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On the issue of forensic medical examination of the corpses of HIV-infected / Rybalkin R.V., Panina T. // Selected issues of forensic medical examination. - Khabarovsk, 2005. - No. 7. — S. 83-87.
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/ Rybalkin R.V., Panina T. // Selected issues of forensic medical examination. - Khabarovsk, 2005. - No. 7. — S. 83-87.
How long does the human immunodeficiency virus live outside of the body? In the open air, the virus dies after a few minutes. Inside the syringe, he can live much longer. There are different, often conflicting, data on the viability of HIV. Where is the truth?
There are many misconceptions and misinterpretations of scientific data regarding the life of HIV outside the human body. Laboratory studies use virus concentrations that are at least 100,000 times higher than those found in nature. Using these artificially high concentrations, HIV can remain alive for 1-3 days after the liquid has dried.
Does this mean that HIV in natural concentration can live on the stump of the human body for up to three days? Of course not. The laboratory concentration exceeds the natural concentration by at least 100,000 times. If WE extrapolate the research data to the natural concentration of the virus, we will see that HIV can live outside the body for only a few minutes. If HIV lived outside the body for many hours or days (in its natural concentrations), we would undoubtedly observe cases of domestic infection - and they do not happen.
Of particular interest is the lifetime of HIV inside a syringe or hollow needle. It turned out that it is influenced by a number of factors, including the amount of blood in the needle, the titer (amount) of the virus in the blood, and the ambient temperature. The amount of blood in the needle depends in part on the size of the needle and whether the blood is drawn into the needle.
In one study of syringes containing blood infected with a very high titer of HIV-1, viable virus was found in some needles after 48 days of storage at constant temperature. At the same time, the viability of the virus decreases with time: after 2–10 days of storage, live virus was isolated in only 26% of syringes. The large volume of blood in the syringe and low storage temperatures also contributed to the survival of the live virus. The viability of the virus is lower at lower titers, at high or fluctuating temperatures, and at low blood volumes. For purposes of preventing injection transmission of HIV, it should be assumed that a used syringe or hollow needle (without sterilization) may contain live virus for several days.
The causative agents are human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) of the Retrovirus genus of the Lentivirinae subfamily of the Retroviridae family. HIV die at 56°C within 30 minutes, but are resistant to low temperatures; quickly die under the influence of ethanol, ether, acetone and conventional disinfectants. In blood and other biological media, under normal conditions, they remain viable for several days.
Virus persistence in the environment. The pH of 7.0–8.0 is optimal for the manifestation of the biological activity of the virus, with a decrease or increase in the pH of the medium, the activity of HIV decreases. In the native state in the blood on environmental objects, the virus retains virulence for up to 14 days, in dried substrates - up to 7 days. HIV is highly sensitive to heat. When exposed to a temperature of +56°C for 10 minutes, the infectivity of HIV decreases, and within 30 minutes its complete inactivation is achieved. At a temperature of 100°C, the virus dies within 1 minute. The virus is relatively resistant to ultraviolet and gamma radiation at doses commonly used for sterilization. Chlorine-containing disinfectants, ethyl and isopropyl alcohols, hydrogen peroxide, glutaric aldehyde used in medical institutions are acceptable for virus inactivation.
Summarizing, we can conclude that HIV lives in a corpse for a long time - up to 14 days.
In connection with the foregoing, I believe that the autopsy of the corpse of an HIV-infected person can and should be considered as an increased danger to the health and life of an employee, especially since the timing of the study is often determined not by forensic experts, but by the relatives of the deceased.
“...2.1.17. An expert study of the corpses of HIV-infected people is carried out in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.
2.1.18. In order to ensure the protection of a doctor - a forensic medical expert from HIV infection during an expert examination of a corpse, it is necessary to have the following protective equipment:
- - bathrobe, cap, disposable gauze mask,
- - goggles and a protective screen on the face, two pairs of rubber anatomical gloves.
2.1.19. Disinfection of HIV-infected material and instruments is carried out in the same way as for hepatitis, guided by the requirements of the relevant sanitary rules.
2.1.20. If the parts of the body of an expert (orderly) that are not protected by a dressing gown and gloves are contaminated with blood from a corpse or other material taken, the contaminated surface is quickly cleaned with a disinfectant solution (for example, chloramine); if an infected mother gets on the mucous membranes, they are immediately treated with a 0.05% solution of potassium permanganate.
2.1.21. Before removing the apron, moisten a gauze cloth with a disinfectant solution and wipe it thoroughly, after which the apron is removed and folded with the outer side inward. Separate wipes, abundantly moistened with a disinfectant solution, wipe the sleeves, rubber gloves. The gowns, cap, gauze mask used in the examination of the corpse are placed in a waterproof bag or a plastic bag of a certain color with a warning label, designed exclusively for the collection and disposal of infected waste.
2.1.22. The sectional instruments used in the study of the corpse are placed in a special hermetically sealed container with a label. For reuse, these instruments are cleaned, dried and disinfected in containers with a disinfectant solution.
2.1.23. Blood-contaminated items are placed, for subsequent disinfection and destruction, in special-colored plastic bags in accordance with the rules for the elimination of infected material.
2.1.24. A warning label is made on jars or other utensils with sectional material sent for laboratory research. During transportation, all cans with material must be hermetically sealed with a rubber stopper and rubber film and placed in a second waterproof and undamaged container, also hermetically sealed. All materials are sent only by courier. Fixed sectional material is stored in a specially designated and, preferably, sealed closed room. Storage and further work with this material should be carried out in strict accordance with the established procedure.
2.1.25. Upon completion of work with HIV-infected material and removal of protective clothing, all medical personnel must thoroughly wash their hands and treat them with an antiseptic.
2.1.26. To bury a corpse, an oilcloth is placed at the bottom of the coffin.
2.1.27. All potentially contaminated materials used in laboratory studies, when necessary, are subjected to disinfection in the appropriate modes ... "
In the order, as we can see - a hat, a gown, gloves ... What normal expert would not put on a gown, gloves, mask, etc. for ANY autopsy? It seems that those who wrote this order have no idea what it is like to dissect a known HIV-infected corpse. Compliance with other paragraphs of the order, given the working conditions of forensic thanatologists, also seems very unlikely.
Order 161, of course, describes HOW an HIV-infected corpse should be opened. That is why it is methodical, not normative. But he does not determine WHO, WHERE, WHEN and WHY will open such corpses. The order only allows for the possibility of this autopsy being carried out by an expert and explains how the latter should behave in such a case. Further, it seems to me, it is necessary to refer to the Labor Code and the Constitution (as full-fledged laws and having priority in this case). Therefore, in this case, additional conditions should be negotiated with the employer (surcharge proportionate to the risk, the possibility of refusing to work, etc.). But it seems to me the most correct at this stage in the present conditions to give the opportunity to decide the questions WHEN and WHY directly to the experts who carry out the examination of corpses.
