Symptoms of aids

Global Problem - Yes or No?

2011-08-03T00:45:00.000-07:00

Many countries have learned to combat the spread of HIV, statistics show that Turkey still suffers from a large number of diseases, and the Turks - of ignorance in this area.

"For high school students do not draw any educational sessions on HIV and AIDS, and yet, many of them already have sex," - says Mr. Nejat Yunlyu, head of the nongovernmental organization "Foundation for Positive Life."

"Around 5000 people in Turkey were infected with HIV in 2011, according to official data, whereas last year the number of infected people was 4525. And the hotbed of the disease has more than 25 million tourists a year, - says Mr. Yunlyu. - No discrimination against HIV infected patients, nor the number of patients has not decreased in recent years in Turkey, unlike other developed countries. The Ministry of Health is not serious to the problem. "

According to the World Health Organization, the actual number of AIDS patients is ten times higher than official statistics. Many patients deliberately do not go to hospitals to avoid possible discrimination. With such discrimination faced by all HIV-infected people in Turkey.

"Despite the growing number of newly infected, the Ministry of Health in Turkey has not taken any effective steps to address this problem. Officially, we have a National Commission on HIV, but in fact she was not going to never in the past three years.

ED and AIDS virus

2010-05-25T03:56:00.000-07:00

Erectile dysfunction refers to difficulty in getting the penis erect or maintaining it in the erect position for substantial periods. Men with erectile dysfunction are able to ejaculate, but the satisfaction of intercourse is minimal. Besides, penile problems can indicate much serious conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems and nervous disorders. Men need to realize that an erectile dysfunction disorder is nothing to be ashamed of and that it can be cured in almost every situation.

The first course of action that most men adopt for erectile dysfunction is the drug Sildenafil, popularly called Viagra. However, in nearly a third of the cases, the patients do not respond to Viagra. Moreover, Viagra can be potentially lethal to men with cardiovascular disease and hence the drug cannot be prescribed to all. Nonetheless, there are various other solutions to dysfunction problems, but before a treatment can be finalized the underlying cause for the dysfunction needs to be identified. Sometimes, men cannot achieve erection because of performance anxiety and such an issue can be resolved in a few sessions with a psychologist.

Many individuals don't realize that AIDS is a virus. The full name is acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It is a disease that affects the immune system of the human being. There is such a stigma attached to this condition that it creates a whole gambit of emotions and responses from the person suffering from it. To begin with, they do not want to be classed as being sexually promiscuous.

What happens in the body is as time progresses with the individual afflicted from this is the immune system becomes weaker and weaker because of this virus, which means in the long run the individual becomes more susceptible to all other types of afflictions and health problems.

AIDS is the most advanced part of HIV. Over the last several years, we've come a long way in being able to slow it down but to date there is still no cure.

It's been pretty well determined that the condition can be spread through sex, or hypodermic needles for example but basically it comes down to direct contact with any mucous membrane or the bloodstream or any body fluid that contains the HIV virus.

Most people have generally accepted the causes of the way of contracting the disease but there is still a handful who believes that there are other methods that it can be picked up as well such as a door handle or public washrooms for example.

There is no one part of the body that is safe from the effects of AIDS. Most often individuals go to their doctor complaining of just general poor health then through this investigation of the problem AIDS will often show up as being the culprit. Based on this many people are afraid to go to the doctor because they are concerned about being diagnosed. There are thousands of people that walk around every day with HIV and don't even know they have it and this is what makes it dangerous in respect to sexual acts of those who are unsuspecting of the AIDs virus.

