What is the risk of contracting HIV?
The degree of risk of contracting HIV varies depending on the type of transmission.

You need to know that the transfusion of infected blood, 1 ml of which contains from 1 to 10 infectious doses of the virus, almost always leads to infection and subsequent development of HIV infection in a person. According to existing estimates, the probability of infection after such a procedure exceeds 90%. The causative agent of AIDS is also transmitted by the introduction of cellular blood components, blood coagulation factors (VIII and IX). It is possible to transmit HIV through various biological fluids of the body, during transplantation of organs and tissues. The literature describes cases of HIV infection during kidney transplantation, as well as artificial insemination with the sperm of infected donors.

Exposure to the virus during pregnancy is only slightly inferior to a transfusion of infected blood, with reported rates ranging from 11% to 70%. On average, the risk that an infected woman will transmit HIV to a fetus or newborn is 30-50%.

Sexual intercourse is not the most dangerous way of transmitting HIV in terms of the likelihood of infection. The degree of risk of infection depends on the type of sexual contacts (vaginal, anal, oral, mixed), their number with one or more sexual partners. It has been noted that the likelihood of infection increases due to additional factors, primarily the presence of sexually transmitted diseases in one of the partners, and especially those in which there are all kinds of violations of the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes in the form of ulcers. This is observed, for example, with syphilis, herpes infection, fungal infections, etc. The probability of HIV transmission as a result of one sexual intercourse, according to experts, ranges from 0.1 to 1%. However, due to the large number of sexual acts between healthy and HIV-infected persons, this route of infection dominates the world, as will be discussed below-

The use of non-sterile medical equipment intended for injecting drugs is associated with a slightly higher risk of HIV transmission compared to a single sexual contact with a person infected with HIV (0.5 to 1%). The degree of danger depends on the volume of blood thus transferred.

Exposure to the virus as a result of an accidental needle stick in medical or non-medical settings has the lowest rate of HIV transmission. The chance that an accidental needle stick with an HIV-infected needle will cause an infection is about 0.3%.

Now that the ways of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus and its probability in various situations are known, it is time to assess the situation in the world in general and in Ukraine in particular. It should be noted that there are practically no fundamental differences here. In Europe, sexual transmission accounts for 50.2% of all reported AIDS cases, of which 8.9% is heterosexual transmission of HIV, i.e. from a woman to a man or vice versa, and 41.3% - homosexual - from a man to a man.

A characteristic feature of recent times is the constant increase in the percentage of HIV infections as a result of heterosexual contacts.

The proportion of cases of infection with intravenous drug use exceeds 33%, with blood transfusion to recipients and patients with hemophilia is 6.1%, from mother to child - 1.8%.

Of the 66,000 cases of AIDS in Europe, 2,338 cases were registered among children. Of this number, in 913 cases (39.1%), the infection occurred as a result of the transmission of the virus from mother to child, in 551 (23.6%) - during blood transfusion, in 113 (4.8%) - during the treatment of hemophilia. The group with other types of HIV transmission consists of 761 people, the vast majority of whom (712) are children from Romania who were infected through transfusions of untested blood for HIV or through the use of unsterilized medical instruments.

In Ukraine, the sexual route of AIDS infection accounts for about 60% of all cases, of which heterosexual contacts account for 10%, homosexual contacts - 50%.

How is a man infected with HIV from a woman? Most Dangerous Situations

The retrovirus invades immune cells, depriving them of their ability to fight external stimuli on their own. The danger of the disease also lies in the fact that at the initial stages it is difficult to recognize the symptoms that could signal the need to go to the clinic. No one is immune from infection, so you should remember how HIV is transmitted from a woman to her sexual partner and vice versa?

Can you get HIV from a woman?

The pathogen is found in high concentrations in biological substances - blood, lubrication and semen, vaginal secretions. Therefore, open wounds, traumatized mucous membranes or sexual intercourse with an infected person, which in itself implies the exchange of fluids, are sources of transmission of the disease. In different situations, the risk of catching the pathogen is different. The most common mode of transmission is sexual contact:

• during unprotected intercourse with an infected partner, the risk of HIV infection from a woman is higher than in the opposite situation. This trend has developed as a result of increased sexual activity among the representatives of the stronger sex and a more frequent change of sexual partners. Especially increases the likelihood of transmission of HIV from a woman to a man in cases where she is diagnosed with cervical erosion. In this case, there is "exfoliation" from the cervix of cells that are densely deposited on the glans penis.
• when using contraception. The probability of HIV transmission from a woman to a man exists even with protected sexual contact, although it is negligible. The degree of risk of acquiring immunodeficiency from a partner depends on the thickness of the condom used: the thinner the latex, the higher the risk.

Also, the percentage of HIV infection from a woman depends on the method of sexual contact:

• by oral route: the risk of contracting HIV from a woman in a man arises if he is a passive partner - possible cracks and wounds in the partner's mouth can be a conductor in the process of cells containing the pathogen entering the surface of the penis.
• anal way: the probability of HIV infection of a man from a woman with this method of sexual contact is much higher than with vaginal intercourse due to the high possibility of injury to the intestinal mucosa.

Many do not even suspect that there is a problem or prefer to hide it from their partner, which is more often the case for the fairer sex, especially if sexual contact was meant to be one-time. But if a sexual relationship with an infected person occurred only once, is it possible to get infected in this case? It is worth referring to the statistics, which show that within modern society, it is more and more often one-time sexual intercourse with a frequent change of partners has begun to be practiced. So, the answer is obvious - a single sexual contact with the same probability leads to infection with a retrovirus. Therefore, each person needs to know the main principles of disease prevention and adhere to them throughout life.

Main routes of HIV infection for men

Based on the statistics, it can be said that men are more likely to become infected with HIV than women. This is due to the profession, position and lifestyle that representatives of a strong position are exposed to throughout their existence.

What is the percentage of HIV infection of a man from a woman and vice versa?

The percentage of HIV infection in men is much higher than in women. This is due to the fact that they are statistically more likely to inject drugs and have more casual sex. These two factors are the main causes of HIV in men. However, it is easier for a woman from a partner to become infected with a retrovirus due to anatomical features. This difference is justified by the fact that during sexual intercourse, seminal fluid enters the vagina, while spermatozoa containing the pathogen carry a huge amount of viral units throughout the small pelvis, which equates the risk of infection to 100%.

What is the likelihood of HIV infection in men?

Transmission of a retrovirus is possible through any contact with an environment that may contain the pathogen. Of course, there are situations with a higher likelihood of infection, and there are times in which the risk is almost zero.

Life situations with a high probability of infection through sexual contact with an infected person:

Transmission of HIV from a woman to a man: risk in everyday life

Everyday and medical situations in which there is a small chance of catching an immunodeficiency:

Can a man get HIV from a man when sharing household items?

The probability of contracting HIV in men in such a situation is zero, since the virus is not on the surface of the skin, and for its penetration, an entrance gate is needed - injuries, wounds. Infection when using some cutlery for eating food is also impossible. Although it is believed that saliva retains the virus for some time, but such a transmission mechanism has not been confirmed by scientific studies. It is also worth noting that the likelihood of HIV transmission from a woman to a man during a kiss is minimal. Theoretically, this is possible only if two partners have a significant violation of the mucous membranes of the mouth.

The rate at which the infection progresses and subsequent therapy depends on how a man becomes infected with HIV. Therefore, do not neglect prevention and periodic testing for immunodeficiency.

