Is there a cure for AIDS

Acquired immunodeficiency – basic information

AIDS is short for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, immune system diseases fatal, which causes the human immunodeficiency virus – HIV. In most cases, HIV slowly attacks and destroys the immune system, i.e., protecting the body from disease and the infected person becomes susceptible to infections and malignant entities, ultimately leading to death. AIDS is the end stage of HIV infection, during which these diseases gradually appear. Is there a cure for AIDS, the question that is being studied by scientists of all countries.

Types of the disease

There are two main types of the virus, designated HIV-1 and HIV-2. The genetic compositions of these two types, approximately 60% identical. Globally, the most common is HIV-1, HIV-2 found mostly in West Africa. Both types operate the same way, but HIV-2 causes AIDS much slower progression than the form caused by HIV-1. Within each type there are several subtypes, which are only slightly different genetic variations of the virus. This is the result of the high rate at which HIV mutates genetically. The greatest amount of variation occurs in a gene, which encodes gp120 protein, and these mutations can change the structure of the protein. Because of the continuous changes in the structure of the main surface protein, the virus can disrupt recognition by the immune system.

Symptoms

The development of HIV infection usually goes through several stages. Between the time of receipt of HIV infection and the development of the state, which is typical of AIDS, there is an average interval of about 10 years. During the first few weeks after infection, a person develops a disease similar to acute mononucleosis, which usually subsides within two to three weeks. During this period you may experience various symptoms. They include General fatigue, nausea, pain in joints and muscles, fever, rash, sore throat, diarrhea, muscle stiffness, swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), and unexplained weight loss. After this stage, the infection in humans are asymptomatic for many years.

Possible complications and their prevention

Due to the weakening of the immune system, the infected person becomes prone to various diseases. These include opportunistic infections caused by microorganisms that usually do not cause any diseases, because a healthy immune system easy with him
and managed. The most common of these infections include:

1. Cytomegalovirus.
2. Pneumocystis pneumonia.
3. Toxoplasmosis.
4. Candidiasis.
5. Herpes simplex.
6. Shingles.
7. Tuberculosis.
8. Atypical Mycobacterium.

In addition, HIV-infected individuals there is an unusually high incidence of cancer, for example Kaposi's sarcoma, tongue cancer, rectal cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The development of one or more of such diseases, as a rule, marks the beginning of AIDS. Pneumocystis pneumonia and Kaposi's sarcoma are the two most common diseases in AIDS patients. For many people suffering from AIDS, comes to total exhaustion. Death occurs inevitably due to the constant attacks of conditionally pathogenic microorganisms or the inability of the body to suppress malignancy.

A small percentage of HIV-infected patients survives more than 10 years without experiencing the development of AIDS. Many of the survivors have no signs of disease progression.

These people may develop a stronger immune response to the virus, or they are infected with a weak virus types.

Risks

The first cases of AIDS were identified in Los Angeles, California in 1981 Originally the majority of cases in the United States were diagnosed in homosexual men, who contracted the virus primarily through sexual contact, and drug addicts using intravenous drugs, Sarajevska mainly because of sharing contaminated hypodermic needles. HIV, the agent responsible for the disease was isolated in 1983, and in 1985 was developed serological tests aimed at detecting the virus. HIVit is transmitted mainly by blood, semen, and breast milk. The virus cannot be transmitted by coughing, sneezing or normal physical contact. The main source of transmission in the world (70% of all HIV cases) are heterosexual. Other diseases, sexually transmitted infections, such as candidiasis and herpes simplex virus increase the risk of Contracting AIDS through sexual contact, particularly through the genital lesions that they cause.

The virus can also be transmitted from mother to child through the placenta or breast milk. Many people, including a large number of hemophiliacs were infected by contaminated blood and blood derivatives before the introduction of screening techniques in the late 80-ies.

The revolution that gave hope to the world — whether to create a cure for HIV infection?

Breakthrough in HIV treatment have made a promising new HIV vaccine, which the canadian researchers, who decided to invent the "medicine of the future" tested on infants.

Three newborns AIDS vaccine was introduced immediately after their birth. All three contracted the disease from his mother. After vaccination the body is unable to get rid of the HIV virus that causes AIDS. In the fourth case, a newborn not be completely cured, but he found the virus was reduced to the lowest possible level.

The results were presented at the AIDS conference in Melbourne in 2014.

"At the moment doctors do not know whether these children really fully cured. The only way to find out is to stop taking drugs that suppress HIV. Only then will it be clear whether the virus is the tendency to return or not. However, regardless of invented a cure for HIV or not yet, this breakthrough treatment and we're thrilled," said Professor Sharon Lewin from Melbourne. An interview with her in the pages of the Australian daily "Daily Mail Australia".

Four neonates from Canada are not the first children that have got to find a way to get rid of HIV at birth. The first baby, whose promising AIDS drug showed that it was born in 2010 in Mississippi (USA). American doctors have confirmed that his body was freed from the malignant virus which leads to deadly disease – AIDS. The virus did not return even when the child ceased to introduce antiretroviral drugs.

New hope — experts sent to market HIV meds!

We are talking about preventive treatment. For people at risk of HIV infection, there is hope. The pharmaceutical market will soon be able to offer them medicine for the prevention of AIDS!

American experts on drugs approved the extension of the market of drugs for the prevention of HIV infection. Regulators approved the daily use of the drug Truvada for people who are at high risk of HIV infection. The final decision on the product should be taken by Management to control the quality of the food and drug administration (FDA).

Truvada is already FDA approved for people who have the outbreak of AIDS. They can use this drug in combination with other antiretroviral medicinal products, writes portal BBC. A study conducted in 2010, confirmed that this drug reduces the risk of infection in healthy partners of people infected in 44-77%.

However, there are views against this drug. Their supporters do not want people lived in a false sense of security because regular use of this drug in healthy people, with high probability, may develop a strain of HIV that is resistant to treatment. There are also concerns that the high cost of production means Truvada is able to divert funds from other treatment options.