Scientific understanding of HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention, professional protection of men's health.

I. AIDS

AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease that has spread rapidly, has a high mortality rate, and lacks effective treatment in modern medical history. It is known as "the most significant disaster of the century" and is also called "super cancer."

(I) What is AIDS?

AIDS is the abbreviation of the English word, and its full name is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Therefore, the precise meaning of AIDS should be: a mixed immunodeficiency syndrome caused by HIV infection, primarily characterized by T-cell immunodeficiency.

(II) How was AIDS discovered?

The earliest cases of AIDS were discovered in Los Angeles and New York, USA. In 1980, American medical researchers reported several cases in these two regions of patients who died from Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia due to weakened immune function, despite various treatments. In his report, Gottlieb stated, "Pneumocystis pneumonia in the United States usually only occurs in patients with severely suppressed immunity. The five patients we encountered were normally healthy, showing no signs of immunodeficiency, making this disease highly unusual. All five patients were homosexuals, suggesting a possible link between the disease and a homosexual lifestyle, or that the infection may be transmitted through sexual contact." This was the first reported case of AIDS in the world, and it proposed the inference that it was transmitted through sexual contact. During this period, 26 similar cases were recorded in the United States, all of whom shared the common characteristic of immunodeficiency. In 1982, based on the characteristics of these cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, USA, summarized this clinical syndrome caused by immunodeficiency and named it "Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome," abbreviated as AIDS.

(III) The Epidemic and Transmission Routes of AIDS

1. AIDS is widespread, infecting populations in different countries and regions, and is widely recognized as a global epidemic. According to a report by the World Health Organization, in 1981 only a few countries reported more than 1,000 people with AIDS, mostly in Europe. By 1993, AIDS had spread to 209 countries and regions, with the number of cases surging to 710,000. It was projected that by 2000, the number of people infected with HIV would reach 40 million, and the number of people living with AIDS would reach 2.2 million.

2. The main routes of AIDS transmission are: sexual contact, blood transmission, and mother-to-child transmission. Understanding the transmission routes of AIDS is of great importance for prevention and control.

① Sexual contact transmission: Sexual contact through the external genitalia, anus, and mouth is the most common route of transmission. This route accounts for 3/4 of all AIDS cases. A report from the United States indicated that approximately 94% of AIDS cases in the US were related to sexual contact. According to a World Health Organization report, in African and Latin American countries, the vast majority of AIDS patients are infected through heterosexual contact, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1. In some regions, prostitutes play a significant role in the spread of AIDS. In Rwanda, 81% of female AIDS patients are prostitutes, and in Nairobi, Kenya, the antibody positivity rate among prostitutes is as high as 66%. A survey in Africa shows that those who regularly work as prostitutes have a high seropositivity rate. There are also reports that artificial insemination can lead to HIV infection in women. This is often because the sperm donor is HIV-positive. If HIV testing is conducted before sperm donation and a healthy male donor is selected, the recipient is generally less likely to become infected.

② Blood transmission: Transmission of HIV through the transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products can lead to AIDS. In 1986, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 2% of adult AIDS patients and 14% of children in the US were infected through receiving HIV-contaminated blood or blood products. Before 1986, approximately 6%–8% of blood donors in the US were HIV-positive. Therefore, early US-produced VIII clotting factor concentrates caused infections among hemophiliac patients worldwide. In Zhejiang Province, my country, four hemophiliac patients tested positive for HIV antibodies after receiving VIII clotting factor imported from the United States. In recent years, the United States has strengthened its screening of blood donors, and infections through this route have significantly decreased. However, in some developing countries, due to the lack of sound and effective testing conditions and systems, transfusion-related infections remain highly risky.

Direct contamination of skin or mucous membrane wounds with HIV-contaminated syringes or surgical instruments is also a significant route of AIDS infection, as HIV can survive in blood for up to 15 days at room temperature. Therefore, using HIV-contaminated syringes can certainly transmit AIDS. 26% of AIDS patients in the United States have a history of intravenous drug use. A large number of HIV-positive patients in my country were also found among drug users.

Furthermore, receiving transplants of HIV-contaminated tissues or organs can lead to AIDS infection. Hospital staff or researchers who come into contact with HIV during their work, especially if the skin or mucous membranes at the contact site are broken, may also contract AIDS. In 1990, the United States reported 24 researchers exposed to HIV who tested positive for HIV serological antibodies, indicating a risk of infection for those working in laboratories with high HIV concentrations for extended periods.

③ Mother-to-child transmission: This is the main route of transmission for children with HIV. The number of female patients is rising worldwide, and the number of children infected through half-infant transmission is also increasing.

④ Whether AIDS can be transmitted through daily life and social activities is a concern for many. Extensive scientific research and investigations have concluded that "AIDS cannot be transmitted through daily life and social activities." Analysis of over 700 families and schools in the United States and Europe revealed no HIV-positive cases. For example, a survey of 90 families of AIDS patients showed that although family members shared bedding, toilets, bathrooms, combs, towels, and tableware with the infected person, no one was found to be infected. Since transmission does not occur in family life, it is even less likely to occur in the workplace.