Symptoms of AIDS and Sex life

2010-02-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

The most common cause of AIDS is considered to be the unprotected sex. Sex without taking proper precaution like condom is very much responsible for AIDS. AIDS is generally transmitted through the semen. It is estimated that more than three million people round the globe had died through AIDS. During the prenatal stage also it is found that the mother will transmit the disease to the fetus before it is born. AIDS is transferred to the blood through the means of transfusion of blood into another’s body cell. Besides these, AIDS can also be caused through the use of injections which are not properly sterilized in the process of taking drugs or blood into the veins.
Symptoms of AIDS are not visible at the early stage. But at least after a period of 3 to 6 weeks the symptoms of AIDS can be noticed through certain flu like sickness. Besides these, symptoms like headache, nausea, fever, fatigue, diarrhea, etc. are also considered as other AIDS symptoms. But it can be mentioned out here though these symptoms occur in an AIDS patient; it lasts for only a temporary period of time after which it disappears. Sometimes acute AIDS symptoms also cannot be considered as the symptoms of AIDS, as they may also be found to be very much common to other forms of diseases. Thus symptoms either mild or severe cannot be considered as solely the symptoms of AIDS as other forms of sickness or diseases also witness the similar symptoms. But however, when the disease reaches its critical stage, the symptoms become very much acute thus leading to loss of weight, recurrent fever and also occurrence of certain fatal diseases. AIDS thus totally destroys the immune system of the body totally. AIDS is thus a deadly disease which is the result of unprotected sex, hence to prevent it is to avoid unprotected sex.
Twenty-five million people have already died of AIDS since the virus first appeared. There are approximately 38.6 million people who are afflicted with HIV (or human immunodeficiency virus), which is also the main cause of AIDS. HIV damages the cells that make up the immune system, thus resulting in the body's inability to ward off fungi, viruses and bacteria that set off diseases. Upon the first infection of HIV, there might not immediately be AIDS symptoms at all. In fact, there are even cases of HIV infections that show absolutely zero symptoms of any kind. However, it is also common for those with HIV infections to experience flu-like symptoms that commonly appear up to six weeks after the initial infection. But, as these symptoms like swollen lymph glands, headaches, rashes, fever and sore throat are similar to those exhibited by other illnesses, a person may not realize that they have been infected with HIV until it is too late.
Even if a person does not have AIDS or show HIV symptoms yet, he is still capable of transmitting this illness to persons that he might come in contact with sexually. It has to be remembered that once this virus gets into the body, there really is no turning back because it will immediately attack the body's immune system. While a person who has contracted HIV infection could experience no symptoms at all for as long as ten years or more, this does not mean that the virus has stopped in growing in numbers and in destroying the immune cells of the body. The person may only experience some chronic symptoms or mild infections that they may only see as not serious. These include diarrhea, fever, shortness of breath or cough and swollen lymph nodes.

AIDS is one of the deadliest diseases

2010-01-11T05:48:00.000-08:00

AIDS is one of the deadliest diseases that has spread all over the globe like an epidemic within a very short time span of 50 - 60 years. Official statistics indicate that the AIDS pandemic claimed approximately 3.1 million lives in 2005, of which 570,000 deaths were of innocent children afflicted with this disease. This does not include the large number of unreported cases from all over the globe owing to the stigma associated with it, which causes the development of shame, guilt, and hopelessness to set in.

The early symptoms of HIV infection, which develops within 3 to 6 weeks of exposure to the HIV virus, is similar to that of flu and the person may experience mild fever, a dull headache, severe exhaustion, a persistent vomiting sensation, episodes of diarrhea, sore throat and enlarged lymph nodes, accompanied by body rash. However, these symptoms are short lived and disappear within a week or maximum within a month of contacting the infection. Thereafter, the person experiences no symptoms at all.
Since the first reported case of AIDS some 25 years ago, the disease has already become one of the most feared all over the world. Twenty-five million people have already died of AIDS since the virus first appeared. There are approximately 38.6 million people who are afflicted with HIV (or human immunodeficiency virus), which is also the main cause of AIDS. HIV damages the cells that make up the immune system, thus resulting in the body's inability to ward off fungi, viruses and bacteria that set off diseases. Upon the first infection of HIV, there might not immediately be AIDS symptoms at all. In fact, there are even cases of HIV infections that show absolutely zero symptoms of any kind. However, it is also common for those with HIV infections to experience flu-like symptoms that commonly appear up to six weeks after the initial infection. But, as these symptoms like swollen lymph glands, headaches, rashes, fever and sore throat are similar to those exhibited by other illnesses, a person may not realize that they have been infected with HIV until it is too late. Even if a person does not have AIDS or show HIV symptoms yet, he is still capable of transmitting this illness to persons that he might come in contact with sexually. It has to be remembered that once this virus gets into the body, there really is no turning back because it will immediately attack the body's immune system. While a person who has contracted HIV infection could experience no symptoms at all for as long as ten years or more, this does not mean that the virus has stopped in growing in numbers and in destroying the immune cells of the body. The person may only experience some chronic symptoms or mild infections that they may only see as not serious. These include diarrhea, fever, shortness of breath or cough and swollen lymph nodes.
Getting such an infection usually means that the immune system of the victim is already very much destroyed by the HIV virus.

