Clinic for HIV infected people. HIV - diagnosis, causes, treatment, prevention, symptoms

HIV (HIV infection) is a disease that is provoked by the immunodeficiency virus and greatly reduces the body’s defense system.

• HIV-1 (a common virus, the main causative agent of HIV infection);
• HIV-2 (a less common virus, found mainly in West Africa).

• incubation stage;
• stage of primary manifestations;
• latent stage;
• stage of secondary diseases;
• terminal stage (AIDS).

Causes

The main cause of the disease is the immunodeficiency virus, which, when it enters the blood, destroys immune cells, thereby weakening the body’s defense system.

• during sexual intercourse;
• during childbirth from mother to fetus;
• during the period of feeding the baby with breast milk;
• during injections with needles used by a sick person;
• at the time of the piercing procedure, tattooing with untreated instruments.

HIV infection is not transmitted through personal contact.

Symptoms of HIV

• fever, skin rashes, rashes on mucous membranes, pharyngitis, diarrhea, herpes, fungal infections (stage of primary manifestations);
• enlarged lymph nodes (latent stage);
• the occurrence of viral, bacterial, fungal diseases, malignant tumors (stage of secondary diseases).

If you experience similar symptoms, consult your doctor immediately.
It is easier to prevent a disease than to deal with the consequences.

Diagnostics

To diagnose HIV infection, an infectious disease doctor conducts a number of studies:

• general and biochemical blood test;
• PCR diagnostics;
• serological study;
• virological study.

HIV treatment

• treatment of secondary infections (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral drugs);
• antiretroviral drugs;
• vitamins;
• biologically active substances;
• physiotherapeutic procedures.

Immunostimulating drugs should not be taken as they contribute to the progression of the infection.

Danger

HIV infection is dangerous because, due to a weakened immune system, the patient is susceptible to any infection. The final stage of HIV is AIDS, which is fatal.

Risk group

• people who inject drugs;
• persons practicing unprotected sex;
• people who require frequent blood transfusions;
• children born to mothers with HIV;
• medical workers.

Prevention

• protection during sexual intercourse;
• timely treatment of sexually transmitted diseases;
• do not reuse disposable syringes;
• sterilization of medical instruments before each use.

How and with what is AIDS treated in Russia, when every year there are more and more patients and the disease acquires the status of an epidemic? This question interests not only HIV-positive people, but also healthy people.

HIV is characterized by inhibition of the body's protective functions and the appearance of defects in the immune system due to the entry of a retrovirus into the body. They become infected through the biological fluids of a sick person: through sexual contact, through blood, breast milk, amniotic fluid.

If appropriate treatment is not taken, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may occur. Concomitant diseases appear that lead to death.

Where in Russia is HIV treated effectively?

Every city has AIDS centers where you can get a free blood test. If it turns out to be positive, the patient is referred to the attending physician.

Since HIV medicine in Russia can only be obtained through the state program (pharmacies do not sell antiretroviral drugs), you need to find out from a specialist what documents you need to collect and where to go.

In recent years, attempts have been made to bring HIV treatment under control in Russia. Patients must register with a specialized center, then periodically undergo a course of therapy and be tested for the presence of the virus in the blood (determine the “viral load”). In such centers you can diagnose the disease, receive inpatient and outpatient treatment, as well as consultation with a psychologist.

How is HIV treated in Russia?

At the moment, the issue of importing drugs for antiretroviral therapy has become acute in the country. For patients, this type of treatment is a salvation, because when taking these medications, infection of healthy cells in the body is stopped and the disease becomes chronic. Thus, it is possible to avoid the appearance of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and improve the quality of life.

Russia first began purchasing HIV medicine from foreign suppliers relatively recently. At first, antiretroviral therapy was available only in Moscow. Over time, people in other cities had the opportunity to receive this treatment.

Unfortunately, the drugs are expensive, so the state cannot provide all patients with full treatment, but it is doing everything possible to eliminate this problem.

Russian cure for HIV 2016

Is it true that a cure for HIV has been found in Russia? The company Viriom, engaged in biotechnological research, together with the foreign pharmaceutical company Roche, took on the development of a new drug that is resistant to mutations, does not allow retroviruses to develop resistance, suppresses infection, as a result of which the viral load is reduced to almost ideal values.