And if closer to the topic - we were put in conditions where "saving the drowning is the business of the drowning themselves." The state doesn't need us healthy, let alone the sick. So, dear colleagues, take care of yourself!
In 1983, a group of scientists from the University of Paris, and then their American colleagues, isolated the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from the blood of AIDS patients. It attacks the human immune system, rendering it unable to protect the body from disease. For the third decade there has been a fight against dangerous pathogenic protozoa, but we have not yet fully figured out HIV. It is still a mystery how the AIDS virus infects the defense system and why some patients infected with this infection remain completely healthy people for a long time.
Features of cell infection
Only HIV can infect and then kill the cellular tissue of the human immune system. When the virus first enters the blood or mucous membranes, immune cells begin to fight it, but they always lose. HIV can only infect macromeres (cells) that contain special proteins (CD4 receptors) on their surface. A number of human cell tissues contain everything necessary for the virus to be able to penetrate them.
What cells are affected by the AIDS virus? The main target for HIV are T-helpers. But CD4 receptors are also found on the outer surface of other cells (eg, thymocytes, macrophages, intestinal epithelium, cervix).
All of them also serve as target cells for HIV. The impact of the immunodeficiency virus on macromeres depends on their type. So, penetrating into a nerve cell, it almost does not damage its sheath. Therefore, having become infected, it continues to work for a considerable time and serve as a refuge for the virus. Cells that live for a long time can contain many pathogenic organisms and be their repository. In them, HIV is not vulnerable to the action of drugs and the immune system. And for storage cells, this does not pass without a trace, their structure is greatly modified.
The difference between HIV infection and AIDS
Some believe that HIV and AIDS are one and the same. Is it so? HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) damages the immune system, and it ceases to protect the body from infections.
A few years after contracting HIV, a weakened patient develops serious illnesses, then he is diagnosed with AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). This means that HIV is a virus that depresses the immune system, and AIDS is a whole bunch of diseases caused by the causative agent of the AIDS virus.
Risk factors
Immunodeficiency is a dangerous and incurable disease. Infection with HIV in most cases occurs due to the wrong behavior of people, and not because they belong to a certain group that has an increased risk of developing the disease.
There are several risk factors that contribute to contracting AIDS.
Main:
- use of one syringe by different persons;
- promiscuous sex;
- unverified donor material;
- contact of medical staff with an infected patient;
- prostitution.
Biological:
- the presence of sexually transmitted diseases (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis);
- defects in the structure of the genital organs (injured, narrow, with neoplasms);
- high viral loads (the more virus in the blood, the greater the possibility of infection);
- weak immune system;
- violations of the skin and mucous membranes;
- genetic characteristics of the virus (different strains have different speed of movement, aggressiveness, the ability to defeat cellular material).
Psychological:
- personal qualities of character (pedantry, impulsiveness, risk-taking, ardor, inability to control oneself);
- attitudes towards HIV and AIDS;
- communication style;
- mental disorders;
- depressive state.
How the AIDS virus spreads
Only when a person comes into contact with biological fluids (blood, semen, vaginal secretions) and tissues or organs that contain the virus can AIDS spread.
- The most dangerous is contact with blood. After a single transfusion of infected blood, human infection occurs in almost 100% of cases.
- Vertical transmission of the virus (from mother to fetus) ranks second (about 30%).
- With a single use of medical instruments (needles, syringes) containing HIV-infected blood, the probability of infection with the AIDS virus is about 1%.
- HIV infection is much less common through sexual contact. Moreover, it was found that infection of a woman from a man happens twice as often as infection of the stronger sex from the weak. It is noticed that the use of condoms significantly reduces the likelihood of infection during sexual contact.
- The very low possibility of contracting an infection from an accidental needle stick is only 0.3%.
HIV incubation period
In the first stage, AIDS patients do not show any signs of the disease. The virus has just entered the body and did not have time to gain a foothold. It can only be detected by a blood test. The latent period of the disease lasts approximately three months. It depends on the immune system of the patient.
Symptoms
In AIDS patients, the onset of the disease is very difficult to detect. Its earliest symptoms are:
- swollen lymph nodes;
- pathological conditions similar to influenza (cough, fever, appetite disappears, body aches, fatigue, general weakness).
These symptoms may also be present in other diseases. But if a person had sexual intercourse or there was some kind of medical intervention, then a blood test for HIV infection should be taken. An infected patient may not have symptoms, but despite this, he can already infect another person. Sometimes only a few years after infection, when the AIDS virus attacks immune cells, late signs of the disease appear:
- constant night sweats and fever;
- constant fatigue;
- loss of weight and appetite for no reason;
- enlarged and painful lymph nodes;
- tumor formations on the skin, in the mouth and nose of a dark red color;
- frequent acute respiratory infections;
- dry cough, shallow breathing.
Fighting AIDS in men and women
The male sex is much less concerned about their health than the female. Symptoms of HIV infection in them appear earlier, but are blurred and are often perceived as signs of colds. Not taking the problem seriously, men do not go to the doctor in time, and the diagnosis is made when the AIDS virus already infects the cells of the immune system.
Women are much more attentive to their health, and the disease process in them is much slower than in men. Along with the general symptoms of the disease, female representatives may experience vaginal discharge with a mucous structure, pain during menstruation, and breast enlargement. Unlike men, they often have an increase in lymph nodes in the genital area. All this causes a feeling of discomfort, anxiety, insomnia, depression. A woman is forced to see a doctor with existing symptoms that may indicate the presence of the immunodeficiency virus.
Is it true that the AIDS virus dies quickly?
About the "survivability" of HIV, the existing data are often contradictory. It is known that in the open air after a few minutes the virus ceases to exist. But in the inner part of the syringe, its vital activity continues much longer. How long does the AIDS virus live outside the human body? Answering this question, it should be noted that there are many misconceptions and misinterpretations of scientific research.
Under laboratory conditions, when the concentration of the virus exceeds the real value by 100,000 times, the survivability of HIV is from one to three days from the moment the liquid dries. According to these data, the virus outside the body can live only a few minutes. For this reason, infection by domestic means does not occur. But the survivability of pathogenic organisms in a hollow needle and inside a syringe depends on:
- volume of blood in the needle;
- the amount of virus in the blood;
- temperature.