The degree of risk of HIV infection through unprotected contact has been determined

The risk is 1 in 900, but for sex with a condom it's only 1 in 4000

A group of African and American researchers presented a study on the pages of the medical journal Journal of Infectious Diseases, which once again clarified the risk of HIV infection through heterosexual sexual contact. In addition, doctors analyzed and what factors that affect this risk.

Let's start with the main finding: for heterosexual couples in which one partner is infected with HIV, the risk of infection is 1 in 900. That is, on average, there is one infection per 900 unprotected intercourse - this is in order of magnitude consistent with past estimates and slightly exceeds them. Using a condom reduces the risk by about 78%, i.e. to the level of 1 infection in 4000 sexual acts; of the risk factors, the key is the concentration of the virus in the blood of an infected partner. Everything else, that is, age, the presence of concomitant infections or circumcision, are second-order factors. Although, for example, circumcised men become infected almost half as often, and with age, the risk significantly decreases.

The authors of the study, including specialists from both the University of Washington in the United States and their colleagues from medical centers in Kenya and South Africa, separately noted a greater risk of infection in the “infected man - uninfected woman” pair, but when asked whether this was due to ratio of roles in sexual intercourse, it was difficult to answer. According to the scientists' article, it is also possible that men, on average, had a high concentration of viral particles, so it is clearly premature to draw conclusions about the supposedly better protection of men from the virus.

Context: sex, HIV and risks

The most risky sexual intercourse from the point of view of epidemiologists is anal sex, especially for the receiving partner. Moreover, regardless of sexual orientation, since the permeability of the mucous membrane in both men and women is the same.

The safest act is either oral sex (the risk is about one infection in several thousand), or even mutual caresses with hands.

The study was conducted in sub-Saharan Africa - a region that is rightfully considered the most disadvantaged on the planet in terms of the number of people infected with HIV. Doctors examined 3,297 couples where one of the partners was HIV-positive and collected information on all cases of infection, along the way, collecting all the information that made it possible to identify risk factors.

They, of course, may seem quite obvious, since similar studies have been carried out before. But in the same issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases there is also a commentary by two third-party experts - Ronald Gray and Maria Waver from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore (note that both have dozens of publications on the topic of HIV, based on clinical research materials). These experts point out that the American-African group has received the most reliable data to date on how high the risk of HIV infection is in a permanent heterosexual couple.

This knowledge is useful, first of all, not even to epidemiologists, but to ordinary citizens. In Russia, according to various estimates, infected from almost 550 thousand (official data) to one and a half million people; The virus has long gone beyond the narrow circle of intravenous drug users or people who have a large number of unprotected sexual contacts with casual acquaintances. To date, there is no one hundred percent reliable means of protecting against infection, but research shows us how and how much risk can be reduced.

Context: statistics and its reliability

The most disadvantaged countries are Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia. These African states are characterized by the proportion of HIV-infected adults from 15 to 25%.

Among the least affected by the spread of the virus, according to the CIA directory, are the Central Asian republics, but it is not very clear how much local statistics can be trusted. However, official data from the World Health Organization also directly indicate a spread of estimates within at least a dozen or two percent, even where there is more trust in local health authorities: the number of HIV-positive residents of industrialized countries is estimated at 1.9 to 2.7 million.

We can only confidently say that the proportion of HIV-positive citizens in Russia does not exceed a few percent according to the most pessimistic estimates, and the same statement is true for most developed countries.

Context: therapy and money

On the one hand, modern antiviral drugs already make it possible in some cases to say that it is possible to live with HIV no less than without it - there are examples of patients who, with the help of drugs, have been successfully curbing the growth of the number of viruses in the body for more than two decades.

On the other hand, drugs are expensive, containing the virus costs tens of thousands of dollars per infected person. In Russia, according to official data from the Ministry of Health and Social Development, it is planned to provide 105,000 people with therapy in 2012 - those who wish can compare this number with the official number of infected people. In African countries, the situation is even worse: the Zimbabwean economy, with 80% unemployment and a collapsed national currency, is in principle unable to support at least programs to prevent HIV infection of children of HIV-infected mothers.

Context: fidelity and probability

From all the accumulated data on the risks of infection and the number of HIV-infected, several conclusions can be drawn about how high the probability of infection is:

After a year of living together with a single partner (who is HIV-positive with a probability of about 1%) - about 0.1%

After one casual connection with an HIV-infected person - about 0.11%

After one casual relationship (partner is infected with a probability of 1%) - about 0.001%

For these reasons, it is obvious that just abstaining from promiscuity is not enough - even people who have never practiced casual unprotected sex are not insured. Some of the new cases are not at all due to frivolous behavior: unless, of course, the very fact that a person could have more than one partner in a lifetime is recorded as such!

Man and woman. AIDS and love

Tamara Lyalenkova: In the history of mankind, there were not so many diseases, only from the mention of which people were thrown into a fever or had an icy chill. It is no coincidence that AIDS was called the plague of the twentieth century, which from a medical point of view was incorrect, but very accurately conveyed the attitude of society towards this disease. After HIV was transferred to the category of infectious, dangerous, but no more than some other diseases, the fear subsided. However, every disease has its own, not only medical history. If until some time the risk group was made up of people who inject drugs, homosexuals and commercial sex workers, today the most vulnerable part is women. And I asked Tatyana Shimonova, an epidemiologist at the Moscow City AIDS Center, to tell me why.

Tatyana Shimonova: The fact is that the ways of infection for men and women are the same, but if in the past the route was mainly narcotic, then at present there is a tendency towards an increase in the heterosexual route. Most women become infected through heterosexual sexual intercourse, the source is a man. Most often this is a random discovery. People come, of course, in a state of severe stress, because when such a diagnosis is announced, an unprepared person perceives everything quite emotionally. The situation is especially unpleasant when a woman comes who was examined in the antenatal clinic, she is pregnant, and she is diagnosed with HIV infection. For a normal woman, this is a huge stress. She is already thinking about how this threatens the life and health of her unborn child, in general, the situation is quite difficult psychologically. We explain to women that there is currently antiviral therapy, that this disease does not pose a threat to the life of the unborn child. If a woman comes to us on time, gets registered at the dispensary, she is prescribed preventive treatment in three stages, in this case there is practically no risk for infection of her child, it comes down to about 2-3 percent.

Tamara Lyalenkova: But here there is such a delicate moment: in order to give birth to a child, it is necessary to conceive it in a natural way or in a test tube ...

Tatyana Shimanova: No doctor will go for IVF, knowing that a woman is infected with HIV. We are talking about a threat to the life of the unborn child.

Tamara Lyalenkova: This means that at least a man will be needed who will become the father of this child, respectively, he is either already infected or is at risk if he comes into contact.

Tatyana Shimanova: It should be noted here that healthy men from women during heterosexual contacts rarely become infected with HIV infection, much less often than women from men. This is due to the physiological characteristics of the structure of women and men. It is quite possible to conceive a child, and at the same time the man does not become infected. We explain how to minimize the risk. It must be understood that infection occurs only under certain conditions, and the virus does not penetrate through intact skin mucous membranes. Women become infected more often due to the fact that they have diseases such as cervical erosion, it is sometimes hidden, the woman may not know about it. Again, the integrity of the mucous membranes is violated, and this leads to more frequent infection of women.

