Monday, July 28, 2014

Virus: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)


HIV remains a persistent potential global problem, despite progression made throughout the years in preventing and treating HIV infections.

Identify statistics about its prevalence around the world
HIV disease continues to be a serious health concern throughout the world. Studies indicate there were approximately 2.3 million new cases of HIV in 2012 worldwide. The studies also show that about 35.3 million people around the world are living with HIV. In 2012, over 9.7 million people living with HIV in low and middle-income countries had access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The studies also indicated that over 1.6 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2012. Additionally, approximately 36 million people with AIDS have died around the world since the beginning of epidemic. Sub-Saharan Africa disproportionately experiences the burden of HIV/AIDS, with nearly 1 in 20 adults living with HIV. HIV/AIDS significantly affects other parts of the world, including Latin America, Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and South and Southeast Asia.
United States: About 50,000 people get infected with HIV annually.  In 2010, approximately 47,500 new HIV infections were reported in the United States. At the end of 2010, an estimated 1.1 million people in the United States were living with HIV. Of those people infected with HIV, approximately 16% of them do not know their status of HIV infection.



                                                 
                                                    Modes of the HIV Transmission
For HIV infection to occur, infected blood and semen or vaginal secretions must enter one’s body. A person cannot be infected with HIV through normal contact, including hugging, kissing, dancing or shaking hands with someone with HIV/AIDS. HIV cannot be transmitted through the air, water, and insect bites.
A person can become infected with HIV in many ways, including: sexual intercourse, blood transfusions, sharing needles, and during pregnancy or delivery or through breast-feeding.




Treatment Options
The classes of anti-HIV drugs include:
§  Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs): These drugs disable a protein HIV requires to replicate or make copies of itself.
o Examples: favirenz (Sustiva), etravirine (Intelence) and nevirapine (Viramune).
§  Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs): These drugs are faulty versions of building blocks that HIV needs to make copies of itself.
o Examples: Abacavir (Ziagen), and the combination drugs emtricitabine and tenofovir (Truvada), and lamivudine and zidovudine (Combivir).
§  Protease inhibitors (PIs):  These drugs disable protease, another protein that HIV needs to make copies of itself.
o Examples: Atazanavir (Reyataz), darunavir (Prezista), fosamprenavir (Lexiva) and ritonavir (Norvir).
§  Entry or fusion inhibitors: These drugs block HIV's entry into CD4 cells.
o Examples: Enfuvirtide (Fuzeon) and maraviroc (Selzentry).
§  Integrase inhibitors: Raltegravir (Isentress) works by disabling integrase, a protein that HIV uses to insert its genetic material into CD4 cells.

HIV Prevention Methods
§ Use a new condom every time you have sex.
§ Consider the drug Truvada. In 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the combination drug emtricitabine-tenofovir (Truvada) to decrease the risk of sexually transmitted HIV infection in those who are at high risk. Truvada is also used as an HIV treatment along with other medications.
§ Tell your sexual partners if you have HIV.
§ Use a clean needle.
§ Get medical care right away if you are pregnant.
§ Consider male circumcision. There is evidence that male circumcision can help minimize a man’s risk of acquiring HIV.



References:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiv-aids/basics/causes/con-20013732
http://healthfavo.com/hiv-virus-life-cycle.html
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/statistics.html

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