[워싱턴=AP/뉴시스] A red ribbon was decorated on the front of the White House on December 1, 2021 (local time), World AIDS Day. The red ribbon protects the human rights of people living with HIV and AIDS and represents support for them. 2021.12.02.
[서울=뉴시스]Reporter Song Yeon-ju = Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a disease in which misunderstanding and social stigma toward infected people are considered bigger problems than the disease itself.
It is a different disease from AIDS, which is commonly confused, and with the advancement of treatments, regular checkups and treatment have made it possible to live a normal daily life.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s ‘HIV/AIDS Reporting Status Annual Report’ on the 11th, the number of new HIV-infected people in Korea was 1,206 in 2018, 1,223 in 2019, 1,016 in 2020, 975 in 2021, and 1,066 in 2022, an annual average of about 1,000 people over the past 10 years. 1,100 new infections are being reported.
Of the 1,066 people newly infected with HIV in Korea in 2022, 92.3% (984 people) were men and 7.7% (82 people) were women. More than half (66.4%) of all newly infected people were found to be young people in their 20s and 30s.
As HIV is a chronic disease that can be fully managed with regular checkups and early treatment, it is essential for those vulnerable to HIV infection to be managed from a young age.
◆HIV, AIDS and other diseases… Normal daily life with consistent treatment
HIV and AIDS are different diseases. Although HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, it does not develop into AIDS if you undergo regular screening, get a quick diagnosis, and receive consistent treatment.
HIV is a virus that invades the human body, destroys immune cells, and reduces immune function. It can be spread through various routes, including sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, sharing contaminated syringes, and vertical infection.
It is not spread through hugging, eating together, or shaking hands. In particular, if the viral load is maintained at an undetectable level (less than 50 copies/ml of HIV-1) through consistent treatment, there is no risk of spreading the virus to others even through sexual intercourse.
This is why it is possible to go to school, work, and have the same daily life as non-infected people. In fact, the life expectancy of a person infected with HIV is about 78 years, which is similar to the life expectancy of a non-infected person (80 years). It is known to go through the same life cycle as non-infected people.
◆Ending possible with checkup, treatment, and attention… We need to encourage screening with a positive outlook.
HIV is a disease that can be eradicated if all members of society make efforts, regardless of whether they are infected or not. In fact, the international community aims to ‘end the AIDS epidemic’ from public health threats by 2030 with the vision of ‘Getting to Zero’ (a world without new HIV infections, HIV-related deaths, and HIV-related discrimination).
UNAIDS, a UN agency dedicated to AIDS, was created to help countries manage and prevent AIDS. The goal is to end HIV and AIDS by 2025. By 2025, 95% of people infected with HIV will be recognized for their infection through testing. ▲ 95% have started treatment ▲We are carrying out the ’95-95-95′ campaign in which 95% of patients receiving treatment effectively suppress the virus.
Korea is also establishing and implementing various prevention and control measures with the goal of ’90-90-90′ to strengthen access to HIV/AIDS screening and treatment.
Recently, Pope Francis approved the blessing of same-sex couples through his doctrinal statement ‘Pleasant Faith’. Rather than viewing HIV through a misunderstanding related to homosexuality, it is time to change our perception of HIV to an ‘infectious disease’ that requires national attention. We need to encourage screening with a warm perspective.
HIV testing is available at your local public health center. It’s free and you can test anonymously.
◆Experience a life cycle similar to that of non-infected people due to advancements in treatment
Even if you are infected with HIV, the discomfort has been reduced through advancements in treatment. HIV treatment uses cocktail therapy that uses a combination of various antiviral treatments. In the past, it was necessary to take dozens of pills at once, but recently, it is possible to manage it by taking it once a day.
People infected with HIV also experience a life cycle similar to that of non-infected people, including chronic diseases and health problems due to aging. Since most newly infected people in Korea are in their 20s and 30s, there was an unmet need for long-term polydrug management and minimizing the impact of drug interactions.
Accordingly, the latest two-drug therapy that emerged minimized the number of drugs compared to the existing three-drug and four-drug therapies, while confirming similar virus suppression effects and safety as existing drugs. ▲Contribute to improving the quality of life and satisfaction of infected people ▲Less drug-drug interactions ▲Reduction in treatment costs and social costs can be expected. As a result, this is evaluated to have potential value in increasing access to treatment for people infected with HIV.
In addition, HIV-infected people have a high risk of concomitant diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, bone disease, and kidney and liver disease, so drug toxicity and drug-drug interactions that occur when treating various concomitant diseases must be taken into consideration. A treatment with a reduced number of drugs may be an effective treatment option.
An official from the pharmaceutical industry said, “The first step in preventing HIV and AIDS is to receive regular HIV screening every six months.” He added, “By improving social awareness of the disease, an environment should be created where vulnerable groups can receive HIV screening and treatment at any time.” “he said.
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2024-02-11 03:00:00
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