According to the results of the research, it was found that with a high concentration of viral particles in the blood, it can exist for up to 48 days, gradually reducing its vital activity. With low blood volumes, small amounts of virus, and high temperatures, the lifespan of HIV is greatly reduced.
Temperature and HIV
The belief that a virus outside the human body is instantly destroyed at room temperature is erroneous. Of course, HIV is not a bacterium, does not contain spores, and therefore does not live in soil and water for months. Nevertheless, it is covered with a protein shell and in a dry drop of mucus or blood can live for several days, and under suitable conditions for several weeks. Over time, the number of pathogenic organisms decreases significantly, so a small number of them are not able to infect a person. Yes, and the virus from the external environment enters the skin, lungs or digestive tract, and not into the blood.
At what temperature does the AIDS virus die? The immunodeficiency virus is really unstable to elevated temperature. When infected material is heated to 56 degrees for 30 minutes, almost all pathogenic organisms are killed, and when boiled, their death occurs almost instantly. In the presence of a high content of viral particles (blood clots), for neutralization, boiling should be carried out a little longer.
Is there a cure for AIDS?
A patient with an immunodeficiency virus, without resorting to treatment, can live from 5 to 10 years. A magic vaccine for AIDS patients has not yet been found, but scientists are successfully working on its invention. There are already medicines that do not allow the virus to multiply, stop the disease, preventing the transition of HIV into AIDS. Patients using medications are in a satisfactory condition and can work. Doctors believe that their life expectancy will increase significantly.
Prevention
While the search for an effective vaccine against the immunodeficiency virus is underway, the only effective means of combating infection is educational activities among the population. The most effective and effortless method of AIDS prevention is cleanliness in personal relationships. For this you should:
- use only your own personal hygiene products;
- have one partner;
- use condoms;
- avoid sexual intercourse with strangers;
- avoid group contact.
The second direction of prevention is activities in medical institutions:
- examination and control over donors, patients at risk, pregnant women;
- monitoring childbearing of infected women;
- use only sterile medical instruments, disposable syringes and blood transfusion systems.
A healthy lifestyle based on physical activity, reasonable nutrition, real rest, rejection of bad habits and stress is the best prevention of AIDS.
The human immunodeficiency virus can safely exist only in certain environments of the human body, which include: blood, breast milk, semen and intimate secretions. In any other environment, HIV quickly dies. The virus lacks the ability to replicate outside the human body. The human immunodeficiency virus dies fairly quickly at temperatures above 57⁰C and instantly at 100⁰C. But, for example, in the blood that is intended for transfusion, HIV can survive for years, and in the frozen form, the survival rate is up to 10 years.
Let's try to figure out under what conditions and under what circumstances the immunodeficiency virus dies, and in which it survives.
Let's start with where HIV survives:
- In syringes. The virus persists in syringes at 27⁰C to 37⁰C for up to seven days. The survival time of HIV in syringes after the infected blood was there can be up to a month. A study of blood, which was collected from more than 800 syringes with blood remnants preserved there at different intervals, showed interesting results. After 11 days, the virus was isolated from 10% of syringes from a blood volume of less than 2 microliters. The survival time of HIV inside a syringe is influenced by certain factors: the volume of blood in the needle, the quantitative indicators of the virus in the blood, and the ambient temperature.
- In blood. HIV feels quite comfortable in a drop of blood at room temperature. It can be preserved for a whole week in dried blood at a temperature of 4⁰C.
- In water. The virus is able to survive in sewers for several days. Sewage and waste water are not dangerous, because in the entire history of the existence of the disease, the virus has never been isolated from urine or feces.
- In corpses. The immunodeficiency virus can survive up to two weeks in organs and dead people. HIV was isolated from human corpses between 11 and 16 days after death. The corpses were kept at a temperature of 2⁰C. It remains unknown how long the virus can survive in decaying corpses at room temperature. However, it was possible to isolate it from organs that were at a temperature of 20 ⁰C, up to 14 days of storage after death. After 16 days of storage, the virus was not detected in sufficient volume for infection. This means that the danger of such corpses for pathologists is not so great.
- PH-acidity. The human immunodeficiency virus can only survive at a pH of 7 to 8, the optimum for it is 7.1. It is for this reason that HIV does not survive well in urine, runny nose and vomiting.
- In the cold The virus does not die from the cold - the lower the temperature, the higher the likelihood of HIV survival. The human immunodeficiency virus is preserved both at very low temperatures and at deep freezing. For example, HIV was perfectly preserved at minus 70⁰C.
Let's move on to the conditions under which HIV dies. It should be noted that they are much less than the factors under which the virus can "live".
- Sun and UV radiation. The virus is afraid of the sun.
- High temperatures. The human immunodeficiency virus is sensitive to high temperatures.
- Alkaline and acidic environment. At a pH below 7 or above 8, HIV is gradually destroyed. That is why the risk of infection with the virus in a healthy woman is reduced with an appropriate degree of acidity of the vaginal fluid. Also for this reason, the infection does not survive in sugary carbonated drinks, since their pH is around 3.
- Sea water. Unlike other viruses in sea water, it dies much faster.
Despite the fact that the survival of the virus in the external environment is still not so great, it is important to choose such beauty salons and other institutions where the tools are processed in a special disinfectant solution and cleaned with cotton pads or a brass brush. Since it is possible to become infected not only with HIV, but also with other infectious diseases. You can learn more about how to choose a beauty salon.
Summing up all of the above, I would like to note a few points that are important to pay attention to when determining the potential risk of infection.
- Although the virus survives in natural human concentrations, it cannot survive in the air or in an acidic environment.
- Touching HIV-infected blood is not enough to get infected. This person is protected by the skin. However, you may have micro-cuts, wounds, sores, any damage to the skin or mucous membranes. The virus can be transmitted through damaged skin.
- There may be a sufficient amount of virus concentration in the biological fluid and secretions of a person. That is why if you touch a syringe with the remnants of HIV-infected blood, it is impossible to get infected. In addition, the myth of HIV infection, which is injected with contaminated syringes in public places, does not lose its popularity - on benches, in subway cars, in cinemas. It is impossible to get infected in this way, since the probability of infection is 0.03%. You can learn more about this mythical way of contracting HIV.
Every year in various countries, regardless of the economic and social level of development, the number of carriers of the hepatitis C virus is growing. The spread of this disease is mainly associated with the intensive growth of drug addiction and the negligence of people who carry out injection procedures in the field of cosmetic services, dental, gynecological and other medical services.
