The HIV Virus Attack

It is required for anybody aged 13 to 64 in the United States to undergo the HIV virus screening to be on the safe side and to undergo treatment as soon as possible.  This recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2006 has placed the country on general alert for the HIV virus attack. Just what does this virus do that makes this disease so dreadful?

How The HIV Virus Attack?

The HIV virus was first discovered in 1981 at Los Angeles, California and in New York, when homosexual men first had symptoms of a disease that were quite different from other viral infections. Full blown symptoms of the disease which are now indicative of AIDS were first described along with an unusual type of lung infection, weird skin tumors and upon laboratory testing of their blood samples, have revealed a significant decrease in CD4 cells which are useful in fighting infections. The HIV virus was soon seen in many countries in Europe and in Africa and by the year 1983 researchers have described the make-up of the virus that causes AIDS plus the actual definition of AIDS which is the “development of a low CD4 count  or any one of a long list of complications of HIV infection”.

How is the HIV Virus Transmitted?

The HIV virus spread its attack from all the corners of the globe with several modes of transmission. This retrovirus has been attributed to having unsafe sex, multiple partners, unprotected sex with a prostitute, giving or receiving blood donations, mosquito bites, using dirty bathrooms, using dirty needles and using illegal drugs. But know that we have better knowledge of the structure and the mode of transmission of the HIV virus the modes of transmission of the HIV virus have been well described:

Modes of Transmission of The HIV Virus

• Unsafe sex – The HIV virus is transmitted from sexual contact by an infected female to male and vice versa as well as an infected male to male and an infected female to female contact. All the body fluids may contain the HIV virus so vaginal, anal and oral sex are modes of entry of the virus.

• Sharing Contaminated Needles – Is described as sharing needles for injection as with using illegal drugs, sharing needles for injecting steroids, tattooing and many forms of body part piercing. You may also get this virus when you are injected with an infected needle or a previously used needle for injection of any medication. Blood transfusions also place the donor and recipient at risk when sterile equipment is not used. Recent practices of screening blood have significantly reduced the risk of getting HIV through blood transfusions.

• Breast Milk – When an infected mother nurses her child, the infant will likely get the HIV virus through breast milk.

• Perinatal Transmission – When an infected mother transmits the HIV virus to her child at birth during the process of labor. There is exchange of body fluids by the mother and child during birth which can easily transfer The HIV Virus from the mother to the infant.