Download Summaries for biology and more Summaries Biology in PDF only on Docsity!
DELMA FOGWE BIO 2060 Prof. Danil Hammoudi 10/06/
LECTURE RESEARCH PAPER 2
IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME (HIV & AIDS)
INTRODUCTION
Did you know that at this time there is no treatment that can reverse HIV infection? However, women can now reduce their viral load (the amount of HIV in their blood) to the point where it is not detectable using the medicine that is available today. This indicates that a sample of your blood contains fewer than 40 to 75 copies of the virus, which is considered to be a low viral load.Even if your viral load is undetectable, this does not mean that you are no longer infected with HIV. Although the risk of transmitting HIV to others has significantly decreased, it is still possible to do so. Having a viral load that is undetectable is another step toward preventing the progression of AIDS or the acquisition of other infections.Research is currently being conducted that has the potential to lead to the development of new treatments as well as new ways to prevent HIV infection. In the meantime, women who have HIV are working, having children, and participating fully in their communities. They are living full lives despite having the virus.
HOW IS HIV SPREAD Having sexual contact, either vaginal or anal, with a person who is HIV positive without using a condom properly each time or without taking any medications to prevent or treat HIV. The risk of HIV transmission is higher during anal sexual activity compared to vaginal sexual activity. Sharing injection drug equipment, such as needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment ("works") with someone who has HIV because these items may have blood in them, and blood can carry HIV. Sharing injection drug equipment with someone who has hepatitis C. Sharing injection drug equipment, such as needles, syringes, or other drug injection Sharing needles, syringes, or any other type of injection equipment among people who inject hormones, silicone, or steroids puts them at risk of contracting or transmitting HIV. Acquire more knowledge concerning HIV and injecting drug use. A mother who is HIV-positive and passes the virus on to her child either during pregnancy, at birth, or while breastfeeding. However, in the United States, the risk of passing HIV to a child during pregnancy has been reduced to less than one percent thanks to the use of HIV medications and other preventative measures. Find out more. Being contaminated with HIV after being injured by a needle or sharp object. The majority of those exposed to this danger are those who work in health care. There is hardly any danger. Oral sexual activity is one of the few behaviors that can spread HIV, but it only happens very rarely. Oral sexual activity poses a negligible to nonexistent threat of contracting or passing on HIV. If an HIV-positive man engages in oral sex with his partner and then ejaculates in their mouth, the possibility of HIV transmission exists. Oral ulcers, bleeding gums, genital sores, and the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which may or may not be visible, are all factors that may increase the risk of transmitting HIV through oral sex. Other STDs may also increase the risk of transmitting HIV. Despite this, the risk is still extremely low, and it is significantly lower than the risk associated with oral or vaginal sexual activity.Receiving organ or tissue transplants, blood transfusions, or blood products that are contaminated with HIV. Because the blood supply in the United States as well as donated organs and tissues are subjected to stringent testing, the risk is currently extremely low. (And there is no risk of contracting HIV from giving blood.) The procedures for collecting blood are extremely standardized and at a very low risk.) being bitten by an HIV-positive individual. Every one of the extremely limited number of cases that have been documented has involved severe trauma, which has resulted in extensive tissue damage and the presence of blood. This unusual form of transmission can take place when a person with HIV comes into contact with another person's blood or body fluids after having broken skin, wounds, or
blood drawn from a vein are able to detect HIV more quickly than tests that make use of blood drawn from a finger stick or with oral fluid.An icon depicting a medical worker drawing blood for an HIV test, showing both the antigen and antibody tests.A test that looks for both HIV antibodies and antigens is called an antigen/antibody test. Antigen/antibody tests are typically performed in laboratories throughout the United States and come highly recommended for such examinations. This laboratory examination requires blood to be drawn from a vein.In addition to that, there is a quick antigen/antibody test that can be performed using blood obtained from a finger stick. Icon representing the Nucleic Acid Test (NAT), depicting a medical practitioner drawing blood for an HIV test.A NAT attempts to identify the specific virus that is present in the blood.During a NAT, the medical professional will take a blood sample from one of your veins and then send it off to a laboratory for analysis.This test can determine whether or not a person has HIV, as well as the amount of virus that is present in their blood (HIV viral load test).When compared to other types of tests, a NAT can detect HIV more quickly.People who have had a recent exposure or a possible exposure and who have early symptoms of HIV but have tested negative with an antibody or antigen/antibody test should think about getting this test. How Long Will It Take to Get My HIV Test Results? It is dependent on the type of HIV test that is performed as well as the location of the testing.Results from HIV self-tests are available within twenty minutes. The findings of a quick antibody test, which often involves taking blood via a finger stick or using oral fluid, can be obtained in less than half an hour at the most.A fingerstick blood sample is used for the quick antigen/antibody test, which can be completed in less
