11 Facts About HIV/AIDS: Explore The Less Known

Pills on HIV/AIDS Paper (Credit: Istockphoto)

Despite tremendous advancements in prevention and treatment, there is still a lot of misunderstanding and doubt around HIV/AIDS, one of the most severe health crises of the present day. There are other lesser-known facts concerning HIV/AIDS that demand consideration, even though the fundamentals of transmission, prevention, and therapy have received a lot of attention. These facts highlight the virus's intricate nature and the difficulties in eliminating it. We will look at some of these lesser-known facts in this blog post article, such as the fact that HIV is more prevalent among minority groups and can go unnoticed for years.

1. HIV Can Be Dormant for Years: The fact that HIV can lie dormant in the body for years without causing any symptoms is among its most shocking features and for this reason, the virus is frequently called "silent." Because HIV can be inactive or multiply at very low levels, making it difficult to detect without appropriate testing, an individual may be infected with the virus and be unaware of it for a long period whereby people can unintentionally spread the virus to others during this extended period of dormancy, so early detection and routine testing are crucial, particularly for individuals who are more vulnerable. HIV targets and impairs the immune system, particularly the CD4 cells, which are essential for battling infections but the virus can not show any symptoms during the asymptomatic phase which can take years for the virus to progress to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) if antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not received, hence the only method to determine your status and stop the virus from unintentionally spreading to others is to undergo routine testing.

2. The "Berlin Patient" and "London Patient" Cures: Although there is still no known cure for HIV, there have been a few isolated cases where people appear to have recovered from the virus and these cases are most famously referred to as the "London Patient" and the "Berlin Patient." Following their HIV diagnoses, these two patients received stem cell transplants to treat their leukemia where cells from donors who have a genetic mutation that rendered them immune to HIV were used in the transplants. Timothy Ray Brown, the Berlin Patient, had the virus totally removed from his body by the transplant and even without continued ART, he has maintained his HIV-free status after the transplant. Similarly, following a similar treatment, Adam Castillejo, widely known as the London Patient, has not displayed any symptoms of the infection. Despite being exceptional, these occurrences are rare and cannot be frequently repeated bringing up intriguing prospects for a possible cure, but they also draw attention to how complicated HIV is, particularly in terms of developing a universally available and secure medication but the "Berlin" and "London" patients demonstrate that a cure might be achievable in the correct situation, although the research is still ongoing.

3. PrEP, a Preventive Breakthrough: PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a ground-breaking drug that can stop HIV infection. Tenofovir and emtricitabine, two HIV medicines, are used daily as part of PrEP which also can lower the chance of contracting HIV by more than 99% when taken regularly working best for persons who are at high risk of contracting HIV, such as those who inject drugs, have HIV-positive partners, or have several partners and engage in unprotected sex. PrEP is revolutionary because it offers a preventive method for high-risk individuals who have not yet been infected with HIV and instead of reactive treatment, it enables proactive prevention significantly decreasing the number of new infections, especially among at-risk groups, and has been incorporated into the standard preventative plan in various countries.

4. HIV Was First Identified in Monkeys: Primates in Central Africa are thought to be the source of HIV whereby the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), the virus's ancestor, was discovered in chimpanzees and monkeys with also researchers thinking that hunters who came into contact with infected monkey blood may have contracted HIV, thus this phenomenon, referred to as zoonotic transmission, most likely started in the early to mid-1900s and progressed slowly throughout human populations. The most prevalent form of HIV-1 is believed to have first appeared in the 1920s when people began hunting and eating chimpanzee meat with the virus eventually becoming human-adapted and started to spread among different groups. Knowing where HIV came from enables researchers to monitor its development and create more specialised therapies and preventative measures.

5. HIV/AIDS Has a Unique Genetic Signature: Since HIV is known to have a high rate of mutation, creating a vaccine or treatment is extremely challenging with also new strains of HIV being produced each time the virus mutates during replication and one of the main causes of HIV's difficulty in prevention and treatment is its quick evolution where due to the virus's capacity for adaptation, even ART recipients may eventually see variations in their viral load, necessitating modifications to their drug schedule. These changes have resulted in a wide variety of HIV subtypes, each with unique traits and while certain strains may be more resistant to treatment, others are more aggressive with this particular genetic variability being one of the reasons why researchers have found it so challenging to create a vaccination or therapy that works for everyone.