Tamara Lyalenkova: When it becomes clear that there is a disease, who is thinking about whom at that moment?

Tatyana Shimonova: Men are worried, of course, about their condition: what should he do, how should he continue to live. Women are more stable due to their physiological characteristics, due to the fact that they are destined to preserve the family and be mothers, understanding that a great responsibility lies with them. I would like to say that another moment arises, also psychological: when a woman finds out about this diagnosis, another moment arises here - to experience betrayal. For women, what is the biggest blow? Not even that they are sick, but that the person with whom they live, whom they love, whom they trust, in fact, has betrayed them. I had a lot of conversations on this subject with women. Well, how is it to be understood that a person did not say that he was ill with a rather serious chronic disease, and infected a woman?

It can be very painful to watch when a couple arrives, a woman is pregnant, and her pregnancy is quite long - 38 weeks, and she has antibodies to the virus. She did not have a positive result, but a doubtful one, that is, the infection occurred recently, no more than 3-6 months ago, that is, almost already during pregnancy. And her husband is sitting with her, and when I start a conversation with them, I try to find out if he could be a source of infection, I find out that he could be a source of infection, but it’s impossible to tell a woman about this, because I must observe medical secrecy and I have no right to tell her "your husband is infected." Moreover, the man is concerned that it so happened that the child desired for him and for her can be put at risk of infection, because preventive measures have not been taken, that is, there is a rather high risk of having a child with HIV infection. I see his anxiety, but I still can't understand the psychology of this act.

Tamara Lyalenkova: Indeed, it is somewhat strange to explain such very serious actions of adults by Russian “maybe”. Moreover, in men, as in women, the first reaction to a confirmed diagnosis is: “Will I be able to have children?” I asked Igor Gerasimov, another epidemiologist at the Moscow City AIDS Center, to try to explain this attitude of men towards their own illness.

Igor Gerasimov: According to the answers of our patients, this again depends on the educational qualification, on many other factors - hedonism, that is, pleasure is put in the first place. "I don't experience all the sensations that can be." “But you can infect them.” “Well, why should I? I will interfere. Why do I need this condom? Let her think of herself." And so on. Maybe such a position is closer to marginals. It is necessary, of course, to separate people. Now, after all, the sexual path prevails, not narcotic, but we are all subject to love, so now all of our own get into it.

Tamara Lyalenkova: Is there any difference, behavioral, psychological, when men and women come to you?

Igor Gerasimov: Among men in our country, as well as all over the world, a certain part are intravenous drug users. Drug addicts, I think, would not be interesting to discuss, because the idea is distorted here. They are at different stages of their illness, they are drug addicts, some are in remission, it is difficult to characterize them. And if we take ordinary people who have been sexually infected, so to speak, belonging to the intelligentsia, among men the reaction is either external bravado, followed by fear, or a pre-depressive state, a person is frightened.

Tamara Lyalenkova: The fact is that for Russian men, then the sexual lifestyle also changes, because they are forced to think about it.

Igor Gerasimov: Oh sure. For many, this is the end, now there will be no children, that's all. There is a certain part. But the majority is not only calm, but this moment is of little interest to them, even despite this illness. That is, the assessment of oneself as a source of infection is irrelevant for many, perhaps against the background of fear. In further communication, perhaps, it would have opened up, surfaced. But certain people are afraid, first of all, “but how will I have children now,” when you talk about a condom. When you say that "you can infect a woman, there is an article in the Criminal Code" - less effective. We explain how you can make sure that there are children and the woman does not get infected. Then the people who asked the question, they do not just calm down, but understand that life is really not lost.

For women, even among drug addicts, the first thing that scares them is: “Is it HIV? I'll infect the child!" For them, life itself with a condom is not as scary as it is for men. But they are concerned about the issue of childbearing. When they learn that it is possible to conceive and make sure that the child does not become infected during childbirth, this brings them to life much faster than men, back to normal. Here it is very interesting to observe when they come to us, everyone listens to this. The diagnosis is considered preliminary at the first visit. We take blood again, because some small fraction is not confirmed, there are mistakes. And when you inform them, almost everything starts anew: “What did they find on me? And how will I live? Even though they had heard it all the day before.

Among women more than among men, the first reaction is: “What will happen to the child? Will I infect the child? when he is old enough. “What will happen to my relatives?” Yes, women more than men have developed a thrifty attitude towards others. Men are more, of course, selfish, the main thing is his feelings - of course, general psychological tendencies and patterns manifest themselves here, as in any other critical situation. Recently, women are more likely to become infected and come to us.

Drug addicts are, as it were, a reservoir, a repository of infection. That is, those who stopped using drugs, they gradually return to life, start working, become socially active and instantly fall into the sphere of interests of young women. And when you start asking them how it happened, you learn very interesting things. The woman knew about the status of her partner, he told her: "I have HIV infection." They began a relationship, as the doctor ordered, indeed, being protected. But after a month and a half, the condom is not used. And when you ask a woman why, you hear the following answer: “When we were unfamiliar, we used protection, and when I realized that I loved him, I stopped.” - "But why? He told you that he has HIV infection.” “Don’t you understand, when people love each other, a condom is distrust.” Not so often, of course, but there are couples when he is our patient, infected, and she is his wife, his legal wife. And you ask a woman: “Do you use protection?” - "Not". - "Do you want to get infected?" - "Well, what are you, how can you..." - "Why don't you protect yourself?" - "This is my husband". Well, how can such things be done with my husband… That is, the psychology of people has remained as in the pre-virus era.

Tamara Lyalenkova: Are there any psychological changes?

Igor Gerasimov: For example, I remember a patient who came in and was very upset that she was found to have an infection, and when her partner (he did not infect her) found out about the infection, he left her. And it was a great misfortune for her that she had an illness, that her loved one left her. But some time passed, and she, passing by, came to me and said: “You know, thanks to my illness, I understood a lot in life. Because now I have met a person who really loves me, to whom my illness is not important, I am important to him. And that person turned out to be, I later found out, very bad. And I could get married and live with him all my life, and give birth to children from him. That is, the disease put everything in its place. There are such cases, yes.

Tamara Lyalenkova: If we try to deduce a trend from the numerous cases known to the doctors of the Moscow City AIDS Center Tatiana Shimonova and Igor Gerasimov, then it boils down to the following: the disease now spreads mainly through heterosexual contacts, and women are more at risk of contracting HIV infection due to anatomical and physiological features. In addition, the stereotypes accepted in modern Russian society play an important role: men rarely fully realize their responsibility, and women put love and marriage above any illness.

Publication date: 03-12-2019

What is the likelihood of contracting HIV through sexual intercourse?

The human immunodeficiency virus is a terrible diagnosis that completely changes life and significantly shortens it. The probability of acquiring the virus through sexual intercourse is approximately 80%, compared with other methods of infection. The virus, entering the human body after contact, destroys the immune system, thus making the infected defenseless against even the most common diseases. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is, without exaggeration, the worst disease of the modern world. The disease is sexually transmitted and there is no cure for it.

At-risk groups

During sexual intercourse, microtraumas are inevitably formed on the mucous membranes, which become the entrance for the virus. In order to "settle" in the body, the virus must pass through the epithelial cells. In the rectum, the epithelium is thin and single-layered, so infections are much easier to overcome. Thus, the risk of infection during anal contact is much higher than during vaginal contact (the epithelium in the vagina is multi-layered).