You need to wait about two years for the medicine; in combination with other drugs, the treatment will be most effective.

Today, out of ten existing drugs for antiretroviral therapy, eight are produced in the Russian Federation. Four drugs are only bottled and packaged by pharmaceutical companies; the rest begin their journey with purification of the substance.

AIDS treatment in Russia will become available to every patient with this diagnosis. A lot is being done to ensure that the drug can go through the full production cycle in the country: from preparing the substance to packaging and labeling.

Clinical trials of new anti-HIV drugs are currently underway in Russia. In just a year, the final stages of testing are planned, as well as the release of four domestically produced antiretroviral drugs.

The human immunodeficiency virus is a pathology that destroys the body's natural defenses. Its danger is that it reduces the body's resistance to various infections, contributing to the development of serious diseases and their complications.

It is completely impossible to cure the disease, since its structure is constantly changing, which does not allow pharmacists to create substances that can destroy it. Treatment for HIV infection is aimed at strengthening the immune system and blocking the activity of the virus.

The disease has four stages, the last of which – AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) – is terminal.

HIV infection has a very long incubation period. After entering the body, the virus does not manifest itself for a long time, but continues to destroy the immune system. A person begins to get sick more severely and for a longer period of time, since the immune system is unable to cope even with “harmless” infections, which give complications, worsening health conditions more and more.

At the terminal stage, the immune system is completely destroyed, which gives impetus to the development of oncological tumors, severe damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, respiratory system, etc. The result is the death of the patient from one of the diseases of these organs.

HIV has four types, of which the first two are diagnosed in 95% of cases of infection, the third and fourth are extremely rare.

The virus is not resistant to environmental influences, antiseptics, alcohol solutions, and acetone. It also does not tolerate high temperatures and dies already at 56 degrees within half an hour, and when boiled it is destroyed instantly.

At the same time, its cells remain viable when frozen (they are able to “live” 5-6 days at a temperature of 22 degrees); in solutions of narcotic substances they remain active for about three weeks.

For a long time, HIV was considered a disease of drug addicts, homosexuals and women of easy virtue. Today, among the carriers of the virus there are people with high social status and heterosexual orientation. Neither adults nor children are immune from infection. The main route of transmission is biological body fluids. Pathogenic cells are found in:

• blood;
• lymph;
• sperm;
• cerebrospinal fluid;
• vaginal secretion;
• breast milk.

The risk of infection increases in proportion to the number of pathogenic cells in these fluids, and at least ten thousand viral particles are required to transmit infection.

Methods of infection

The main routes of transmission of the virus are considered to be

• Unprotected sexual intercourse.

According to statistics, infection through this route is diagnosed in 75% of patients, but the risk of transmitting pathogenic cells is the lowest: about 30% of sexual partners become infected during the first vaginal contact, about 50% during anal contact, and less than 5% during oral contact.

The risk of genitourinary pathologies (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, fungi), trauma and microdamage to the mucous membranes of intimate organs (scratches, ulcers, erosions, anal fissures, etc.), and frequent sexual contact with an infected person increases the risk.

Women are more likely to accept the virus than men, since the area of ​​the vagina and direct contact with pathogenic cells is larger.

• Intravenous injections.

The second most popular way, since more than half of drug addicts suffer from it. The reasons are the use of one syringe or utensils to prepare the solution, as well as unprotected intimate contacts with dubious partners while under the influence of drugs.

• Intrauterine path.

During pregnancy, the risk of the virus entering the placenta does not exceed 25%; natural childbirth and breastfeeding increase it by another 10%.

• Penetrating wounds from non-sterile instruments: infection occurs during surgical operations in dubious clinics, tattooing, manicure procedures, etc.

• Direct blood transfusion, untested organ transplantation.

If the donor is HIV positive, transmission is 100%.

The possibility of infection depends on the strength of the recipient's immunity. If the natural defense is strong, the course of the disease will be weaker and the incubation period itself will be longer.

Manifestations of pathology

Symptoms of HIV infection are a manifestation of treatable diseases caused by a weakened immune system, which makes diagnosis very difficult, since a person takes only the necessary tests, treats the consequences of the disease, without even knowing about his true status. There are slight differences depending on the stages of infection.

