AIDS

GOOD MORNING DEAR STUDENTS .
MARK YOUR ATTENDANCE FIRST.

Today we will achieve the following LEARNING OUTCOMES:-
Students will be able to :

1. Define & explain what is AIDS.

2. Enumerate the causes , symptoms , tests & treatment done for AIDS.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Kindly write your notes in your register.
2. There is one YouTube link send along with this blog . Kindly watch it first.

3. Ask your Doubts .

LET'S BEGIN ...

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK TO WATCH THE VIDEO PRESENTATION ABOUT AIDS

https://youtu.be/AwlSyM1L8N4

What Is AIDS?

Alternative Name: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the final and most serious stage of HIV disease, which causes severe damage to the immune system.

The Centers for Disease Control has defined AIDS as beginning when a person with HIV infection has a CD4 cell (also called "t-cell", a type of immune cell) count below 200. It is also defined by numerous opportunistic infections and cancers that occur in the presence of HIV infection.

What Causes AIDS?

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes AIDS. The virus attacks the immune system and leaves the body vulnerable to a variety of life-threatening illnesses and cancers.

Common bacteria, yeast, parasites, and viruses that ordinarily do not cause serious disease in people with fully functional immune systems can cause fatal illnesses in people with AIDS.

HIV has been found in saliva, tears, nervous system tissue, blood, semen (including pre-seminal fluid, or "pre-cum"), vaginal fluid, and breast milk. However, only blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk have been proven to transmit infection to others.

Transmission of the virus occurs:

Through sexual contact -- including oral, vaginal, and anal sex.
Through blood -- via blood transfusions (now extremely rare in the U.S) or needle sharing.
From mother to child -- a pregnant woman can passively transmit the virus to her fetus, or a nursing mother can transmit it to her baby.

Other transmission methods are rare and include accidental needle injury, artificial insemination with donated semen, and through a donated organ.

AIDS DO NOT SPREAD THROUGH :

HIV infection is not spread by casual contact (such as hugging and touching), by touching dishes, doorknobs, or toilet seats previously touched by a person infected with the virus, during participation in sports, or by mosquitoes.

It is not transmitted to a person who DONATES blood or organs in the U.S. because hospitals do not re-use syringes and sterilize all devices involved in such procedures.

However, HIV can be transmitted to the person RECEIVING blood or organs from an infected donor. This is why blood banks and organ donor programs screen donors, blood, and tissues thoroughly.

WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK :

Those at highest risk include homosexual or bisexual men engaging in unprotected sex, intravenous drug users who share needles, the sexual partners of those who participate in high-risk activities, infants born to mothers with HIV, and people who received blood transfusions or clotting products between 1977 and 1985 (prior to standard screening for the virus in the blood).

MECHANISM OF AIDS

After entering the human body, the HIV virus attacks and enters the macrophages. Inside the macrophages, the RNA of the virus replicates with the help of enzyme reverse transcriptase and gives rise to viral DNA. Then, this viral DNA incorporates into the host DNA and directs the synthesis of virus particles. At the same time, HIV enters helper T- lymphocytes. It replicates and produces viral progeny there. These newly formed progeny viruses get released into the blood, attacking other healthy helper T-lymphocytes in the body. As a result, the number of T-lymphocytes in the body of an infected person decreases progressively, thereby decreasing the immunity of a person.

What are the Symptoms of AIDS?

The symptoms of AIDS are primarily the result of infections that do not normally develop in individuals with healthy immune systems. These are called "opportunistic infections."

See the signs and tests section below for a list of common opportunistic infections and major symptoms associated with them.

Note: Initial infection may produce no symptoms. Some people with HIV infection remain without symptoms for years between the time of exposure and development of AIDS. However, some people develop what feels like a "flu" about two weeks after contracting the virus

Symptoms of AIDS

As AIDS is a virus infection, the symptoms related to acute HIV infection can be similar to flu or other viral illnesses, like –

Fever
Muscle & Joint Pain
Chills
Headaches
Sore throat
Night Sweats
Red rashes
Mouth sores
Tiredness
Swollen lymph glands
Weakness
Weight Loss
Diarrhoea

Symptoms of late-stage HIV infection may include –

Blurred vision
Persistent or Chronic Diarrhoea
Dry cough
Fever of above 37 degrees Centigrade (100 degrees Fahrenheit)
Night Sweats
Permanent tiredness
Shortness of breath
Swollen glands lasting for weeks
Weight loss
White spots on the tongue or mouth

Signs and Tests:

The following is a list of AIDS-related infections and cancers that people with AIDS acquire as their CD4 count decreases. Previously, having AIDS was defined by having HIV infection and acquiring one of these additional diseases, but now it is simply defined as a CD4 count below 200. Many other illnesses and corresponding symptoms may develop in addition to those listed here.

Common with CD4 count below 350/ml:

Herpes Simplex Virus -- causes ulcers in your mouth or genitals, occurring more frequently and more severely than previously
Tuberculosis -- infection by the tuberculosis bacteria that predominately affects the lungs
Oral or vaginal thrush -- yeast infection of the mouth or genitals
Herpes zoster -- ulcers over a discrete patch of skin caused by this virus
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma -- cancer of the lymph glands

CD4 count below 200/ml:

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, "PCP pneumonia"
Candida esophagitis -- painful yeast infection of the esophagus

CD4 count below 100/ml:

Cryptococcal meningitis -- infection of the brain by this fungus
AIDS Dementia -- worsening and slowing of mental function caused by HIV itself
Toxoplasmosis encephalitis -- infection of the brain by this parasite, which is frequently found in cat feces
Wasting Syndrome -- extreme weight loss and anorexia caused by HIV

CD4 count below 50/ml:

Mycobacterium Avium -- a blood infection by a bacterium related to tuberculosis

In addition to the CD4 lymphocyte count, chest X-rays, Pap smears, and other tests are useful in managing HIV disease. Gay men who engage in receptive anal sex may wish to consider anal Pap smears to detect potential cancers.

