Fight Aids, Save Lives

Every year, December 1st is commemorated as "World AIDS Day" by World Health Organisation - (WHO) to spread awareness among people across globe and acknowledge the significance of AIDS and show solidarity with those living with HIV. The theme for 2024 is- "Take the Right's Path: My health, my right!" i.e., Protecting everyone's rights living with HIV thereby, stressing the importance of safeguarding their rights and dignity to live free from discrimination and stigma.

- Dr Dipti G Godbole

What is Aids?

AIDS stands for “Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome”, a chronic condition, caused by ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus’ I.e., HIV. It is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. Basically, HIV attacks and destroys the infection-fighting CD4 cells (CD4 T lymphocyte) of the immune system.

The virus makes use of these cells to create more copies of the virus as a result of which, HIV destroys the cells thereby reducing the body’s ability to combat other infections and diseases. This will increase the risk and severity of opportunistic infections and few types of cancers (Like: Lymphomas, Kaposi sarcoma). It is diagnosed so, when a person’s CD4 cell count contains fewer than 200-cells per cubic millimetre.

Stages of HIV

If HIV left untreated, typically develops in three stages

• Stage 1, Acute infection: In this stage, people have large amounts of HIV in the blood (Viral load), body starts producing antibodies to kill the virus. There are flu-like symptoms lasting for few weeks. In this stage, HIV is most transmissible (to other people).

• Stage 2, Chronic infection: In this stage, at a slower rate, HIV is reproducing in the body and is still active. There may not be symptoms, but the virus is still transmissible. This might last for 10 years or more without treatment and if treatment begins at this point of time, stage 3 can be avoided as the virus may not progress.

• Stage 3, HIV: This stage is the most advanced stage of HIV, known as AIDS. This is seen when the body can no longer fight off the infection. The rate of survival is around 3 years, without receiving treatment.

What are the causes?