Ladies, have you known about HIV and AIDS? Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, especially white blood cells, so it can decrease human body immunity. Meanwhile, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a collection of symptoms that arise due to decreased immunity because of HIV infection, or a condition where HIV is in the final stage of infection. When a person has AIDS, the body no longer has the ability to fight off infection it causes.
Nowadays, cases of HIV/AIDS in Indonesia continue to increase from year to year. The Ministry of Health said the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Indonesia will reach 543,100 in 2020. The groups of people who are more at risk of infection are people who have unprotected sex, both homosexual and heterosexual relationships, people who often get tattoos or piercing, people infected with other sexually transmitted diseases, and injecting narcotics users.
How is HIV Transmission?
HIV transmission can occur through the exchange of various body fluids from an infected person, such as blood, mother's milk, semen, and vaginal secretions. HIV can also be transmitted from a mother to her child during pregnancy and delivery. People can’t be infected through everyday contacts such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food, and water (WHO, 2019).
What are the Symptoms of HIV?
Symptoms of HIV and AIDS are divided into 3 stages, namely :
- In the first stage, the patient will experience fairly mild and non-specific symptoms in the form of fever, flu-like symptoms, and rashes. Then, the symptoms will decrease and persist without disturbing side effects.
- In the second stage, it generally doesn’t cause further symptoms for many years. However, the virus continues to spread and damage the immune system and this can last up to 10 years or more
- In the third stage, the patient's immunity system is weak, so it is easy to get sick and will progress to AIDS.
How to Detect HIV?
To detect whether a person is infected with HIV, the doctor will conduct an HIV test. Screening is done by taking a sample of the patient's blood or urine to be checked in the laboratory. HIV testing should be done by every individual, especially those between the ages of 13–64 years. Doctors also recommend that HIV tests be carried out more regularly every 3 or 6 months in people who are at high risk of exposure to the HIV virus, such as having partners with HIV, sexually active homosexuals, and commercial sex workers.
Until now there is no cure for HIV, but there are types of drugs that can slow the progression of the virus, reduce the risk of transmission, and reduce the risk of death from complications of AIDS. This type of drug is called an antiretroviral (ARV). But remember ladies, don't avoid HIV patients! Just stay away from the disease, not the person!
Sources :
World Health Organization, HIV/AIDS. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids
Medscape, HIV Infection and AIDS. https://www.medscape.com/hiv
Kementerian Kesehatan RI (2020). InfoDATIN. HIV dan AIDS 2020
https://pusdatin.kemkes.go.id/resources/download/pusdatin/infodatin/infodatin-2020-HIV.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020). HIV Basics. About HIV.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/whatishiv.html