Publication details
Aktuální rysy pandemie HIV
| Title in English | Current features of the HIV pandemic |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2011 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Adiktologie: odborný časopis pro prevenci, léčbu a výzkum závislostí |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Epidemiology, infectious diseases and clinical immunology |
| Keywords | Drug users; HIV; HIV/HBV co-infection; HIV/HCV co-infection; Modes of HIV transmission |
| Description | Three possible transmission modes of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are currently accepted: sexual, parenteral, and vertical. Globally, the main route of transmission is unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-positive partner. Parenteral transmission poses the highest risk for intravenous drug users (lUDs). Thanks to antiretroviral therapy, vertical mother-to-child transmission has become exceptional in developed countries. According to the statistics of the World Health Organisation, there were a totalof31.4-35.3 million HIV-infected people living in the world at the end of 2009, including approximately 3 mi/lion children under 15 years of age. The numbers of those actually infected are certain to be much higher. A link between the use of addictive substances and HIVhas been evident since the beginning of the HIV pandemic. The intravenous administration of heroin is the most common mode of transmission of HIV infection among injecting drug users. Today we have a lot of relevant evidence of the usefulness and effectiveness of opioid substitution therapy and its contribution to primary and secondary HIV prevention. The spread of HIV infection associated with non- -injected stimulants (cocaine, methamphetamine, etc.) involves high-risk behaviour. Alcohol abuse appears to be no less serious in relationship to HIV. Generally, addictive substances and alcohol abuse lead to significantly poorer patient-physician cooperation, low levels of adherence to treatment, includingHIV treatment, riskier behaviour, a lower rate of success of antiretroviral therapy, and the rapid progression of chronic diseases as a result of the toxic effect of alcohol or the HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) or HIV/hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infections. |