From person to person, the disease can pass through microcracks (entering the blood or from the blood), vaginal discharge or seminal fluid partner.

The risk zone for contracting HIV sexually includes:

• carriers of venereal diseases;
• people with weakened immune systems;
• partners of the infected;
• those who practice unprotected sex;
• adherents of anal sex;
• people who practice frequent change of sexual partners;
• those who have various diseases of the genital organs.

Venereal diseases (chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, syphilis, etc.) adversely affect human health. Some of them, in addition to specific pathologies, cause damage to the mucous membranes of the genital organs. This contributes to the easy penetration of HIV infection into the human body.

Previously weakened immunity, for example, due to prolonged illnesses or long-term use of antibiotics, contributes to the fact that the immune defense fails and HIV is reliably introduced into the body of the infected person.

Those who are close to HIV-positive people often deliberately go for infection, thus sharing the burden of a loved one. These people choose to have unprotected sex and continue to live in ignorance until they feel symptoms of HIV infection, or donate blood for a test that confirms or refutes the diagnosis. All partners of infected people are strongly encouraged to be tested. The question is especially acute if the couple is going to have a baby.

Sex without a condom is perhaps the main way to get an infection. Of course, the probability of "catching" the virus during a single sexual contact is quite small, but still it exists. A condom against HIV acts as a barrier to infection in epithelial tissues.

Cervical erosion significantly increases the chances of receiving/transmitting HIV infection, as cells shed and create "open doors for disease".

Symptoms of infection

When infection occurs through sexual contact, the disease is usually determined already in the second stage, when the symptoms become pronounced. At the initial stage, the infection is rarely detected.

The following stages of infection development are distinguished:

• incubation period;
• primary signs (acute infection, asymptomatic infection, lymphadenopathy);
• secondary signs (skin and mucous lesions, lesions of all organs, generalized diseases);
• last stage of the disease.

In the first stage, the disease is almost invisible. It manifests itself equally for both sexes, in the following stages in women and men, the symptoms of manifestation differ. Symptoms may appear between 4 months and 5 years. Signs of the second stage make themselves felt from 5 months to the last stage.

Most often, the initial symptom of the disease is fever and inflammation in the tonsils and lymph nodes.

Symptoms of HIV infection are similar to mononucleosis. It is noteworthy that antipyretic drugs do not work, like antibiotics. Along with this, patients suffer from headaches, general weakness, excessive sweating at night, sleep disturbances and lack of appetite. In laboratory tests, an increase in leukocytes and lymphocytes is detected in the blood. Approximately 30% of sexually infected HIV-disease begins in this way.

When secondary signs appear, this indicates the duration of the disease. They can appear even several years after contact with an infected partner. Signs of pneumonia appear: body temperature rises, a person often coughs, shortness of breath appears even at rest.

Diagnosis and treatment

If a person has had unprotected sexual intercourse with an unverified partner, who may be the carrier of the infection, then it is simply necessary to be tested for HIV. Does a condom protect against the virus? Protects if the instructions for its use are not violated. In specialized centers, blood is taken from the patient for analysis and antibodies to HIV are detected using the ELISA method (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). In cases where the analysis gives a positive or false positive result, a Western blotting procedure is performed. Blot results can be positive, negative, or indeterminate. Indeterminate tests mean that antibodies are present in the blood, but very few of them. As a rule, a positive result follows after an indeterminate one.

If the immunoblotting has a positive status, and the person is sure of the opposite, then PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is performed.

Treatment of HIV-positive patients implies control over human immunity, the appearance of concomitant infectious diseases and neoplasms. They also need psychological support.

In the modern world, drugs are often used to suppress the vital activity of a sexually transmitted virus. These include nucleoside transcriptase inhibitors: Retrovir, Zerit, Hivid, Videx, Ziagen, Trizivir, Combivir; nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors: Viramun, Stokrin, Estaverin; protease inhibitors: Norvir, Inviraz, Prezista, Viracept; fusion inhibitors - Furezon.

Prevention

Precautions regarding the culture of sexuality must be followed to prevent sexual transmission. These include protected sex using a condom, a regular sex life with a regular sexual partner, avoiding anal sex without contraception with a random person, frequent testing for sexually transmitted diseases, and infection with the immunodeficiency virus. Is it possible to get HIV by observing all the precautions regarding sexual intercourse? It is possible, but the probability of this will decrease tenfold.

HIV is spreading so widely that it has become the #1 disease in the world. Responsible attitude to sexual life will help protect yourself from a disease that can completely destroy a person’s life and health.

Most men and women are wondering what is the risk of contracting HIV (AIDS) with different ways of transmission. As they say, it is better to prevent than to cure, and for this you need to know what is the probability of contracting HIV infections with one or another method of transmission. We recommend that you read

THROUGH BLOOD TO BLOOD

The risk and probability of infecting a healthy person from a sick person by getting blood from a sick person into the blood of a healthy one is 100%, since a very small amount of blood from an HIV-infected person is required for infection. This method includes blood transfusion, the use of a syringe, the ingress of blood from wound to wound, and the like.

SEXUAL TRANSMISSION OF HIV

WITH A CONDOM: The likelihood and risk of contracting AIDS (HIV) using a condom during intercourse is quite small, but it is, as there are scientific studies proving that HIV viruses can penetrate the latex from which the condom is made. The thinner the condom, the higher the chance and risk of contracting HIV.

WITHOUT CONDOM: The risk and probability of contracting HIV (AIDS) during unprotected sexual contact for a woman is three times higher than for a man, since the area of ​​absorption of the virus in a woman's vagina is much larger than in a man's penis. We recommend that you read

The risk and probability of contracting HIV through vaginal contact is approximately 0.01% to 0.32% for passive and 0.01% to 0.1% for active and can vary widely, depending on various conditions.

In order to understand in more detail what is the risk and what is the probability of transmission of HIV (AIDS) from an infected partner to a patient, it is necessary to understand through what the virus is transmitted, or rather, where it is located. Human Immunodeficiency Virus is found in body fluids (Blood, vaginal secretions, penile lubrication and semen). If such fluid of a sick person got inside a healthy person, then the risk of infection is very high.

Infection of a woman from a man: If a man finished in a woman, and the sperm got inside, then the risk of contracting AIDS (HIV) for a woman is very high, especially if after that the sexual intercourse was continued. The risk increases if a woman has cervical erosion, sexually transmitted diseases, weakened immunity, the menstrual cycle, and other violations of the outer layer of the vagina.

Infection of a man from a woman: Since the female vaginal secretion of the HIV virus contains less than the male semen, the risk of a man being infected from a woman is much less, especially considering that the area of ​​penetration of the virus in the penis is much smaller than in the female vagina.

Oral infection: If a woman is a receiving partner, but at the same time a man is sick with HIV, then the risk and probability of contracting HIV is very small, but if a woman has wounds and bleeding in her mouth, then the risk increases, and if at the same time the partner spewed his seed into her mouth, then the risk becomes very high. We recommend that you read

The risk and probability of contracting HIV through oral contact for a passive partner is 0.03% on average and can vary greatly depending on the specific situation.

Anal infection: Since microcracks are created during anal contact, the risk and probability of infection increases compared to vaginal contact and amounts to 1% for the receiving partner, and 0.06% for the active one.

If the woman is the receiving partner, while she is sick with HIV, and the man is healthy, then the infection is practically zero, if there are no open bleeding wounds in the girl’s mouth, but the risk of infection is minimal, because there is no HIV virus in the saliva.

