HIV Flashcards
What does HIV stand for?
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
What is the structure of HIV?
SsRNA with envelope
HIV is a retrovirus, What is meant by retrovirus?
Is turns ssRNA into DNA and back again
What cells will HIV infect?
Cells with a CD4 surface receptor:
T helper lymphocytes
(Monocytes/macrophages)
How does HIV infect a cell?
- Binds to CD4 and other receptors on cell
- Inserts contents
- Reverse transcriptase turns the ssRNA from the virus into DNA
- Viral DNA is integrated into cells DNA by integrase enzyme (which is why it is so hard to treat)
- When infected cells divide, viral DNa is read and long chains of proteins are made
- Protein buds off and forms new virus (proteases create mature virus)
How is HIV transmitted?
Contact of infected bodily fluids with mucosal tissue/blood/broken skin
Ie sexual contact, transfusions (other medical procedures: skin grafts,organ donation), contaminated needles, perinatal transmission (during delivery through infected birth canal or result of ingestion of breast milk carrying virus)
What are the 4 stages of HIV infection?
- Primary infection/seroconversion (very infectious)
- Latent infection (CD4 count in much larger than viral load)
- Symptomatic infection (point at which viral load is greater than Cd4 count) ~350 - point at which people will notice they are unwell
- Severe infection/AIDS ~ <200 - at risk of severe infections/cancer/AIDS
What are the main symptoms and signs that are associated with an acute HIV infection?
Systemic:
Fever, weight loss
Mouth: sores, thrush
Oesophagus: sores
Muscles: myalgia
Liver and spleen: enlargement
Central: malaise, headache, neuropathy
Lymph nodes: lymphadenopathy
Skin: rash
Gastric: nausea, vomiting
Pharyngitis
Anaemia
Give examples of conditions associated with severe HIV
Brain: AIDS dementia complex
Eyes: CMV
Mouth: thrush
Blood: hyperglycaemia
Bones: osteoporosis
Heart: heart disease, stroke
Liver: Hep C
What does a low viral load in the blood mean in terms of HIV transmission?
Transmission is unlikely if undetectable VL
How can someone with HIV live a normal length life?
Early detection
Treatment
Adherence
Healthy living (smoking, alcohol, metabolic problems)
*the later the detection = worse prognosis
**the higher the CD4 count is when diagnosis is made the Better the chances of increases those levels
What blood tests would you do when confirming HIV?
Serology (looking at Ag and Ab)
PCR (detects HIV nuclei acid)
‘Rapid’ tests
How accurate is the serology blood test at diagnosing HIV?
Can detect both Ag and Ab within 4 weeks
Results can be given on the same day
*may get a false negative if test is performed too early
What are the pros and cons to doing a PCR blood test on someone with HIV?
Highly sensitive, detects very early infection (few days)
Expensive, results are slow
**this is used for follow up/treatment response not for initial HIV testing
What is a “rapid’ test for HIV?
Portable test for diagnosing HIV
Usually detect HIV antibody
Can be a finger print (blood) or oral (saliva) test
They have very accurate negative readings but it can give false positive results - would need to confirm result with serology