Cure for HIV/Aids Still a Distant Dream

DUBAI - A cure for the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Aids) remains a distant dream for the human race despite the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) being discovered over 26 years ago.

Asma Ali Zain

Published: Sat 8 Nov 2008, 12:48 AM

Last updated: Thu 22 Aug 2024, 2:56 PM

As of 2007 end, over 40 million people, from all races and ages, were infected worldwide with at least 6,800 new infections per day, according to the United Nations Aids Programme.

Health authorities in the UAE, however, report that cases in the country remain as low as 700 and are not increasing significantly.

According to the World Health Organisation, the UAE had one of the lowest reported cases of the disease in the world.

Earlier this year, the Minister of Health, Humaid Al Quttami announced that HIV-infected UAE nationals would be given mainstream jobs to end the stigma attached to the disease.

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“The only hope the world has is in educating people (prevention) and stemming the spread of the disease since a cure has not yet been found,” says Dr Suresh Menon, Specialist Internal Medicine, Jebel Ali Hospital, Dubai.

Dr Menon adds, “The UAE is a Muslim country with a low rate of disease, however, people need to understand that the HIV-infected cannot be cast away from the society but can lead a normal life within a society.”

“There is a difference between HIV and Aids. HIV is the virus that causes the infection while AIDS is the life threatening condition and the later stage of the HIV infection,” he explains.

The spread of the disease is deadly since once one catches the virus, there is no cure or vaccine,” he adds.

The disease is transmitted when body fluids are passed on through: sexual contact, blood transfusion, from the mother to the baby (including through breast feeding(at least 600,000 infants are infected each year worldwide), through drug abuse as well as accidental needle pricking (for health workers).

Says Dr Menon, “Detection of infection can be delayed by years as the symptoms in the first stage may be minor such as low grade fever, rashes and swelling in the lymph nodes. The body’s own immune system is under attack as the virus multiplies in the lymph nodes,” he says.

“Symptoms may not show for up to 9-10 years in the second stage when the body is exposed to other infections such as diarrhoea, fever, cough and shortness of breath.”

The late phase of Aids shows symptoms such as pneumonia, weight loss, sweating at night s, high fever, dry cough, shortness of breath and severe diarrhoea. “Some people may be prone to different types of cancer,” he explains.

Prevention is only through protected sex and educating drug users on the hazards of substance abuse and needle sharing.

“Since 1984, blood transfusion has become safe world over,” says Dr Menon.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com