E1.RU continues to debunk various scientific and pseudo-scientific myths together with Yekaterinburg scientists. After the hype surrounding the HIV epidemic in Yekaterinburg, we decided to sort out the "horror stories" associated with this infection.
We will find out why the risk of contracting HIV with anal sex is greater than with vaginal sex, and how many intercourses are enough for infection. Let's find out how long a needle thrown into a mailbox remains infectious and whether it is possible to get HIV after a child's fight.
We asked Vladislav Verevshchikov, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Immunology, Ural State Medical University, to answer these questions. Our conversation takes place at one of the clinical bases of the Ural State Medical University, which includes HIV-infected patients.
Myth one: HIV and AIDS are one and the same
When the acronym AIDS first appeared in the 1980s, it was the name of the disease. In 1983, the human immunodeficiency virus was discovered, and now we call this disease not AIDS, but HIV infection. And AIDS is the terminal, last stage of the development of HIV infection, explains Vladislav Verevshchikov.
HIV infection is a disease, all the talk that the virus does not exist is all a myth. Now this virus is isolated, well studied, its structure is known, it can be seen in an electron microscope. Because we know the structure of the virus, antiretroviral drugs have emerged. If we did not know the virus, did not know what antigens and enzymes are included in the composition, we could not treat.
Myth two: HIV drugs kill
Our task is to try to block the development cycle of the virus as much as possible with the help of drugs. There are several groups of drugs that can be combined. Taking therapy, people can live a fairly high quality for a long time, but there will be no cure, the terminal stage is inevitable. However, the person will not die in 5 years. The drugs are quite toxic, have many side effects, they are so severe that some of the drugs have to be canceled, but everything cannot be canceled.
If a person does not receive any therapy at all, then his life expectancy depends on what kind of life he leads. In the case when he contracted sexually and does not use drugs, the disease proceeds more slowly in terms of time, it can be 5, 10, 15 years. If a person takes therapy, then these periods may increase: he fell ill at 20, and may live up to 60-70. It's another matter if a person contracted HIV through drugs and continues to use them, then the duration of the disease can be reduced to 1-3 years. With this option, treatment will slow down the process, but will not greatly increase the life expectancy.
- That is, if a person with HIV lives to retire, he will die from this infection anyway?
No, at the age of 65, a person with HIV can die from his age-related pathology, for example, from myocardial infarction. He will have HIV infection, but he will die from myocardial infarction or stroke. Treatment is the only way to survive to those years.
- What diseases do people who do not accept treatment suffer from?
For Russia, tuberculosis is in the first place, it is the main cause of death of HIV-infected. Moreover, not only tuberculosis of the lungs, but tuberculosis of extrapulmonary localization: bones, membranes of the brain, those forms that are very difficult to treat. Next comes Pneumocystis pneumonia, which a healthy person cannot have. The causative agent of this disease is a pneumocyst, it is attributed to fungi. If a person has HIV, then he begins to manifest himself: a person develops shortness of breath, and he eventually dies from respiratory failure.
And another insidious pathogen is Toxoplasma - the simplest that affects the brain and leads to acute disorders of the nervous system. Under normal conditions, toxoplasmosis can be contracted from a cat, but a healthy person will not get clinically sick, and a person with HIV will develop the disease and the person will die.
Myth three: the baby gets HIV from the mother during childbirth
There is a mechanism of infection, which is called vertical, in which infection most often occurs during childbirth. When a woman gives birth naturally, then, walking along the birth canal of the mother, the child comes into contact with blood, maybe swallows amniotic fluid, the very process of birth leads to infection. To prevent this from happening, a woman should be tested for HIV during pregnancy, and this is done twice, because the virus can appear already at some stage of pregnancy.
We recommend treating a pregnant woman during gestation, replacing natural childbirth with a cesarean section. Immediately after birth, the child is given a chemotherapy drug for prophylaxis. And we recommend giving up breastfeeding, because there is a virus in the mother's milk too. If all these positions are observed, then the risk of infection will be minimized. Healthy children are born, and in the future they are no different from their peers.
- If a child was born healthy, why should he be given these toxic drugs?
