Regardless of many years of analysis, consciousness campaigns, and medical developments, HIV and AIDS stay extensively misunderstood. This put up goals to interrupt down the fundamentals—what HIV is, the way it impacts the physique, and the way it’s totally different from AIDS—in order that we will construct a strong basis for the remainder of our collection.
What’s HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It’s a virus that assaults the physique’s immune system, particularly the CD4 cells (T cells), which assist the immune system struggle off infections. Left untreated, HIV reduces the variety of these cells, making an individual extra susceptible to infections and sure cancers.
What’s AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It’s the most superior stage of HIV an infection and happens when the immune system is severely broken. An individual is identified with AIDS when their CD4 cell rely drops under a sure stage or after they develop a number of opportunistic infections or cancers that happen extra often or are extra extreme in individuals with weakened immune programs.
Necessary: Not everybody with HIV will develop AIDS. With correct remedy, most individuals residing with HIV by no means attain this stage.
How HIV Impacts the Physique
When somebody contracts HIV, the virus begins to multiply and destroy CD4 cells. Over time, this weakens the immune system, and with out remedy, it may well not defend the physique from infections or ailments. Nevertheless, with early prognosis and constant remedy, individuals residing with HIV can lead lengthy, wholesome lives.
HIV is Not a Loss of life Sentence
One of many greatest misconceptions about HIV is that it’s a loss of life sentence. Because of fashionable drugs—significantly antiretroviral remedy (ART)—HIV can now be managed as a power situation. ART reduces the quantity of virus within the physique (viral load) to undetectable ranges, which implies:
- The virus can’t harm the immune system
- The individual can keep wholesome
- HIV can’t be transmitted to sexual companions (this is called U=U: Undetectable = Untransmittable)
Myths and Info About HIV and AIDS
| Fantasy | Reality |
|---|---|
| HIV will be unfold by means of informal contact (hugging, shaking fingers, sharing utensils) | HIV is not unfold by means of informal contact |
| Solely sure teams of individuals get HIV | Anybody can get HIV, no matter age, gender, or orientation |
| You possibly can inform if somebody has HIV by taking a look at them | You can’t inform by look—testing is the one approach to know |
| HIV all the time results in AIDS | With remedy, many individuals with HIV by no means develop AIDS |
Why This Information Issues
Understanding the distinction between HIV and AIDS helps scale back concern and misinformation. It empowers individuals to get examined, search remedy, and deal with others with compassion. Information is step one in ending each the virus and the stigma.
Coming Subsequent: How HIV Spreads and How It Doesn’t
Within the subsequent put up, we’ll speak about how HIV is transmitted—and simply as importantly, the way it’s not—to clear up frequent misconceptions and promote safer practices.