6. You Cannot Get HIV From Saliva: The idea that HIV can be transmitted by casual contact, including kissing or sharing cutlery, is a prevalent misconception whereby in reality, saliva does not spread HIV because saliva includes enzymes that suppress the virus and although extremely trace levels of HIV can be detected in saliva, the concentration is too low to result in infection but the primary ways HIV is transmitted are through unprotected intercourse, sharing needles or syringes, and from mother to child during childbirth or breastfeeding, hence in order to lessen stigma and avoid needless anxieties about the virus, it is essential to comprehend the realities behind HIV transmission.

7. HIV and Mental Health: Mental health can suffer greatly from living with HIV in the sense that mental health conditions such anxiety, sadness, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more common in people with HIV. These mental health issues may be amplified by discrimination, the stigma associated with HIV, and the ongoing need to control the virus not forgetting that a person's emotional health may also be impacted by the stress of managing a chronic illness, which may result in feelings of helplessness or loneliness and for those living with HIV, support services such as community support groups and counselling are essential. Improving the general quality of life and long-term health outcomes of people living with HIV requires attending to their physical and mental health needs.

8. HIV Raises Chances of Contracting Other Infections: HIV makes people more susceptible to other illnesses, such as hepatitis, Tuberculosis (TB), and even some types of cancer, since it impairs their immune systems and because certain therapies may interfere with medications used for other diseases, the danger of co-infections makes controlling HIV more difficult. Considering tuberculosis is the primary cause of death for individuals with HIV, it is very concerning. HIV makes people more vulnerable to other infections, which emphasises the value of routine examinations, co-infection monitoring, and following a thorough treatment plan that takes care of all medical requirements.

9. Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U): The idea that "undetectable = untransmittable" (U=U) is one of the most significant developments in HIV treatment in the sense that HIV-positive individuals cannot spread the virus to their partners during intercourse once they are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and their viral level is undetectable and for many HIV-positive individuals, this scientific discovery has changed their lives by enabling them to lead full, healthy lives free from the worry of spreading the infection. In the struggle against HIV stigma, U=U is a potent message which highlights that individuals with HIV who are receiving good treatment can engage in regular, unprotected sexual activity without worrying about spreading the virus.

10. HIV May Cause Fast Aging: Untreated HIV can hasten the body's aging process, according to studies whereby HIV-positive people may age more quickly than their actual age due to the virus's chronic inflammation and immune system failure and a common term used to describe this phenomena is "accelerated aging" not forgetting that HIV-positive individuals are consequently more susceptible to age-related illnesses such heart disease, osteoporosis, and cognitive loss but people with HIV can live longer, healthier lives thanks to ART, which has been demonstrated to slow down or even reverse some of the virus's aging effects.

11. Minority Communities Are Disproportionately Affected by HIV: Communities of colour, especially Black and Latinx communities, are disproportionately affected by HIV whereby a mix of social, economic, and healthcare access factors are to blame for this discrepancy since these groups are more vulnerable to HIV because of stigma, poverty, lack of access to healthcare, and greater prevalence of other illnesses, hence improving healthcare access, lowering stigma, and tackling the social determinants of health that fuel HIV's spread in these communities are all important components of a multidimensional strategy to address these disparities.

Summary

With notable advancements in prevention, treatment, and knowledge of the virus, the battle against HIV/AIDS is still ongoing and even though there has been a lot of progress, it is important to acknowledge the lesser-known facts of HIV that underscore its complexity and significance whereby these truths, which range from the dormant nature of HIV to the revolutionary idea of U=U, dispel popular misconceptions and pave the way for fresh investigations and approaches. We can all contribute to a future in which HIV is no longer a fatal illness by being informed, educating others, and supporting continued efforts to defeat the virus.