Re: How ingesting HIV virus leads to HIV infection?

[Guest guest]

Re: How ingesting HIV virus leads to HIV infection?

/message/7346

Combined posting

1) Dr. Rajesh Gopal, MD

2) Narasimha Swamy Thamatam,

Dear Forum,

It is a natural and a very logical question.

The reason is the (anatomical and physiological)immaturity of the

gastrointestinal tract of the neonate /young infant.

The relative achlorhydria(less production of hydrochloric acid-HCL )in the gut

of the neonate does not provide her/him the protection against the ingested

pathogens-including HIV unlike the protection, which is there in the case of

adults.

An adult will not get the infection by ingesting infected milk as the HIV would

be killed by the HCL secreted as a part of the gastric fluid in the stomach.

I ,however, hope we take this piece of information only with consideration of

the universal recommendation of exclusive breast feeding by all the HIV positive

mothers for the initial months of her/his life.

Best wishes ,

Dr.Rajesh Gopal.

Dr. Rajesh Gopal, MD

Joint Director,

Gujarat State AIDS Control Society (GSACS),

O/1 Block, New Mental Hospital Complex,

Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. PIN 380016

Phone (O) 079-22680211--12--13,22685210 Fax 079-22680214

e-mail: dr_rajeshg@...

___________________________

Dear Sravana,

Greetings.

A. Ingestion of HIV virus may not leads to infection in healthy adults. The

reasons could be

1. Normally people may not ingest material containing HIV knowingly

2. In unknowingly swallowed the quantity of material swallowed can not be of

large quantity.

3. The amount of virus in the material may not be in present in the quantity

that can lead to HIV infection

4. The material swallowed mixes with many enzymes right from the mouth. The

enzymes helps for digestion contains dilute acids which can inactivate the

virus.

5. In adults the virus has to be absorbed in to the blood though the mature

mucosa layer which can prevent the passing of virus in to the blood.

6. Adults can have well developed immune system that can neutralize the antigens

of virus immediately.

7. The virus very fragile.

8. If there are sores , bleeding gums, dental decay, ulcers in the intestine ,

there is a theoretical risk of infection but the chance is remote.

B. In that is the case why a infant gets infection form breast feeding of a HIV

positive mother ?

1. It is established that breast milk contains HIV in infect able quantity.

2. The infants drinks large quantity of milk

3. The intestinal walls are very delicate which can not hinder the passage of

virus in to blood stream.

4. The immune system in the infants is not well developed.

5. The digestive enzymes in the infant may not be sufficiently strong to

neutralize the virus.

There may be many more reasons, as a para medical person I think, these could be

some reasons, why ingestion could not lead to HIV infection in Adults.

Yours sincerely,

T.Narasimha Swamy

--

Narasimha Swamy Thamatam,

H.No : 2-12-201,

VIDYARANYAPURI, Hanamkonda.

Warangal, Andhra Pradesh.

INDIA. Pin 506009.

Phone : 91-0870-2454433

e-mail: <tnswamy123@...>