There are no symptoms characteristic of the virus: the manifestations of the disease are individual and depend on the general health of the patient and the diseases caused by it.

The first stage is the incubation period. This is the initial stage, developing from the moment pathogenic cells enter the body until one year. In some patients, the first symptoms appear within a couple of weeks, in others - no earlier than several months.

The average incubation period is one and a half to three months. During this period, symptoms are completely absent; even tests do not show the presence of the virus. A dangerous disease can be detected at an early stage only if a person has encountered one of the possible routes of infection.

The second stage is the stage of primary manifestations. They arise as a reaction of the immune system to the active proliferation of harmful cells. Usually occurs 2-3 months after infection, lasting from two weeks to several months.

It can happen in different ways

• Asymptomatic when the body produces antibodies and there are no signs of infection.
• Spicy.

The stage is typical for 15-30% of patients; the manifestations are similar to those of acute infectious pathologies:

• temperature increase;
• fever;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• skin rashes;
• bowel disorders;
• inflammatory processes of the upper respiratory tract;
• increase in the size of the liver and spleen.

In rare cases, the development of autoimmune pathologies is possible.

• Acute with secondary pathologies – typical for most patients.

Weakened immunity allows existing representatives of opportunistic microflora to actively reproduce, which leads to exacerbation or the emergence of infectious diseases. At this stage, it is not difficult to cure them, but soon their relapses become more frequent.

The third stage is a deterioration in the functioning and condition of the lymphatic system. Lasts from two to 15 years, depending on how the immune system copes with viral cells. Enlargement of lymph nodes occurs in groups (except for the inguinal ones) that are not interconnected.

After three months, their size returns to a healthy state, pain on palpation disappears, elasticity and mobility return. Sometimes relapses occur.

The fourth stage is terminal – the development of AIDS. The immune system is practically destroyed, the virus itself multiplies unhindered. All remaining healthy cells are susceptible to destruction, many of them degenerate into malignant ones, and severe infectious pathologies develop.

AIDS also occurs in four stages

• The first occurs after 6-10 years. It is characterized by a decrease in body weight, rashes on the skin and mucous membranes containing purulent contents, fungal and viral infections, and diseases of the upper respiratory tract. It is possible to cope with infectious processes, but therapy is long-term.
• The second develops after another 2-3 years. Weight loss continues, body temperature rises to 38-39 degrees, weakness and drowsiness occur. Frequent diarrhea, lesions of the oral mucosa, fungal and viral lesions of the skin are observed, the manifestations of all previously diagnosed infectious pathologies intensify, and pulmonary tuberculosis develops.

Conventional medications are unable to cope with the disease; only antiretroviral therapy can alleviate the symptoms.

• The third stage occurs 10-12 years after infection. Symptoms: exhaustion, weakness, lack of appetite. Pneumonia develops, viral infections worsen, and healing of their manifestations does not occur. Pathogenic microflora covers all internal and external organs and their systems, diseases are acute and give new complications.

The duration of HIV infection from the moment of infection until the death of the patient varies from person to person. Some die after 2-3 years, others live 20 years or more. Cases have been recorded of people dying from the virus within a few months. A person’s lifespan depends on his general health and the type of virus that has entered the body.

Features of HIV in adults and children

The clinical picture of the disease in representatives of the stronger sex does not differ from the manifestations that develop when the immune system is weakened. Girls suffer the infection more severely, as they begin to experience menstrual irregularities.

Menstruation occurs with severe pain, becomes heavy, and bleeding is observed in the middle of the cycle. A frequent complication of the virus is malignant formations of the reproductive system. Cases of inflammation of the genitourinary system are becoming more frequent, and their course is more severe and longer.

In babies and newborns, the disease does not manifest itself for a long time; there are no external signs. The only symptom by which one can suspect the presence of pathology is a delay in the mental and physical development of the child.

Diagnosis of the disease

It is difficult to detect HIV at an early stage, since the symptoms are absent or similar to the manifestations of treatable pathologies: inflammatory processes, allergies, infectious diseases. The disease can be detected by chance, during a routine medical examination, admission to a hospital, or registration during pregnancy.

