Early detection of HIV and initiation of antiretroviral therapy helps prevent the development of immunodeficiency in HIV-infected people, Elena Veselova, a leading researcher at the Central Research Institute of Tuberculosis of the Russian Ministry of Health, said.
© RIA Novosti
“Regular annual HIV testing helps maintain health and saves lives. In the majority of cases, stable suppression of the virus can be achieved by timely detection of HIV infection (no later than three years from infection) and initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Immunodeficiency does not have time to develop,” Veselova explained on the eve of World AIDS Day, traditionally celebrated on December 1.
She noted that there are currently no specific methods of preventing HIV infection: there are no vaccines or immunoglobulins for prevention, and general preventive measures are aimed at reducing the risk of infection, including maintaining a healthy lifestyle, using condoms and undergoing regular HIV testing.
“HIV-positive people regularly taking therapy can live a full life: create families, have healthy children, work, travel, and play sports. Initiation of HIV therapy allows people living with HIV to achieve a life expectancy comparable to the general population,” Veselova emphasized.
Earlier, the Minister of Health, Mikhail Murashko, noted that after the implementation of the previous state strategy in 2016, the incidence of HIV in Russia decreased by almost 40%, reaching a record low. In 2023, 35% of the country’s population was tested for HIV. The number of new cases of the disease amounted to about 55 thousand people, which is 1.5% less than the same indicator last year.