How is AIDS Treated?

There is no cure for AIDS at this time. However, several treatments are available that can delay the progression of disease for many years and improve the quality of life of those who have developed symptoms.

Antiviral therapy suppresses the replication of the HIV virus in the body. A combination of several antiretroviral agents, termed Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART), has been highly effective in reducing the number of HIV particles in the blood stream (as measured by a blood test called the viral load). This can help the immune system bounce back for a while and improve T-cell counts.

Genetic tests are now available to determine whether the virus is resistant to a particular drug -- these may be useful in determining the best drug combination and adjusting it if it starts to fail.

Treatment with HAART is not without complications. HAART is a collection of different medications, each with its own side effect profile. Some common side effects are nausea, headache, weakness, malaise, and fat accumulation on your back and abdomen ("buffalo hump," lipodystrophy). When used long-term, these medications may increase the risk of heart attack by affecting fat metabolism.

Expectations (prognosis):

At the present time, there is no cure for AIDS. It has proven to be a universally fatal illness. However, most patients survive many years following diagnosis. HAART has dramatically increased the time from diagnosis to death, and research continues in drug treatments and vaccine development.

Complications:

When a patient is infected with HIV, the virus slowly begins to destroy that patient's immune system. How fast this occurs is different in each individual. Treatment with HAART can help slow and even halt the destruction of the immune system.

However, once the immune system is severely destroyed, that patient is said to have developed AIDS, and is now susceptible to infections and cancers that most healthy adults would not get.

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have any of the risk factors for AIDS, or if symptoms of AIDS are present. By law, AIDS testing must be kept confidential. Your health care provider will review results of your testing with you.

How Can AIDS be Prevented?

Prevention of AIDS requires foresight and self-discipline. The requirements often seem personally restrictive, but they are effective and can save your life.

Do not have sexual intercourse with:
- People known or suspected to be infected with AIDS
- Multiple partners
- A person who has multiple partners
- People who use IV drugs
Do not use intravenous drugs. If IV drugs are used, do not share needles or syringes. Many communities now have needle exchange programs where used syringes can be disposed of and new, sterile needles obtained for free. These programs can also provide referrals to addiction treatment.
Avoid exposure to blood from injuries or nosebleeds where the HIV status of the bleeding individual is unknown. Protective clothing, masks, and goggles may be appropriate when caring for people who are injured.
Anyone who tests positive for HIV may pass the disease on to others and should not donate blood, plasma, body organs, or sperm.

From a legal, ethical, and moral standpoint, they should warn any prospective sexual partner of their HIV positive status. They should not exchange body fluids during sexual activity and must use whatever preventative measures (such as a latex condom) will afford the partner the most protection.
HIV positive women should be counseled before becoming pregnant about the risk to unborn children and medical advances which may help prevent the fetus from becoming infected. Use of certain medications can dramatically reduce the chances that the baby will become infected during pregnancy.
Mothers who are HIV positive should not breast feed.
"Safe sex" practices, such as latex condoms, are highly effective in preventing HIV transmission. HOWEVER, there remains a risk of acquiring the infection even with the use of condoms. Abstinence is the only sure way to prevent sexual transmission of HIV.
Other information on sexual risk reduction: The riskiest sexual behavior is unprotected receptive anal intercourse -- the least risky sexual behavior is receiving oral sex. Performing oral sex on a man is associated with some risk of HIV transmission, but this is less risky than unprotected vaginal intercourse.

Female-to-male transmission of the virus is much less likely than male-to-female transmission. Performing oral sex on a woman who does not have her period carries low risk of transmission.
If you believe you have been exposed to HIV, seek medical attention IMMEDIATELY. There is some evidence that an immediate course of anti-viral drugs can reduce the chances that you will be infected. This is called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and it has been used to treat health care workers injured by needle sticks for years.

HOW TO LIVE WITH HIV?

HIV medications can cause particularly severe side effects that often deter people from adherence.

If side effects are becoming too severe, speak to your medical team rather than simply stopping medication. They can switch the regimen to a better-tolerated drug.

General health: Taking steps to avoid illness and other infections is key. People living with HIV should seek to improve overall health through regular exercise, a balanced, nutritious diet, and the cessation of any drugs, including tobacco.

Additional precautions: People living with AIDS should take extra precautions to prevent any exposure to infection, especially around animals. Avoid coming into contact with animal feces and pet litter.

Doctors also recommend the meticulous and regular washing of hands. Antiretrovirals reduce the need for these precautions.

Regular contact with doctors: HIV is a lifelong condition, so regular contact with a healthcare team is important for updating treatment in line with advancing age and other conditions. The healthcare team will regular review and adjust treatment accordingly.

Psychological effects: Common misconceptions about AIDS and HIV are reducing as understanding of the disease increases.

However, stigma around the condition continues in many parts of the world. People living with HIV may feel excluded, persecuted, and isolated.

An HIV diagnosis can be very distressing, and feelings of anxiety or depression are common. If you feel anxious or have symptoms of depression, seek medical help immediately.

THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY'S CLASS.

I WILL SEE YOU ON MONDAY 18TH MAY ACCORDING TO DAY 1 TIME TABLE.

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