16 DE JUNHO SECONDARY SCHOOL

Subject: English

Stream: CCS

12ª Grade

Name:

 Isaac Manuel Tomás

Teacher: Eduardo

Chimoio, March de 2023

Index
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2

HIV/SIDA...................................................................................................................................................3

Are AIDS and HIV the same thing?............................................................................................................3

AIDS symptoms and stages.........................................................................................................................3

First symptoms of HIV infection.................................................................................................................4

Main symptoms of AIDS.............................................................................................................................5

Treatment....................................................................................................................................................7

How can I prevent?......................................................................................................................................8

Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................10

References.................................................................................................................................................11
Introduction
On this present work, i will address the development of the topic concerning HIV/AIDS,
specifically talking about the definition, stages, symptoms, treatment and prevention.

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HIV/SIDA
HIV is the acronym for human immunodeficiency virus. Causer of AIDS, it attacks the immune
system, responsible for defending the body from diseases. The most affected cells are CD4+ T
lymphocytes. And it is by altering the DNA of that cell that HIV makes copies of itself. After
multiplying, it breaks through the lymphocytes in search of others to continue the infection.

Having HIV is not the same thing as having AIDS. There are many HIV positive people who live
for years without showing symptoms and without developing the disease.

Are AIDS and HIV the same thing?

AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection, when we have a weakened immune system,
with opportunistic diseases.

AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and is caused by HIV (Human
Immunodeficiency Virus), being the final stage of the infection.

In this way, HIV must first penetrate the body, then the infection progresses to a chronic disease
that weakens the immune system so that, finally, opportunistic diseases appear in the face of the
body's weakness. At that time, AIDS occurs.

AIDS symptoms and stages

When infection with the virus that causes AIDS occurs, the immune system begins to be
attacked. And it is in the first phase, called acute infection, that HIV incubation occurs (time
from exposure to the virus until the appearance of the first signs of the disease). This period
varies from three to six weeks. And the body takes 30 to 60 days after infection to produce anti-
HIV antibodies.

The next phase is marked by the strong interaction between the defense cells and the constant
and rapid mutations of the virus. But this does not weaken the organism enough to allow new
diseases, as viruses mature and die in a balanced way. This period, which can last many years, is
called asymptomatic.

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Symptoms of HIV are quite difficult to identify, so the best way to confirm your infection with
the virus is to get tested for HIV at a clinic or an HIV testing and counseling centre,

if you have had a risky episode. , such as unprotected sex or sharing needles.

In some people, the first signs and symptoms appear a few weeks after infection with the virus
and are similar to those of the flu, and may disappear spontaneously. However, even if the
symptoms have disappeared, this does not mean that the virus has been eliminated, as it is
common for it to remain 'asleep' in the body for several years.

It is always recommended to take the HIV test after any situation or behavior that increases the
risk of exposure to the virus.

First symptoms of HIV infection

The first symptoms of HIV infection can appear about 2 weeks after contact with the virus and
can be similar to those of the flu, such as:

 Headache;
 low fever;
 Excessive tiredness;
 inflamed tongues (ganglia);
 Sore throat;
 Joint pain;
 Canker sores or sores in the mouth;
 night sweats;
 Diarrhea.

However, in some people HIV infection does not cause any signs or symptoms, and this
asymptomatic phase can last up to 10 years. The fact that there are no signs or symptoms does
not mean that the virus has been eliminated from the body, but that the virus is multiplying
silently, affecting the functioning of the immune system and subsequent emergence of AIDS.

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Ideally, HIV should be diagnosed during the initial phase, before developing AIDS, as the virus
is still in low concentration in the body, making it easier to control its development with drugs.
In addition, early diagnosis also prevents the virus from spreading to other people, since from
that moment on, you should not have sex without condoms again.

Main symptoms of AIDS

After about 10 years without causing any symptoms, HIV can cause a syndrome known as
AIDS, which is characterized by a great weakening of the immune system. When this happens,
symptoms reappear, which this time include:

 Constant high fever;

 frequent night sweats;
 Red spots on the skin, called Kaposi's Sarcoma;
 Difficulty breathing;
 persistent cough;
 White spots on the tongue and mouth;
 Sores in the genital region;
 Weight loss;
 Memory issues.

At this stage, it is also common for the person to have frequent infections such as tonsillitis,
candidiasis and even pneumonia and, therefore, the diagnosis of HIV infection can be
considered, especially when there are many frequent and repeated infections.

When AIDS has already developed, it is much more difficult to try to control the progress of the
disease with medication and, therefore, many patients with the syndrome end up needing to be
hospitalized to prevent and/or treat the infections that arise.

Transmition
HIV is transmitted through the following bodily fluids:
 Blood
 Pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum)

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  Semen
 Breast Milk
 Vaginal fluids
 Anal mucous
When you have sex with someone who is HIV-positive (infected with HIV) the virus can enter
your system through small tears in your vagina, anus, penis or – rarely – your mouth. Open sores
caused by sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) such as herpes and syphilis can make it easier
for HIV to enter your system.
If you are an injection drug-user, HIV can be transmitted when your blood comes into contact
with another person’s blood through sharing needles. HIV can pass from mother to child while a
woman is pregnant or through breast milk. In rare cases, healthcare workers have come into
contact with body fluids and become infected. Effective screening has made HIV infection via
blood transfusion or organ donation extremely rare
HIV is transmitted through three routes: sexual, blood and from mother to child (vertical
transmission).