If the male is the receiving partner, and the woman is sick with HIV and there are no wounds in the man's mouth, then the probability of infection is minimal, otherwise the risk and probability is high, since the female vaginal secretion contains the HIV virus.

If the man is the receiving partner, while the man has HIV, then the infection of the woman is also minimal, if there are bleeding wounds in the man's mouth, then the risk of infection for the woman increases.

FROM MOTHER TO CHILD

DURING PREGNANCY AND CHILD: The risk and probability of HIV (AIDS) transmission from mother to child is very high, but thanks to new medical drugs, the risk and probability of HIV infection from mother to child is reduced and can reach 1%. It all depends on the process of pregnancy and the problems that arise during pregnancy.

DURING LACTATION: The risk and likelihood of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (AIDS) through breastfeeding can be as high as 20% of cases. That is why, with an HIV-positive mother, only artificial feeding is recommended. We recommend that you read

Based on the statistics, it can be said that men are more likely to become infected with HIV than women. This is due to the profession, position and lifestyle that representatives of a strong position are exposed to throughout their existence.

What is the percentage of HIV infection of a man from a woman and vice versa?

The percentage of HIV infection in men is much higher than in women. This is due to the fact that they are statistically more likely to inject drugs and have more casual sex. These two factors are the main causes of HIV in men. However, it is easier for a woman from a partner to become infected with a retrovirus due to anatomical features. This difference is justified by the fact that during sexual intercourse, seminal fluid enters the vagina, while spermatozoa containing the pathogen carry a huge amount of viral units throughout the small pelvis, which equates the risk of infection to 100%.

What is the likelihood of HIV infection in men?

Transmission of a retrovirus is possible through any contact with an environment that may contain the pathogen. Of course, there are situations with a higher likelihood of infection, and there are times in which the risk is almost zero.

Life situations with a high probability of infection through sexual contact with an infected person:

Transmission of HIV from a woman to a man: risk in everyday life

Everyday and medical situations in which there is a small chance of catching an immunodeficiency:

Can a man get HIV from a man when sharing household items?

The probability of contracting HIV in men in such a situation is zero, since the virus is not on the surface of the skin, and for its penetration, an entrance gate is needed - injuries, wounds. Infection when using some cutlery for eating food is also impossible. Although it is believed that saliva retains the virus for some time, but such a transmission mechanism has not been confirmed by scientific studies. It is also worth noting that the likelihood of HIV transmission from a woman to a man during a kiss is minimal. Theoretically, this is possible only if two partners have a significant violation of the mucous membranes of the mouth.

The rate at which the infection progresses and subsequent therapy depends on how a man becomes infected with HIV. Therefore, do not neglect prevention and periodic testing for immunodeficiency.

Despite the huge risk of getting the immunodeficiency virus, many people do not protect themselves during sexual intercourse and lead an unhealthy lifestyle. You can be calm only if you have a permanent partner with whom you want to have a child. In all other cases, you need to be very careful.

The likelihood of contracting HIV from a single unprotected contact

If your partner is a carrier of the HIV virus, then even one unprotected contact with him can have dire consequences. The likelihood of contracting this disease is extremely high. However, the most common infection occurs through blood transfusion and through mother's milk. According to scientific data, the probability of contracting HIV with a single unprotected contact is not so great. But it's definitely not worth the risk. If there are no factors that can increase the risk of contracting HIV during a single sexual intercourse, then the chance of getting infected is only one percent. However, if there are abrasions, inflammation of the mucous membranes, as well as erosion of the cervix or menstruation in a woman, then the risk increases.

By the way, the sex of a person can also be attributed to infection factors. Unprotected sexual intercourse for a woman is much more dangerous than for a man. It depends on the characteristics of the female body. There are many more dangerous viruses in male semen than in female secretions.

Ways of getting HIV

There are several ways to acquire the immunodeficiency virus:

Sexual intercourse. Be sure to use condoms with partners you are unsure about. However, even this does not give a 100% guarantee. Please note that homosexual contacts are considered the most dangerous.

Transmission of the virus through blood. This is especially true for drug addicts who use one injection needle. This route of transmission was the most "famous" in the nineties. Sometimes infection occurs through donated blood. But today you should not worry about this, as modern technologies are able to identify this defect.

Ways of HIV infection can be very different. Do not forget that an infected mother will also infect her child. In this case, the baby can become infected even during childbirth.

The virus can also be transmitted through direct contact of broken skin with body fluids such as semen, breast milk, or vaginal secretions.

Prevention methods

The likelihood of HIV infection is quite high today. Therefore, prevention of HIV infection must be carried out as often as possible.

Great attention, especially to adolescents, is provided by preventive information. The more often this problem is heard, the more people will think about their future. Particular attention should be paid to a healthy lifestyle and the rejection of drugs.

Contraception is a very important and serious preventive measure. A condom can protect an uninfected person from getting infected fluids into the body. Therefore, people prone to finding non-permanent partners should always carry protective equipment with them.

Sterilization is a very important step for an infected woman. After all, very often this ailment can pass to the baby. Therefore, an infected woman is advised to visit a gynecologist.

Emergency prevention

There is always a chance of contracting HIV from a single unprotected contact. With the help of special medicines, you can significantly reduce the risk of the disease. If you have had unprotected sex, go to the hospital immediately. You will be assigned a special examination, according to the results of which the doctor will prescribe you a course of treatment with the use of drugs. However, for such measures to be effective, immediately consult a doctor. This must be done within three days. Otherwise, the medicines may not have the desired effect.

Such treatment is carried out within a month. After that, the examination is repeated. Usually everything works out well, but there are cases with a positive result. Then you will have to take a more detailed blood test. And after that, the doctor will select the treatment that is ideal for your case.

However, you should not hope that even by contacting a doctor in time, you will save yourself from irreparable changes in the body. It is better to take care of security measures in advance. Try to have sexual relations with only one partner in whom you are absolutely sure.

Signs of the disease in women

Very often, the signs of HIV infection in men and women are different, but still the first symptom will be a sharp increase in temperature. At the same time, you will not notice any signs of a cold or other diseases. An elevated temperature is usually observed within ten days. After this period, weakness, cough and migraine will be added to it. In this case, a rash may appear all over the body. Spots can be of a wide variety of colors and shades.

Very often, women lose weight, cases of anorexia are not uncommon. Moreover, each meal can be accompanied by vomiting and nausea. Most women begin to complain of painful menstruation. According to doctors, in the female body, the infection does not develop as quickly as in the male.

HIV: infecting men

The first signs of infection do not appear immediately. Ten days after infection, the entire body may become covered with a rash. In addition, the lymph nodes of the cervical and inguinal region will increase in size. After a while, fatigue, loss of appetite and lack of desire to work will be observed. The likelihood of contracting HIV with a single unprotected contact increases many times if the sexual partner has menstruation or cervical erosion disease.

If you notice similar signs in yourself, immediately go to the hospital. The sooner you do this, the more effective the treatment will be. And don't forget the security measures. Only you control your life, so do it consciously.

Currently, only the possibility of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is considered proven when blood containing the virus enters the bloodstream of a healthy person or through sexual contact (during sexual contact in any form). Separately, the possibility of transmitting the virus from a woman (a carrier of HIV or an AIDS patient) to a child through the placenta, through the birth canal at the time of childbirth or during breastfeeding (feeding a healthy child with the milk of a woman whose blood and breast milk contains the virus) is considered separately. It is impossible to become infected with the immunodeficiency virus during ordinary household contacts with an infected or sick person, with a handshake, by airborne droplets - in the external environment, the causative agent of the disease quickly dies.