The main diagnostic method is a special test, which can be done both in the clinic and at home.

There are a lot of diagnostic methods. Every year, scientists develop new tests and improve old ones, reducing the number of false positive and false negative results.

The main material for research is human blood, but there are tests that can make a preliminary diagnosis by examining saliva or urine using scrapings from the surface of the oral cavity. They have not yet found widespread use, but are used for home preliminary diagnostics.

HIV testing in adults is carried out in three stages:

• screening test - gives a preliminary result, helps to identify people who have been infected;
• reference – carried out to persons whose screening results are positive;
• confirming – establishes the final diagnosis and duration of presence of the virus in the body.

This phased examination is associated with the high cost of research: each subsequent analysis is more complex and expensive, so it is not economically feasible to carry out a full complex for all citizens. During the study, antigens are identified - cells or particles of the virus, antibodies - leukocytes produced by the immune system to pathogenic cells.

The presence of harmful cells can be determined only after seroconversion is achieved - a state when the number of antibodies is sufficient to be detected by test systems. From the moment of infection until the onset of seroconversion, a “window period” occurs: during this time, transmission of the virus is already possible, but no test can detect it. This period lasts from six to twelve weeks.

If the diagnostic results are positive, you should contact your doctor to prescribe antiretroviral therapy. Which doctor treats HIV infection? An infectious disease specialist who is usually present at the central clinic of a city or regional center.

Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus

Once the virus enters the body, it remains there forever. Although research into the infection has been going on for decades, scientists have not been able to invent drugs that can destroy pathogenic cells. Therefore, almost 100 years after the discovery of the virus, the answer to the question of whether HIV infection can be treated remains a sad “No.”

But medicine is constantly inventing drugs that can slow down the activity of HIV, reduce the risks of developing pathologies, help cope with them faster and prolong the life of the infected person, making it full. Treatment of HIV infection involves taking antiretroviral therapy drugs, prevention and treatment of concomitant inflammatory processes.

Therapy is taking medications, but it is impossible to cure immunodeficiency using traditional medicine. Refusal of pharmaceutical products in favor of unconventional recipes is a direct path to the development of AIDS and the death of the patient.

The effectiveness of treatment depends on many factors, but the most important condition for therapy is the patient’s responsible attitude towards the prescribed treatment. In order for it to produce results, medications should be taken at a strictly defined time, their dosage should be observed, and interruptions in treatment should not be allowed. Diet and healthy lifestyle are also recommended.

If these recommendations are followed, the number of protective cells increases dramatically, the virus is blocked, and even highly sensitive tests often cannot detect it. Otherwise, the disease continues to progress and leads to dysfunction of vital organs: heart, liver, lungs, endocrine system.

For HIV infection, the most effective treatment is antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Its main task is to prevent the development of complications and concomitant pathologies that can shorten the patient’s life. HAART also helps improve the patient’s quality of life and make it full.

If therapy is carried out correctly, the virus goes into remission and secondary pathologies do not develop. Such treatment also has a positive effect on the psychological state of the infected person: feeling supported and knowing that the disease can be “slowed down,” he returns to his usual way of life.

In our country, all antiretroviral drugs are provided to a person free of charge after he receives the status of an HIV-positive patient.

Features of antiretroviral therapy

HAART is prescribed on an individual basis, and the tablets included in it depend on the stage of development of the infection. At the initial stage, specialized treatment is not prescribed; it is recommended to take vitamins and special mineral complexes that help strengthen the body’s natural defenses.

Chemotherapy is indicated as a preventive method, but only for those individuals who have been in contact with an HIV-positive person or a potential carrier of the virus. Such prevention is effective only in the first 72 hours after possible infection.

In the second and subsequent stages, therapy is prescribed based on the results of clinical tests that determine the state of immunity. The terminal stage, that is, the presence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, requires mandatory medication. In pediatrics, HAART is always prescribed, regardless of the clinical stage of the child’s disease.

This approach to treatment is determined by the standards of the Ministry of Health. But new research shows that early initiation of antiretroviral therapy produces better treatment results and a more positive effect on the patient's condition and life expectancy.

HAART includes several types of drugs that are combined with each other. Since the virus gradually loses sensitivity to the active substances, the combinations are changed from time to time, which makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of treatment.