Hepatitis C: sources, ways and means of infection
In hepatology, there are two main sources of hepatitis C virus - these are patients with active hepatitis C and carriers of a latent virus. Both sources have their own specific flow:
How can you get hepatitis C
- general state of weakness
- aching pain syndromes in the right hypochondrium
- pain in the joints and muscles
- loss of appetite, vomiting
- sudden weight loss
- bowel disorder, stool
- discoloration of urine and feces
- icteric coloration of the skin and sclera
- injection manipulations in the conditions of medical, gynecological and dental services
- injection equipment for acupuncture, piercing, tattoos
- injection manipulations with the introduction of narcotic drugs
- injection manipulations in the conditions of hairdressing and cosmetology services
- hemodialysis and procedures for transfusion of infected blood from a donor
- at room temperature, the virus remains active for more than 16 hours, but no more than 4 days
- at sub-zero temperatures, the virus persists for years
- at 100 degrees C (boiling) the virus is destroyed within minutes
- disappears instantly when exposed to ultraviolet rays
The above symptoms are presented in the exact sequence of their manifestations. The last three points indicate the initial stage of damage to the liver cells.
The absence and insufficient severity of the above symptoms of the virus contributes in 95% of cases to the transition of the acute form to the chronic form of the disease, which leads to necrosis, cirrhosis and oncology of the liver.
There are several ways of infection with the hepatitis C virus. The viral disease is transmitted mainly through the blood, skin and mucous membranes, instrumental and sexually. The instrumental route of infection occurs due to a refusal to comply with proper sanitary and hygienic standards.
Instrumental infection occurs as a result of:
Sexual transmission of hepatitis C occurs only through unprotected intercourse with a carrier.
Statistics indicate that the percentage of sexual transmission of the virus is increasing every year, the growth dynamics is associated with a sample of people who prefer unprotected intercourse. And since the carrier of the hepatitis C virus looks no different from a healthy person, such a factor is a potential threat to all those who prefer casual sex. The risk of infection is increased for women who have unprotected intercourse during menstruation and for other people who prefer unprotected intercourse, in which there is a risk of injury to the mucous membranes.
Sustainability of the hepatitis C virus in the body and the environment
Virus resistance time
The peculiarity of the causative agent of hepatitis C at the molecular level is characterized by the ability to change. To date, more than 40 variations of the hepatitis C virus are known. Each of these HCV variants is characterized by its own clinical picture and area of damage to the body. Some of them tend to proceed in a latent-chronic form, others actively with damage to the cells of the liver, lungs, stomach, which leads to the development of fatal diseases.
Experts note that the mutation of the virus occurs at the gene level, as a result of which the immune system does not have time to produce the necessary antibodies. The mutation of the hepatitis C virus in the body occurs constantly, and while the immune system is trying to protect the body by producing certain antibodies to a certain virus, in parallel the same virus is modified and its genetic set consists of other antigens.
Due to the constant genetic variability of the virus in the body, quantitative and qualitative diagnostics are required to determine the specific type of virus in the blood, which will allow creating an adequate treatment method.
In the course of numerous laboratory studies on monkeys, several facts have been revealed. Studies have revealed: the hepatitis C virus, the resistance in the external environment of which depends on various conditions:
The virus dies almost instantly and under the influence of disinfectants and antiseptics. These include:
The virus in transfusion plasma is known to remain active for several years.
It is important to note that hepatitis C is not airborne. And the household way of transmission of the virus can occur when sharing a razor and manicure accessories with a carrier of the virus.
Consequences of chronic hepatitis C
The ability of the virus to constantly change leads to its steady development in the body, which leads to chronic hepatitis and fatal diseases. The second cause of chronic hepatitis is the asymptomatic course of the disease. Despite the fact that the incubation period of the virus in the body lasts almost 3 months, in most cases the main signs of the disease may not appear, or some signs may be disguised as another disease that has common symptoms with hepatitis C.
Chronic hepatitis C makes itself felt after a couple of decades. Patients learn about their disease most often when they go to the doctor with complaints of severe pain in the liver area. The main consequences of chronic hepatitis C:
- Stenosis of the stomach. It is characterized by signs - bitterness in the mouth, a feeling of fullness of the stomach, when eating, vomiting opens.
- Fibrosis of the lungs. It develops against the background of chronic inflammation in the body. It is characterized by the appearance of fibrous tissue growth with the appearance of scars.
- Cirrhosis of the liver. It is characterized by pathological changes in the liver - scarring, wrinkling and drying of the liver.
- Hepatic coma develops as a result of pathological disorders of the liver. It is characterized by the breakdown of liver cells, necrosis.
- Liver cancer is the appearance of a malignant tumor as a result of another mutation in the genes of hepatitis C viruses.
- Ascites is the accumulation of a large amount of fluid as a result of cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are cases when hepatitis C infection due to high immunity could be cured without drug therapy. The probability of such an outcome is 10%.
In such cases, people remain carriers of this virus, but do not suffer themselves. In rare cases, the functional activity of the liver is disturbed, constant monitoring by a doctor is required.
Preventive actions
Due to the resistance of the hepatitis C virus in the external environment, the following preventive measures have been identified:
Follow the safety rules
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that causes dangerous and fatal liver disease. The virus annually slowly and painfully claims thousands of lives.
HIV infection, human immunodeficiency virus
HIV infection is an infectious process in the human body caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), characterized by a slow course, damage to the immune and nervous systems, followed by the development of opportunistic infections and neoplasms against this background, leading to death in HIV-infected people.
Currently, 3 types of HIV are known, in their circulation adherent to a certain geographical area (among them there are about 70 subtypes) HIV1, HIV2, HIV3
and shell - capsid)
HIV is unstable in the external environment.
In the native state in the blood on environmental objects, it retains its infectious ability for up to 14 days, in dried substrates for up to 7 days.
At the same time, it is resistant to UV radiation and gamma radiation at doses commonly used for sterilization.
Penetration of HIV into target cells of the human body is carried out using surface receptors that are complementary to the surface sections of target cell membranes (CD4 protein)
4. Intestinal lymphoepithelial cells
Virus life cycle
1. Interaction of the virus receptor with the CD4 protein of the target cell.
2. Deproteinization and penetration into the cell.
With AIDS T4 / T8 \u003d 0.3-0.5
It is important that T4 be greater than T8, or equal. A sharp decrease in the number of T-helpers is the defenselessness of the body (the disappearance of the function of controlling the immune response, recognizing "our" from "them").
The source is a person in all five stages of infection!
Antibodies in an infected person will appear no earlier than 6-8 weeks!
