- What are the differences between HIV-1 and HIV-2
- 1. Incidence and prevalence
- 2. Transmission
- 3. Disease progression
- 4. Treatment
HIV-1 and HIV-2 are distinct types of viruses, known as human immunodeficiency viruses, which are responsible for causing AIDS, also known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which is a serious disease of the immune system.
These viruses, although they cause the same disease and are transmitted in the same way, present some differences, requiring different treatments.
What are the differences between HIV-1 and HIV-2
HIV-1 and HIV-2 have many similarities in terms of their replication, mode of transmission and clinical manifestations of AIDS, but they have some differences.
1. Incidence and prevalence
HIV-1 is more common worldwide, while HIV-2 is more common in West Africa, however, it is less pathogenic.
2. Transmission
The mode of transmission of the virus is the same for HSV-1 and HSV-2 and is done through sexual contact and sharing of syringes between infected people, transmission during pregnancy or contact with infected blood, through transfusions or transplants, for example.
Although these viruses have the same action in the body, HIV-2 produces less viral particles than HIV-1. For this reason, the transmissibility in people infected with HIV-2 is much lower than those infected with HIV-2, however, the possibility of transmission exists.
Still due to its low transmissibility, HIV-2 is less likely to progress to AIDS, so people infected with the type 2 virus can remain with the "dormant virus" for much longer, compared to HIV-1. The asymptomatic period of infection is on average 10 years for HIV-1 and 30 years for HIV-2.
3. Disease progression
If HIV infection progresses to AIDS, whether caused by the type 1 virus or the type 2 virus, the process of developing the disease is very similar for both types of virus, as well as the symptoms manifested. However, as HIV-2 has a lower viral load, the immune system's response is more protective in the case of infection with this type of virus, which contributes to delaying the progression of the disease, and in the case of people infected with HIV. HIV-1, the disease progresses faster.
AIDS arises when the person has opportunistic infections, such as tuberculosis or pneumonia, for example, which manifest themselves due to the weakness of the immune system generated by the virus. See more about the disease and the symptoms that may occur.
HIV-2 also has a lower mortality rate than HIV-1, however, it is important to note that infection by one type of virus does not invalidate infection by the other type, and may result in a joint infection with both types of infection. virus.
4. Treatment
Treatment for HIV infection is done with antiretroviral drugs, which, although they do not eliminate the virus from the body, help prevent it from multiplying, slow the progression of HIV, prevent transmission and help protect the immune system.
However, due to the genetic differences between the viruses, the combinations of drugs for the treatment of HIV-1 and HIV-2 can be different, since HIV-2 is resistant to two classes of antiretrovirals: reverse transcriptase analogues and fusion / entry inhibitors. Learn more about treatment.
