A doctor debunks the most common myths about HIV

In 1982, a new name was introduced in the register of diseases - "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" (AIDS). More than 40 years have passed since then, and millions of scientific articles and media materials have been written about the deadly infection. However, there are still many myths. Olga Ulankina, an expert physician at the Hemotest laboratory, told Izvestia on December 1 about the most common ones and debunked them.

Many people are sure that HIV and AIDS are the same thing, but this is not entirely true. HIV infection is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. Once in the body, it gradually destroys immune cells (T-lymphocytes), and as a result, a person is left defenseless against pathogens and the diseases they cause.

AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. It is diagnosed when the patient's T-lymphocyte count critically decreases (less than 200 cells in 1 ml of blood). Another sign of the final stage of HIV is the development of AIDS-associated diseases. These include pneumocystis pneumonia, cryptococcal meningitis, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus infection, and some oncologic diseases, the expert explained.

According to her, AIDS does not develop with timely adequate treatment of HIV infection. Without treatment, it takes several years from the moment of infection to the terrible diagnosis.

Another common misconception is that HIV can be contracted through kissing. However, the main ways of transmission of the virus are unprotected sexual intercourse, the use of common syringes during drug use, blood transfusion and its components. The virus can also be transmitted to a child from an infected mother during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. In rare cases, infection is possible during oral sex and invasive procedures (during surgeries, cosmetic manipulations, etc.), the doctor specified.

"The virus is not transmitted through kissing, common hygiene products or utensils, in the bath or swimming pool, through the bite of insects, because the pathogen dies very quickly outside the human body. The probability of getting infected during a manicure or dental manipulation is present, but it is extremely low," Ulankina said.

For a long time it was believed that HIV and AIDS was a problem of drug addicts and dissident elements. However, in most cases, HIV infection occurs not through the syringe of a drug addict, but through sexual contact. Even one unprotected sexual contact can lead to the disease, the specialist warned. She cited statistics, according to which there are about 39.9 million people with HIV infection in the world, a little more than 1.5 million - in Russia.

"There is also a myth that HIV is a death sentence. Indeed, HIV is a chronic infection that cannot be completely cured, but it is quite realistic to keep it under control," Ulankina added.

According to her, modern antiretroviral therapy allows keeping the virus concentration in the blood at a low level. At the same time, a woman with HIV-positive status under such treatment can give birth to a healthy child.

"Also, such therapy minimizes the likelihood of transmission of the virus through unprotected sexual contact. By taking the drugs regularly, a person with HIV infection has every chance to live to 70-80 years. They allow not only to live a full life, but also limit the spread of infection," the expert emphasized.

It is very important to be regularly screened for HIV infection and not to believe that it is manifested by certain symptoms. HIV infection can develop almost asymptomatically from several months to several years. Even laboratory diagnostics cannot detect the infection immediately after infection.

To get a reliable HIV test result, at least three months must have passed since infection. The more expensive and sophisticated PCR test can detect the virus two weeks after infection.

"Immediately after infection, the incubation period, or seronegative window period, begins, which lasts from two weeks to six months. At this time, antibody tests show negative results, as they have not had time to develop, but a person can already transmit the virus to other people," Ulankina said.

Doctors recommend once a year to take comprehensive tests for HIV and sexually transmitted infections. This allows to detect diseases in time and protect themselves and loved ones, the expert emphasized.

Earlier, on November 25, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said that since 2016, the incidence of HIV infection in Russia has decreased by 40%, reaching a historic low. The head of the Russian Ministry of Health stressed that today much attention is paid to the organization of prevention, diagnosis and therapy of the disease. According to him, the epidemic process of HIV infection is under stable control in Russia.