Jakarta, IO – HIV/AIDS attacks the immune system. Naturally, HIV sufferers’ physical functions tend to get disrupted – including their brains and nerves. The HIV virus attacks the CD4 cells, which is a type of white blood cell that is important for the immune system. In the body, they help to identify and destroy the pathogens that cause disease, whether bacteria, fungi, or viruses. The lower the volume of CD4 in the body, the lower the body’s ability to prevent and heal from diseases.
What happens if an HIV sufferer undergoes brain function disorders? Can they be cured?
“The brain is divided into central and peripheral nervous systems. The central nervous system is located in the center of the brain and the spine, while the peripheral system covers everything outside the brain – such as your arms and legs. If the virus damages the central nervous system, it causes things such as HIV-related dementia, while if it damages the peripheral nervous system, you can suffer from a sense of burning, tingling, or other HIV-related neuropathy. However, in my clinical experience, I come across patients with central nervous system damage more frequently,” declared Dr. dr. Riwanti Estiasari, Sp.S(K), neuro infection and neuroimmunology specialist and lecturer in the University of Indonesia Faculty of Medicine and Hospital, Depok, in the “The Impact of HIV/AIDS to Brain Damage” Ask The Expert talk held on Tuesday (13/12/2022).
Even in its initial stages, the HIV virus can migrate to the brain through the blood vessels, due to an insufficient barrier, and can then inflict damage on brain cells. “Brain protectors include the blood-brain barrier, tissue and billions of layers of highly dense veins and cells. Ordinary pathogens, including fungi and virus, cannot penetrate them. However, an HIV infection can cause inflammation in the brain, which causes the normally tight barrier to loosen up and facilitate the multiplication of viruses or fungi at the site,” dr. Riwanti said.