Experts introduce basic knowledge about AIDS

　　AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is another name for a serious infectious disease. After HIV infects the human body, it specifically destroys the body's helper T lymphocytes (CD4+T lymphocytes), causing damage to the body's cellular immune function. In the early stages of infection, there are cold AIDS-like or serum sickness-like symptoms, then enters a long-term asymptomatic infection period, then develops into pre-AIDS, and finally develops into severe opportunistic infections and malignant tumors, called AIDS.

　　In 1981, Americans reported a retrovirus that could damage the human immune system. In the following years, France, the United States, and others discovered such retroviruses one after another. In July 1986, the International Committee on Classification of Viruses named it human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), also known as HIV. HIV is a ribonucleic acid virus (RNA), and two types of HIV have been discovered so far, AIDS type Ⅰ and AIDS type Ⅱ.

　　AIDS-I originated in Central Africa and spread to North America and the world. It selectively invades CD4+T lymphocytes and monocyte-macrophage subpopulations. Can also infect B cells, small nerve glial cells and bone marrow stem cells. It is the main strain of virus that causes AIDS.

　　AIDS-II is another retrovirus that can cause AIDS that was isolated from West African patients in the 1980s and is mainly limited to West Africa. However, AIDS-II virus infection has now been discovered in the United States, Europe, South Africa, India and other regions, and there are also a small number of cases in my country.

　　The source of AIDS infection is humans. Asymptomatic HIV-infected persons and AIDS patients are all contagious. HIV can be isolated from the blood, semen, vaginal secretions, cervical mucus, saliva, tears, cerebrospinal fluid, breast milk, amniotic fluid and urine of AIDS patients. However, epidemiological studies have confirmed that blood, semen, and breast milk can spread the disease.

　　There are four main routes of transmission: sexual contact transmission, blood transmission, perinatal transmission, and other routes through menstrual damage. skin Or mucous membranes such as toothbrushes, razors, oral operating instruments, organ transplants or artificial insemination, etc.

　　The current spread of AIDS is that in foreign countries, it is mainly through sexual contact, including sexual contact between heterosexual and same-sex people, while in China, it is mainly through intravenous drug users. In recent years, the number of HIV infections due to sexual contact has increased significantly in developed areas of my country. All people are susceptible and high-risk groups: intravenous drug users, homosexuals, sexually promiscuous people, people who receive blood, blood products, and organs, etc.

　　Due to the particularity of AIDS in its transmission and treatment, many people talk about AIDS. Experts believe that as AIDS patients continue to increase today, it is necessary for everyone to understand some basic knowledge about AIDS:

　　1. AIDS is a serious infectious disease that currently has no effective cure but is completely preventable.

　　2. AIDS is mainly transmitted through three ways: sexual contact, blood and mother-to-child transmission.

　　3. To prevent sexual transmission of AIDS, the first step is to be clean and self-protective and observe sexual ethics, and the second step is to use condoms correctly. Using condoms not only prevents pregnancy; sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS.

　　4. To prevent AIDS from being transmitted through blood, the first step is not to take drugs, especially not to share syringes or use unsterilized syringes to inject drugs intravenously.

　　5. Another aspect of preventing HIV infection through blood is to avoid using unsterile instruments to extract teeth and other operations that invade the human body, and to avoid using unsafe blood and blood products.

　　6. Women infected with HIV can prevent the mother-to-child transmission of AIDS by avoiding pregnancy and breastfeeding.

　　7. People infected with HIV can usually live without any symptoms for many years before developing AIDS and appear completely normal, but they can transmit the virus to others.

　　8. You will not be infected with AIDS through normal daily life and work contact with AIDS patients and HIV-infected people. There is no need to be afraid of contact with AIDS patients.

　　9. Do not discriminate against AIDS patients and people living with HIV. Giving them humanitarian care and help is conducive to the prevention and control of AIDS.

　　10. AIDS threatens everyone and every family, and preventing AIDS is the responsibility of the whole society.