HIV and AIDS (Nursing)

Excerpt

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an enveloped retrovirus that contains two copies of a single-stranded RNA genome. Without treatment, all patients with an HIV infection develop severe immunosuppression, which causes multiple opportunistic infections and HIV-associated malignancies. The last stage of an HIV infection is called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is invariably fatal.

Some patients may complain of nonspecific symptoms at the time of primary/acute HIV infection.[1] Most patients do not seek medical attention for these symptoms and remain undiagnosed. They subsequently enter a long chronic asymptomatic phase of infection, which can last for decades.[2] The end stage of the disease is defined by severe invasive opportunistic infections or HIV-associated malignancies that are termed AIDS-defining lesions.[3][4]

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the implementation of nurse-led teams to expand diagnostic testing and clinical care. They emphasize that nurse-led teams can effectively initiate antiretroviral therapy, manage uncomplicated opportunistic infections, and provide primary mental health/neurological care. Nurse-led home-based care has been shown to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART).[5] Consequently, increasing nurse awareness regarding the clinical presentation of various HIV stages, recommended initial therapy, and potential complications of the disease can greatly improve global outcomes for this highly prevalent and incurable disease.