December 1 marks the global observance of World AIDS Day, a disease that in 2016 affected nearly 37 million people worldwide and in its three decades has claimed the lives of 35 million people.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV is a retrovirus whose main problem is that it attacks the immune system of the affected person. In fact, it should be noted that the immune system is the body’s basic, fundamental and natural defense against all types of infectious agents, bacteria and viruses. The virus silently attacks the immune system, specifically the CD4 lymphocytes, the cells responsible for making antibodies to fight infection. Thus, in order to reproduce and spread, HIV attaches itself to the CD4 membrane and fuses with the cell membrane, introducing its genetic material into the cell so that it can reproduce it. It will then enter the bloodstream and infect other cells. When the virus multiplies, there are copies of the virus in the blood, being the number of copies of the virus known as viral load, and the higher the viral load, the lower the immune system’s defensive capacity, so the infected person can contract other diseases, known as opportunistic diseases that only affect when the immune system is very weakened.
How is HIV spread?
Knowing how AIDS is transmitted is important for people to avoid behaviors or risk factors. In fact, AIDS is only spread through some body fluids such as semen, blood, vaginal secretions or breast milk. However, it will never be contracted from saliva, feces or sweat. Thus, some fundamental measures consist basically in avoiding risky behaviors that may involve contact with HIV-bearing fluids:
- Do not have unprotected sex.
- Correct use of latex condoms (both male and female) when having sexual intercourse, whether anal, vaginal or oral.
- Do not exchange or reuse syringes or needles that may have been used by other people, since the blood route is the fastest way of transmission. It is also necessary to always use correctly sterilized instruments to pierce the skin (earrings, tattoos…).
World AIDS Day
With the arrival of December, World AIDS Day is celebrated on the 1st of each month to educate and raise awareness of the problems of AIDS. In fact, the campaign to commemorate the World AIDS Day will focus on the right to health under the slogan #myrighttohealth.
It is worth noting that AIDS is a disease that last 2016 affected some 36.7 million people worldwide, including two million newly infected and around one million deaths from these causes.
Fighting for a future without AIDS
Almost three decades after the discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the United Nations association ‘UNAIDS’ has set a date to try to eradicate the virus. Thus, 2030 is the year set to try to put an end to a problem that in 2016 affected almost 37 million people worldwide. Thus, with just over twelve years to go before the possible end of HIV, UNAIDS has set short-term objectives. The first, due in 2020, is based on the Fast-Track initiative, a fast track to bring forward the end of the fight against the virus. This pathway includes the so-called 90-90-90 strategy, which aims to ensure that in four years 90% of people living with the virus receive treatment; that 90% of those affected by the virus know their status – whether or not they are affected by the virus – and that 90% of those affected by the human immunodeficiency virus achieve a negative and undetectable viral load of the virus in their bodies.
However, the final UNAIDS target for the elimination of HIV is set for 2030. In fact, along the same lines as the 90-90-90 strategy, in 2030 the percentages increase by five percent, i.e., giving way to the 95-95-95 strategy. Along the same lines as the strategy planned for 2020, the 95-95-95 plan aims to ensure that 95% of those affected are under treatment, that 95% know whether or not they are ill, and that 95% of carriers manage to reduce their viral load. At the same time, UNAIDS aims to reduce the number of infected people per year to 200,000, i.e. 89% less than the number of infections contracted in 2010.
Since the virus was discovered, science and technology have advanced, and UNAIDS considers that the world is now ready to end the epidemic. Thus, the 2030 targets are ambitious: around 21 million deaths averted by 2030; along with 28 million infections averted, of which almost six million (5.9 million) would be among children.
For more information on sexually transmitted diseases, consult a specialist in Gynecology.