AIDS is an infectious disease caused by a virus called Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus belongs to the family of retroviruses, and since it was detected we have begun to know terms associated with the disease such as seropositive or seronegative.
The AIDS virus is believed to have originated in Africa , where certain monkeys and apes have been found to have a similar virus called SIV. Many scientists, although there is no corroborating evidence, think that the disease reached humans through wild chimpanzees that caused it to be transmitted from monkeys to humans.
The most widespread theory is that the transfer of the virus from monkeys to men was by eating the meat of chimpanzees infected with the virus.
What is being HIV positive?
This term, in medicine, indicates the positive response to any serological investigation. When specific antibodies against HIV appear in the analysis of a subject’s serum and blood, it is said that this person is seropositive, but does not have to develop the AIDS disease.
The individual has been in contact with the virus and is therefore infected, since once this type of HIV-specific antibodies appear, it is said that we are seropositive.
When a person has never been in contact with HIV, they do not show specific antibodies in the blood, therefore they are seronegative.
A person who is positive for HIV can transmit the virus to his partner through sexual intercourse, since the virus needs blood contact to be transmitted.
Diagnosed with AIDS
When the HIV virus spreads through our blood and begins to cause severe damage to our body, it is said that we are diagnosed with AIDS. This evolution of AIDS positivity is determined by this weakening of the immune system due to the attack of HIV in our body.
The worst thing about the HIV virus is that it is difficult to know when we have become infected since symptoms can take years to manifest in our system. The evolution of HIV is linked to a series of factors such as:
-virus strain
-particular proteins in our body
-use of therapies
– psychophysical balance
-lifestyles
Currently living with HIV does not mean that we cannot lead a normal life. Despite the fact that there is no cure, treatments have evolved a lot and thanks to antiretroviral therapies you can lead a full and satisfying life.
We can consider that being HIV positive and having HIV is having a chronic disease that can be treated.
