Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Africans have some of the highest rates of tb

A researcher from the perelman nursery school of medication at the university of pennsylvania and colleagues have identified the genetic changing in africans with hiv that puts them at a much higher danger for tuberculosis( tb) infections.

Africans have some of the highest rates of tb in the earth and it has extended been suspected that genetic susceptibility plays a part. However, establishing aspirant genes across populations to determine hazard has remained a question.

Now, a new learn about, published this week in the online beforehand issue of the proceedings of the nationwide academy of sciences, originate that a commonly occurring polymorphism in an vaccinated answer gene called macrophage migration inhibitory constituent( mif) confers almost a two-and-a-half bend increased danger for strict tb in patients from uganda who were co-infected with hiv. Establish that a commonly occurring polymorphism in an vaccinated answer gene called macrophage migration inhibitory constituent (MIF) confers almost a two-and-a-half pleat increased danger for austere TB in patients from Uganda who were co-infected with HIV. Persisting infection with certain extreme-chance strains of HPV (especially HPV 16 and 18) can conduct to the occurrence of pre-cancerous and cancerous stall changes in the cervix or anus. Frequency of HPV-associated anal illness is higher among gay men than any other assembly. Vaccines have been developed that supply superb defence against cancer-associated HPV types.

The vaccines trade best before reproductive premiere and the HPV vaccine plan in the UK has prioritised nursery school-aged girls. The theory has been that “herd immunity” would also have benefits for boys. However, Australia has extended its HPV vaccination scheme to include boys. Despite their high risk of HPV-associated anal infection, vaccination is not recommended for gay men in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. The authors of the leader – all of whom are reproductive condition physicians – dispute that this should substitution. They present that possible objections to this plan are baseless.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) pandemic is on the increase with the highest burden in sub-Saharan Africa. This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in 2008 to assess the knowledge, self-perception of risk of contracting HIV infection and risky sexual practices among patients attending some out-patient clinics at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. The knowledge on the modes of transmission and methods of prevention of HIV was high. Although, 53.0% of the study participants perceived themselves not to be at risk of contracting HIV infection, 80.6% were engaged in risky sexual practices within a year preceding the study. Premarital sex is often associated with high risk sexual behaviour such as early age of initiation, multiple partners and inconsistent condom use. Evidence shows that such sexual behaviour pre-disposes to sexually transmitted diseases including HIV.

Objectives: This paper tried to investigate the correlates of premarital sexual behavior among male and female business process outsourcing (BPO) employees to highlight the gender differences that exist in relation to it. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 526 unmarried BPO employees during behavioural surveillance survey in Chennai, in the year 2009.
Results: The results showed that about one-third of respondents (males - 39.6%, females - 26.1%) had experienced premarital sex. Men reported having had their first sexual intercourse at 12 years and women at 16 years of age. While the prevalence of premarital sex was found to be high, the percentage using a condom during last sex was also high, especially, among the female employees (82.4%). Logistic regression showed that monthly individual income, work in shifts, migration, peer influence and friends with previous sexual experience were significant predictors of premarital sex among the male BPO employees.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

The risk of HIV transmission

The risk of HIV transmission during anal intercourse may be around 18 times greater than during vaginal intercourse, according to the results of a meta-analysis published online ahead of print in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Moreover, as well as this empirical work, the researchers from Imperial College and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine carried out a modelling exercise to estimate the impact that HIV treatment has on infectiousness during anal intercourse. They estimate that the risk of transmission from a man with suppressed viral load may be reduced by as much as 99.9%.

Anal intercourse drives the HIV epidemic amongst gay and bisexual men. Moreover a substantial proportion of heterosexuals have anal sex but tend to use condoms less frequently than for vaginal sex, and this may contribute to heterosexual epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere.

Rebecca Baggaley and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis (an analysis of all the medical research that meets predefined requirements) of the risk of HIV transmission during unprotected anal intercourse. The same authors have already conducted similar reviews of the transmission risk during vaginal sex and oral sex.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Central Nervous System Lymphomas

The initial symptoms of an HIV infection are not considered to be AIDS. AIDS is not typically diagnosed until the immune cells of an HIV infected individual have dropped below a threshold number or the person has developed opportunistic infections.

Many AIDS patients experience severe weight loss, also referred to as chronic wasting, as a result of the infection. This can be the result of a loss of appetite that commonly accompanies the disease or as a complication of other infections that AIDS sufferers are susceptible to. Sometimes nutritional counselling and dietary supplements can help mitigate the effects of chronic wasting in AIDS patients.

Neurological Symptoms:
The brain can be affected by AIDS and patients frequently exhibit signs of dementia or memory loss. This may be the result of swelling of the brain that occurs in some AIDS patients. In these people, chronic swelling causes injury to the tissues of the brain, leading to permanent brain damage.

Central Nervous System Lymphomas:
Central nervous system lymphomas are malignant tumours that affect the brain and are symptomatic of advanced AIDS. These are usually associated with the herpes-related Epstein-Barr virus, according to the San Francisco AIDS foundation. Central nervous system lymphoma symptoms include headaches, seizures, speech and vision problems, paralysis and dementia.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Immunodeficiency syndrome


The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention writes that much has been discovered about the nature of HIV and AIDS since the 1980s when it was first identified. However, there remain a great many misconceptions about the basic facts regarding HIV and AIDS. A proper understanding of the disease should help patients cope with the struggles AIDS will present.

HIV is short for human immunodeficiency virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the virus that can lead to the condition known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. HIV damages the body's immune system by targeting and destroying blood cells called CD4+ T cells, which are primarily responsible for fighting disease. AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection. By the time AIDS develops, the body's immune system is so severely damaged, it vulnerable to various infections and certain kinds of cancers.
What Are The Symptoms of HIV And AIDS?
Upon initial HIV infection, some people may develop flu-like symptoms that last a week or two, writes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However others may not develop any symptoms to indicate infection. In fact, people who are infected with HIV may live for several years appearing to be in perfect health.