AIDS, also known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is a chronic fatal infectious disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus, which is mainly transmitted through sexual contact, blood and mother to child transmission. Infection with AIDS virus will slowly destroy the human immune system and eventually lead to various serious opportunistic infections and malignant tumors. It is a serious infectious disease with a high mortality rate.
Who is susceptible to AIDS?
Before the AIDS vaccine, AIDS virus could infect everyone. Some people's personal behavior is more likely to be infected with AIDS virus, which is the high-risk group. It is often seen in the following situations:
(1) Most AIDS patients are infected due to poor blood selling or frequent blood transfusion or blood products transfusion due to illness.
(2) In addition to AIDS, people sharing needles and intravenous drugs can also infect hepatitis and syphilis.
(3) Prostitutes and personnel in entertainment venues, homosexuals, or other dangerous sexual activities.
(4) The spouse and sexual partner of a person infected with AIDS virus or AIDS patient, and the children born after AIDS virus infection.
(5) Have used public sharp tools without strict disinfection, such as tattoo, tattoo eyebrow, tattoo eyeliner, tattoo lip line, ear piercing or shaving.
(6) In small clinics and hospitals, poorly disinfected and improperly operated instruments are used for surgeries, tooth extractions, wound dressing changes (especially for oral wounds), gynecological examinations, curettage, fallopian tube flushing, etc.
(7) Those who receive tissue organ transplantation or artificial insemination of tissues, organs, semen, etc. that have not undergone AIDS virus antibody test.
(8) Medical staff who often diagnose, treat and care AIDS patients, especially those who have been injured by needles, scissors or other sharp tools contaminated with AIDS virus, often do blood and various secretions tests for AIDS patients, as well as cleaners in hospital wards.
(9) All kinds of STD patients, especially syphilis, condyloma acuminatum, chancre patients are prone to infection with AIDS.
(10) If there is a break in the skin or mucous membrane on the body surface of the hotel, hotel, beauty salon, nightclub, foot washing city, bathtub service personnel, police, prison guards, funeral personnel, they accidentally contact the blood or body fluids of AIDS virus carriers or AIDS patients, and may also be infected with AIDS.
How does the AIDS virus spread?
There are three main ways of transmission: (1) sexual transmission. Unprotected anal sex, vaginal sex, and oral sex can all cause transmission to varying degrees. According to the World Health Organization's prediction, by the end of this century, the number of people infected through sexual contact will account for 90% of all infections (including same-sex contact), and women will make up the majority of them. Most of these women have multiple sexual partners.
(2) Blood transmission
mainly through sharing unsterilized syringes and needles; Import blood or blood products containing AIDS virus; Bone marrow transplantation, organ transplantation and artificial insemination of people infected with AIDS virus; The use of unsterilized dental instruments, acupuncture and moxibustion needles, or other operations are transmitted through blood, as well as other ways that can cause blood transmission.
(3) Mother to child transmission
Mother to child transmission is also known as vertical transmission. After a mother infected with AIDS virus is pregnant, the AIDS virus in the blood can directly reach the baby through the placenta, making the baby infected with AIDS virus. In the process of delivery, because the cervical and vaginal secretions of pregnant women infected with AIDS virus contain a large amount of AIDS virus, the baby is most likely to be infected when passing through the birth canal without protection. In addition, infants can also be infected through breastfeeding after childbirth. Most infants infected with AIDS virus will die before the age of 3. Therefore, it is recommended that women with positive AIDS virus antibodies avoid pregnancy.
How to prevent AIDS virus infection?
Although AIDS is an extremely dangerous infectious disease, it can be prevented for individuals. The main preventive measures are:
(1) Keeping clean and abiding by sexual morality is the fundamental measure to prevent sexual contact with AIDS.
(2) Correct use of qualified condoms, early treatment and self-healing can greatly reduce the risk of infection and transmission of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.
(3) Sharing syringes for intravenous drug use is a high-risk behavior for AIDS infection and transmission. We should reject drugs and cherish life.
(4) Avoid unnecessary injections, blood transfusions, and the use of blood products; When necessary, use blood or blood products that have passed the AIDS virus antibody test, and use disposable syringes or strictly sterilized appliances.
(5) Preventive measures such as timely intervention of antiviral drugs, reduction of harmful operations during labor, and avoidance of breastfeeding for pregnant women infected with AIDS virus can greatly reduce the possibility of infection of fetuses and infants.
(6) AIDS voluntary counseling and testing is an important preventive measure for early detection of infected persons and patients.
(7) Caring, helping, and not discriminating against people infected with AIDS virus and patients, and encouraging them to work with AIDS prevention and treatment are important measures to control the spread of AIDS.