You see, when the child was just born, we do not know with certainty whether he is infected or not, this will be known only by the age of one year. Until this age, he retains maternal antibodies, that is, the analysis will show that the child is allegedly infected, even if he is healthy, and after a year we can already say whether he has become infected or not.
How long an infected child will live will depend on the drug intake and lifestyle. We now have adult children of the 90s who were born from HIV-infected mothers, they graduated from a regular school, mastered the program, like their peers, and now live a normal life.
The fourth myth: you can get HIV in some household contacts
HIV-infected people can travel in public transport, use a swimming pool, a bathhouse, everyday contacts do not lead to infection. A mosquito will not infect when bitten. There are infections that blood-sucking insects can transmit, but not HIV. This virus does not survive in the insect's body. Even if a mosquito bites an infected person, the next bite will not transmit the virus to a healthy person.
In order to infect HIV in a swimming pool or bath, there must be lesions on the skin or damaged mucous membranes. Menstrual flow, blood, semen are infected, only through them the virus can be transmitted. The virus does not persist in water; with urine, feces is not transmitted. The virus is present in tears and sweat, urine, feces, but is not transmitted. Contact with all this is not dangerous. An infected person can cry on the shoulder of a person where there is a cut, but there will be no infection, for this you need a "bucket" of tears.
- Is infection possible if an infected child bites a healthy child?
You should not be afraid that one child will infect another with a bite or in a child's fight. For infection to occur when bitten, there must be an admixture of blood in the saliva, the bite must be "capital", like a predator. I repeat, household contacts are absolutely safe. If children eat in the same dining room, sleep in one bedroom, play with the same toys, even sit on the same pot, this will not lead to infection.
The fifth myth: one sexual intercourse is enough for HIV infection.
If the partner does not take drugs, he has a high concentration of the virus in his semen, like a woman who refuses therapy, there will be a high concentration of the virus in her vaginal secretions - then one sexual intercourse may be enough. But such situations are rare. When it comes to sexually transmitted infection, most often it is frequent sexual intercourse with a change of partners and, of course, unprotected ones. If sexual intercourse is rare, then here you are already as lucky.
- Will a condom 100% protect against infection?
There is such a story among obstetricians-gynecologists that even a condom does not always protect against pregnancy. But, seriously, there is still no other protection against HIV during sexual intercourse.
Although in the West there are attempts in some vulnerable risk groups to prescribe chemotherapy to those who are healthy. But it is necessary to take these drugs every day, like an infected person. Not when intercourse took place, but every day so that the concentration in the blood is maintained constant.
- Is anal sex safer than vaginal?
It is also possible to contract HIV during anal sex, because this disease began with homosexual men. There are cells in the rectum that are tropic (more quickly affected by the virus). It is believed that homosexuals often have a large number of sexual partners and at the same time neglect protective equipment. Anal sex has a higher risk of infection than vaginal sex. This is not only true for men who have sex with men.
- And with oral sex?
It is almost impossible to get infected with oral sex. Getting into the digestive tract, the virus does not survive, hydrochloric acid destroys it. Infection will occur if only there are ulcers, erosion in the oral cavity, if the gums are inflamed, and they are quickly injured when contact with blood can occur. Hydrochloric acid inactivates the virus, it is not transmitted further along the gastrointestinal tract, therefore there is no fecal-oral route of infection.
Myth six: you can get HIV through blood transfusions
Donors must be tested for HIV. For many years in Elista, there was an infection of children when performing medical procedures, but now such cases are excluded. The donor is mandatory tested for HIV, and if he is found to have positive antibodies, then he will never be a donor.
All instruments are disposable, and those that cannot be made disposable are sterilized. In general, the virus is unstable in the environment. So, it is easier to get hepatitis B than HIV. If all the preventive measures that are necessary for hepatitis B are taken, then HIV will not be infected even more. Donated blood is quarantined for six months, that is, all this time it is not taken to work. She lies frozen at the blood transfusion station, after 6 months the donor comes, again takes this test, if it is negative, then the blood is taken into work. If it is positive, then the blood will be rejected, it cannot be used.
