Around 37 Million people are living with HIV virus and we are waiting for scientists to make final breakthrough of completely eradicating it.

I remember when we first heard about the AIDS in the 90s, we were afraid to kiss each other and sex became creepy at that moment. Unfortunately, the AIDS has not gone away and it has spread worldwide.

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According to WHO statistics, since its spread, around 70 million people have been affected with HIV virus, 35 million people have dead and till end of 2016, 36.7 million people are living with HIV virus. Africa is most affected country of AIDS, where about 1 in every 25 persons is suffering with HIV.

With the help of drug treatments, it is now possible to live normal life with HIV, but it is not long term solution and is very expensive. Currently lifetime cost of living with HIV is $ 610,000. We need proper vaccine and cure of AIDS (Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome).

HIV is transmitted through blood, semens and breast milk of infected person. It can’t be transmitted through urine, sweat and saliva.

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Till now, only one person have been cured of HIV i.e. Timothy Ray Brown is an American who was diagnosed with HIV in 1995. In 2007, he underwent treatment of leukemia and got cured of HIV virus. Doctors were of the view that his cure might be the unusual nature of stem cells which he received during treatment of cancer.

The HIV virus attacks our T-helper cells which are type of white blood cells. It can’t grow itself therefore it replicates inside T-cells to complete its life cyle and changes its DNA. As a result our immune system becomes vulnerable.

After the cause of HIV was known, next challenge was to find a drug that could kill HIV but not destroy our body cells. By 1996, doctors were able to do some advancements and discovered antiretroviral combination therapy.

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Antiretroviral combination therapy is combination of three or four drugs to treat HIV virus. Each antiretroviral drug targets specific life cycle of HIV; combination of these drugs helps to prevent its replication in most effective way and immunity system is somehow secured. Thus the patient can live normal happier life.

Unfortunately it is not long term solution. These drugs can’t at the moment completely destroy HIV virus. There is always some amount of HIV always present in the AIDS patient body. Leaving it untreated would lead again to its multiplying.

Scientists are working day and night doing research to effectively control or completely eradicate HIV and AIDS. The difference between HIV and AIDS is that AIDS is a condition while HIV is virus that causes AIDS. This research has led to new breakthroughs which help cure other diseases like Hepatitis C or Zika virus.

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Scientists are not confident enough to give exact date when we would be able to completely eradicate HIV. Its cure could take hours or it could take years.

References:

1- Wikipedia
2- https://www.avert.org/about-hiv-aids/how-infects-body
3- http://www.hivequal.org/equal-stories/meet-timothy-ray-brown