AIDS - What Symptoms Are Present In The Later Stage Of Infection?

2009-11-12T04:38:00.000-08:00

As the HIV virus continues to multiply in the host's body it destroys the person's immunity completely and makes him prone to attacks by not only very serious debilitating diseases, but very mild infections as well.

The count of the helper T cells (CD4 lymphocytes), which are typically in the range of 600 to 1,000, drop below 200 after which the person begins to show other serious signs of the disease. With the person's immunity system completely damaged, he becomes easily susceptible to opportunistic infections and may frequently experience the more serious symptoms of AIDS such as the following:

1. Severe fatigue

2. Soaking night sweats and high fever is very common among HIV positive patients.

3. Frequent episodes of chronic diarrhea

4. Shortness of breath is very commonly experienced by HIV positive patients.

5. Swelling and hardening of lymph nodes which persists for more than three months

6. Excessive weight loss which is not deliberately achieved through increased physical exercises or through dieting

7. Severe persistent headache

8. The presence of a slightly purple or faded growth over the skin or inside the mouth is very common among HIV positive patients.

9. HIV positive children's growth is poor, usually characterized by poor weight gain, trouble in walking, and slow mental development. Such children are also very susceptible to infections such as those relating to the ear, nose and throat like ear infection (otitis media), pneumonia or tonsillitis. They are also easily prone to more bruising and bleeding than their healthy and normal counterparts.

10. Apart from these physiological symptoms, it is also very common to find certain mental and behavioral disorders such as personality changes, deterioration of cognitive abilities of a person and degenerated memory in HIV positive patients.

Alarming Facts!

Exposure to the HIV virus cannot be determined accurately by individuals; because as people do so many things, meet a lot of people, and live a fast-paced life, the brain gets loaded with too much information that small details, such as having a one-night stand over a couple of beers, might be forgotten. Moreover, there are no symptoms of AIDS that are evident at the onset of the infection.

There is no way for a person to know whether one has AIDS or not than to go to the nearest hospital or testing center and get tested for AIDS. This is due to the fact that one characteristic of the AIDS virus which is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has a latency period. This means that the virus stays dormant for weeks. This is also the reason why it takes at least 12 weeks for the AIDS test to show whether it is negative or positive. As such, symptoms of AIDS are not clearly manifested until such time that HIV has fully taken over the immune system.

If HIV infection produces no signs and symptoms this is referred to as asymptomatic infection. But most number of people experience symptoms similar to that of a flu accompanied by fever and rashes, swollen lymph nodes and sore throat two weeks after exposure. All these have been considered as symptoms of AIDS in its early stage. Apparently, all of these symptoms are the results of the weakening of the immune system as the human immunodeficiency virus continues to ravage a person's protective system. After these series of symptoms which is collectively known as the acute retro viral syndrome, latency period begins; this is the second stage. The virus lays dormant for a period of time. No symptom or illness is seen and the person may even appear healthy even if tests show positive for HIV.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines the person as having an AIDS T-cell count of less than 200, wherein the normal count is between 600-1,500 T-cells; and manifesting at least 1 of the 21 AIDS defining infections characterized as opportunistic.

Symptoms of AIDS appear in 5 ways: as pulmonary infections, gastrointestinal infections, neurological and psychiatric episodes, tumors and malignancies and other opportunistic infections. Symptoms of AIDS become apparent and more pronounced during the late stages of the disease.

Prevention is clearly better than cure as the old maxim goes. True, there is still no cure for AIDS but people can always help those inflicted with the disease make their condition bearable; and for those who are free of the virus, it is better to take precautions especially in the area of sexual practices. Sexual promiscuity should be avoided. Drug dependents should stay away from drugs and start getting clean; and people in need of blood products should only go to accredited and licensed blood banks and similar establishments.

