therapies can help to reduce symptoms of diseases like HIV, but do not cure the disease, or stop the disease from spreading to other people.

## PREP 
"PREP" or "PrEP" is *pre-exposure prophylaxis*. This means a person takes a drug before having risky sex. The drug 'Truvada' is a combination of two different anti-viral treatments: *tenofovir* and *emtricitabine*. Truvada is very expensive, and was not available on the UK's National Health Service before 2016. A study, published in *The Lancet* in 2023 found that PrEP reduced the chances of getting HIV by almost 87% and recommended that it should be more easily available.

## Other websites 
* AIDS-HIV Resources and guidelines for prevention 
* University of California, Santa Barbara's *SexInfo* This article provides basic information about HIV/AIDS in a way that is easy to understand. This site also has an article that provides A Personal Guide for Preventing AIDS Transmission.
* AIDS Education Global Information System (AEGiS)

## References