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On HIV / AIDS:
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What is HIV?
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It is Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which causes AIDS.
It thrives on living human cell.
It attacks one's immune system by making her / his body susceptible to infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis and cancer. A person susceptible to infections is said to have AIDS.
It does not have any specific sign or symptom. An HIV-positive individual may feel and look healthy, but could learn her / his status only through HIV testing.
It could infect any one from all walks of life - male or female; men who have sex with men or heterosexuals; Filipinos, Chinese, or Americans; Protestants or Catholics; rich or poor.
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What is AIDS?
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It is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
It is the last stage of HIV infection.
It is when opportunistic infections are common, eventually leading to the carrier's death.
It is a syndrome. It carries a constellation of non-specific signs and symptoms as a result of overwhelming infection.
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How does HIV affect one's body?
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A person is affected by HIV if she / he has exposure with an HIV-positive patient (through sex, blood transfusion).
In the early stages of HIV, the body shows no symptoms until later part of infection.
These symptoms will be resolved until the immune system becomes too weak to fight overwhelming infection, as in the case of AIDS.
Not all signs and symptoms may occur to HIV positive individuals. These are called opportunistic infections, since they happen when the immune system could no longer fight the disease.
Opportunistic infections usually occur to persons with AIDS; they succumb to death due to complications from AIDS.
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Seeing the Codes: non-specific signs and symptoms of HIV
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Intermittent or persistent fever
Fatigue
Weakness
Diarrhea
Malaise
Loss of weight
Generalized swelling of lymph nodes in neck, arm pits, or groin
Skin infections, such as whitish patches in the mouth and tongue
Sores in the genital area, buttocks, or mouth; athlete's foot, etc
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How is HIV detected?
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In the Philippines, HIV screening is done through blood test. Blood tests determine presence of HIV antibodies in one's blood.
The body usually produces HIV antibodies six (6) months after the time one has been exposed to an HIV-infected person.
Blood test involves two (2) steps. One is the ELIZA Test, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or the PA Test, or the Particle Agglutination test. The confirmatory test, meanwhile, uses Western Blot or immunofluorescence test.
HIV antigen test is an indirect test. It is usually used for research purposes only, such as the Polymerase chain reaction or PCR.
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What is the window period?
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At the time when a person's body develops antibodies against the virus, usually 3 to 6 months from the time of exposure to HIV.
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Transmission Notes: How HIV could be transmitted or not
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HIV could be transmitted:
When body fluids with high concentration of virus successfully enters the bloodstream of an individual.
Transmission through blood and blood products is 95 percent high-risk to an uninfected partner. This includes blood transfusion, organ transplant, and sharing of contaminated needles and syringes during drug use.
Prenatal transmission (mother to child) has only 20 to 40 percent chance of transfer of virus from mother to child. Using anti-retrovirals during pregnancy further lowers risk by 8 percent. This transmission happens during last trimester of pregnancy, labor and delivery, or during breastfeeding. Absence of anti retroviral therapy during breastfeeding increases risk of HIV infection to the child by 25 percent.
During unprotected penetrative sexual intercourse.
Body fluids known to have high concentrations of the virus include: blood, seminal fluid or semen, vaginal or cervical secretions, and breast milk.
HIV is not transmitted through:
Air
Saliva, urine, feces
Mosquito bites
Talking with persons with HIV/AIDS
Borrowing clothes from an HIV person
Sharing of utensils, drinking from the same glass with the person with HIV/AIDS
Shaking of hands, embracing, kissing
Coughing or sneezing
Sharing swimming pools or toilets with PHAs
Sharing instruments used in barber shops or parlors, such as shaver, razor, nipper, and nail cutter.
Factors for "successful" HIV transmission:
High concentration of HIV at the time of exposure
Medium
Route of transmission
Virus has successfully entered the bloodstream through portals of entry such as the vein and mucous membranes.
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How is HIV prevented?
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For blood:
Screen blood for donations and transfusions.
Avoid sharing of contaminated needles and syringes during intravenous drug use.
Observe standard precautions in handling body fluids. Health care workers should use protective materials such as gloves, goggles, lab gowns and masks when exposed to body fluids. Protective materials should be properly disposed of after use.
For seminal fluid, semen and cervical/vaginal secretions:
Abstain from any sexual activity; or
Be faithful to one partner: or
Use condoms correctly and consistently during sexual intercourse.
Observe safer sex practices.
For Breastmilk:
Deciding whether to breastfeed or not a child is crucial. Mother has to weigh risks and benefits.
HIV positive mothers should be informed that breastfeeding may transmit virus to her baby. In situations, however, where milk supplements are not available, breast feeding should still be maintained.
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Breaking myths about HIV/AIDS
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Body fluids such as saliva, urine, tears, and sweat have low concentration of HIV and are said not to transmit the virus effectively.
One needs eight (8) gallons or 35 liters of saliva to infect an individual with HIV. If this involves a kissing act, it has to be done in one session to transmit the virus!
HIV is not easily transmitted. The virus does not live outside the body of a human being, since it needs human cell to live and multiply.
Casual contact (holding hands) is not enough to transmit HIV.
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Is there a cure for AIDS?
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There is still no cure for AIDS until today.
Current anti-viral medications could just slow down HIV progression. Known as reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors, these medications slow down replication of virus in the body.
Known as "cocktail therapy," medications are combined to produce synergistic effects against HIV as well as lower side effects from antiviral medications.
Research still goes on regarding long term effects of these medications to man.
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What are other vital issues in treating AIDS?
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Cost of drugs. Taking anti-retroviral drugs is very expensive because it has to be maintained once taken.
Quality of life. Standard of living of quality of life may be affected since most resources go to purchase of expensive medications. Other needs may be sacrificed.
Compliance with the intake of anti retroviral medications. This refers to client's regular check ups and consistent intake of prescribed medicines.
Drug resistance. This may be due to failure to follow proper dosage. Persons with HIV need to be monitored during anti retroviral intake to determine responses of the body.
Treatment failure. Sometimes, the body no longer responds to cocktail therapies.
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