Myth Seven: HIV can be detected the day after infection
There is no point in handing over on the same day. HIV is not the flu, which can manifest itself several hours after infection; more time passes here. Modern diagnostic methods are aimed at detecting HIV antibodies; the shortest time when they will be visible is 2 weeks, but most often it takes from 2 months to six months, in someone antibodies form even longer. Average terms are 2-3 months. We recommend that you get tested for HIV twice with an interval of 6 months. If after six months the result is negative, then we do not invite the person for further examination.
- Are there people whose immunity does not allow HIV to pass through?
There are such people, but it's not about immunity. The HIV virus has specific receptors, there are the same receptors in the cells that HIV affects. If there is no coincidence of receptor sensitivity, then the virus does not see this cell, passes by and does not infect. These are very rare congenital genetic defects, there are very few such people in the world, but they do exist. In most cases, everyone has these receptors that recognize the virus.
Myth eight: you can easily get HIV from a needle stick with infected blood.
Yes, there were stories in the 90s, when children in a sandbox pricked themselves on needles with blood, syringes and needles were thrown into mailboxes. In general, it all depends on what kind of sharp object it is. If this is a hollow needle, then the virus can persist in its lumen, but it does not live there for long, not for months, but for several days. If a person received an injection with this hollow needle during this period, then the risk of infection may be present. If it is a rusty needle, then there is a greater risk of contracting tetanus.
In general, these needles in the mailbox are more of a "horror story". For infection to occur, it is necessary that the injection on the needle occurs as soon as it was thrown there with fresh blood. The hepatitis viruses and the causative agent of syphilis survive longer. Once the regional center for the prevention and control of AIDS did an interesting job. Residents of the city brought needles, which they found in mailboxes, sandboxes, and elsewhere. So, during the study, the hepatitis B virus, and the hepatitis C virus, and HIV, and also the causative agent of syphilis, were found in one needle. Moreover, the likelihood of getting sick from this needle was higher with hepatitis and syphilis than HIV infection.
Diagnoses such as HIV and AIDS scare every modern person. Almost everyone in life has asked the question: how to avoid HIV infection?
Public service announcements on television and on billboards urge the use of barrier contraception at all times. But does a condom save you from AIDS? Even in the last century, scientists and doctors believed that "product number 1" provides complete protection against infection with this infection. When more information has accumulated, now these data are in doubt.
Users are interested in whether it is possible to contract HIV through a condom, and what percentage of protection this method of contraception gives.
The situations in which you can get infected from someone with AIDS are varied. But the largest percentage of HIV infection is sexually transmitted.
What is the percentage of the likelihood of contracting the virus with unprotected contact? The answer to this question depends on the type of intimate act:
- With oral sex, women have a 1 in 2500 chance of contracting HIV from a partner, or 0.04%; there is no risk for men in this case. In the gastrointestinal tract, the immunodeficiency virus is inactivated by interaction with hydrochloric acid, so the risk for women is minimal, it depends only on the presence of damage to the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and pharynx.
- With anal contact, the chance of infection is higher, since the rectal mucosa is much more susceptible to microcracks and injuries.
- Through vaginal contact, both partners are most likely to contract HIV.
The likelihood of contracting the immunodeficiency virus also increases in the following cases:
- the presence of concomitant STDs, since in this case epithelial cells are involved in the inflammatory process, which increases their permeability to the virus;
- with erosive damage to the cervix, the risk increases for both women and men, due to the exfoliation of epithelial cells containing the virus;
- during menstruation and at the time of rupture of the hymen due to direct contact with blood (this biological fluid contains the bulk of viruses);
- in the presence of skin lesions in the genital area.
How not to get HIV infection? To do this, an important rule should be observed: use barrier contraceptives with each intercourse. The viruses that cause human immunodeficiency are not transmitted when condoms are used correctly.
Can you get HIV by having sex in a condom?
Today, the condom is the only method of contraception that can protect a person from AIDS (with the exception of abstinence from sexual intercourse).
Condoms that are unsafe for everyday use are made from animal skin; these products allow the smallest viral cells to pass through. Contraceptives made from latex are more effective in fighting HIV infection.
