What is HIV, and How Is It Different From AIDS? Overview, Signs and Symptoms, Complication, Causes and Risk Factors, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention

How to prevent HIV infections?

How to prevent HIV infections?

HIV is not curable, and prevention is the only way to be free from disease. Limiting exposure to the risk factors listed above is essential for prevention. Prevention would be easier if we could easily identify infected individuals, but there’s a latency period in which they have no idea that they’re spreading the disease. And even infected patients with ongoing AIDS may not be easy to differentiate from the rest.

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Thus, the recommendations include exercising caution at all times:

  • Protected sex: Condom use is essential in males and females to reduce the transmission of HIV. Condoms have a protective effect of over 85%, but this efficacy can change depending on how you use them. For maximum protection, condoms should be used from the start of penetrative sex.
  • Using sterile needles: In many countries, injected drug users are given sterile syringes to prevent the spreading of HIV in this high-risk population. Even better, people who use injected drugs would be safer if they quit using them or turn to another option that does not involve needles.
  • Counseling and testing: Counseling high-risk individuals about the risk factors and preventing HIV is essential to stop the disease’s spread. Frequent testing is also recommended if you have multiple sexual partners and before establishing sexual contact with a new monogamous partner.
  • Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): Many studies are being made to evaluate oral PrEP as a way to prevent infection in HIV-negative patients. There are currently open-label trials going on, and it is in the process of regulatory approval.