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HIV - People Living Healthier And Longer Lives

Short History

In 1982 French virologist Luc Montagnier, was approached to help find the possible retroviral cause of AIDS. Luc Montagnier headed a team of scientist including Francoise Barre- Sinoussi, Harald zer Hausen. Their work was conducted at the Pasteur Institute, and in 1983 they isolated the virus which they believed could be the cause of AIDS, the isolate was called lymphadenopathy-associated virus, later known simply as HIV- Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Even though Montagnier is accredited with discovering the virus, it was Robert Gallo of the United States who confirmed that the virus was indeed the cause of AIDS.

What Is HIV

HIV is believed to have come from a type of chimpanzee in Western Africa, the virus could have spread by means of human ingestion of chimpanzee meat. HIV is a retrovirus which causes AIDS. The virus attacks by weakening the immune system, killing off cells which are responsible for fighting off disease. The cells which are attacked are you T cells, the virus attacks the T cells, uses them to multiply and them kills them off, leaving the person infected with the virus weak and unable to fight of infections.

The symptoms of HIV are as follows:

rapid weight loss, profuse night sweating, fatigue, diarrhoea, dry cough, pneumonia and other symptoms (for a complete list of symptoms go to www.hivsymptomsonline.com)

HIV leads to AIDS. AIDS is contracted in the final stage of HIV, at this stage the immune system has been severely compromised and people can easily die from an opportunistic infection. It is in fact not HIV/AIDS which kills but another infection such as pneumonia.

What Is The Treatment For HIV?

Anti-retroviral drugs is the current treatment given to people who have a high viral load (virus in the blood). Just because one is HIV positive does not mean that you will be put onto medication. You may be HIV positive yet your immune system could be healthy enough to fight off infections.

Because HIV weakens the immune system, people living with HIV need to be particularly careful about protecting themselves against infections and viruses, for this reason eating a healthy diet, lots of exercise and a healthy lifestyle will give their immune systems the help it needs.

Millions of people live normal lives with HIV, some people are living healthily with the virus for 20 years or longer. Even though there is no known cure for HIV as of yet, people can still be proactive in living a healthy long life. Unfortunately not all people can afford to be in an environment which provides the type of protection needed to maintain health. Many people infected with HIV live in poor conditions with many other people in one small place.

HIV is a terrible virus, it is resistant and offers lots of challenges for those living with it, yet it is not the death sentence which it used to be. People living with the virus can still live a productive life for many years, if they seek the proper guidance and help.