Several years ago, scientists introduced a synthetic drug called Quad, which included the main properties of prescribed drugs. A huge advantage of the medicine is taking only one tablet per day, which greatly facilitates treatment. This remedy has virtually no side effects, is easier to tolerate by the body, and solves the problem of loss of sensitivity to active components.

Many patients are interested in whether it is possible to block the activity of the virus using traditional methods and how to treat HIV infection at home? It should be remembered that such treatment is possible, but only if it is auxiliary and agreed with the treating doctor.

Folk recipes are shown to strengthen the body's defenses. This can include decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs, the use of gifts of nature rich in vitamins, minerals and beneficial microelements.

Preventive actions

The immunodeficiency virus is a disease that can be prevented, but it cannot be cured. Today, developed countries have developed special programs aimed at preventing HIV and AIDS, which are monitored at the state level. Every person should know the basics of preventive measures, since there is no guarantee that infection will not occur.

You can avoid serious pathology if you treat your own intimate life responsibly. You should avoid sexual contact with questionable people, and always use condoms when having sex with a new sexual partner about whose condition there is no reliable information.

It is important that the sex partner is one and permanent, and has medical reports confirming the absence of HIV.

One of the popular myths is that a condom is unable to protect against the virus, since the latex pores are larger than the virus cells. This is wrong. Today, barrier contraception is the only way to prevent infection during sexual intercourse.

If a person suffers from drug addiction and injects drugs, he should always use disposable medical instruments, give injections with sterile gloves, and have individual containers for preparing a narcotic solution. To avoid becoming a victim of direct transmission of the virus through the blood, you should refuse blood transfusions.

To carry out procedures where there is access to blood, choose trusted establishments, ensure that their employees carry out all manipulations with gloves, and that instruments are disinfected in the presence of the client.

If HIV is present in a woman who is preparing to become a mother, the baby’s condition is monitored throughout the pregnancy. Cesarean section and refusal of breastfeeding can reduce the risk of infection of the child. It will be possible to determine the baby’s HIV status no earlier than six months later, when the mother’s antibodies to the virus leave the baby’s body.

Artificial insemination methods can prevent severe infection in a child.

An expectant HIV-positive mother should eliminate all factors that reduce the baby’s immunity: stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol, eat more vitamins, cure all infectious and inflammatory diseases, treat chronic ailments to prevent their recurrence during pregnancy.

By following these rules, you can prevent infection with a dangerous pathology and prevent its transmission to healthy people. Since there is no cure for the disease, the only way to rid the world of the virus is to block its spread.

Disappointing statistics presented by WHO indicate that 36 million people around the world are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. However, HIV today has ceased to be a death sentence. Many large clinics in Israel carry out its successful treatment.

Why is timely treatment important?

When the immunodeficiency virus enters the body, it begins to behave very aggressively. Its cells attach to the CD4 proteins present on the surface of T-lymphocytes (cells responsible for immunity) and introduce their own DNA into them. As a result, the behavior of T-lymphocytes becomes similar to the behavior of the viruses themselves: they begin to infect healthy cells. Therefore, the most important condition for successful treatment is early detection of the virus and initiation of therapy. This is quite difficult, because, despite the active damage to lymphocytes, external symptoms of the disease can appear several years after infection, when we are no longer talking about HIV, but about AIDS. These concepts need to be distinguished. Suppressing HIV is a difficult task, but quite realistic; As for AIDS, it develops as a result of an advanced virus, and today this disease is incurable.

Diagnostic methods

The diagnostic methods used in Israeli medical institutions make it possible to detect HIV even at a latent stage, when the virus has not yet had time to weaken the immune defense, which is fraught with the addition of concomitant pathologies.

Diagnostics is quite lengthy and can take 2 weeks or more. It includes two stages:

1. Consultation with a specialist.
2. Analyzes.

All procedures for diagnosing and treating HIV infection in Israel are completely confidential. The analyzes include:

1. General blood analysis.
2. Biochemical analysis.
3. Other tests depending on the changes detected.
4. ELISA – enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The result obtained is speculative and may also be a false positive. It is also possible to obtain a negative result from an infected person when less than 3 months have passed since the infection. Sometimes a negative result occurs 8 months after the virus enters the body.
5. Western Blot, or immunoblotting, is a more accurate method for confirming infection. However, it is also associated with antibodies, which are often absent in short periods.
6. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a highly accurate method that allows you to detect the virus from an early stage. Using the reaction, the RNA of the pathogen (a specific strain of the virus) is detected.