Ways of transmission of HIV infection
Conditions for HIV transmission
Fluids that have not been identified as a hazard for HIV transmission:
According to the order of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus dated 04.08.1997 No. 201 "On changing the organization of work on HIV infection in health facilities"
"... is carried out when a large amount or biological fluid enters the wound surface or mucous membranes and consists in taking retrovir (zidovudine, azidothymide -AZT) or its analogues at a dose of 200 mg every 4 hours for 3 days, then 200 mg every 6 hours in within 25 days)
It is a short course of prophylactic antiretroviral drugs to reduce the risk of developing HIV infection after a possible infection (occurring in the line of duty or under other circumstances)
Azidothymidine 200mg every 4 hours x 3 days
Instead of AZT, you can use:
1. NRTI nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors - Zidovudine (retrovir), zalcitabine (chivid), didanosine (videx), lavimudine (epivir), etc.
2. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) - nevirapine, delavirdine, ifavirenz)
3. Protease inhibitors (PI) - indinavir, ritonavir)
Indications for PEP
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How long does the HIV virus live in the external environment? At what temperature does HIV die? All about HIV
Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome was identified back in 1981 with the help of a group of scientists from America. The most correct name for the disease, which is popularly classified as AIDS, is HIV infection. This disease is awakened by a virus that was studied back in 1983 by American and French researchers. The HIV virus is very difficult to treat, or rather, practically incurable, so the problem of combating this disease has been dragging on for a long time. We will try to tell everything about HIV infection in this article. What it is? How is the infection spread? How long does the HIV virus live in the external environment? Is it possible to get infected at home?
If HIV infection has occurred, this does not mean that a person has AIDS. From infection to the stage of development of this terrible disease, a long period of time passes, about 10-12 years. How long does the HIV virus live in the external environment? This will be discussed further.
Impact on the immune system
The body's immune system is designed to protect it from foreign organisms that pose a potential biological threat to human life. They are not part of the human body, therefore, when they penetrate, they cause a certain (defensive) reaction of the immune system: nausea, vomiting, fever, and so on. All such symptoms will accompany a person even at a time when the immune system is trying to overcome a foreign microorganism. Various viruses, colds, bacteria, fungi, staphylococci, donor material or internal organs - these are all antigens.
The components of the immune system include some organs: the thymus gland, bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, thyroid gland, as well as cells of lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages. In HIV infection, the most important role is played by T-cells (lymphocytes), which recognize this and other viruses in the body. They accelerate their regenerative properties and encourage other elements of the immune system to fight and suppress viruses, including HIV. It is the HIV virus that destroys lymphocytes, cells of the brain, intestines and lungs. This violates the protective properties of the immune system, and soon completely destroys it.
Quite often, a virus that has entered the body can live there from 1 to 5 years without revealing itself, so to speak, be in an inactive state. Those same T-cells contribute to the production of a certain amount of antibodies, which determine the presence of the virus in the body. After it has entered the bloodstream, a person automatically becomes its carrier and distributor, capable of infecting other healthy people.
The development of this disease is very slow and lasts for many years. The only signs that indicate the presence of the disease are inflamed lymph nodes. After the incubation period, the HIV infection multiplies rapidly, destroying absolutely all the cells of the immune system, thereby causing a disease called AIDS.
The danger of this virus
AIDS and HIV infection itself do not carry fatal consequences, they only create the conditions for this. With immunodeficiency, the body is not able to fight even the smallest and most insignificant infections that penetrate into it. This causes the development of severe forms of diseases with complications, which lead to serious consequences. If a person affected by the immunodeficiency virus catches another serious infection (Botkin's disease, Zika virus), the body will not respond to drug treatment and the disease will only progress.
HIV infection
The immunodeficiency virus is transmitted through blood or secretions, for example, from the genitals. In other words, only a carrier of this disease can be a spreader of an infection. The HIV virus is contained in the patient's blood, in breast milk, in the secretions of the genital organs (sperm).
At first, the virus does not manifest itself at all and does not make itself felt, so very often the infected are not aware of their condition.
Actually, the virus can be transmitted from person to person through blood or sexual contact.
Very often in practice there are cases of accidental infection. This happens when visiting a dentist or manicurist who had an infected patient before you, and the instrument was not properly disinfected, after surgery with a non-sterile instrument, other similar cases are possible.
But the virus is not always transmitted from a person, it can develop in the body and in a non-contact way. Quite often in world practice there are cases when the immunodeficiency virus was caused by other severe viral diseases, such as extensive tuberculosis or viral hepatitis.
Many fear the bites of various animals and insects. It is worth saying that only people can carry the immunodeficiency virus, animals are not distributors. The only exceptions are insects that feed on blood (in our regions these are mosquitoes, in Asian countries you can add leeches).
In what way is it impossible to get infected?
How long does it take for HIV to die in the external environment and is it possible to get an infection in the household way? From the external environment, the virus does not enter the human blood, but only on the skin, so personal hygiene will be an excellent prevention of the disease.
You should not be afraid of people infected with HIV, they are not dangerous to others if you do not have sexual contact with them. The virus is also not transmitted by shaking hands. It is impossible to get infected even through objects of one's own use (combs, clothes, dishes, cutlery). The infection does not spread in saunas, swimming pools, sports and gyms, so there is no need to be afraid to visit such places.
How to recognize the disease?
How long does the HIV virus live in the external environment and how does it spread? After infection, HIV infection does not manifest itself in any way, and the patient does not experience any discomfort and, as a rule, does not even suspect that he is infected. In rare cases, months later, flu-like symptoms may appear, the temperature rises, shivering, fever, but there is no runny nose and the throat does not hurt. The only symptom by which this infection can be identified is a rash on the skin in the abdomen. If you suddenly begin to feel periodic weakness, nausea, food aversion, dizziness, and all this is not associated with poisoning or another disease, it is worth getting tested for HIV-AIDS.
The latent (latent) form of the disease develops over a fairly long period and the person does not feel discomfort, but this does not mean that changes do not occur in the body. An HIV test will help determine the presence of the virus in the body. This is a routine blood test for antibodies that the immune system produces (as a reaction to the entry of HIV infection into the body). How long does the HIV virus live in the external environment? Let's discuss this in more detail.
HIV virus: resistance in the external environment
So, let's talk about the persistence of this virus in the external environment. How long does a virus live outside the body? The HIV virus is very unstable and does not live long in the external environment. Many scientists argue about the time during which the virus remains active in the domestic environment. Some argue that he lives only a couple of minutes, others ascertain his life outside the body for several hours. One way or another, if HIV infection could live outside the body for a long time, in the world practice of treating this disease, household methods of infection could be observed, but they are absent. How long does HIV persist in the environment? It is not a rod infection or a fungal spore, so the virus cannot live in the soil, especially for a long time.
How stable is HIV infection in the external environment?