If you are not certain whether you have AIDS or not you may gather information through reading various materials, talking to friends and family or doctors who are experts in the study of venereal disease; but the best way to make sure if you have symptoms of AIDS is to have an AIDS test.

The Symptoms of AIDS

2009-11-12T02:33:00.001-08:00

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is known as AIDS and represents the part of infections and symptoms resulting from the harm to the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This structure constantly decreases the value of the immune system and leaves individuals in position to become infected with tumors and infections. HIV is spread through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the blood circulation with a physical fluid containing HIV, such as blood, seminal fluid, presentational fluid, vaginal fluid and mother's milk.

The symptoms of AIDS are found as a result of infected immune system. Viruses, bacterias, parasites or fungi are the main reason for causing conditions that develop AIDS and are usually controlled by the elements of the immune system that HIV damages.

The symptoms of AIDS can be found in almost every part and every organ of the human body. In the early stage when first infected with AIDS, there is a good possibility of not having any signs and symptoms of infection, but there is a chance of flu-like condition two to four weeks after becoming infected. Some of the early symptoms include: pyroxene (fever), headache, rash, swollen lymph glands and sore throat (pharyngitis). Even if the person does not have these symptoms, he can transmit the virus to the people surrounding him. The virus is reproducing in lymph nodes and gradually starts to break down the helper T cells which have the role of managing the complete immune system.

Ten or more years after the first AIDS infection, this virus becomes very critical and expands into the latest phase of infection when more serious symptoms can be found. The number of CD4 lymphocyte is less than 200 while normal count varies from 800 to 1,200. In this period the immune system of the person infected by the virus is much damaged, making it very sensitive to similar infections. The signs and symptoms of some of these infections may contain: headaches, weight reduction, chronic diarrhea, soaking night sweats, dry cough and difficulty in breathing, blurred and distorted vision, steady white spots or unusual lesions on the tongue or in the mouth, shaking chills or fever higher than 38 C for several weeks.

Aids and Mobile Phones

2009-07-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

Being able to hear clearly makes all the difference in almost every situation in daily life. However, certain situations, such as talking on the phone, remain difficult to manage - even with the best digital hearing aids. But now, with huge advances in hearing aids, not just making them smaller and more lightweight but also making them compatible with mobile phones, TV's and even music listening devices.

A number of leading hearing aid manufacturers now support mobile phones and electronic devices such as Phonak's and Oticon hearing aids.

Oticon should prefer to recently launched the Connect Line series dollop to link the Oticon Epoch and Dual instruments to the delighted of electronic communication. This as a matter of fact is a massive breakthrough for all hearing mechanism wearers and provides to them not no more than amazing hearing and definiteness of sound but added convenience of being clever to use the mobile phone seamlessly with a hearing aid.

Listening to the TV has also become a total joy again for people who wear an Epoch or Oticon Dual as it will bring the sound directly into their ears. This not only helps to increase their own comprehension and enjoyment of the sound but also helps to minimize the frustrations that others often have to bear when the TV volume is too high.

The Oticon Connect Line solution allows the hearing instrument wearer to talk on the phone, watch TV and listen to music with total ease.

In a very similar way Phone's new digital hearing aid family: Exile Art, Versa, Certain and Audio Yes all have connectivity to mobile phones, TV's and other electronic devices.

It actually connects wireless via Blue tooth to televisions, telephones, MP3 players, computers and other audio sources with a simple touch of a button.

So the idea is that with the latest advances in hearing solutions, anyone suffering from hearing loss needn't be left behind, in fact some may say they have an advantage.

Hearing aids that connect to mobile phones, TV's and other devices are a thing of the future and represent an amazing step forward for all wearers.

Hear speech more clearly, the TV directly into your ears, pick up the phone at the touch of a button and talk hands free, even listen to your favorite music. And the best thing is you can do this all at once, with a simple click to tell your hearing device what you wish to engage.