In the vast majority of cases, it is the sexual transmission of the pathogen that is detected, but even with various methods of sexual contact, the likelihood of infection depends on the specific technique, the use of barrier contraceptive methods, and the presence of concomitant sexually transmitted diseases. The lowest risk of infection was found during unprotected oral sex (less than 1% of cases), while the highest risk occurs for men who practice homosexual relationships and refuse to use a condom. In large-scale studies that have been conducted in the EU countries over the past 20 years, it has been found that 15% of homosexual men became infected with HIV after 1-2 episodes of anal intercourse without using a condom.

It is impossible to identify the disease only by the appearance of a person - even in the terminal stage of AIDS, the patient will have symptoms of certain serious diseases or general exhaustion, but the symptoms of immunodeficiency are completely invisible. That is why the rule recommending the use of barrier contraceptive methods for any, even a single, casual sexual contact, becomes so relevant in modern conditions. Not every person knows that he is already infected with HIV - statistics show that at present there are 3-4 unregistered cases of the disease for one identified patient or carrier of HIV.

The human immunodeficiency virus can only exist in blood, vaginal secretions, semen, and breast milk, and only survive in these body fluids. When a virus enters the external environment (drying of the liquid in which this virus is present), it dies within 20-30 minutes, its death is accelerated by exposure to disinfectant and antiseptic liquids. That is why the risk of human infection in medical institutions is currently minimized (of course, if the rules of asepsis and antisepsis are observed there). The immunodeficiency virus cannot exist in the body of animals and insects, therefore it is impossible to become infected with HIV through bites and contact with any representatives of the fauna. There are studies that prove the possibility of isolating the virus with the saliva of a patient or carrier, but in these cases the amount of virus is minimal, and for a real possibility of infection, there must be huge mucosal wounds and blood (visually noticeable in saliva).

What is the risk of HIV infection in men? This question worries many. HIV, or - is a virus that infects the cells of the immune system, as a result of which they cease to perform their functions. It is important for each person to know the mechanism of the development of the disease, its clinical manifestations and methods of infection.

Disease pathogenesis

The virus enters the body and spreads in the blood and lymph.

Gastric juice, saliva, urine contain enzymes that can reduce the concentration of the virus to a minimum (which is why you cannot get infected through these fluids). The virus cannot exist outside a living organism for more than a few seconds, and also immediately dies at temperatures above 70ºС, at 56ºС - after 30 minutes.

When a virus cell enters the body, it integrates into a living cell. It converts its RNA into DNA, then inserts it into the DNA of the host cell, changing T-lymphocytes, causing it to produce similar viral cells and destroy existing ones. It is assumed that the virus responds to certain receptors on T-lymphocytes - CD4 cells.

Clinical manifestations of HIV infection in men

HIV belongs to the genus lentiviruses with a long incubation period.

For this reason, a person may not be aware of an existing infection for many years, as symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from many other diseases.

There are several stages of the development of the virus in the human body:

1. Incubation (from 10 to 60 days). Antibodies to HIV are not produced, it is impossible to determine the presence of HIV in the blood.
2. Acute (several weeks). It can manifest itself with symptoms such as fever, headaches, fatigue, muscle pain, prolonged diarrhea, sudden weight loss, upper respiratory tract infection, herpes.
3. Latent or asymptomatic (on average about 10 years, depends on the immune system). In the absence of therapy, it may not manifest itself in any way or be accompanied only by a painless enlargement of the lymph nodes. If the infection has not progressed to AIDS, lifelong antiretroviral therapy blocks the infection and allows the patient to live into old age. If left untreated, a person can live 9-11 years before the onset of AIDS.
4. Terminal (AIDS). From the moment of diagnosis without treatment, a person can live for about 1 year, dying from tumors or opportunistic (attacking only with severe immunodeficiency) infections that affect almost all body systems.

HIV is diagnosed by a blood test for the presence of antibodies to the virus. The first analysis is carried out in the period from 2 weeks to 3 months after the alleged infection. Six months later, a second test is carried out.

If the second analysis gave a positive result, another one confirming is prescribed. The results of the analysis are communicated personally to the patient and are confidential. Compulsory HIV testing is prohibited, with the exception of testing blood and organ donors to avoid infecting others. All HIV-positive individuals are regularly tested for immune status and viral load to monitor the development of the virus.

Methods of infection with the virus

As described above, the virus cannot exist outside a living organism, at high temperatures, and is transmitted only from an infected person through blood, breast milk or sexual fluids. You can't get HIV:

1. Through kisses, since saliva contains enzymes that can destroy or reduce the concentration of viral cells to a minimum. In rare cases, there is a small risk of transmission of the virus in the presence of fresh wounds, inflammation in the oral cavity.
2. Airborne (sneezing, talking).
3. Through sweat, tears, urine (handshake, towel, bed linen, shared toilet).
4. When bitten by insects or animals.
5. When swimming in a pool or pond, as the virus dies when it enters the water.

Sexual route of infection in men

About 70-80% of infections in the world occur in this way. There are risk factors that increase the likelihood of sexually transmitted infection:

1. During unprotected intercourse, both men and women are most likely to become infected with HIV, since the virus is contained in semen and vaginal secretions. Proper use of quality condoms can significantly reduce the risk of HIV or STD (sexually transmitted disease) transmission.
2. Anal sex increases the risk of infection, as in this case, there is a high probability of cracking and inflammation of the anus and rectum.
3. The passive (receiving partner) is more susceptible to infection than the active partner in any type of sexual intercourse.
4. The presence of sexually transmitted diseases and STDs increase the risk of infection through sexual contact, since they can often be accompanied by the presence of ulcers and inflammation of the mucous membrane, that is, the protection of the skin is broken, which facilitates the penetration of the virus into the body. The presence of cervical erosion increases the likelihood of infection not only in women, but also in men, since together with the exfoliating cells of the uterus, the virus can enter the body of a man.

Women are 3 times more at risk of infection than men for the following reasons:

• a larger amount of the virus enters the female body with sperm;
• its concentration in semen is higher than in the vaginal secretion;
• due to the anatomical structure, women are more susceptible to inflammation of the reproductive system and infection with STDs, which increases the likelihood of HIV infection.

Other ways of infection

Injection and instrumental method of infection. This route of infection is most common among injecting drug users. The reason is obvious: the use of a shared syringe. In a solution of heroin, HIV lives for about 21 days, in the cavity of a needle - for several days. Infections in this way account for 5-10% of all cases. Instrumental way - infection through non-disinfected tools for tattooing, piercing, manicure.

Hemotransfusion and transplantation way of infection. The hemotransfusion route is the transmission of the virus during the transfusion of infected blood, the transplant route - during organ transplantation. Currently, they account for 3-5% of all cases, as the practice of testing all blood and organ donors for HIV is observed.

Perinatal and milk route of infection. Perinatal (vertical) - the route of transmission of the virus from a pregnant mother to her fetus. Dairy - HIV infection during feeding through breast milk. They make up 5-10% of all cases. Currently, when planning a pregnancy, a woman must be tested for HIV, and if the result is positive, therapy is prescribed to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to the child.

