Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
HIV/AIDS research
HIV/AIDS research includes all medical research that attempts to prevent, treat, or cure HIV/AIDS, as well as fundamental research about the nature of HIV as an infectious agent and AIDS as the disease caused by HIV.
A body of scientific evidence has shown that men who are circumcised are less likely to contract HIV than men who are uncircumcised. Research published in 2014 concludes that the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone selectively impact HIV transmission.
"Pre-exposure prophylaxis" refers to the practice of taking some drugs before being exposed to HIV infection, and having a decreased chance of contracting HIV as a result of taking that drug. Post-exposure prophylaxis refers to taking some drugs quickly after being exposed to HIV, while the virus is in a person's body but before the virus has established itself. In both cases, the drugs would be the same as those used to treat persons with HIV, and the intent of taking the drugs would be to eradicate the virus before the person becomes irreversibly infected.
Post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended in anticipated cases of HIV exposure, such as if a nurse somehow has blood-to-blood contact with a patient in the course of work, or if someone without HIV requests the drugs immediately after having unprotected sex with a person who might have HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis is sometimes an option for HIV-negative persons who feel that they are at increased risk of HIV infection, such as an HIV-negative person in a serodiscordant relationship with an HIV-positive partner.
Current research in these agents include drug development, efficacy testing, and practice recommendations for using drugs for HIV prevention.
The progression of HIV infection is analyzed by measuring the concentration of HIV virions (or viral load) and the concentration of CD4 T cells in the patient's bloodstream and lymphoid tissues. An untreated infection will progress in the following phases: Acute phase, chronic phase, and AIDS phase. In the Acute phase, the virions invade the host body and replicate expeditiously. The concentration of the virions increase vastly, while the concentration of CD4 T cells declines. After a spiked replication of HIV, the viral load and CD4 T cell count drops back down. Symptoms of acute HIV infection include fever, chills, rash, night sweats, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes. Acute symptoms occur usually 2–4 weeks after initial HIV infection and can last between a few days and several weeks
During the chronic phase, HIV will continue to replicate, but the concentration of virions tends to stabilize for a period of time before rising again. The CD4 T cell count continues to fall. Individuals in the chronic phase may not experience any symptoms. Left untreated, the chronic stage can last between 10 and 15 years. However, some individuals can move through this stage quickly to the AIDS phase.
An untreated HIV infection ultimately progresses to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). In the AIDS phase, the CD4 T-cell count significantly drops to below 200 cells per cubic millimeter. Individuals with AIDS become immunocompromised due to irreversible damage to the immune system and lymph nodes. The immune system does not have the ability to generate new T cells. Opportunistic infections, that a robust immune system could fight off, now are capable of causing severe symptoms and illnesses. Without a comprehensive anti-HIV drug therapy, an individual diagnosed with AIDS is expected to have less than three years to live.
Hub AI
HIV/AIDS research AI simulator
(@HIV/AIDS research_simulator)
HIV/AIDS research
HIV/AIDS research includes all medical research that attempts to prevent, treat, or cure HIV/AIDS, as well as fundamental research about the nature of HIV as an infectious agent and AIDS as the disease caused by HIV.
A body of scientific evidence has shown that men who are circumcised are less likely to contract HIV than men who are uncircumcised. Research published in 2014 concludes that the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone selectively impact HIV transmission.
"Pre-exposure prophylaxis" refers to the practice of taking some drugs before being exposed to HIV infection, and having a decreased chance of contracting HIV as a result of taking that drug. Post-exposure prophylaxis refers to taking some drugs quickly after being exposed to HIV, while the virus is in a person's body but before the virus has established itself. In both cases, the drugs would be the same as those used to treat persons with HIV, and the intent of taking the drugs would be to eradicate the virus before the person becomes irreversibly infected.
Post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended in anticipated cases of HIV exposure, such as if a nurse somehow has blood-to-blood contact with a patient in the course of work, or if someone without HIV requests the drugs immediately after having unprotected sex with a person who might have HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis is sometimes an option for HIV-negative persons who feel that they are at increased risk of HIV infection, such as an HIV-negative person in a serodiscordant relationship with an HIV-positive partner.
Current research in these agents include drug development, efficacy testing, and practice recommendations for using drugs for HIV prevention.
The progression of HIV infection is analyzed by measuring the concentration of HIV virions (or viral load) and the concentration of CD4 T cells in the patient's bloodstream and lymphoid tissues. An untreated infection will progress in the following phases: Acute phase, chronic phase, and AIDS phase. In the Acute phase, the virions invade the host body and replicate expeditiously. The concentration of the virions increase vastly, while the concentration of CD4 T cells declines. After a spiked replication of HIV, the viral load and CD4 T cell count drops back down. Symptoms of acute HIV infection include fever, chills, rash, night sweats, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes. Acute symptoms occur usually 2–4 weeks after initial HIV infection and can last between a few days and several weeks
During the chronic phase, HIV will continue to replicate, but the concentration of virions tends to stabilize for a period of time before rising again. The CD4 T cell count continues to fall. Individuals in the chronic phase may not experience any symptoms. Left untreated, the chronic stage can last between 10 and 15 years. However, some individuals can move through this stage quickly to the AIDS phase.
An untreated HIV infection ultimately progresses to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). In the AIDS phase, the CD4 T-cell count significantly drops to below 200 cells per cubic millimeter. Individuals with AIDS become immunocompromised due to irreversible damage to the immune system and lymph nodes. The immune system does not have the ability to generate new T cells. Opportunistic infections, that a robust immune system could fight off, now are capable of causing severe symptoms and illnesses. Without a comprehensive anti-HIV drug therapy, an individual diagnosed with AIDS is expected to have less than three years to live.