How long does a virus live outside the body? A completely different case is when it is in the external environment along with DNA (a drop of blood, sperm). The duration of his life in this case is influenced by factors such as the amount of DNA and the ambient temperature. Under stable conditions and temperature conditions, the HIV virus in DNA in the external environment is able to live for more than 48 days. That is why non-sterile dental, manicure and surgical instruments, on which drops of the blood of an infected person remain, can infect healthy people for several days.
At what temperature does the virus die?
So, at what temperature does HIV die? It is unable to withstand high temperatures. Virus particles begin to die if they are heated for half an hour at a temperature starting from 56 degrees Celsius, but these are non-critical indicators, since the most resistant cells will remain alive and eventually be reborn.
If we talk about the virus in the form in which it is contained in the blood, then the process will take longer, and the temperature should be slightly higher. This virus has a protein shell, and, accordingly, is completely destroyed at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. If you keep the biomaterial at such thermometer readings for 40 minutes, the virus will die completely and irrevocably. So, you have learned how long the HIV virus lives in the external environment and whether it is possible to get infected at home. Now you know that this terrible infection can be avoided. Health to you and your family!
HIV infection. You should know it
Etiology. Morphology of the pathogen.
HIV belongs to a family of retroviruses that have a special enzyme called reverse transcriptase (reverse transcriptase). Viruses of this family reproduce through the proviral DNA stage (a process specific to retroviruses).
The genome contains 2 groups of genes: structural and regulatory.
Highly sensitive to heat. At 56 gr. within 10 min. inactivated, within 30 minutes - dies. At 100 gr. dies instantly. Disinfectants - normal concentrations according to the bactericidal regimen. Ethyl alcohol, acetone, ether act as it evaporates. Optimal pH 7.0-8.0.
List of target cells:
2. Macrophages - monocytes (including skin)
Specifically adsorbed on the surface of target cells, HIV merges with their membrane, is released from the membrane and penetrates into the cell, where revertase performs correspondence.
3.Reverse transcription (4 stages)
Such a cell has become a lifelong carrier of HIV and will pass it on to offspring. The life cycle of the virus leads to cell death!
Normal ratio T4 / T8 = 2
It is important that T4 be greater than T8, or equal. A sharp decrease in the number of T-helpers is the defenselessness of the body (the disappearance of the function of controlling the immune response, recognizing "ours" from "theirs)".
Clinical stages of HIV infection
Be aware of the seroconversion window!
Universal Precautions (UMP)
This is a set of measures aimed at reducing the risk of transmission of infections between patients and healthcare workers through contact with blood and other biological fluids
UMP must be performed in all medical institutions and by all medical workers!
UMP should be observed when working with the following body fluids:
Measures to prevent transmission of parenteral infection in the health care system
It is necessary to use a gown and gloves, which should be cleaned after each patient
The first aid kit should contain:
Actions of a medical worker in case of professional contact
If there was a hit of the biomaterial on the mucous membranes
If there was contact with the biomaterial with intact skin
According to the order of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus dated 04.08.1997 No. 201 “On changing the organization of work on HIV infection in health facilities”
“... is carried out when a large amount or biological fluid enters the wound surface or mucous membranes and consists in taking retrovir (zidovudine, azidothymide -AZT) or its analogues at a dose of 200 mg every 4 hours for 3 days, then 200 mg every 6 hours in within 25 days)
AZT prophylaxis should be started within the first 24 hours after the accident, preferably after 1-2 hours, without waiting for the examination of the patient who may be the source of infection. If the result of the examination of the patient is negative, chemoprophylaxis is stopped. Before starting AZT, a serum sample should be taken for a lab test to check for seronegativity. The employee is prohibited from donating blood during the observation period.
Post-exposure drug prophylaxis (PEP)
Scheme of post-exposure prophylaxis (from project No. 201 of 04.08.97 of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus)
then 200 mg every 6 hours x 25 days.
Informed consent form for post-exposure prophylaxis of HIV infection
How long does the HIV virus live outside of a person?
Lady_di3: How long does the HIV virus live outside of a person? In the open air, the virus dies after a few minutes. Inside the syringe, he can live much longer. There are different, often conflicting, data on the viability of HIV. Where is the truth? There are many misconceptions and misinterpretations of scientific data regarding the life of HIV outside the human body. Laboratory studies use virus concentrations that are at least 100,000 times higher than those found in nature. When using such artificially high concentrations, HIV can remain alive for 1-3 days after the liquid has dried. Does this mean that HIV in its natural concentration can live outside the human body for up to three days? Of course not. The laboratory concentration exceeds the natural concentration by at least 100,000 times. If we extrapolate research data to the natural concentration of the virus, we will see that HIV can live outside the body for only a few minutes. If HIV lived outside the body for many hours or days (in its natural concentrations), we would undoubtedly observe cases of domestic infection - and they do not happen. Of particular interest is the lifetime of HIV inside a syringe or hollow needle. It turned out that it is influenced by a number of factors, including the amount of blood in the needle, the titer (amount) of the virus in the blood, and the ambient temperature. The amount of blood in the needle depends in part on the size of the needle and whether the blood is drawn into the needle. In one study of syringes containing blood infected with a very high titer of HIV-1, viable virus was found in some needles after 48 days of storage at constant temperature. At the same time, the viability of the virus decreases with time: after 2-10 days of storage, live virus was isolated in only 26% of syringes. The large volume of blood in the syringe and low storage temperatures also contributed to the survival of the live virus. The viability of the virus is lower at low titers, at high or fluctuating temperatures, and at low blood volumes. For purposes of preventing injection transmission of HIV, it should be assumed that a used syringe or hollow needle (without sterilization) may contain live virus for several days.
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Does HIV live outside the body? How long does the virus remain infectious?
Over the past 30 years, immunodeficiency has been considered one of the most dangerous pathologies in medicine. To protect yourself from infection, you need to clearly know under what conditions the virus lives and how long HIV outside the body can retain its properties. It is important to understand how long the HIV (AIDS) virus lives outside the body in order to be able to avoid infection. In addition, this information is necessary for physicians to carry out high-quality processing of instruments.
Does HIV live outside the body?
Yes, HIV lives outside the body, but only under favorable conditions and not for long. There is no need to be afraid of becoming infected with a microorganism through household items or food, since the virus does not persist on them. The best method of prevention is the absence of unprotected sex, the use of disposable medical equipment and high-quality cleaning in public places.
If it is possible to come into contact with the virus, you should immediately contact the nearest AIDS center within 24 hours, where free drugs are issued for emergency prevention of infection with a dangerous pathology. In these institutions, you can take an analysis to determine the immunodeficiency virus in the blood and receive treatment completely free of charge.
