HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)

Introduction:

Since the beginning of the epidemic, 85.6 million [65.0–113.0 million] people have been
infected with the HIV virus and about 40.4 million [32.9–51.3 million] people have died
of HIV. Globally, 39.0 million [33.1–45.7 million] people were living with HIV at the end
of 2022. Eswatini has the highest HIV rate at 19.58%, followed closely by Lesotho at
18.72%. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body's immune
system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome). There is currently no effective cure. Once people get HIV, they have it for
life. But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. HIV (human immunodeficiency
virus) is a virus that attacks the body's immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead
to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). There is currently no effective cure.
Once people get HIV, they have it for life. But with proper medical care, HIV can be
controlled.

What is HIV?
 HIV or human immunodeficiency virus, a type of virus that mainly attacks the
body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated rightly, it can lead the person
to AIDS or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
 No effective cure is known currently. Once people get infected with HIV, they
will have it for life.
 But with the proper medical assistance, this HIV can be controlled. With the
effective treatment, people with HIV can live long and healthy lives and also
protect their partners efficiently.

From where did this HIV come from?

 The HIV infection came to humans from a type of chimpanzee found

natively in Central Africa. According to the studies, it is shown that HIV may
have jumped from the chimpanzees to humans as far back as the late
1800s.
 The virus of the chimpanzee version is called simian immunodeficiency
virus. There are thoughts that it might pass to humans when humans did
 hunt of these chimpanzees for meat and come in contact with their blood
infected with HIV.
 Over decades, HIV gradually proliferated across Africa and later into the
other parts of the world. The virus has existed in the United States since at
least the mid to late 1970s.

How do I know if I have HIV?

 To get tested is the only way to know if u have HIV. Knowing your HIV status
helps you make healthy decisions to prevent getting or transmitting HIV.

Are there symptoms?
  For many, yes. Most people have flu-like symptoms within 2 to 4 weeks
after infection. Symptoms may last for a few days or several weeks.
 Having these symptoms alone doesn’t mean you have HIV. Other illnesses
can cause similar symptoms.
 Some people have no symptoms at all. The only way to know if you
have HIV is to get tested.

What are the stages of HIV?

When people with HIV don’t get treatment, they typically progress through three
stages. But HIV treatment can slow or prevent progression of the disease. With
advances in HIV treatment, progression to Stage 3 (AIDS) is less common today
than in the early years of HIV.

Stage 1: Acute HIV Infection

 People have a large amount of HIV in their blood and are very contagious.
 Many people have flu-like symptoms.
 If you have flu-like symptoms and think you may have been exposed to
HIV, get tested.
Stage 2: Chronic HIV Infection

 This stage is also called asymptomatic HIV infection or clinical latency.

 HIV is still active and continues to reproduce in the body.
 People may not have any symptoms or get sick during this phase but can
transmit HIV.
 People who take HIV treatment as prescribed may never move into Stage 3
(AIDS).
 Without HIV treatment, this stage may last a decade or longer, or may
progress faster. At the end of this stage, the amount of HIV in the blood (viral
load) goes up and the person may move into Stage 3 (AIDS).

Stage 3: AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

 The most severe stage of HIV infection.

 People with AIDS can have a high viral load and may easily transmit HIV to
others.
 People with AIDS have badly damaged immune systems. They can get an
increasing number of opportunistic infections or other serious illnesses.
 Without HIV treatment, people with AIDS typically survive about three years.
HIV spread in Pakistan

Pakistan is the world’s most populous Muslim country, has finally joined the fight against the
HIV / AIDS hazard. It has long been so far been widely regarded as a threat.

In Pakistan, HIV is recognized as a health concern it spread continuously and the number of
cases is expanding. The direct utilize of drugs and the acknowledgment of non- marital sex in
society has permitted the spread of HIV plague in Pakistan, particularly among injecting drug
users (IDUs), male sex workers (MSW), female sex workers (FSW) and transgender sex workers
(TSW) as well as repatriated migrant workers. HIV disease can lead to AIDS which can be a
major health issue.

HIV cases in Pakistan

The HIV scourge in Pakistan is concentrated in key populations:

38.4% of people who inject drugs and have HIV, 5.6% male sex workers, 2.2% female sex
workers, 7.5% transgender sex workers, 5.4% of men who have sex with men, and 7.1%
transgender people.

The communities of IDUS and MSM are known to communicate through overlapping hazardous
behaviors such as needle sharing, sexual intercut etc, which may encourage the spread of HIV
contamination from IDUS to MSM or it’s on the contrary in fact such sweeping marvels have
been observed in Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation and Central Asia, where the HIV
plague, once concentrated among IDUs is now characterized by net worthy transmission in
MSM and subsequently, common population.

HIV vs AIDS
HIV diagnostics
 An antigen/antibody test performed by a lab on blood from a vein can usually detect HIV
18 to 45 days after exposure. There is also a rapid antigen/antibody test available that is
done with a finger stick. Antigen/antibody tests done with blood from a finger stick can
take 18 to 90 days after exposure. The diagnostic tests include:

 HIV EIA. EIA is commonly used as a screening assay for many infectious diseases,
including HIV. ...
 p24 antigen. p24 antigen tests are also EIA-based and use antibody to capture the
disrupted p24 antigen from patient serum. ...
 Western blot. ...
 Qualitative PCR. ...
 Quantitative RNA PCR and genotyping.

Most accurate test for HIV

Newer antigen/antibody combination tests (you might hear them called “fourth
generation” tests) can find HIV in 99% of people who are tested within 13-42 days of
exposure. This test has become the standard HIV blood test in most labs. A rapid
antibody/antigen can also be done using blood from a prick of your fingertip.

Prevention from HIV/AIDS

Anyone can get HIV, but you can take steps to protect yourself from HIV.
 Get tested for HIV. ...
 Choose less risky sexual behaviors. ...
 Use condoms every time you have sex. ...
 Limit your number of sexual partners. ...
 Get tested and treated for STDs. ...
 Talk to your health care provider about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Govt. prevention policy to protect from HIV/AIDS

In September, 2007, an Act to prevent the HIV from becoming established amongst general
population, particularly in most-at-risk and vulnerable populations, and to provide for the care,
support and treatment of persons living with HIV and with AIDS.

People with HIV and AIDS and people thought to be at risk of HIV infection will enjoy
the same rights that are afforded to all citizens of Pakistan. They will be treated with
dignity and respect when they seek health and welfare services and this will encourage
them to maintain contact with these services.

Working closely with government and technical partners, UNDP has

launched a large scale-up of community-based prevention
programmes, that were started in 2018, through support by the Global
Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. This scale-up will mean that in
2023, more than 1,001,796 people will be reached with prevention
programmes in 19 cities and towns.

What Is the National HIV/AIDS Strategy?

The National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States (2022–2025) was
published in December 2021 and provides stakeholders across the nation
with a roadmap to accelerate efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the
country by 2030.

The Strategy reflects President Biden’s commitment to re-energize and

strengthen a whole-of-society response to the epidemic while supporting
people with HIV and reducing HIV-associated morbidity and mortality.