HIV or Human immunodeficiency virus is the virus (retrovirus) that causes AIDS. The virus is delicate outside of it’s human host and can only survive a very short time.
HIV infiltrates the body’s normal immune system particularly the T – Helper cells of the white blood cells (also called CD4 cells). Once inside the T-cell, it inserts its own RNA (precursor to DNA) into the area that is in control of replication of the T-cell. When replication is complete the result is a cell with DNA of the HIV infection thus leading to a breakdown of the immune system. The Human immunodeficiency virus is always mutating. This mutation process is the reason why the virus doesn’t have a cure till date.
HIV is usually transmitted through bodily fluids i.e blood, semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk, etc but may also be transmitted via other means.
What are your insights about HIV/AIDS?
Would you marry a person who is HIV positive assuming you didn’t have the virus?
Hmmmm….this one strong ooo
Ok shaa!!
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is a retrovirus that infects cells of the human immune system (mainly CD4+T-cells and macrophages which are the key components of the cellular immune system) and destroys or impairs their function. Infection with this virus results in the progressive depletion of the immune system, leading to immunodeficiency.
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and describes the collection of symptoms and infections associated with acquired deficiency of the immune system.
Most people infected with HIV don’t even know that they are already infected. But mmediately after the infection, some people may have a glandular fever-like illness (with fever, rash, joint pains and enlarged lymph nodes as seen in Hodgkin lymphoma), which can occur at the time of seroconversion.
Meanwhile,Seroconversion refers to the development of antibodies to HIV and usually takes place between one and two months after an infection has occurre, then the person is said to be seropositive.✔
Well,we should know that the HIV has only affinity for The T-Cells which are the helper cells…and this is why the immune system is usually compromised by the invasion of the virus,giving room for opportunistic infections.👌👌
The virus also needs some factors or do I say ingredients before it can successfully uncoat its antigen and cause infection.These are Glycoprotein(omo, I’ve forgotten if it’s GP 41 and 120😂,I stand to be corrected biko)and in the presence of Chemokine receptor 5. I.e. CCR5.
Omo, the insight go stop here Abeg…I don tire!!😂
Now,about the marriage….Hmm,nna ehn nobody prays for such but we have to note that even if one doesn’t have the virus ,one can still get married to someone who’s seropositive only when the individual is already on and is compliant with ARTs because ARTs suppress the progression of the infection to AIDS and also suppresses the viral load.
When the viral load of an individual is low,he /she is no longer considered infectious.
So….yes!!! One can get married to a seropositive person.
Gunait😁😁
I think I like you… “So ONE can get married…” But not you right? Lol
No! No! No! But love is stupid so we can’t be 💯 sure
So why is it not possible to get hiv from your partner or give to a child you are still carrying in utero
Hi Chucks,
There’s an HIV intervention program referred to as PMTCT which means Prevention of Mother-To-Child-Transmission. This program is for women of reproductive ages with HIV or at risk of contracting the virus. The purpose of the program is to prevent the transmission of mother to child transmission.
Most HIV-positive women move around undetected until pregnancy. Upon realising they’re pregnant, they register for antenatal care services. At the antenatal clinic, usually not less than 10 compulsory tests are done for pregnant women including HIV- test. This is where most pregnant women realise they have been HIV-POSITIVE all along.
They are immediately registered to the Antiretroviral Clinic; councelled about their newly discovered health status; placed on antiretroviral drugs; enlightened on the need to be adherent with their medications; closely observed during the period of gestation.
The babies to these women are born with safe childbirth practices and are placed on antiretrovirals (Nevirapine syrup) for a period of 24 weeks. During this time, the infant is being breastfed by their HIV-positive mothers.
Thus HIV-positive mothers are not deprived of the joy of motherhood as they pass through normal delivery, get to hold their new borns in their arms, get to breast feed them as well as change their diapers. The baby have follow-up visits until they’re 32 weeks old, then a PCR test is conducted on them to detect their Final status i.e if they’re HIV-positive or HIV-negative.
Many of these babies test negative to the virus and go on living a completely normal Life
Hell no. But I have another question. Can they marry one another? But they’ll have positive kids right?
The reasons for my response is simple. I’ll be positive too. And even if I lose him I can’t remarry cos I’ll infect the next person as well. Even my innocent kids. Correct me if I’m wrong
Hi Satish,
Studies have shown that couples can be in an intimate relationship in which one person is HIV-positive and the other person is HIV-negative and not transmit the virus to each other. Such couples are referred to as serodiscordant couples otherwise called mix- status couple.