How long does the HIV virus live?
The AIDS virus lives in the human body for about 48 hours. During this time, he manages to infiltrate a human cell and use its genotype to form daughter virions, which are produced in the amount of 1 billion per day. The vital activity of HIV infection is based on a decrease in the reactivity of the immune system due to the defeat of T-helpers, which the pathogen uses for reproduction.
Outside the human body, the virus is not stable, which is the reason for the impossibility of infection in everyday life. However, in the sun, in a humid and warm environment, the pathogen persists longer, so preventive measures should not be neglected.
How long does the AIDS virus live in human blood? In this biomaterial and its products, HIV can persist for a very long time. In this state, the virus is able to survive very low temperatures without losing its contagiousness. In this regard, the control of blood donors is becoming increasingly strict. It is problematic to investigate how long HIV lives in the blood at high temperatures, since at 90 ° C or more the protein of the material folds, and the ability to determine a living cell of the human immunodeficiency virus is lost.
Where does HIV live in the human body? In the body, a pathogen can infect any cell, but the greatest number of viruses can be found in vaginal secretions, saliva, semen, and human blood products. These substances are the main medium for the spread of the virus among humanity. It is upon contact with one of these materials that most carriers become infected.
How long does HIV live outside the body, being in biological material?
The virus has the ability to retain its properties for a long time, being in the physiological secretions of a person. Even if the secretion temperature drops to 0 °C, this will not affect the viability of the microorganism in any way. The AIDS virus lives outside the human body only in such an environment, because favorable conditions for it have been created there. Recent studies show that infants become infected from sick mothers through breast milk. Due to the large amount of nutrients, the virus can remain in its composition for a very long time. In this regard, all young mothers who are immunocompromised are given mixtures for full-fledged artificial feeding of the child free of charge.
How long does the HIV virus live in water and food?
Transmission of the pathogen through water has not been confirmed by any studies. Therefore, the opinion that it is possible to become infected when bathing in a reservoir or through drinking water is not plausible. If you are injured while swimming with a needle or other object that may contain contaminated blood, you should contact the nearest AIDS center for preventive treatment.
How long does HIV live in the external environment? As a rule, no more than 1-2 minutes, after which it loses the ability to become infected. Through food, drinking water and other household items, the pathogen is not transmitted. This means that as soon as the virus comes into contact with oxygen atoms, its life ends.
Knowing how long HIV lives in the environment, it can be argued that it is impossible to get infected by airborne droplets. All known facts state that the causative agent of AIDS does not have protective properties against the influence of the external environment on its shell.
How long does the HIV virus live at low and high temperatures?
The pathogen can remain viable for a long time at low temperatures. Under such conditions, it becomes enveloped and becomes the so-called virion. These are stable forms that can persist for a long time under adverse conditions. Being in a favorable environment, viruses begin to multiply, but when they get into negative conditions for them, they hide inside the cells of the body and wait for the opportunity to manifest themselves.
Outside the body, the HIV virus does not live long. The virus dies when the environment is heated to 56 ° C for half an hour. At a temperature of 100 °C, HIV dies within 60 seconds. This fact must be taken into account when disinfecting instruments and processing the patient's clothing.
How long does the HIV virus live in the external environment, on instruments?
On instruments, the pathogen can only be in case of contact with vaginal secretions, saliva, semen or blood. When these fluids dry out, the infection quickly dies. In this case, the danger is more caused by hepatitis viruses, which can stay on the instruments for a long time and remain contagious.
How long does the HIV (AIDS) virus live outside the human body when it is exposed to chemicals? The causative agent of immunodeficiency is very sensitive to any detergent chemicals. An excellent substance for destroying a microorganism on a variety of surfaces is a 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution. Upon contact with this solution, HIV dies instantly. A 70% solution of ethyl alcohol destroys the pathogen within 60 seconds. Therefore, before using someone else's razor, treat the item with alcohol for two minutes, but it is better to avoid such situations altogether.
Knowing whether HIV lives outside the body, you can not worry about infection during communication and contact with the patient. Subject to the culture of sexual relations and hygiene standards, the likelihood of infection is significantly reduced.
www.zppp.saharniy-diabet.com
How HIV is transmitted
unprotected intercourse
Transmission from mother to child
Survival Factors
open environment
HIV/AIDS: ways of infection. How long does the HIV virus live in the external environment?
Environmental safety and risk
Today, many people are interested in answers to questions about such a dangerous virus as HIV and the disease it causes - AIDS. The most common issues that people are interested in include sexual risky behavior and everything related to it:
- What is the main condition for infection with a virus that causes immunodeficiency?
- What is the survival rate after infection (how long can people live after infection and then after developing AIDS)?
- How long does the HIV virus live in the external environment, outside the human body - how long does HIV live in the air, on a syringe needle, etc.?
- To what extent is the AIDS virus capable of limiting a person's life?
Therefore, let's focus on these issues.
Sexual risk behavior is behavior that accompanies sexual activity and also indicates risk in health, social and other areas. Such behavior may be relatively common (eg, unprotected sex during casual dating, promiscuous behavior, or risky sexual practices).
How HIV is transmitted
The HIV virus is very sensitive to external influences, it is destroyed by ordinary physical or chemical influences, for example, temperatures above 60 ° C, disinfectants, for example, containing chlorine. After drying, the virus quickly dies.
HIV is found in bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. In order for the infection to penetrate the human body, a certain amount of the virus is needed - in this case, we speak of an infectious dose.
Today there are 3 ways of transmission of HIV infection
unprotected intercourse
This is the most common route of transmission. It, to some extent, depends on how long HIV lives, in particular, in the physiological fluid of the body.
Proper protection, although 100%, is provided only by a condom.
The risk of HIV infection also increases the presence of other sexually transmitted infections, scratches and wounds on the genitals. Therefore, it is advisable to use moisturizing lubricating gels (lubricants). The most suitable is the use of a water-based lubricant. Oil-based lubricating gels interfere with the protective properties of latex condoms.
Introduction of infected blood or blood products. At present, this method of transmission in developed countries is practically impossible. In our country, all blood donors are tested for the presence of HIV.
With minor scratches, the risk of HIV infection from an infected person is practically impossible, because a certain amount of virus is required for infection to penetrate. However, the sharing of toiletries such as toothbrushes and razors, as well as insufficiently sterilized instruments during certain cosmetic procedures (tattoo, earlobe piercing, piercing, etc.) should be avoided.