Bone Conduction Hearing Aids

2009-06-09T04:35:00.001-07:00

Reactionary hearing aids survive a remove sounds from exterior the ear, and then amplify this lucid and play it back to the inner ear. There are hearing aids known as bone conduction hearing aids, these travail very differently to the old-fashioned hearing aids. The bone conduction hearing aids pile up sounds from the worst world, however these hearing aids pass on the signal to an oscillator, degree than playing the complain back to the inner ear. This oscillator vibrates against the skull, the inner ear is masterful to pick up the vibrations and spell out them as sound. Customary hearing aids are much more shit than the bone conduction hearing aids. Nonetheless bone conduction hearing aids are designed for people that are unfit to use the traditional forms of hearing aid. If the ear canal is blocked like in Atresia, then a semi-annual hearing aid is next to unsuccessful, a bone conduction hearing aid on the other hand is much more usable.

If you induce ear infections or eczema then you may be not able to wear conventional hearing aids, and so power need to look at using bone conduction hearing aids. If your ear canal is restricted, or narrower than customary then a bone conduction hearing aid may be required. Bone conduction aids are superlatively suitable for children, and they are also exceptional for people that suffer from provisional hearing loss. Less than 1% of hearing aid wearers use bone conduction hearing aids, and so they can be trying to track down. If you insufficiency one be sure to discuss it with your audiologist. Bone conduction hearing aids are not able to perfectly reproduce pronounce, the sound is somewhat correspond to to the telephone.

Also the sound generated by bone conduction hearing aids is only mono, it isn't stereo. The wearer of the hearing aid is unable to tell where the sound I actually coming from due to this.

A bone conduction hearing aid uses a headband to hold everything in place, they are occasionally uncomfortable because for them to be effective the headband must be kept tight.

When these hearing aids were new they were designed to be installed into glasses. At the time it was not common to have your lenses thinned, so it was possible to place a small device into the thick frames of the glasses, so the vibrations will be felt.

The latest bone conduction hearing aids use surgery to implant a device. This works directly onto the bone, and so is less irritating for the user. The device also needs less power to operate, and there is less distortion as a result of this.

If you are suffering from permanent hearing loss as a last resort you may want to try one of these implanted bone conduction hearing aids as a last resort.

Women: The New Face of AIDS

2009-05-30T01:15:00.000-07:00

While total HIV diagnoses in the U.S. dropped from an all-time high of 150,000 cases annually in the mid-80s to 40,000 cases today, women's numbers have gone in reverse. In 1992, American women accounted for 14% of people living with AIDS; today that number has jumped to nearly 25%.

Globally, the numbers are pandemic. More adult women are living with HIV/AIDS than ever before, nearly 50% of infected people worldwide. In countries throughout the world, women are the fastest-growing population of new HIV infections, and in some places women have surpassed men. In sub-Saharan Africa, for every 10 men living with HIV, there are 14 women living with the virus.

In 2004, 78% of new HIV infections among women were the result of heterosexual contact.
And promiscuity? A recent large-scale study out of London of 59 countries found that there is no link between promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases. Women are getting AIDS because of economic and social inequalities. Most women who contract HIV worldwide are in monogamous relationships, victimized by partners who have unprotected sex with prostitutes and then bring the disease back home, where a woman is unaware or unable to negotiate condom use. It's not promiscuity, but rather a lack of education and resources that increases the rate of HIV infection.

At home, African-American women are suffering the consequences of poverty, inadequate health care, discrimination, and unsafe sex. African-American women are 20-times more likely to contract HIV than white women, accounting for 67% of new diagnoses; white women account for 15%. Yet black women constitute 13% of the population as a whole, while white women make up 66%.

So why are women at such high risk? The answer is part biological, in that women are twice as likely as men to contract HIV during vaginal intercourse, but mostly sociological.

Hearing Aids

2009-05-29T23:19:00.000-07:00

A hearing aid makes sounds louder (amplifies). While hearing aids may amplify some types of sounds more than others, at this time they cannot be made or programmed to amplify only one type of sound, such as a voice. Hearing aids do not restore normal hearing, but they may help people with hearing loss function and communicate more easily.

If you think you have a hearing problem and are thinking about getting a hearing aid, see your doctor. If your doctor thinks you may need a hearing aid, another type of specialist (audiologist) can help determine what type of hearing aid will work best for you. The audiologist will pick a hearing aid based on the type and how much hearing loss you have and other factors. He or she can help you learn how to get the most out of your hearing aid. In general, it usually is better to wear hearing aids in both ears, even if the hearing loss in the ears is not equal.

