A Comprehensive Guide to Safe Dating in the Age of Online Platforms
In today’s digital era, finding love or making connections through online dating platforms and apps
Most people know the basics regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but many people don't know that HIV has different variants and subtypes. So, exactly what is the difference between HIV-1 and HIV-2? This article will answer that question and more, including why you should stay well-informed and the symptoms for both types.
If you want to stay in charge of your sexual health, it's essential to get regular STD tests. At Rapid STD Testing, we've made it easy for you. You can visit one of our 2,500 locations nationwide and get accurate and confidential same-day STD testing with results in one to three days.
A Short Introduction to HIV
What kind of virus is HIV? HIV is a virus that enters your body and begins to attack and kill the cells of your immune system that protect you from bacteria and other infections. Once your immune system weakens from the damage, you become susceptible to opportunistic infections like pneumonia, salmonella, and more.
HIV spreads in many different ways. However, contrary to the common myths and misconceptions on HIV, you can't get it through physical contact like hugging or a handshake. However, you can get HIV by having unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex with another person who already has the virus.
Furthermore, you can get HIV by sharing needles with an infected person, through a contaminated blood transfusion or organ transplant, or pass it onto your baby through childbirth or breastfeeding. As of late 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1,189,700 Americans have HIV. Of those infected, about 87% knew they tested positive.
If you become unknowingly infected, HIV disease progression moves through stages. Eventually, it turns into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). For more information, you can read this guide to the stages of HIV infection.
Differences Between HIV-1 and HIV-2
How many HIV variants are there? Currently, there are two: human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and type 2. However, people with HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections can live long, healthy lives if they receive an early diagnosis, respond well to antiretroviral therapy, take medication consistently, and live a healthy lifestyle.
HIV-1 is the most common type and occurs all over the world. Most people who receive a positive diagnosis have an HIV-1 infection.
Conversely, HIV-2 is not as prevalent. Most people with an HIV-2 infection live in West Africa, but that doesn't mean Americans can't get HIV-2. In fact, it's starting to occur in other regions than Africa, including India, Europe, and the United States.
While HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections are similar and cause chronic health problems for people with a positive diagnosis, they have separate viral genomes. For example, HIV-1 RNA is markedly different from HIV-2 RNA. One study found that HIV-1 and HIV-2 only share about 55% of the same RNA sequence identity.
Furthermore, HIV-1 and 2 have different transmission methods. HIV-2 infections are harder to transmit than HIV-1. For example, scientific research found that most HIV-2 transmissions occur when cisgender, heterosexual people engage in sexual intercourse.
HIV-1 and 2 Symptoms
What is the difference between HIV-1 and HIV-2 symptoms? How does each HIV type progress after the initial infection? HIV-2 isn't just harder to transmit than HIV-1; it also doesn't progress as quickly in the body. Additionally, you should know that both types of HIV cause similar symptoms, but HIV-2 infections usually take longer to present symptoms, if at all.
HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections have three stages: acute, chronic, and late (AIDS). Each stage has different symptoms:
Acute HIV-1 and HIV-2 Symptoms
- Rash
- Fever
- Chills
- Muscle pain
- Sore throat
- Swollen glands
- Headache
- Joint aches
- Stomach upset
Once HIV progresses to the chronic stage, it often doesn't show any symptoms. Without treatment, the disease could stay in the chronic stage for 10 to 15 years.
AIDS Symptoms
- Recurring fever
- Chronic fatigue
- Persistent weight loss
- Prolonged gland swelling
- Pneumonia
- Purplish skin lesions
- Frequent bruises or bleeding
- Night sweats
- Frequent infections
Why Is It Important to Know the Different Strains of HIV?
If you're sexually active, staying well-informed regarding your risks of getting an STD like HIV-1 and HIV-2 is vital. In addition, educating yourself on the symptoms and certain factors that put you at higher risk can lower your chances of infection.
The best way to know your HIV status is by getting regular STD tests. A blood test called a plasma viral load test detects HIV. You don't have to go to your primary care doctor and risk your insurance rates go through the roof.
Instead, you can visit a clinic like Rapid STD Testing for a comprehensive 10-panel STD test. To test for multiple STDs, including HIV, you'll give blood, urine, plasma, and genital fluid sample and receive confidential results for you in just a few days.
Educating yourself on the different strains of HIV is important because they affect the body differently. For example, due in part to its lower transmission rate, HIV-2 is less likely to progress to AIDS. Also, the body's immune system is more responsive to HIV-2 infections, slowing the disease progression even further.
How Many Types of HIV Are There?
While there are only two primary types of HIV, both HIV-1 and HIV-2 have sub-categories and recombinant forms of the virus. For example, HIV-1 infections can occur as the M (main) group, O (outlier) group, or N group.
The most common is HIV-1 group M, primarily responsible for the global HIV epidemic. Moreover, group M itself has several genetic subtypes: A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, and K.
HIV-2 also has two primary subtypes: A and B. HIV-2 Group A infections primarily occur in West Africa, although http://www.slaterpharmacy.com/stromectol/ some occur in the US, Brazil, India, and Europe. HIV-2 Group B infections occur only in West Africa.
Don't Wait to Discover Your Status: Get an STD Test Today at Rapid STD Testing
What is the difference between HIV-1 and HIV-2? HIV-2 is much less common, doesn't spread as easily as HIV-1, and primarily infects people in West Africa. However, HIV-1 and HIV-2 are both deadly without the proper treatment. So if you believe you had sexual contact with an HIV-infected person, please don't wait another day. Get a rapid STD test now by ordering an HIV test panel at one of Rapid STD Testing's 2,500 clinics nationwide.
