HIV/AIDS
Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:
Understand and explain AIDS and HIV .
Explain modes of transmission.
Explain the characteristics of the HIV disease.
Explain the treatments available.
Explain knowledge of legal and ethical issues associated with HIV.
Introduction
HIV/AIDS was an unexplainable phenomenon at a time. Many stereotypes have followed along with the discovery of this disease. Experts have finally admitted they are uncertain of its beginning.
The virus was transported to the Americas in the 1970's and started to infect Americans around 1978. People in other countries became infected with HIV as a result of sexual transmission and contact with U.S blood collections that were exported before the 1985 HIV screening procedures. Currently over 810,000 people are living with HIV/ AIDS in the United States. AIDS has ended the lives for as many as about 500,000 adults and children in the United States. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, a retro virus (means backwards virus) that causes genetic information in RNA instead of DNA. Because of the transcription in RNA, it is so difficult to find a cure.
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, attained as a result of having the HIV virus, which increases the opportunity for infections. A common cold and other common conditions prove fatal to the immuno-compromised person, not in the HIV negative person. This means that it is not the virus that kills them, but regular things, like common colds. The virus allows the other types of bacteria in the body, which originally were controlled by the immune system, to flow free, grow and destroy.
HIV Mode of Transport
HIV transmits mostly through sexual contact, blood, and body secretions, except saliva and tears. Other ways of transmission are needles, and blood transfusions.
Sexual Mode of Transport
HIV needs a mode of transport to infect, multiply, and spread. HIV has been found in cerebrospinal fluid, breast milk, vaginal secretions, seminal fluid, pre-ejaculate fluid, blood, and urine of infected individuals. The virus is found in larger concentrations in semen than in vaginal fluid. Male transmission occurs easily. It is more likely for a male to infect a female than for a female to infect a male.
The highest risk of HIV infection is anal intercourse where the virus is transmitted through infected bowel epidermal cells and breaks in the anal mucosa, which allows access to the bloodstream more easily. Condoms provide a certain degree of protection compared to not using any protection at all. Latex condoms decrease the risk of transmission. Oil-based lubricants make condoms ineffective. This can give the virus a transportation vehicle to infect. Water-soluble lubricants should be used. Natural membrane condoms (like lamb skin) contain small pores and do not block the transmission of HIV. Sexual abstinence is the only way to avoid infection.
HIV transmission through drug users occurs as a result of sharing needles. This is made possible by contamination with infected blood. Needle sharers with HIV infection are usually unaware of the mode of transmission of the virus. Educating the public is the best way of decreasing both, the drug abuse and the virus transmission.
Blood Transfusion and Blood Donation
A great amount of hemophiliacs obtained HIV through blood transfusions. OSHA standards have been developed to help decrease the incidents of infection through blood transfusion. Since March of 1985, blood transfusions are safer with the execution of the U.S Blood Donor Screening Program. The implementation of new HIV testing procedures also helped to reduce the risk. Donor screening, and heat treatment of clotting factors have also reduced the risk of infection through blood donors who were unaware that they were infected.
When a patient has surgery, he is encouraged to donate his own blood. This is obviously a safer procedure, than using a stranger’s blood. Unfortunately, HIV tests cannot detect individuals who very recently got infected with HIV and who have not yet developed antibodies
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