HIV is transmitted through sexual contact

HIV can be transmitted during pregnancy and breastfeeding
HIV is transmitted through needle sharing
HIV is transmitted through utensils that have been in contact with blood
HIV is transmitted through blood transfusion or organ transplantation

An individual with HIV infection who is medicated and controlled (with an undetectable viral
load), does not transmit the infection to others.

sexual contact

In the sexual way, virus is transmitted when there is contact of mucous membranes or non-intact
skin with fluids that contain virus (semen, blood, vaginal fluids). The existence of sores on the
skin increases the risk of transmission of the virus (e.g. syphilis lesions, genital herpes or
Chlamydia trachomatis)

Pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding

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Mother-to-child transmission can occur during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding, in cases of
pregnant women with uncontrolled HIV infection.

blood pathway

Transmission is also possible through sharing syringes or through instruments that have not been
properly sterilized, such as instruments used for piercings and tattoos.

Infected syringes and instruments

In the bloodstream, the infection is transmitted through utensils that have been in contact with
blood that contains the virus. These utensils can be objects for personal use, such as a toothbrush,
sharp objects or a razor, although the virus lives outside the body for a few minutes. Eg:razor,
blade, needle, knife, pliers

Blood/organ transfusion

In countries where there are no strict controls in blood banks, there is still a risk of HIV
transmission through blood transfusion or organ transplantation.

HIV is NOT transmitted through the following bodily:

 Saliva
 Vomit
 Feces
 Nasal fluid
 Tears
 Sweat
 Urine
Untreated HIV / AIDS can cause significant weight loss, often accompanied by diarrhea, chronic
weakness and fever. Neurological complications. HIV can cause neurological symptoms such as
confusion, forgetfulness, depression, anxiety and difficulty walking.

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Treatment
AIDS treatment is done with a cocktail of drugs provided free of charge by the government,
which may include the following drugs: Etravirine, Tipranavir, Tenofovir, Lamivudine,
Efavirenz, as well as others that can be combined according to the Ministry of Health protocol .

These drugs fight the virus and increase the quantity and quality of the immune system's defense
cells. But, in order for them to have the expected effect, it is necessary to correctly follow the
doctor's instructions and use condoms in all relationships, to prevent the transmission of the
disease and help control the epidemic of the disease. It is important to point out that, when
performing the treatment according to the doctor's guidance, it is possible that the HIV viral load
is undetectable, which represents a lower risk of disease transmission.

 Condom use is important even in sexual relations with partners already infected with the
AIDS virus. This care is important, as there are several types of HIV virus and, therefore,
partners can be infected with a new type of virus, making it difficult to control the
disease.

AIDS is a disease caused by the HIV virus that weakens the immune system, leaving the
individual immunologically weakened and prone to opportunistic diseases that would generally
be easily resolved. After the virus enters the body, the defense cells try to prevent its action and,
when they seem to succeed, the virus changes shape and the body needs to produce other defense
cells capable of stopping its multiplication.

When there is a lower amount of HIV virus in the body and a good amount of defense cells, the
individual remains in the asymptomatic phase of the disease, which can last up to which can last
up to 10 years. However, when the amount of virus in the body is much greater than its defense
cells, the signs and or symptoms of AIDS appear, as the body is already weakened and cannot
stop, not even diseases that would be easily resolved.

Therefore, the best form of treatment for AIDS is to avoid recontaminatiorn with the virus and
correctly follow the prescribed treatment according to existing protocols.

When the treatment is carried out correctly, according to the doctor's guidance, even if there are
no more apparent signs and symptoms, it is possible that the viral load becomes undetectable, so

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that the person's possibility of transmitting the virus becomes low. However, if treatment is
discontinued, it is possible for the virus to multiply again, increasing the risk of transmission.

How can I prevent?

To prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection you must:
using condoms, male or female, during sexual intercourse
not sharing objects that may have been in contact with blood, namely needles and syringes (as
well as all material involved in preparing the injection), razors, toothbrushes
Can I prevent the virus from being passed on to the baby during pregnancy?
Yup. Transmission of the infection from an HIV-positive mother to her baby can be avoided if
appropriate therapy is given during pregnancy and breastfeeding is avoided after the baby is
born.
do not use utensils that have been in contact with contaminated blood
not having a blood transfusion or transplant of infected organs

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Conclusion

In a present work we concluded that HIV/AIDS is a viral disease that has not yet been cured, but
there is a treatment that makes the viruses lie dormant, there are also prevention methods so that
people do not get infected, the main method prevention of HIV AIDS is the use of condoms.

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References
 www.tuasaude.com,
 www.aids.gov.br,
 www.medicinanet.com.br
 MZ.googinterner.org
 www.sns24.gov.pt

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