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This text was gleaned from the net. Apologies for
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Help
is not without hope in Malawi,
contact FOMO, your local hospital or doctor
Is
there hope: Click
here
What is HIV?: HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency
Virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
HIV attacks the immune system's soldiers - the CD4
cells. When the immune system loses too many CD4 cells,
you are less able to fight off infection and can develop
serious opportunistic infections (OIs). A person is
diagnosed with AIDS when he or she has less than 200
CD4 cells and/or one of 21 AIDS-defining OIs.
-
Common
myth: "HIV
doesn't cause AIDS."
-
Truth:
If you don't have HIV, you can't
get AIDS. If you have AIDS, you have HIV. There
is 20 years of solid scientific proof on this. AIDS
is not caused by party drugs, AZT, government conspiracies,
or anything else but a virus.
The HIV Test: There is only one reliable way
to find out your HIV status and that is to take the
HIV test. The most common test is an antibody test
called ELISA. A positive result means you have antibodies
for HIV and you are infected with the virus.
Control and Prevention (CDC), it is more than 99%
accurate. In addition, all positive results are confirmed
with another test (called the Western Blot) to insure
no mistakes are made.
Why Should I get Tested if There is no Cure for
HIV?: There is no cure for HIV. But there are
drugs that can slow down the virus and protect your
immune system. There are also drugs to treat and prevent
OIs. If you do not know your status you cannot get
the health care and treatment you may need to stay
well. You are also more likely to unknowingly pass
HIV to others.
-
Common
myth: "It's not AIDS that kills
people, it's the medicines they take!"
-
Truth:
HIV drugs can help keep people healthy
for a longer time. People died from AIDS before
AZT or any other drugs came out. In fact, death
rates have gone down a great deal in the U.S. since
new HIV medications came out in the mid-nineties.
HIV Transmission: HIV is only
spread through the following body fluids:
-
Blood
-
Semen
-
Vaginal fluids
-
Breast milk
The most common ways HIV is passed from
one person to another are:
To reduce the risk of HIV transmission:
- Do not
reuse or share dirty needles: Clean needles
with a bleach solution before reusing them or use
fresh needles each time.
- Do not have
unprotected sex: Use a condom every time you have
sex, especially for anal and vaginal intercourse,
which are the riskiest sexual activities.
- Get tested
if you are pregnant or considering pregnancy:
HIV+ mothers can pass the virus to their babies while
pregnant, during birth, or by breastfeeding. Advances
in treatments have significantly reduced the risk
of a baby getting HIV from its mother when precautions
are taken.
- Common myth:
"HIV can be spread through casual contact.
- Truth: HIV
cannot be spread through tears, sweat, and saliva.
Casual contact is not risky because it does not include
contact with infectious body fluids. Examples of casual
contact include: social kissing, use of public facilities
(pools, theaters, bathrooms), sharing drinks or eating
utensils, etc. Insect bites do not transmit HIV.
Why do I Need to get Tested for HIV?: Many HIV+
people are unaware of their status. They may feel healthy
and not think they are at risk. But anyone of any age,
gender, race, sexual orientation, or social or economic
class can become infected. It is what you do that puts
you at risk. If you have used dirty needles or had unprotected
sex, a sexually transmitted disease, or hepatitis C
you should be tested.
- Common myth:
: "Straight people don't get HIV."
- Truth:
The majority of HIV+ people worldwide are heterosexual.
"Traditional" sex (vaginal intercourse)
puts both partners at risk, but the woman is more
vulnerable to HIV infection.
- Common myth:
"I'm safe because I'm in a monogamous
relationship (or married)".
- Truth:
You might have gotten infected before your relationship.
If not, if your partner is unfaithful, or was already
HIV+ before you met, you can still get HIV.
- Common myth:
"Lesbians don't get HIV."
- Truth: Women
who only have sex with women are generally at lower
risk. Women who consider themselves lesbians but occasionally
have sex with men can get infected that way.
Women and HIV: If HIV+ women receive adequate
care and treatment in a timely manner, they appear to
benefit from HIV therapy as much as men. However, there
appear to be some differences in the types of side effects
and how often they occur (some less, some more) for
women and men.
Women and HIV: Certain gynecological (GYN)
conditions are more common, more serious and/or more
difficult to treat in HIV+ women than HIV- women:
- Herpes simplex virus (genital herpes)
- Human papilloma virus (warts, dysplasia)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Fungal Infections (yeast infections, vaginal candidiasis)
- Menstrual (period) Problems
HIV+ women should have regular GYN care and Pap smears
since many GYN conditions do not have obvious symptoms
and can get worse without your realizing it.
In Conclusion: It is important to get tested
for HIV on a regular basis. If you test HIV- take
steps to stay that way. If you test HIV+ seek on-going
medical care. By taking advantage of good health care
and treatment, you increase your chances of living
a longer and healthier life.
Is
there Hope: Researchers Knock Out HIV
ScienceDaily
(Oct. 21, 2007) — With the latest
advances in treatment, doctors have discovered that
they can successfully neutralise the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV). The so-called ‘combination therapy’
prevents HIV from mutating and spreading, allowing
patients to rebuild their immune system to the same
levels as the rest of the population.
To date, it represents the most significant
treatment for patients suffering from HIV.
Professor Jens Lundgren from the University of Copenhagen,
together with other members of the research group
EuroSIDA, have conducted a study, which demonstrates
that the immune system of all HIV-infected patients
can be restored and normalised. The only stipulation
is that patients begin and continue to follow their
course of treatment
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