Injection drug use. Sharing needles, syringes and intravenous fluids can lead to HIV infection among injecting drug users if one of them is infected with HIV. Today, HIV transmission among injecting drug users is the most common mode of infection in some countries of South-Eastern Europe.
In this case, the question of how long HIV lives, for example, on a needle is of particular relevance (which is relevant in the case of intravenous drug injection with reusable syringes).
Transmission from mother to child
In this case, the fact that HIV lives for how long does not matter, because. the virus is transmitted directly.
A pregnant woman infected with HIV can pass the infection to her baby during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as through breastfeeding. Today's medicine is able to reduce the risk of transmission of HIV infection from mother to child by about 2/3 and reduce the risk of complications of the disease for the mother. If a woman chooses to terminate the pregnancy, being HIV positive is a medical reason for an abortion.
How long can HIV live outside the body?
The question of how long HIV lives in the environment (how long HIV lives if there is no host body) is one of the most common problems of modern humanity.
This is not surprising, because how long HIV lives outside the body depends a lot, in particular, on the risk of infection.
Survival Factors
In addition to temperature, survival of HIV outside the body is significantly affected by the amount of virus in the body fluid. Under laboratory conditions, HIV was alive for a long time - within 15 days after the physiological fluid was dried; however, these studies were carried out at stable temperature and humidity, which is almost impossible to reproduce in a natural environment.
Syringes are a common "environment" for the virus. In a syringe, HIV infection can survive, in some cases, for several days, because the blood is contained in the needle, where it is not possible for it to dry completely quickly. Therefore, used needles should be, exclusively, disposable.
open environment
Recently, a number of studies have been conducted to determine how long HIV lives outside the body. It has been proven that the virus in the open air in the amount of 90-99% dies within a few hours. These studies used a concentration of HIV much higher than it would be outside the laboratory, so that, theoretically, the process of transmission of the virus in the environment outside the body is not that slow, it is almost zero.
No HIV-positive person has been infected to date through contact with an environmental surface, according to the results of the above studies, which addressed the question of how long the virus survives without a host body. The fragile virus, once outside the body, can quickly die due to exposure to hot water, soap, disinfectants and alcohol, as mentioned above.
How tenacious is the HIV virus in the environment?
The immunodeficiency virus (retrovirus) poses a threat to the lives of people infected with it. To prevent the possibility of infection, it is important to know the features of the virus:
- The lifetime of HIV outside the human body;
- Under what conditions is there a possibility of transmission of the immunodeficiency virus;
- What determines the resistance of the infection to environmental factors;
- How to reduce the life span of a retrovirus.
How long can HIV exist outside the body?
Long-term studies conducted by many scientists have revealed a direct dependence of the viability of the virus on weather, temperature and various physical parameters. HIV can exist outside the body, but its viability is very short, since HIV is very dependent on the influence of the external environment on it.
Not without reason, the immunodeficiency infection is called the "sissy" among other viral strains. The causative agent of AIDS is very sensitive to the influence of many factors, such as:
- air action;
- change of temperature regimes;
- influence of environmental humidity;
- exposure to chemicals and disinfectants, etc.
The time of HIV deactivation for each of the factors is different. Now a little about the conditions under which the virus loses its properties and ceases to exist.
HIV in the air will live only a couple of minutes, then it ceases to exist. This is due to the fact that the oxygen molecule has a detrimental effect on it. The protective shell of the retrovirus cannot withstand the destructive action of air, so HIV, in the absence of a favorable environment, will exist for a very short amount of time.
In a dried biological fluid, HIV lives from one to three days, but this is the result of laboratory experiments that use a virus that is more concentrated than in nature. In the complete absence of moisture, the infection particles lose their viability in about 12 hours. It has also been experimentally proven that if the liquid containing HIV dries up, then the infection can exist for only a few minutes after drying. Considering that under natural conditions the amount of the virus is small, the transmission of HIV, both by airborne droplets and by household, is practically impossible.
IMPORTANT! Sometimes people believe that HIV can be contracted by swimming in water with an infected person. It's a delusion. In fact, no such case has been recorded. For infection, it is necessary that a biological fluid with a large concentration of virions enter the body, which is almost impossible. The water in the pools is cleaned with chemicals that the retrovirus cannot resist. Even when HIV particles are mixed with open water, the concentration of pathogenic virions will be much lower than necessary for infection.
When exposed to low temperatures, the pathogen builds up a protective shell and slows down all vital processes. In this form, resistant to cold, it remains for a long time even at minus 70 °.
When boiling things or tools that contain infected particles, the HIV virus dies instantly. The pathogen can only exist until the temperature threshold of 56 degrees is reached. If the temperature rises higher, the death of virions (viral particles) occurs in 60 seconds.
During chemical and disinfection treatment of surfaces on which HIV particles are present, it dies immediately, since the outer shell of the pathogen does not protect it from exposure to chemicals. Employees of all medical institutions should be aware of this in order to carry out appropriate disinfection and sterilization of reusable instruments.
Another way the disease is transmitted is through unsterilized intravenous needles. The dependence of the viability of the pathogen on the amount of blood in the needle, on the concentration of the virus in the blood and on the ambient temperature was experimentally revealed.
It was found that the larger the diameter and length of the needle, the more blood it can contain, the longer the HIV virus can live in it.
A retrovirus is able to develop and maintain its vital activity only in the carrier organism, or outside this organism, but in a sufficiently large amount of biological fluid (sperm, blood, saliva, breast milk). After the biofluid dries, the infection dies within a few minutes.
It is believed, however, that under certain weather conditions (in a humid cool environment), the pathogen can exist for up to two days. In laboratory storage, these figures could reach up to a month.
HIV virus: sustainability in the external environment, questions and answers
Finally, we give a brief overview of the article with the help of questions and answers to them.
How long can HIV live outdoors?
After getting into the air, HIV dies instantly, since oxygen is detrimental to it, so the transmission of the infection by airborne droplets is impossible.
What is the lifespan of AIDS on the needle?
The period of active life of AIDS in a needle with infected blood lasts about 48 hours, in some cases - up to several months.
How long can HIV live in water?
After entering the water, the pathogen dies very quickly, because oxygen atoms destroy its structure. Therefore, one should not be afraid of the risk of HIV transmission when drinking drinking water or while swimming in public waters.
How long does a virus live in semen?
Infection particles can exist in semen for 48 hours, during which the pathogen produces up to a billion daughter virions. This process happens all the time, sperm is an excellent medium for reproduction and transmission of infection.
At what temperature does HIV die?
At a temperature of + 56 ° particles - carriers die in a few minutes. At the boiling point of water +100°, the death of virions occurs instantly. At temperatures below +20°, HIV is able to exist for a long time.