than half an hour.When you go to the lab for a NAT or antigen/antibody test, it could take a few days before you get the results of your test. SYMPTOMS OF HIV
There are three stages of HIV and each have different symptoms and the include:
a. Stage 1:Acute HIV Infection Within two to four weeks of being infected with HIV, around two-thirds of people will have symptoms similar to those of the flu. This is a natural reaction that occurs throughout the body when HIV is present. A sore throat, fever, chills, rash, night sweats, muscle pains, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and mouth ulcers are all examples of symptoms that are similar to those caused by the flu. The length of time that one experiences these symptoms might range anywhere from a few days to many weeks. However, for some persons, even at this early stage of HIV infection, there are no signs or symptoms of the disease. b. Stage 2:Clinical Latency In this stage, the virus still multiplies, but at very low levels. People in this stage may not feel sick or have any symptoms. This stage is also called chronic HIV infection.Without HIV treatment, people can stay in this stage for 10 or 15 years, but some move through this stage faster.If you take HIV medicine exactly as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load, you can live and long and healthy life and will not transmit HIV to your HIV-negative partners through sex.But if your viral load is detectable, you can transmit HIV during this stage, even when you have no symptoms. It’s important to see your health care provider regularly to get your viral load checked. c. Stage 3: AIDS If you have HIV and you are not receiving HIV treatment, the virus will eventually weaken your body's immune system to the point that you will develop AIDS, and you will have HIV (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).This is the late stage of HIV infection, and some of the symptoms of AIDS at this point can include the following:Loss of weight very quickly, a persistent fever or heavy nighttime perspiration, A state of extreme and unexplained fatigue, Chronic enlargement of the lymph glands in the neck, armpits, or groin can lead to lymphedema. Long-term diarrhea, defined as diarrhea that lasts for more than a week. Ulcers in the mouth, the anus, or the genital areas, Pneumonia, blotches that are red, brown, pink, or purplish on or under the skin, or
detectable levels of a person's viral load is one of the primary objectives of HIV treatment. When a person's viral load is undetectable, this indicates that the amount of HIV in their blood is too low for a viral load test to pick up on. People living with HIV who are able to keep their viral load below the detection limit have virtually no risk of transmitting the virus to HIV-negative partners through sexual activity. IN CONCLUSION Those infected with HIV who take their medication will maintain their health and reduce their risk of HIV transmission. Taking HIV medication on a daily basis and following the dosing instructions to the letter (a practice known as medication adherence) also helps lower the risk of developing resistance to the drug. On the other hand, HIV medications may occasionally cause side effects. The majority of adverse reactions to HIV medications are manageable, but some of them can be quite serious. In general, the potential benefits of HIV medications significantly outweigh the potential risks of adverse effects. In addition, there is a marked reduction in the frequency and severity of adverse effects brought on by HIV treatment with modern drugs. People who are being treated for HIV are less likely to experience adverse reactions to the HIV medication they are taking as HIV treatment continues to advance. HIV medications have the potential to interact with one another, as well as with other medications that a person taking HIV medication may also be taking. Before making a recommendation regarding an HIV treatment regimen, medical professionals give careful consideration to the possibility of drug interactions. REFERENCES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, June 22). Types of HIV tests. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/hiv-testing/test-types.html Christensen, D. (2019, April 24). Free HIV testing at Walgreens on Wednesday. Sun Sentinel. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/deals-shopping/fl-bz-free-hiv-testing-at-walgreens -in-june-20180614-story.html How is HIV transmitted? HIV.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/about-hiv-and-aids/how-is-hiv-transmitted U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). HIV treatment: The basics. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/hiv-treatment-basics Facts about HIV and AIDS. Facts about HIV and AIDS | Office on Women's Health. (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/hiv-and-aids/hiv-and-aids-basics/facts-about-hiv-and-aid s Gaffey, C. (2017, July 24). The three children who have gone into HIV remission. Newsweek. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.newsweek.com/cure-hiv-hiv-treatment-antiretroviral-drugs- James Myhre & Dennis Sifris, M. D. (n.d.). HIV: Signs and symptoms to look out for. Verywell Health. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/hiv-aids-symptoms-