It is believed that HIV is transmitted through a condom due to the fact that there are microscopic holes in the latex structure. Research shows that the pore size in condom material is much larger than the diameter of the virus. In addition, multi-layer latex is used for the manufacture of contraceptives, which reduces the likelihood of HIV infection entering through the pores.
On drugstore shelves, you can see a huge variety of barrier contraception. Some of them are positioned as particularly protective against HIV and other STDs. This is not always true.
- The inscription "extra strong" on the product label does not mean that any other material is used for its manufacture. These condoms are still made of latex, but only thicker, which does not play a special role in the possibility of viruses penetrating through it. The use of "extra strong" condoms can even contribute to infection, since, according to statistics, a large thickness of latex leads to its rapid rupture.
- Latex products "with spermicide" also do not provide maximum protection against AIDS. Nonoxynol-9 most often acts as a spermicidal agent. It protects well enough against unwanted pregnancy. But this substance can only contribute to the penetration of the human immunodeficiency virus into the cells of the skin and mucous membranes, since under its influence microcracks and microbreaks often appear.
Often there are situations when one of the partners is allergic to latex products. In such cases, it is necessary to choose the more expensive condoms made of polyurethane.
Risk factors for HIV infection through protected intercourse
A condom, if used improperly, does not protect against HIV infection:
- if the condom was stored improperly - at elevated air temperature or high humidity, under prolonged exposure to direct sunlight;
- when using a product with an expired shelf life (the risk of rupture increases);
- when the structure of latex in a condom is destroyed under the influence of greasy lubricants (for example, various oils, petroleum jelly, fatty creams);
- with the wrong size of the product: the narrow one can quickly break, and the wide one slides off the penis during frictions;
- in case of violation of the integrity of the contraceptive due to improper removal from the package (cannot be opened with sharp objects, nails or teeth).
There is a widespread myth among young people that two condoms put on at the same time provide a greater percentage of protection against unwanted infections. This is not so, because the probability of rupture of protective equipment due to mutual friction increases significantly.
Currently, there is no problem in buying a condom: they are sold on every corner and around the clock. However, the risk of contracting the immunodeficiency virus is still quite high. The reason for this is the lack of awareness of people about the correct use of barrier contraceptives.
To avoid contracting HIV, people who have been infected should be avoided. This is difficult to do, since an infected person does not outwardly differ from a healthy one. Therefore, the main advice is to protect yourself during sexual intercourse with the help of barrier means.
Do Condoms Protect Against HIV? The answer is unequivocal: yes, this product can protect against infection with the immunodeficiency virus, but only if used correctly and in a timely manner.
HIV is a virus that causes a weakening of the human immune system, which, as a result, makes the body unable to resist the negative effects of the environment and resist various diseases. There are several ways in which the virus is transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person. The risk of infection in some cases is higher, in others it is lower or completely absent. Competent precautions will keep you healthy.
Ways of transmission of the virus
The ways of transmission of HIV infection are different, but there are three main ones, when it is almost impossible to avoid infection.
The maximum risk of infection occurs in the following cases:
- during intercourse without barrier protection;
- through the blood;
- during childbirth or in utero.
The most common route of infection is through blood. This phenomenon is facilitated by:
- using one needle to inject substances intravenously;
- transfusion of infected blood;
- getting the patient's biofluids into the bloodstream or on mucous surfaces;
- contact with an infected biological fluid (often found in doctors);
- using raw instruments (manicure, pedicure, dental devices).
In 90% of cases, a child becomes infected with the virus during the natural passage through the birth canal. Infection can occur during intrauterine development, as well as when breastfeeding an infected mother.
Transmission of the virus through intercourse
During intimacy, infection occurs if one of the partners is HIV carrier. A large number of viral cells are found in semen and female secretions. If intercourse was without the use of condoms, then infection occurs in most cases.
Most of all HIV is found in menstrual flow. At this time, the risk of getting sick to a healthy partner increases several times. Infection passes through wounds and scratches on the male genitals.
