Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) since its discovery in 1981 has been one of the world most significant public health challenges.
It is estimated that 36.9million people are living with HIV worldwide with over 21 million of them on Antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.
Here are seven facts you probably do not know about HIV
1. Over 10% of people living with HIV reside in southern Africa
Swaziland has the highest prevalence of 27.2% followed by Lesotho and Botswana
According to NACA, Nigeria prevalence rate currently stands at 3.4%. Ekiti State has the least prevalence per state (0.2%) and Rivers State has the highest (15.2%)
2. The Median Incubation Period for HIV -1 is estimated at approximately 8-24months and shorter for infant born with HIV infection
HIV-2 is known to have a longer latency period and a slower disease progression compare to HIV-1
The longest reported latency period is in a Japanese man infected with HIV 2 and still asymptomatic after 36yrs of infection.
3. Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) for HIV have over 99% sensitivity and over 98% specificity
However, a recent study by MSF done in Cameroon, Kenya, Guinea, DR Congo and Uganda revealed high sensitivity (98.8-100), but poor specificity (90.4-99.7%)
4. Receptive Anal intercourse with a HIV-positive partner has the highest risk of transmission for the sexual route
It is estimated that per 10,000 instance of receptive anal intercourse with a positive partner, the virus is likely to be transmitted 138 times
The risk of transmission for other routes:
- Unprotected Receptive -Penile Vaginal Intercourse- 8 per 10,000
- Unprotected Insertive – Penile Vaginal Intercourse- 4 per 10,000
- Receptive and insertive oral sex- low risk with only theoretical risk of transmission except Fellatio( Mouth to penis)
- Blood transfusion from a HIV Positive donor- 9,250 per 10,000
- However, blood bank have adopted stricter screening measures to identify blood with HIV
- Sharing of Needle- 63 per 10,000
- Needle Prick- 23 per 10,000
5. There is only one person known to have been cured of HIV
Timothy Brown also known as the Berlin patient is the only documented case of patient living with HIV to have been successfully cured. He had a combination of chemotherapy to destroy most of his HIV- infected immune cells and bone marrow transplant to treat leukaemia.
However, Brown continue to receive immunosuppressive treatment to prevent rejection of these new stem cells for 38 months. The procedure is considered very dangerous and is not feasible for treatment in the general population.6. There are people living with natural resistance to HIV
The most common variety of HIV uses the CCR5 receptor as its docking station, attacking to it in order to enter and infect the CD4 immune cells.
Individuals with specific mutation on the CCR5 receptor (CCR5-delta32) are known to be naturally resistant to most strains of the HIV-1
7. New drug capsule may allow weekly HIV treatment
Researchers at the Massachusetts institute of technology (MIT) have developed a capsule that can deliver a week worth of HIV drug in a single dose
The capsule consist of a star shaped structured with 6 arms that can be loaded with drugs, folded inward and encase in a smooth coating. After swallowing, the arms unfold and gradually release the drug over a week.
Kudos!
ReplyDeleteNo 4 is quite shocking
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