Biology
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is found in blood, vaginal fluid and semen. Smaller amounts also can be present in tears, breast milk and saliva. The condition is a chronic, life-threatening disease that damages the body's immune system, leaving patients open to infections from viruses, bacteria and fungi. HIV also leaves patients at a higher risk for cancer. Environmental transmission of the virus is virtually impossible since it does not survive outside the body, report researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, HIV cannot reproduce outside the host body. Contact between the mucus membranes or blood is the only way the virus can be transmitted. CDC researchers report that no case of transmission of HIV from sweat, tears or saliva has ever been documented.
Transmission
The means by which HIV and AIDS are transmitted are clearly known, report researchers at the CDC. The three main sources of infection are sexual encounters, shared needles and blood transfusions. Babies are born with the disease when they receive infected blood from the mother, or they can get infected through breast-feeding. Sexual partners can become infected through semen, vaginal fluid or blood that enters the uninfected body. Drug addicts share needles with fellow addicts and transmit the HIV infection. Health care workers can become infected when pricked by a syringe that was used on an HIV-positive patient. Drug addicts who engage in promiscuous sexual behavior also are at a higher risk of becoming infected, report doctors at the Mayo Clinic.
Treatment
There is no cure for HIV or AIDS, but there are a number of treatments that can slow the progression of the disease and minimize side effects. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines report that combination therapies using antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV have steadily improved since they were first introduced in 1996. The drugs treat HIV/AIDS and other opportunistic infections that accompany the condition. Medications to treat HIV/AIDS are expensive and bring a host of side effects. Side effects can include rashes, skin discoloration, fatigue, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Additionally, many patients develop a tolerance for the drugs, which then become ineffective in treating the disease.
Self-care
People with HIV/AIDS are encouraged to eat healthy diets high in whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables and lean protein, report doctors at the Mayo Clinic. Since HIV patients have difficulty fighting infections, they should avoid food that can lead to opportunistic infections such as raw eggs or seafood like sushi or oysters. Drinking water should be boiled or filtered. In addition, extra care should be taken with pets that can carry parasites and cause infections.