With oral and anal intercourse, the risk of infection is also quite high. Anal sex is a great danger, since the rectum is not intended for such actions and is often injured. During anal sex, a large number of microcracks and wounds appear, through which the virus quickly enters the general bloodstream.
Oral sex is not safe, as damage to the mucous membranes of the mouth and genitals causes the disease to penetrate into a healthy body.
The likelihood of infection increases if an uninfected person has diseases such as:
- gonorrhea;
- chlamydia;
- other STDs;
- syphilis.
Women become infected with HIV 5 times more often. This is due to the structure of the female genital organs. If partners have vaginal sex with a condom, the risk of infection is reduced to almost zero. Condoms protect against a dangerous virus by 99%.
Using infected tools
At risk are people using one syringe to inject substances, including narcotic drugs. When the needle comes into contact with the patient's blood, it becomes dangerous for a healthy person. Multiple use of the syringe by different people leads to the spread of the virus to all participants in the process.
The lowest prices for disposable syringes have reduced the risk of parietal infection.
Previously, there were cases of infection during medical interventions and procedures, since there were no disposable instruments and devices that guarantee 100% sterilization. Today this risk has been minimized. There is a risk in dental and surgical procedures. Blood transfusions and intravenous injections are safe. A small percentage of doctors are infected with HIV. The cause of the disease is unprotected contact with contaminated blood through negligence.
You can get infected not only with medical intervention, but also with a regular manicure, if non-sterile instruments are used. It is better to give preference to hardware processing of hands, since in this case there is almost no contact with the blood of the instrument.
From mother to child
The virus during natural childbirth, if the mother is sick, affects 30% of newborns. Basically, the virus enters the baby when passing through the birth canal and with breast milk. Doctors can make the final diagnosis only when the child turns 3 years old. This is due to the fact that for 36 months the cells of the virus can be in the baby's body, and then disappear. If antibodies are found after this period, then the child is considered infected.
The risk of infection is increased if the mother has:
- inflammation of the organs of the genitourinary system;
- a large amount of the virus in the genital secretions;
- lack of therapy;
- unhealthy Lifestyle.
The likelihood of infection increases with premature or prolonged fetus.
When you don't have to be afraid of infection
An infected person does not always pose a danger to society, since the virus is not transmitted in everyday life.
In the absence of wounds, abrasions, bleeding scratches on the hands and body, touching or shaking hands with an infected person is perfectly safe. Through the skin, the disease does not enter the body.
In saliva, the amount of the virus is minimal, so it is not transmitted by kissing. It should be noted that open wounds, ulcers and bleeding gums increase the risk of the virus entering a healthy body.
The virus does not live in the external environment. If he gets on household items, he quickly dies. Even a dried drop of blood is not dangerous to the health of others. The virus does not enter the bloodstream through food, dishes, and household items.
The disease does not spread in public places, so it is safe to visit a bath, sauna, swimming pool, restaurant, fitness together with a sick person.
Precautions and Preventions
In order not to get infected with HIV, you need to know in which cases the risk of infection is high, and in which cases it is safe to communicate with an infected person.
- exclude contact with the patient's biological fluids (semen, vaginal secretions, blood, breast milk);
- use condoms for intercourse with strangers;
- use disposable syringes, razors, glucometers;
- when working with the patient's blood, observe all protective measures;
- take special medications during pregnancy to minimize the risk of infection of the baby.
If you feel unwell after contact with an infected person, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. If traces of the virus are detected in the blood throughout the year, then certain therapy will allow you to maintain health at the highest possible level for this, improve the quality of life and its duration.
»Oleg Kozyrev, chief freelance specialist in diagnostics and treatment of HIV infection of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in the Southern Federal District, head of the Volgograd Regional Center for Prevention and Control of AIDS, dispelled many myths about HIV infection and ways of infection. The expert told whether a condom protects against HIV, whether it is possible to contract the virus through saliva and whether there are AIDS terrorists in Volgograd who deliberately infect people with this infection.
“Immunodeficiency can be congenital in a person, or it can develop as a result of various serious diseases,” says Kozyrev. - AIDS is an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In this disease, the immune system, which protects the body from viruses and bacteria, fails.
