The virus that causes the deadly AIDS disease is HIV. It destroys human white blood cells. The body’s immune system is reduced or destroyed. In Bangladesh, the number of AIDS patients and the number of deaths are increasing.
Ways of HIV transmission
Any type of (oral, vaginal, anal) intercourse between men and women. Infants born to infected mothers. Drinking milk from an infected mother. If you take the blood of an infected person. If using contaminated syringes. If the same blade or razor is used by different people. Through dental treatment or surgery. Dr. Siddiq Publications
Symptoms of AIDS
(i) Fever, headache and fatigue.
(ii) There is dry phlegm. Pneumonia occurs and wheezing occurs.
(iii) Lymph nodes become swollen and become lymphoma cancer.
(iv) Abdominal pain and loss of appetite.
(v) Arthritis causes severe pain and burning.
(vi) Karposi sarcoma cancer (brown spot) occurs on skin and face.
(vii) Troxoplasmosis occurs in brain and thinking power is reduced. Memory and vision decline.
(viii) Limbs are deformed. Body weight decreases. The body becomes weak.
(ix) Immunity is lost and the patient dies.
AIDS diagnosis
Antibody Test, Western Blot Test etc. Blood T-helper cells or CD-4 cells are tested. (The normal range of CD-4 cells is 500-1,500 cells/mm3). Dr. Abu Bakr Siddique
What to do to prevent HIV
(i) To follow social and religious norms.
(ii) Associate with a trusted partner.
(iii) Condom should be used during intercourse.
(iv) Avoid taking intravenous drugs.
(v) The same syringe should not be used repeatedly.
(vi) Blood should be tested for virus free before collection.
(vii) Not using the same blade more than once in the salon.
(viii) Treat the diseased person.
(ix) Sex workers should be made aware of safe sex.
(x) People should be made aware.
Treatment of AIDS
No cure for AIDS has been discovered till date. Treatment of AIDS with drugs is called anti-retroviral therapy or ART. In the treatment of AIDS, the Food and Drug Administration-FDA (USA) recommends taking two groups of drugs together. This type of treatment is known as Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy-HAART. The first group of drugs are Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors which delay its transmission. The second group of drugs is Protease inhibitors which block the replication of HIV. Some of the approved drugs are Fusion Inhibitors, Entry Inhibitors, Integrase Inhibitors, Pharmacokinetic Enhancers etc.