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HIV 101
Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force
WHAT IS HIV?
HIV is not AIDS
HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
There are two main types of HIV, HIV-1 and
HIV-2
AIDS is the Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome.
HIV IS NOT GONE
1.1 million people are living
with HIV/AIDS
1 in 6 don’t know that they
have HIV
Men who have sex with men
are about 4% of the US
population, but account for
50% of people newly infected
with HIV
African Americans are 12% of
the US population, but
account for 44% of people
newly infected with HIV
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/surveillance/incidence/index.html
Pennsylvania HIV/AIDS Surveillance Annual Summary - December 2013
There are over 3,000
known HIV
infected individuals
in Southwestern PA
Over 80% of these
individuals are in
Allegheny County
Pennsylvania HIV/AIDS Surveillance Annual Summary - December 2013
MYTH OR FACT?
HIV IS NOT THE FLU
HIV is a virus, but it can only be transmitted by:
• Blood
• Semen
• Pre-ejaculate
• Breast milk
• Vaginal fluids
HOW CAN I PREVENT INFECTION?
HIV is most likely to be transmitted by:
• Unprotected anal, oral, or vaginal sex with an
infected partner
• Sharing needles or syringes
• Pregnancy, from the mother to the child
• Contaminated blood products (rare)
HIV infection can be prevented by:
• Abstinence or consistent and correct use of a condom,
female or male
• Using a clean needle every time and not sharing
needles
• Prevention Point Pittsburgh and most pharmacies will
provide clean needles
• Knowing and staying updated on your HIV status
HOW DOES TESTING WORK?
HIV tests find antibodies, not the HIV virus
It can take up to 3 months for enough antibodies to be created for a
positive test result.
There are 3 kinds of tests:
• HIV Rapid Test (OraQuick) : 20 minute oral test
• HIV Conventional Test (OraSure) : 2 week oral test
• Blood test
HOW CAN I BE TESTED?
www.hivtest.org or 1-800-CDC-INFO
The Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force offers free, confidential, and
anonymous testing
www.patf.org
PATF also offers Chlamydia and Gonorrhea tests
There is a window period that can last from 9 days to 6 months where
a person will be infected and contagious, but will not give a positive
result on a test.
TREATMENT
• Protease inhibitors
• Entry inhibitors
• Immune-based therapy
• Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
• Combination drugs
• Antiretroviral therapy
HOW DOES HIV WORK?
1. Binding and Fusion
HIV enters your body and
attaches to dendritic cells
The HIV then travels to your
lymph nodes
It then binds to a T-cell with a
specific piece called a CD4
receptor
2. Reverse Transcription
A protein called reverse
transcriptase inserts HIV’s genes
into your genes
http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/just-diagnosed-with-hiv-aids/hiv-in-your-body/hiv-lifecycle/
3. Integration
The HIV genes enter the nucleus
of the cell and wait
4. Transcription
The HIV genes eventually
activate and use your cell to
create more HIV
RNA -> DNA -> mRNA -> new virus
http://www.quia.com/files/quia/users/lmcgee/genetics/APchapter18-Viri/HIV-infection_uL.gif
5. Assembly
The proteins created organize
into fully functional HIV viruses.
6. Budding
The new HIV particles leave the
cell and go on to infect other
cells
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/photos/aids/
STAGES OF INFECTION
1. Acute Infection
Takes place within 2 to 4 weeks of infection
Can develop flu-like symptoms
ARS or acute retroviral syndrome
Body is producing very large amounts of HIV virus, and
immune cells are being destroyed
Will eventually ‘level out’ at a viral set point
High risk of spreading infection to others
2. Clinical Latency
The HIV virus continues to reproduce in
the body but does not produce strong
symptoms
HIV is still able to be spread to others in
this stage
This stage can last for about a decade
3. AIDS
The immune system is badly damaged
by HIV replication
The body is not able to fight off new
diseases or cancers known as
opportunistic infections
CD4 cell count falls below 200 cells per
cubic millimeter of blood
This stage generally lasts 1 to 3 years
WHAT IS AIDS?
AIDS is the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
It occurs during the final stage of infection
It is characterized by opportunistic infections such as:
• Kaposi’s Sarcoma, which causes skin lesions
• Candidiasis, which causes yeast infections
• Various other fungal, bacterial, and protozoan infections
AIDS is also characterized by wasting syndrome, or an involuntary
loss of more than 10% of your body weight