The block of instrumental studies carried out to identify side pathologies includes radiography, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and a number of other methods.

Based on the data obtained, the patient is prescribed individual treatment: the most effective medications and procedures are selected. The attending physician informs the patient about the prospects and possible risks of the therapy, gives recommendations on the necessary adjustments to lifestyle, diet, and physical activity.

Main directions of therapy

The main danger of AIDS is the suppression of the function of lymphocytes responsible for immune defense. The result is a sharp decrease in immunity. As a result, the penetration of even a minor infection can pose a mortal threat, regardless of whether it leads to the development of, for example, lymphoma or the common cold.

Given this point, the main goal of treatment in Israel is to ensure a sufficiently high level of immune protection.

The second direction of the therapy is to suppress the development of HIV-infected cells.

Particular attention is paid to constant monitoring of the patient's condition for the timely detection and elimination of developing diseases (pneumonia, Kaposi's sarcoma, etc.). Thus, the efforts of specialists are aimed both at suppressing the underlying pathology and at preventing other diseases.

Another significant goal of the therapy is psychological support for patients and their loved ones. According to experts, it is very important for people to understand: HIV is not a death sentence. Currently, thousands of people who have undergone treatment in Israel live normal lives, work, get married, and have children.

Basic methods of treating HIV in Israeli clinics

Therapeutic prescriptions are made based on data obtained as a result of a thorough examination of the patient. Concomitant diseases caused by weakening of the body's defenses are also taken into account.

Antiretroviral drug therapy is carried out, aimed at reducing the viral load in the body and suppressing the further development of HIV cells. Three groups of drugs are considered the most effective today:

• The first includes nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs for short), which are a defective version of the constituent fragments necessary for the reproduction of viral cells. These include Zidovudine, Emtricitabine, Tenofovir, Azidotimidine, Hivid, Stavudine, Lamivudine, Zeffix, Videx, etc.
• The second consists of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). Their action is to block the protein substance necessary for the virus to reproduce. The main drugs in this category: Nevirapine, Stokrin, Viramune.
• The third group is protease inhibitors, the effectiveness of which is based on the deactivation of the protease protein, which is an essential component of the process of viral cell division. The most commonly used drugs are Ritonavir, Atazanavir, Darunavir, Fosamprenavir
• The fourth group is fusion inhibitors. These are blocks of fusion between the virus and CD4 lymphocytes. The main drugs of the group: Enfuvirtide, Maraviroc.
• The fifth group is integrase inhibitors. Their action is aimed at blocking the integrase protein required by the virus when introducing DNA into a CD4 leukocyte. The medications used include Raltegravir.

Taking Tenofovir is contraindicated if you have kidney problems. An enhanced protease inhibitor is prescribed if the virus is resistant to nucleoside and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. This category includes:

• Darunavir;
• Saquinavir;
• Atazanavir;
• Fosamprenavir.

Treatment tactics

At the initial stage, the patient is prescribed a combination of drugs from three main groups - the first line of therapy. This takes into account the characteristics of the course of the disease, drug tolerance and the body’s response to treatment. The patient takes the medications once or twice a day. Tests are regularly prescribed to objectively assess the effectiveness of treatment. Factors such as the stage of the disease and the presence of concomitant pathologies (pneumonia, Kaposi's sarcoma, etc.) are also taken into account. If necessary, a course of preventive drug therapy is prescribed to prevent diseases caused by weakened immune defenses.

If HIV begins to show activity to the combination of drugs used, or undesirable reactions from the body appear, a change in therapy is necessary. The patient is prescribed a new combination of three new drugs, which significantly increases the chances of treatment success. Highly active antiretroviral therapy, based on the use of a “cocktail” of several antiviral drugs, has an aggressive effect on HIV and prevents the virus from becoming addicted to a particular medication. Constantly changing the ingredients of the medicinal cocktail quickly suppresses the resistance of the virus. During therapy, innovative antiretroviral drugs are used, which makes it possible to control the development of the virus and significantly slow down the progression of the disease.

