​Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - HIV/AIDS ( HIV-1)

​Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - HIV/AIDS ( HIV-1) 
HIV-1 is responsible for the development of AIDS. HIV-1 is transferred by sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, intravenous medication administration, and from an infected mother to her child either through the placenta during pregnancy or during childbirth. The primary means of HIV-1 transmission in the United States is through homosexual contact. Heterosexual transmission is the predominant mode of transfer throughout the rest of the world.

HIV disease is distinguished by an initial phase that exhibits symptoms similar to the flu or infectious mononucleosis, followed by a symptom-free phase of clinical latency marked by fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, or lymphadenopathy. On average, it takes around 10 years for AIDS to emerge during this phase. The symptomatic phase of AIDS is the final stage of the disease. AIDS is defined by a CD4+ T lymphocyte count that is lower than 200/mL (normal range is 800-1200/mL). It is also associated with opportunistic infections caused by protozoa, fungi, bacteria, and viruses, as well as the development of malignancies.
The process by which a disease develops and progresses. HIV-1 binds to the CD4 molecule and a chemokine receptor on helper T lymphocytes, monocytes-macrophages, and mucosal dendritic cells through the envelope glycoprotein gp120.
HIV-1 has the ability to infect both CD4+ cells that are active and those that are not activated in the lymph node where it is located. The virus remains dormant in nonactivated (resting) T cells, but it reproduces and destroys T cells that have been activated by infection or cytokines, or both.

The diagnosis of HIV and AIDS is made by identifying virus-specific antibodies to HIV-1 by a screening test, which is then confirmed by a Western blot assay. RT-PCR is employed to measure the quantity of HIV-1 in plasma, known as viral load, and to track the advancement of the disease and evaluate the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy.
Three kinds of antiretroviral medicines, including nucleoside RT inhibitors, nonnucleoside RTIs, and protease inhibitors, are provided in combination for treatment. Currently, there is no available vaccination that can effectively prevent HIV-1 infection. The implementation of HIV-1 antibody screening in blood transfusions has effectively halted the transmission of HIV by this method. The transmission of HIV-1 from mother to infant can be considerably decreased with the use of antiretroviral medication for both the pregnant woman and the newborn baby.