Among AIDS patients, 16% do not know about their disease. In addition to not receiving the necessary treatment, there is also the possibility of unintentional transmission of AIDS to others. In fact, 40% of new AIDS cases are spread by unknown patients.

According to AIDS testing recommendations, as a reliable source, health care providers are urged to make AIDS screening a permanent part of their standard care. They should do so regardless of the potential risks.

Despite these recommendations, many have never been tested for AIDS.

All those who have not accepted this test should request this test.... They can be tested for free and anonymously at the nearest medical center.

Who needs an AIDS test?

It is recommended that AIDS testing be available at all health care providers.... In particular, HIV testing should be done at the same time as testing for other sexually transmitted diseases.

People who are at higher risk of contracting AIDS through a series of behaviors should be tested at least once a year.

The most known risk factors are as follows:

• Having multiple sexual partners
• Having sex without a condom or other methods of prevention
• Sex without condoms or other methods of prevention, or failure to complete pre-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
• Having a sexual partner with AIDS
• Using substances by injection

It is better to read: List of signs and symptoms of Corona

AIDS testing is recommended for the following conditions:

• before starting a new sexual relationship
• If a person finds out that she is pregnant
• If the person has symptoms of other sexually transmitted diseases

Currently, AIDS infection is considered a manageable disease, especially when treatment is started quickly.

Learn more: What are the symptoms of AIDS?

If someone already has AIDS, early diagnosis and treatment can be helpful for the following purposes:

• Improving their mental-psychological conditions
• Reducing the risk of disease progression
• Preventing the progression of the disease in stage 3-AIDS

These measures reduce the risk of disease transmission from one person to another.

Life expectancy for people who are diagnosed with AIDS and treated promptly is the same as for people without the virus...People who are exposed to AIDS in any way should get care as soon as possible.

Sometimes, therapists recommend post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) when treatment is given within 72 hours.

A number of emergency measures can reduce the probability of contracting AIDS after exposure to the relevant threat.

What tests are available to diagnose AIDS?

Several tests are available to diagnose and identify AIDS. These tests can be performed on blood or saliva samples..

All tests do not require a blood sample or a visit to the clinic.

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In 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) trusted source; It confirmed the AIDS home test kit called Oraquick.... This is the first AIDS home test that is done by placing a swab inside the mouth.

If someone thinks they have AIDS, a standard test takes 1 to 6 months after infection to give positive results.

These standard tests identify AIDS antibodies and are deprived of identifying the virus itself.... Antibodies are a type of protein that fight disease-causing agents (pathogens).

According to the report of avert organization, the third generation AIDS tests can detect the presence of AIDS only 3 months after entering the body (ELISA test).

The reason is that it takes at least three months for the body to produce detectable antibodies.

The fourth generation AIDS test, by examining antibodies and p24 antigen, has the ability to diagnose AIDS one month after transmission. Antigens are substances that cause an immune reaction in the body.

According to the Ask Alice Project, developed by Columbia University, 97% of people with AIDS will reach a certain level of antibodies within 3 months...however, detectable levels of antibodies may take 6 months for some people...this is extremely rare.

If a person thinks they have been exposed to AIDS, they should talk to infectious disease doctors.... Viral load testing, which directly measures the amount of viruses, is used to detect the latest cases of AIDS.

Learn more: the reason for the spread of AIDS in Iran

What tests are available for AIDS screening?

If a person is diagnosed with AIDS, it is important to monitor their condition continuously.

Health care workers can do this in different ways.... Two common indicators to measure AIDS are: 1- CD4 count, 2- viral load

CD4count

AIDS targets and destroys CD4 cells.... CD4 is a special type of white blood cell found inside the body.... Without treatment, the number of CD4 cells decreases.... This is because the virus attacks these cells over time.

If a person's CD4 cell count falls below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood, they are diagnosed with stage 3 AIDS.

Early and effective treatment helps a person to keep the number of CD4 cells at an optimal level. This prevents the disease from entering stage 3 (AIDS type 3).

If the treatment is effective, the CD4 cell count will remain stable or increase.... Also, the number of these cells is a good indication of the overall functioning of the body's defense system.

If a person's CD4 count is below certain levels, the risk of developing certain diseases increases greatly.

Infectious disease specialists prescribe preventive antibiotics to prevent these infections according to the CD4 count.

Viral load

Viral load is a measure of the spread of AIDS infection in the blood.... A health care provider measures the effectiveness of treatment and disease status by measuring viral load.

When a person's viral load is low or undetectable, the possibility of developing the disease up to stage 3 of AIDS or facing possible immune system deficiencies increases.

Furthermore, when the viral load is undetectable, the possibility of transmitting AIDS to others is greatly reduced.

People whose viral load is undetectable should use condoms and other prevention methods during sex.

Drug resistance

The health care provider can test different types of AIDS for resistance to drug treatments....this way it is determined which drug method is the best option for AIDS treatment.

Other tests

The health care provider has the power to use other tests to monitor for complications or side effects of AIDS in sick people. For example, routine tests can be done to:

• Monitoring liver function
• Monitoring kidney function
• Monitoring cardiovascular or metabolic changes

In addition, physical examinations and tests are available to rule out other AIDS-related diseases and infections:

• Other sexually transmitted diseases
Urinary tract infection
• TB

CD4 count less than 200 cells per cubic millimeter is not the only sign of disease progression to stage 3. Type 3 AIDS can also be described based on the presence of opportunistic diseases or infections:

• fungal diseases such as coccidiomycosis or cryptococcosis
• Yeast infection or candidiasis in the lungs, mouth, esophagus
Histoplasmosis, a type of lung infection
• Pneumocystis girochi pneumonia, formerly known as Pneumocystis carinii
• Recurrent pneumonia
• TB
Mycobacterium avium complex, a bacterial infection
• Chronic herpes, more than a month
• intestinal diseases, isoprosiasis and cryptoporiodis
• Recurring salmonella disease
• Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection of the brain
• Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a brain disease
• Invasive neck cancer
Kaposi's sarcoma
• Lymphatic cancer
• Weight destruction syndrome, extreme weight loss

Continuing AIDS research

As testing methods develop, researchers hope to discover ways to diagnose vaccines or treatments in the coming years.

As of 2020, there were more than 40 antiretroviral drugs on the market....New methods and formulations are always being researched.

Current tests only detect markers of the virus, not the virus itself... Of course, researchers are trying to figure out the ways in which the virus hides in the cells of the immune system... Such a discovery will help to better understand, and gain more information, and eventually discover a vaccine.

The virus mutates at a very high rate, making it challenging to eradicate... Experimental treatments, including bone marrow transplants to treat lymphoma using stem cells, are being tested as a potential treatment.

If someone is diagnosed with AIDS, it is important to monitor their health closely and report any changes to their healthcare provider.

New symptoms can be signs of infection or opportunistic disease.... In some cases, these symptoms indicate that treatment methods are not effective or that the condition of the disease has worsened.

Early diagnosis and effective treatment can lead to peace of mind and reduce the risk of contracting AIDS.

For advice about AIDS, you can make an appointment with the best infectious disease specialists in Tehran or consult online.