Hello and welcome to the zero to finals podcast.

My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be going through HIV.

And you can find written notes on this topic in the genitone urinary medicine section of the zero to finals website or the zero to finals obstetrics and gynecology book. So let's get straight

into it. HIV refers to the human immunodeficiency virus. Being infected with HIV is referred to as being

HIV positive. AIDS refers to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS occurs as a HIV

infection progresses and the person becomes immunodeficient. This immunodeficiency leads to opportunistic

infections and several AIDS-defining illnesses such as Kaposi-Sarcoma.

AIDS is now mostly referred to as late-stage HIV.

Let's talk about some basics.

HIV is an RNA retrovirus.

HIV-1 is the most common type, and HIV 2 is rare outside of West Africa.

The virus enters and destroys the CD4 T helper cells of the immune system.

An initial seroconversion, flu-like illness, occurs within a few weeks of infection with HIV.

The infection is then asymptomatic until the condition progresses to immunodeficiency.

Immunodeficient patients develop AIDS-defining illnesses, which we'll talk about in more detail shortly, as well as

opportunistic infections. This progression to immunodeficiency occurs potentially years after the

initial infection. Let's talk about transmission. HIV is not transmitted through day-to-day

activities, including kissing. It spread through unprotected,

anal, vaginal or oral sexual activity, mother-to-child at any stage during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding,

and this is called vertical transmission, or through mucus membrane,

blood or open wound exposure to infected blood or bodily fluids, for example, through sharing

needles, needle stick injuries, or blood splashed in an eye. Let's talk in more detail about

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