The expression "get AIDS" or "test for AIDS" is fundamentally wrong, - says the expert. - HIV is transmitted, that is, a virus, and it is determined by the analysis.
There are several ways of transmission from a sick person to a healthy person. One of them is sexual. It is widely believed that a condom does not protect against HIV infection. Sometimes people quite seriously state that items # 2 have pores - microscopic holes through which HIV penetrates. Oleg Kozyrev dispelled this myth.
In fact, the virus "floats" in the body fluid and is not able to crawl, leak or jump somewhere, - the expert says. - As you know, a condom does not allow liquid to pass through, which means it does not allow HIV either.
According to Kozyrev, there is, of course, no 100% guarantee: the condom can break or fall off. But it is really effective against HIV. For example, out of 171 couples where one partner had HIV, only 3 people got sick when using condoms.
There are no less fantastic versions: people believe that you can get infected even through saliva or tears.
It turns out that infection occurs only when the blood (or other body fluids) of an HIV-infected person enters the body of another person. And there should be a lot of this liquid.
In order for the dose of the virus, for example, in saliva, to become sufficient for infection, 3 liters are needed. Or 10 ml of saliva with blood, - says the expert. - So, we can say that infection requires a whole bath of sweat or a pool of tears.
Sometimes AIDS terrorist warnings appear on social media and the Internet. These are people offended by the whole world and inadequate citizens who can prick any person with an infected needle in public places. Oleg Kozyrev assures that he has never encountered such cases during his practice.
“For 25 years of the epidemic, not a single fact has been recorded that someone was infected with HIV in this way,” says the Volgograd resident. - According to official data, there are no infected in hairdressing salons or in dentists' offices.
By the way, this terrible disease is not transmitted by airborne droplets (when coughing, sneezing), through handshakes and hugs with an HIV-positive person. The risk arises from sexual intercourse that is not “protected” by condoms, and after the shared use of syringes for intravenous drug administration. Even a pregnant woman with HIV does not necessarily have a sick child. It's just that the expectant mother and baby should receive special treatment. Also, the breast milk of an infected mother is contraindicated for a newborn - artificial mixtures are needed.
Can you get HIV through a condom? Many health-conscious sexually active people are interested in this topic. There is a rumor that condoms do not protect against AIDS and STIs, we will find out if this is so.
Risk of infection
Many doctors claim that the latex pores in the condom can allow the HIV virus to pass through. Thus, there is a risk of getting infected and it is approximately 60%. And only 40% of the probability that this contraceptive will protect you from contracting an incurable disease.
With the correct use of a condom, the risk of infection is significantly reduced!
If the "protective rubber" is used incorrectly, then there is a risk:
- tearing latex;
- recession;
- crawling right inside the partner.
In these cases, the risk of infection increases by 98%. Therefore, it is important to use a condom correctly during intercourse.
How to use correctly
When intercourse, it is important to purchase a condom from a trusted manufacturer in advance. At the very least, so that it has a good shelf life, is properly stored at room temperature, does not undergo deformation, punctures. Eliminate the risk of damaging the elastic.
Another important factor is to purchase a condom by size. The elastic should fit snugly against the penis, but not tight so as not to pinch the penis.
Manufacturing materials:
- latex;
- polypropylene;
- polyisoprene.
Now it is fashionable and expensive to purchase condoms made of leather, for example, lamb. It should be understood that they do not protect against genital and sexually transmitted infections. Before using the rubber, it is better to use a lubricant to eliminate dry rubbing of the rubber on the genitals.
There is no need to check the integrity of the condom by pouring water or inflating. If the product has been properly stored, then there is no reason to doubt its integrity.
After ejaculation, squeeze the elastic at the base and gently remove. It is important to ensure that semen is not splattered.
Analysis of consumer reviews
From the entire line of condoms on the Russian market, consumers noted Durex Classic and Contex. The products of these manufacturers withstand the entire intercourse. Consumers note the softness, strength and even invisibility of this contraceptive.
They are absolutely comfortable for both men and women: they do not press, do not slip, do not cause allergic reactions, have a pleasant smell, and are not felt during the PA process.