After birth, the baby is tested for the presence of antibodies in the blood, but a reliable result can be obtained only at 1.5 years, when a mandatory re-analysis is carried out.

Professional and domestic way of infection. Occupational exposure to the virus is usually caused by healthcare workers who come into contact with blood, breast milk, seminal or vaginal fluids. This happens only if patients have damaged skin areas. Is less than 0.01%. In such cases, no later than 72 hours after the alleged infection, aggressive antiretroviral therapy is started, and an HIV test is regularly done. In everyday life, the transmission of the virus in rare cases is possible when used with infected shaving accessories, scissors for cutting.

Treatment and prevention of HIV

It consists in the implementation of antiretroviral therapy, which blocks the virus, which contributes to the formation of immune cells in the body. In the presence of concomitant infections, their treatment is required.

HIV infection is a slow-acting infection. It penetrates the human body, attaches itself to immune cells and begins to act gradually. From the moment of its appearance in the body and until the first signs of damage, a fairly long period of time can pass. It actively multiplies, affects organs and organ systems, but for the time being, the body does not react.

Even if a disease occurs, the immune system does not react in any way, as it is weakened as a result of a virus infection. In addition, HIV infection has the ability to rapidly mutate, making it difficult for immune cells to recognize.

Over time, the human immunodeficiency virus leads to AIDS, when the body is completely devoid of immunity and no longer resists any diseases. This is a dangerous disease, incompatible with life.

Most often, men are affected by the disease, since it is they who have a richer intimate life and often change their sex partners.

Ways of getting HIV

HIV infection in men predominates in semen and blood, while in women there is also in secretions and breast milk. Therefore, infection most often occurs through sexual relations, through the blood and milk of the mother during breastfeeding. Other fluids in the human body contain no or very few infected cells. This applies to urine, saliva, tears, bowel movements. Therefore, through handshakes and household methods, the virus is not transmitted, nor is it transmitted by airborne droplets.

HIV infection occurs:

• up to 80% of cases - during sexual contact;
• up to 10% - through blood infection, in drug addicts through a syringe needle;
• 0.01% - the risk of infection among healthcare workers;
• up to 10% when carrying and feeding a baby with mother's milk;
• up to 5% during the transfusion of infected blood in a hospital.

The most dangerous and most common route of infection is through unprotected sex with an infected person. At the same time, a woman becomes infected from a man much more often than he from her.

The reason for this lies in the following:

• The area of ​​the vagina in a woman is much larger than the area of ​​the intimate organs in a man. Accordingly, the area through which the infection can penetrate is also larger;
• sperm has a greater number of infected cells than a woman's mucous secretions;
• the risk of infection is increased for both partners if there is cervical erosion. In this case, a large number of infected cells are exfoliated, and erosion itself is an open door through which HIV penetrates very freely;
• the risk increases in the presence of urogenital infections. They cause the appearance of wounds, cracks, and other foci of inflammation, through which the virus freely penetrates into the body.

In the case of unprotected sex, the likelihood increases depending on the type of contact:

• oral contact causes the least number of infections and accounts for less than 1% of all infections due to sexual intercourse;
• the highest probability is with unprotected anal intercourse. In this case, women are especially at risk. This situation is connected with the fact that the rectum is often injured, blood appears, and the infection penetrates directly into it.

Among drug addicts, more than 70% of patients are infected with HIV. This is due not only to the repeated use of the same syringe and needle by different people, but also to the promiscuous intimate relationships that occur in this environment.

HIV in men: the first symptoms

The first symptoms of HIV do not appear immediately, the infection has an incubation period in the body. From the moment it enters the human body to the production of antibodies, it can take from several weeks to several months. And sometimes the incubation period is delayed for a year or more.

The virus actively multiplies, but does not make itself felt, does not manifest itself in any way. A person does not even realize that he is already a carrier of HIV infection, although there are characteristic, first symptoms of HIV that are known to specialists. They can manifest differently in people of the opposite sex.

The first HIV symptoms in men are manifested mainly indirectly:

• suddenly there is a general malaise, chronic fatigue, lack of vitality and efficiency;
• temperature up to 38 degrees also occurs suddenly and can last for several days;
• a headache occurs, sometimes not passing for several days and having a completely different character. The head may ache, the back of the head may throb, pain sensations occur of varying intensity. This state can last a week or even more;
• the appearance of a rash or white patches on the skin should also alert, especially if you have recently had unprotected sexual relations with a casual partner;
• it is worth paying attention to the enlargement of the lymph nodes, where the largest number of immune cells are located and which are the first obstacle to the penetration of the virus. They swell in the neck or groin area, under the knees or under the armpits;
• disorders associated with the gastrointestinal tract may suddenly appear. They are also the first symptoms of HIV. Sudden nausea, vomiting, stool instability, in combination with other of the above signs, should alert;
• the appearance of drowsiness and depression, fatigue, general malaise;
• sudden weight loss due to loss of appetite.

How long does it take for HIV to show up after being infected? The presence of one or more symptoms within two or three weeks is a reason to visit a doctor. It is not necessary to say that the diagnosis of HIV infection will be mandatory in 100% of cases. After all, other pathogenic organisms can cause similar symptoms. For this, you should contact a specialist. Based on the interview and diagnosis, he will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Feverish and asymptomatic phases

Signs of HIV infection may have febrile and asymptomatic phases.

All of the above symptoms occur only in half or 70% of cases after infection and occur in the period from two weeks to one and a half months after the infection has entered the body. This is the febrile period of HIV.

The asymptomatic phase passes completely unnoticed. Its duration depends on the rate at which infected cells multiply throughout the body. Sometimes this period reaches ten years. But the man does not even suspect that he is an HIV-infected patient, continues to live a full life and have sexual intercourse. In this way, partners become infected and the infection spreads to other people.

The level of CD4 lymphocytes in the blood is significantly reduced. If the analysis shows its content below the mark of 200 μl, we can talk about the first signs of AIDS in men.

symptom of acquired immunodeficiency

Speaking of AIDS, we can say that the immunodeficiency virus in the human body is fully activated, and the disease has reached its final stage. Conditionally pathogenic bacteria, which previously did not make themselves felt and did not pose a threat, from now on can provoke serious diseases that cause death of a person.

Symptoms of AIDS in men:

• a man loses weight by ten or more kilograms compared to his usual body weight;
• inflammation, acne, rash, red spots appear on the skin, which are caused by the presence of a viral, bacterial and fungal infection;
• diseases of the upper respiratory tract, pharynx and larynx that occur with enviable regularity - pharyngitis, sinusitis, otitis media;
• a red, inflamed rash appears on the upper and lower extremities;
• gums begin to bleed;
• symptoms of AIDS in men are stool disorders, diarrhea, intestinal infections caused by candidiasis;
• a man can be diagnosed with tuberculosis and pneumonia caused by the penetration and activation of the bacterial flora;
• feeling of chronic fatigue and high fatigue;
• reduced immunity causes cancer;
• A symptom of AIDS in men is Kaposi's tumor, which is characterized by an instantaneous growth of a neoplasm in the head region.

Men at risk

The first signs of AIDS can be observed in the following categories of men:

• drug addicts with experience infected with a disposable syringe needle;
• leading a promiscuous intimate life, not observing the basic rules of personal hygiene, not using contraceptives, often changing partners;
• having diseases of the genitourinary organs, especially of an infectious nature, venereal diseases;
• non-traditional sexual orientation;
• lovers of anal sex without a condom.