The goal of complex drug treatment is also to eliminate symptoms and prevent complications of concomitant diseases (lymphoma, pneumonia, etc.)

Throughout the treatment, the patient undergoes a series of tests, based on which the doctor monitors the condition of the infected person. A decrease in the number of CD4 lymphocytes is evidence of disease progression, and an increase indicates the effectiveness of treatment.

Taking antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV must last a lifetime, which is problematic for many patients due to their relatively high cost. Therefore, in many clinics and research centers in Israel, research is being conducted, new treatment options and vaccines are being developed, the use of which will not be aimed at reducing the viral load, but at completely destroying the virus.

Additional programs

Since a person can become infected with HIV at almost any age, Israeli doctors are doing everything possible to comprehensively improve the quality of life of patients. After completing a special therapy program, a person with HIV can even become a parent. The use of modern technologies makes it possible to exclude the transfer of a viral infection from mother or father to the fetus.

New medical technology, developed by specialists, allows a male carrier to have a healthy child. The essence of the method is to remove the virus from the semen by washing the seminal fluid. After this, artificial insemination is carried out. Israeli medical institutions also take special measures to prevent transmission of the virus from woman to child. New methods of treating young patients diagnosed with HIV are constantly being developed.

The latest methods and developments in the field of HIV treatment

AIDS vaccine

Scientists have noticed that taking an antiretroviral cocktail can neutralize the deadly virus. However, the decrease in the number of leukocytes continues. The weakening of immune defense provoked by the virus progresses. Autoimmune processes are launched, that is, the human body practically fights with itself. Israeli specialists have developed a special vaccine to support the immune system. The basis for its creation was affected leukocytes isolated from the blood of an HIV-infected person, which “eat” healthy cells. They are destroyed and administered to the patient in the form of a vaccine. This triggers a sharp reaction in the body from the immune system, which continues to destroy similar cells in the blood. The tests carried out gave good results. The use of a new vaccine will make it possible to turn HIV into a common chronic disease requiring maintenance therapy.

Other innovations

Recently, Israeli specialists have developed a unique substance that can destroy cells infected with a deadly virus. The revolutionary discovery, which gives hope for the final victory over the virus, was the result of a collaboration between biologists and chemists at the Hebrew University (located in Jerusalem).

The protein was isolated during the work of a group of scientists led by Dr. Assaf Friedler. The introduction of the protein into HIV-infected cells led to the death of the latter within two weeks. However, no side effects were observed. Previously used drugs helped slow down the infectious process or kill the virus, but could not cope with infected cells that constantly reproduce the dormant virus.

Traditional treatment methods often result in HIV developing immunity to the drugs, which allows it to continue infecting new cells. The value of the new technique is that the removed protein leads to their immediate death.

Full-scale studies of the innovative product are planned in the near future. For now, the drug is not available for widespread use. Despite this, scientists around the world recognize that its creation is a real breakthrough in medicine.

Another sensational invention of Israeli scientists is a special device that allows you to determine the presence of HIV in a person in just a few minutes. As already mentioned, diagnostic tests used today last at least two weeks, which significantly increases the cost of treatment in Israel and creates a lot of other problems, especially for foreign patients.

The new diagnostic method does not even require a blood test. Externally, the device is similar to a blood pressure measuring device. The cuff with electrodes reads data, which is then studied using a special computer program. The results obtained contain information about the presence or absence of HIV infection in the patient.

A large number of different viruses are constantly present in human blood, each of which has its own unique “handwriting”. The work of the unique device is based precisely on this: it reads the electrical signal emanating from HIV, which is then analyzed by a computer system.

The device has already successfully passed the testing stage and has proven its effectiveness. Its use will reduce diagnostic time from 14 days to several minutes.

Clinics offering HIV therapy

You can undergo a course of treatment for the human immunodeficiency virus in the following medical institutions in the country:

• Hadassah - the center’s specialists have been conducting research in the field of diagnosis and therapy of the human immunodeficiency virus for more than 20 years. There is a reproductive department for infected people, which helps patients conceive and give birth to a healthy baby.
• Meir is one of the leaders in HIV treatment. Modern diagnostic facilities, laboratories equipped with the latest technology, experienced specialists - all this guarantees effective medical care.
• – patients are offered a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
• – in the treatment of HIV, the latest antiretroviral drugs are used, which make it possible to achieve a significant reduction in the amount of virus in the body.

