While many people get mixed up talking about HIV and AIDS, there is a big difference between the two, even if the two are directly linked to one another. The two are not the same condition and definitely not the same diagnosis. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus while AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome. Put simply, HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
HIV is a virus that attacks the CD4 cell in the immune system thus interfering with the body’s ability to fight illnesses and infections. At the initial stages, the body may be able to fight off some of the infections and illnesses, but cannot be eliminated once they enter into the bloodstream.
Currently, the only solution for the virus is taking antiretroviral therapy which minimizes the effects of the virus by slowing down its progression or reducing the amount of the virus in the system to levels where it is undetectable and not easy to transmit. This way, the body will remain healthy for as long as one lives.
AIDS, on the other hand, is a condition that is characterized by a range of symptom developing in time in HIV infected individuals who do not take ART. The condition is also referred to as stage 3 HIV where the virus has completely compromised the immune system such that it can no longer perform its function of protecting the body against various infections. A person infected with the virus but gets diagnosed early enough and starts taking HIV medication can prevent the virus from developing into AIDS. This means a patient can have HIV but not AIDS while it is not possible to have AIDS without first having HIV.
How HIV differs with AIDS
HIV infected individuals following effective ART treatment are likely to prevent developing AIDS. However, if HIV is left untreated, the virus continues to damage the immune system until it is no longer able to prevent any infection. This, therefore, increases the risk of developing opportunistic infections and other conditions which, in most cases, occur frequently and are life-threatening. Examples of opportunistic infections at the AIDS stage include cancers like cervical cancer, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and lung cancer, candidiasis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and cryptococcosis among others.
AIDS is the final stage of HIV and diagnosed based on the CD4 cell count or development of various opportunistic infections. While HIV stage 1 and 2 are not serious and can be easily managed, it is difficult to manage the stage 3 (AIDS).
Normally, the CD4 count in healthy individuals is between 500 to 1,600 cells per cubic millimeter of blood. However, when one develops stage 3 HIV, the CD4 cells count drops to 200 cells per cubic millimeter or lower. Development of AIDS from HIV may take between 2 to 15 years depending with the general health of an individual, age, genetics, standard health care, as well as the presence of other infections.
In short, individuals who start ART treatment during the first two stages are unlikely to develop AIDS.
ART treatment ensures management of the virus to undetectable levels
Regular use of ART treatment reduces the virus to insignificant levels commonly referred to as undetectable levels. This way, the virus will not affect the victim’s daily life guaranteeing a longer lifespan as well as ensuring the virus is untransmittable. According to research, this ensures the life expectancy of a person living with HIV is almost the same as a healthy person without the virus.
The symptoms of HIV differ from those of AIDS as the latter develops severe symptoms including other ailments which are not common in the first two stages. It is said, “prevention is the cure” and that remains to be the case as scientific researcher go on with finding the real cure of the condition. Safe sex using protection, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and post-exposure prophylaxis, reducing direct contact of body fluids like blood, vaginal fluids, and semen and avoiding the sharing of contaminated sharp objects will help to prevent transmission and contracting of the virus. However, if you are diagnosed HIV positive, using a combination of highly active ART drugs will help slow progression of the virus thus preventing the development of AIDS.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/livingwithhiv/opportunisticinfections.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4220799/
https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/hiv-vs-aids
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316019.php
https://cliniquelactuel.com/living-with-hiv-difference-between-hiv-aids_clinique-medicale-l-Actuel
Comments
For starters “Currently, the only solution for the virus is taking antiretroviral therapy which minimizes the effects of the virus by slowing down its progression or reducing the amount of the virus in the system to levels where it is undetectable and not easy to transmit.”
In actuality when a person living with HIV is on treatment with an undetectable viral load, they cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners. At all. It is impossible to transmit when the viral load is undetectable. This can be verified by visiting http://www.uequalsu.org
In addition:
“HIV infected individuals” the correct and non oppressive terminology would be people living with HIV.
And:
This way, the virus will not affect the victim’s daily life guaranteeing a longer lifespan as well as ensuring the virus is untransmittable.
Most people living with HIV do NOT identify as being victims, stop placing us in a victim category. We are survivors. We are thrivers.