The top layer of the epidermis is a reliable defense against HIV infection. Therefore, you can not be afraid, even if the droplets of the blood of the infected just got on healthy skin, on which there are no wounds and scratches. In general, the virus is not transmitted by household means, through dishes and general hygiene products.

Sexual contact is another matter. During sex, there are always several microdamages. And with close contact, the infection is simply rubbed into them with an incredible amount of effort. Therefore, sexual infections are quickly transmitted from partner to partner and vice versa.

The risk of contracting an infection is very high among teenagers. Due to their age, they often do not think about the consequences of their actions. Once having tried the drug, they fall into the environment of drug addicts, in which, basically, the drug is always collected from common dishes, and the syringe and needle are often used several times. Infection, once in the drug, can easily penetrate through the needle into the blood of a person.

Those who like to get tattoos and piercings should also beware. Often in such workshops, instruments are sterilized very poorly or not sterilized at all. And who will guarantee that shortly before this, the procedure was not done to an HIV-infected person? Maybe he doesn't even know about it himself.

How to reduce your risk of getting HIV

HIV infection today poses a serious threat to human health and even life. After all, there is no full guarantee even that the condom will not break during sex. What to say about other ways of infection.

But every man and woman, especially those who do not have a family or a permanent partner in sex, should know how to minimize the risk of getting such an infection.

They are as follows:

• streamline sexual relations, do not enter into relationships with partners about whom you do not know anything;
• be sure to use condoms and special solutions for the mouth;
• regularly conduct tests for the absence of sexually transmitted diseases and other infections that affect the organs of the genitourinary system;
• urgently undergo prophylaxis if you have suspicions about contacts with the patient. To date, there are medications that, if taken within three days of such contact, kill viruses, minimizing HIV infection;
• Check your own health regularly as well. Get tested for HIV infection to know your status.

Today, scientists around the world are concerned about the number of infected patients and are in constant search of methods to combat this infection. Drugs have already been developed that, if they don’t get rid of it completely, they can stop its growth and spread in the human body.

To understand what is the probability of contracting HIV with a single unprotected contact, it is necessary to understand how the human immunodeficiency virus is transmitted and how it is not transmitted. You should be aware that there are three main routes of HIV transmission.

First, through the blood. This can happen during transfusion therapy, when drugs or drugs are administered with a syringe used by a sick person. Also, when the wound surface comes into contact, infection occurs in 100% of cases.

Secondly, the sexual route of infection. This method is the most common. The likelihood of contracting HIV from a single unprotected contact depends on many factors. Using a condom greatly minimizes the risk of transmission. According to the study, it became known that the virus can seep through the latex. The risk increases if thin, low-quality products are used.

It is also important to know that a woman is at risk 3 times more than a man, since the absorptive surface of the vagina is greater than that of the penis. The risk increases when semen enters the vagina, in the presence of injuries (including cervical erosion), during menstrual bleeding, in the presence of a concomitant sexually transmitted disease.

Oral sexual contact can lead to infection if there is a violation of the integrity of the oral mucosa or seminal fluid has entered the mouth.

Anal sex is the most dangerous option, as it is almost always associated with the formation of microcracks in the anus and rectum. Therefore, the probability of contracting HIV even with a single such unprotected contact is very high.

Thirdly, during pregnancy and childbirth. Moreover, if an infected mother receives appropriate treatment and is under constant medical supervision, the risk of infection of the baby is reduced to 1%. In 20 cases out of 100 during lactation, the virus is transmitted from mother to child, therefore, in the case of a positive analysis, artificial feeding is recommended.

According to the average statistical data, in percentage terms, the picture of the ways of spreading HIV is as follows:

• Infection during intercourse 70-80%.
• Infection among injecting drug users is 5-10%.
• From a sick mother during pregnancy and lactation 5-10%.
• During blood transfusion 3-5%.
• Health facility personnel in contact with patients 0.01%.

note

On the forum you can find information that causes reassurance that one episode of vaginal intercourse does not lead to infection. This is a rather dangerous myth.

The chance of contracting HIV with a single unprotected contact is the same as with several. It all depends not on the multiplicity, but on the type of sex, gender and the presence of aggravating factors. For example, the entry of infected sperm into the vagina during menstruation significantly increases the risks. Therefore, the use of a condom is mandatory, and in the case of an unprotected casual relationship, post-exposure prophylaxis and consultation with a specialist are necessary.

HIV risk and factors that increase this likelihood

The risk of contracting HIV depends on many factors, and primarily on the route of transmission. The lowest probability of infection in healthcare workers (less than 0.01%). Subject to all safety rules, even direct contact with patients does not pose a potential threat.

The largest percentage of infections persist during unprotected intercourse. Moreover, a woman is at risk 3 times more than her partner. This is due to physiological characteristics, since a large number of viruses enter the body along with sperm through the surface of the vagina. The risk of HIV infection increases during defloration, in the presence of microtraumas on the skin and genital mucosa, as well as the presence of cervical erosion. Significantly increases the possibility of penetration of the virus into the body with concomitant diseases of PPP, as these ailments cause inflammation of the mucous membrane of the genital organs, sores and other damage.

A huge number of lymphocytes are ejected into the tissue, including t-4, which is a target for immunodeficiency viruses. After contact with an HIV-infected person, after 10 hours, a person becomes a source and distributor of viruses. Diagnosis becomes effective at least three months after a suspicious contact, repeated tests must be taken after 6 and 12 months after it. The second highest risk of contracting AIDS or HIV infection is an injection with a contaminated needle. This usually happens during infusion therapy or during drug administration.

The probability of HIV infection in men during traditional sexual intercourse is several times lower than in women. If infection did occur, then after a few weeks, after the virus enters the body, there is a deterioration in well-being, which resembles the symptoms of a cold.

Subfebrile condition appears, pain and sore throat, enlargement and inflammation of the inguinal and axillary lymph nodes. Then the infection goes into a latent stage for several months or years. The duration of this period depends on the lifestyle and the state of the patient's immune system. During the latent stage, acute respiratory infections may become more frequent, fungal infections may become aggravated, small skin lesions can fester and do not heal for a long time. Such signs should serve as a reason to see a doctor.

The first signs of the disease in women:

1. An unreasonable, sharp increase in temperature up to 40 degrees, which does not go astray for a week or more.
2. Headache, asthenia, excessive sweating, lymphopathy.
3. Decrease or lack of appetite, dyspepsia.
4. Violation of the menstrual cycle, pain during menstruation, abundant mucous vaginal discharge.

Despite the fact that the likelihood of contracting HIV infection in men is slightly lower than in women, both should be aware of the methods of preventing this dangerous disease. Planned pharmacoprophylaxis is recommended for persons with a negative HIV status, but associated with an increased risk of infection (homosexuals who do not have a permanent partner; sex workers).

Prevention is aimed at preventing the development of HIV infection and is the daily use of antiviral drugs. To increase effectiveness, the method should be used in combination with condoms. For this purpose, combinations of 2 or 3 antiviral agents are used, namely fusion, reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors.

Emergency prophylaxis is a short course of antiviral drug use after unprotected sexual contact with or suspected HIV infection, or exposure to contaminated blood, semen, or medical equipment. Prevention must begin within 12 hours after intercourse. A delay of 24 hours is allowed, but no later than 72 hours. The minimum preventive course is 28 days.