Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus responsible for causing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The virus attacks and suppresses the immune system. It specifically targets the cells that are crucial for fighting infection from invading organisms. This allows other diseases and infections to progress in the body without resistance.
Similar to HBV and HCV, many of those infected with HIV will not show any symptoms of infection but are still potentially infectious to others.
Early symptoms could include the following:
- Fever, chills
- Rash
- Night sweats
- Muscle aches
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Mouth ulcers
It could take many years before an HIV-infected person shows symptoms of the disease. As the infection progresses to AIDS, more severe symptoms can develop, generally related to other opportunistic infections that occur due to a weakened immune system.
Unlike HBV and HCV, HIV poses a much shorter risk of indirect exposure. HIV is fragile and can only survive for a few hours outside the human body.
There is no immunization or known cure for HIV. Effective new drug therapies can keep HIV-infected persons healthy longer and have dramatically reduced the death rate.
Knowledge Check
Hepatitis B (HBV) is the bloodborne pathogen covered here that has the greatest risk of transmission from an exposure.