• Assaf HaRofe Medical Center.
• Herzliya Medical Center.
• LevIsrael is a network of clinics.
• Tel Aviv Clinic.

Approximate prices for treatment

Preliminarily calculating the cost of HIV treatment in Israel is quite difficult. Costs include the price of specialist consultations, diagnostic examinations, drug treatment, physiotherapeutic procedures, accommodation, and care of staff. A significant part of the financial costs is made up of medicines. It is difficult to predict which medications will be prescribed: it all depends on the patient’s condition and test results. It is also necessary to take into account the possibility of developing concomitant diseases, which entails new costs. As for the cost of diagnostic procedures carried out to detect HIV, they cost approximately 1500-2700 USD. A doctor’s consultation costs at least 400 USD, one day of hospitalization – from 500 USD.

Events

Two weeks after a child was first cured of HIV, scientists said: similar treatment can help adults.

The most important thing is to start early treatment, although this does not guarantee success.

Professor Azier Saez-Sirion(Asier Sáez-Cirión) from Pasteur Institute in Paris analyzed 70 people with HIV who were treated with antiretroviral drugs between 35 days and 10 weeks after infection. This is much earlier than HIV patients are usually treated.

All participants' medication regimens were interrupted for various reasons. For example, some people made their own decisions to stop taking medications, while others tried other medications.

In most volunteers, the disease returned after stopping treatment, and the virus recurred to the same level as before treatment. But in 14 patients, among whom there were 4 women and 10 men, there were no relapses of the virus after stopping treatment, which was carried out for an average of 3 years.

Although 14 patients had traces of HIV in their blood, the levels were so low that their bodies could control it without medication.

Treatment of HIV infection

On average 14 participants stopped taking medications 7 years ago, and one of them managed without medication for 10.5 years.

Just recently, it was announced that a baby was “functionally cured” of HIV after being given three antiretroviral drugs almost immediately after birth: zidovudine, lamivudine And nevirapine. However, experts warned that rapid treatment is not suitable for everyone, but it is important to start as early as possible.

"There are three benefits to early treatment," Saez-Siriona explained. "This limits the HIV reservoir, the diversity of the virus, and preserves the immune response to the virus that controls it."

However, none of the 14 patients were so-called “super-controllers,” that is, the 1 percent of people who are naturally resistant to HIV and quickly suppress the infection. Additionally, most had severe symptoms that led to early treatment.

"No matter how paradoxical it may sound, the worse they felt at the beginning, the better they felt later", the scientists said.

How long does it take for HIV to appear?

A month or two (2-4 weeks at the earliest) after HIV has entered the body, the first signs of infection may appear. But sometimes HIV symptoms may not appear for years or even ten years after infection. This is why it is important to get HIV tests to help detect the presence of the virus.

First signs of HIV

During the first 2 to 4 weeks after HIV infection (and up to 3 months), 40 to 90 percent of people may experience acute illness symptoms that are similar to the flu. It is called " acute retroviral syndrome" and is a natural reaction to HIV infection. At this time, the level of the virus in the blood is high, and a person can more easily transmit it to others.

Symptoms may include:

Heat

Night sweats

A sore throat

Muscle pain

Headache

Fatigue

Enlarged lymph nodes

After the early symptoms of HIV disappear, the virus becomes less active, although it is still present in the body. During this time, the person may not experience any symptoms. It is called latent phase, which can last up to 10 years and longer.

After HIV progresses to AIDS, symptoms of fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, fever, chills and others appear.

Probability of HIV infection

The risk of HIV infection depends on various factors.

Transfusion of infected blood - about 90 percent

Pregnancy and childbirth – 30-50 percent

Breastfeeding – about 14 percent

Intravenous injection – 0.5 -1 percent

Accidental sticking with a needle contaminated with HIV - 0.3 percent

Unprotected anal sex – 3 percent

Unprotected vaginal sex – about 1 percent