Infectious_Disease

Infectious Disease Tesira Slaughter HCA/240 11/6/2011 Nakki A. Price HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus. It is a virus that can lead to acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. There are two types of HIV, HIV-1 and HIV-2. The term HIV usually primarily refers to HIV-1. Both of these HIV types can damage a person’s body by destroying certain blood cells, called CD4 and T cells, which are the main cells that help fight diseases. HIV can be spread by not using a condom when having sex with a person who has HIV. However, unprotected anal sex is more risky than unprotected vaginal sex. Men who have sex with other men, unprotected receptive anal sex is risky than unprotected insertive anal sex. Having multiple sex partners or the sight of other sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) can improve the risk of infection during sex. Having unprotected oral sex can also be a risk for HIV transmission, but much lower than anal or vaginal. Sharing needles, syringes, rinse water, or other equipment used to prepare drugs for injection. Also, being born to a mother who was infected by HIV can be passed from mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding. There are less common factors of transmission, receiving blood transfusions, or organ/tissue transplants that are contaminated with HIV. HIV originated from a chimpanzee in West Africa. Chimpanzees are known as the source of HIV infections in humans. Scientists believe that the chimpanzee version of the immunodeficiency virus known as simian immunodeficiency virus or SIV, most likely was transmitted to humans and turned into HIV when humans hunted these chimpanzees for meat and came into contact with their blood. The virus spread through out Africa and later into the different parts of the world. There is no vaccine available for HIV; the only way to protect you from getting this disease is to avoid behaviors that place a person at risk for infection. Humans should practice what they call safe sex; sexual abstinence is a way to prevent sexually transmitted HIV. Sexual relationships between two uninfected individuals limits the risk of HIV exposure through sex as long as both partners are faithful and avoid nonsexual exposure to HIV, like drug injections. Scientists have developed drugs that block HIV from responding or reproducing. This drug works to stop HIV at a certain point in its life cycle. There are different classes of drugs: entry inhibitors, which include fusion inhibitors and CCR5 antagonists, integrase inhibitors. Combining HIV drugs is the best way to reduce the amount of HIV in your blood. Before staring treatment HIV participants take a number of blood tests. The results of your test determine how you are doing and how your treatment will go. The CD4 count checks the strength of your immune system. After treatment your CD4 count should go up. Your CD4 count should be checked every three to four months. The viral load test measures the amount of HIV in your blood. After treatment you should see your viral load go down. The viral load should be checked about a month after you change HIV drugs, after that it should be checked every three to four months. The resistance test determines which drugs are likely to work for you. Participants of HIV should get a resistance test before starting or changing HIV treatments, even if you don’t plan to start HIV treatment for a while. There are other tests to check your overall health: which include complete blood count (CBC), chemistry screening, lipid profile, and glucose. Whenever patients start treatment, the drugs should be taken on schedule. This is known as adherence. In order for the participants to get the maximum benefit from HIV therapy, good adherence is a must. This is because HIV drugs need to be kept at a particular level in your body so the drugs can fight the virus. If the level falls, HIV may have a chance to fight back. Skipping your drug doses, not taking the drugs on time, and not following the proper food requirements can cause the drugs to be less effective or stop working. When participants decide that the time is right for treatment they must have a positive attitude. Having a support system to help you fight through this tough time is very important, this keeps you from worrying and asking yourself “am I going to live”. The more the participants think and talk about their decision, the better the outcome will be. Having HIV is something that you have to continue to see a health care provider for regular check ups and blood work. Kilmarx P. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In: Heymann DL, editor. Control of communicable diseases manual, 19th Edition. Washington, D.C.: APHA Press; 2008. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.thewellproject.org/en_US/Treatment_and_Trials/First_Things_First/Considering_Treatment.jsp