The Impact of HIV on the Immune System: How HIV Attacks the Body and What Modern Medicine is Doing to Stop It

The human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) is a very destructive virus that specifically targets the body's immune system, which is our natural defence against infections and diseases. Without treatment, HIV progresses into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), in which the immune system is so severely damaged that the body can no longer protect itself from even the simplest of infections. Fortunately, what used to be a death sentence is now a chronic illness that is controllable and brings hope and a better future for millions around the world. (Clinicalinfo)

After the virus penetrates the body, it targets the central component of the immune system: CD4+ T cells. These are the "coordinators" of the immune response, The virus attaches to these cells, penetrates them, replicates itself. In the process of replication, it kills the CD4+ T cells, thus significantly reducing their numbers. This leads to a weakening of the immune system, making the body susceptible to opportunistic infections and illnesses. (HIVInfo )At such a point that the number of CD4+ T cells is lowered to a critically low level, the immune system loses its ability to function and then HIV progresses into AIDS. There are serious infections brought about by germs that have minimal or very few impacts in immunocompetent hosts: pneumonia or tuberculosis, for instance. The bright side is that most people who live with HIV nowadays never enter the later stages of the disease due to proper and prompt care as well as adequate treatment. (https://www.nhs.uk/)

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) was another big break for fighting HIV. It does not heal the virus but stops it from reproducing within the body. Patients can reduce the virus in their blood to an undetectable level by consistently taking ART. This allows HIV not to harm or transmit to others, hence becoming a critical instrument for preventing others from getting infected (https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/) Modern ART has become less complicated and user-friendly over the years. Nowadays, most patients require only one pill a day, which is in stark contrast to the multi-pill regimens used in the old days. Some treatments are given as long-acting injectables, which require administration every few months, allowing patients to live free from the burden of daily medication. (https://www.nhs.uk/) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) Scientific research continues to advance the treatment of HIV. New drugs, like lenacapavir, are being developed for patients whose HIV is resistant to existing treatments. Long-term injectable therapies are also under testing, giving hope for no more daily pills. (https://www.unaids.org/en) Perhaps the most exciting advances lie in the search for a cure. Techniques include gene therapy and immunotherapy, with the ultimate aim of eradicating HIV completely from the body or making it possible for the immune system to control the virus without drugs. These approaches are still in experimental stages, but there is hope that one day a world without HIV will be seen. (https://www.lemonde.fr/)

Today, people infected with HIV can lead healthy, and promising lives, pursing their dreams and building futures for themselves. Thanks to the resilience of scientists, physicians, and worldwide communities, this disease is no longer the end; it is the beginning of an equally aspiring page filled with strength, progress, and optimism. While the voyage to eradicate the HIV virus might not be long, the mileages covered is a testament for what humanity will achieve when brought together.

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