Such couples live a normal Life and indulge in rigorous sexual activities as they please and are capable of giving birth to offsprings of HIV-negative Status i.e children who are not infected with the virus during gestation, at birth or later in life.
With the advent of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) & Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), a healthy individual can take those medications to prevent infection from HIV.
So, combined with the HIV+ partner taking their Anti-Retroviral Therapy drugs (ARTs), an uninfected person could marry an HIV+ person.
But PrEP & PEP aren’t yet widely available, are still too expensive, don’t have much awareness created about them, and, I hear, may have side effects.
Can I marry someone who’s HIV Positive?
No.
Le simple… And short.
That’s like me being asked if I can marry someone who’s AS. I can’t. Reasons being I’m not only looking for love but as much peace of mind as I can fathom in marriage
My answer is CAPITAL NO.
No matter how much I love you I can’t marry you if you are HIV +.
Marriage goes beyond just mere love, I can’t do something I will regret in the future or something that will have adverse consequences on my children.
I Know there is a way you can marry a HIV+ person and your children can still dodge been HIV+, the stress and risk is too much .
I want the best in marriage
Marriage is meant to enjoyed and not endured.
So in my humble opinion I can never marry a HIV+ person
No. I won’t.
Apart from the fact that I’ll get infected.
When we have children they’ll get infected with the virus too. Those future children did nothing to deserve carrying HIV from birth.
And then they might go on to spread it to people too.
HIV doesn’t matter to most but it does to me. I won’t be responsible for spreading the virus to innocent people in the future
Hi Ephehx,
Modern medicine have made it possible for children born to HIV-positive couples or serodiscordant couples to have children free from being infected by the virus.
Also, the likelihood of HIV-POSITIVE patients who are religious with their antiretroviral medications to infect their partners is minimal. Studies have shown that the viral load of HIV-POSITIVE patients who been on antiretrovirals for a period of 6 -12months and are adherent with their medications goes undetected when they opt-in for an HIV screening test.
The probability of such individuals in transmitting the virus to their intimate partner is thus reduced. In addition to this, the uninfected couple is places himself/herself on Pre-exposure prophylaxis or Post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP or PEP) whenever they decide to indulge in coitus with their couple. This is advisable especially when the couples begin considering bringing forth offsprings.
Other health-protocols that can be observed include the use of condoms i.e male and female condoms
HIV-positive couples are capable of living a normal life and giving birth to HIV free offsprings
Well, I don’t think I can answer that directly as I’m not preparing for that…lol.
But I had a case few years back. A young man came in with his 20yr old girlfriend for HIV screening and serum PT and both turn out POSITIVE. I felt bad for them really but I also needed to not just give out result but also counsel. So i asked the guy if they’ve done the tests before to which he affirmed. I was like, so you are aware of the result already, and he gave a nod. We tested the young man and it came out NEGATIVE. So I went straightaway to counsel them and handed them over to Matron for more counseling on PMTCT, placement on ART and need to register for ANC ASAP for proper monitoring. The lady delivered in my hospital months later. We conducted DBS (Dried Blood Spot) for the baby and it was NEGATIVE.
Now, what trilled me most in all these is that the guy followed his girl to EVERY ANC appointment. They smile and seem happy all the time we see them. They were like little lovebirds. The young man earn my respect ever since because many of such young relationships these days lack commitment of that level. Ordinary positive PT self, some guys don vamoose… Lol. Now I don’t know why is that for the guy cos he already looked determined to go ahead come what may from start. Maybe it’s the ‘True love’ thing cos I can’t say it was the counseling. But all the same…with proper orientation that, it’s possible to live with an HIV positive spouse without getting infected so long as the spouse keeps up with his/her ART to keep the viral load down. So it’s not a big deal to do that, I know a handful of them who does and they and the relationship looks healthy over the years.
I can actually marry someone with HIV since i won’t be getting infected with the virus this days research and technology has made us know that even couples living with the virus have kids and they won’t have the virus
I learnt recently that their is an NGO for young people living with the virus and this people are made to connect with themselves since most people without the virus don’t want to marry them the NGO match make them, then if everything goes right they get married they still do follow up when they start having kids so that they take measure to avoid their children from having the virus