You also need to consider cost. Hearing aids can be expensive, and they are not always covered by insurance. Be sure to ask about a return policy, in case you are not satisfied with the hearing aid, and any warranties.

Hearing aids differ in how they look, their size, where they are placed in the ear, and how much they can amplify sounds.

All hearing aids consist of:

* A microphone, to pick up sound.
* An amplifier, to make the sound louder.
* A speaker, to deliver the sound into the ear.
* Batteries, to power the hearing aid.

The size of a hearing aid is not a good indicator of its sound quality.

There are three major types of hearing aids:

* Analog adjustable hearing aids are made based on your hearing tests. They amplify both speech and other sounds in the same amount. Your doctor has some flexibility in adjusting them to fit your hearing, and you generally control loudness. These are the least expensive type of hearing aids.
* Analog programmable hearing aids contain a computer chip that your doctor can program to take into account your hearing loss and how you respond to louder sounds. They can be programmed for different hearing environments, such as a one-on-one conversation or a dinner party in a restaurant. You change hearing programs by using a remote control.
* Digital programmable hearing aids can analyze the hearing environment and adjust to the sound. They allow more flexibility in programming than analog hearing aids. They are the most advanced and the most expensive type of hearing aid.

You can wear hearing aids behind the ear, in the outer ear, or in the ear canal. Most newer models fit in the ear or ear canal.

* All parts of a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid are found in a case that fits behind the ear. The case is connected to a plastic ear mold that fits inside the outer ear. BTE hearing aids are used for all degrees of hearing loss, especially very severe hearing loss. They may be better for children because of safety and growth reasons. Poorly fitting BTE ear molds or a buildup of earwax may cause a whistling sound (feedback).
* All parts of an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid are found in a case that fits in the outer part of the ear. It can be used by people with mild to severe hearing loss. ITE hearing aids can be used with other hearing devices, such as a telecoil that improves hearing during phone calls. ITE hearing aids can be damaged by earwax and fluid draining from the ear, and their small size may be difficult for some people to handle. Children do not usually use them because the case must be replaced as the child grows.
* All parts of an in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid are found in a case that fits partly or completely into the ear canal. ITC hearing aids are used by people with mild to moderate hearing loss. They are made to fit the shape and the size of your ear canal. They can be damaged by earwax and fluid draining from the ear, and their small size may be difficult for some people to handle. They are not recommended for children.

Disposable hearing aids that you use for a short period of time are now available. They last for 30 to 60 days. They may be an option for those with mild to moderate hearing loss.

It may take from several weeks to months for you to get used to your hearing aid. You may find that:

* Your hearing aid makes all sounds louder, and you may hear sounds you have not heard for a long time. Your own voice probably will sound very loud, and background noises—such as rustling newspapers, clinking silverware, and other voices—may bother you. You will have to learn to filter out unwanted sounds.
* Your hearing changes as your situation changes. How your hearing aid works will be different when talking quietly to a friend or spouse, enjoying a family dinner, or attending a presentation with a large group of people. In each situation you will have to learn how to adjust your listening.
* Your hearing aid is uncomfortable. It will feel odd in your ear at first and may cause some pain and tenderness in the ear canal. Do not feel you have to wear it 24 hours a day.
Here are some general tips to help you adjust to your new hearing aid.

* Talk to your audiologist about how long to wear your hearing aid. When you first get it, your audiologist often will recommend that you wear it 2 to 3 times a day, for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. Gradually increase the time you wear it. Overloading yourself with new sounds may result in fatigue and discomfort.
* When you first get your hearing aid, try to talk to only one person at a time, in a quiet room. This helps you adjust to the louder sounds without distractions.
* Wear your hearing aid even if you are alone. This is a good time to get used to hearing and filtering out background noise.
* To get used to your own voice, read aloud to yourself. Your voice is louder because it is closer to the hearing aids microphone.
* Adjust your hearing aid when your environment changes. For example, in meetings, sit close to the speaker so that you will be able to see him or her. Try sitting in different parts of a room until you find the spot that is best for your hearing. Change the volume of your hearing aid when necessary.

Schizophrenia: Twice As Common As HIV/AIDS

2009-03-16T07:35:00.001-07:00

Twice as many Americans live with schizophrenia than with HIV/AIDS, but a major report by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reveals most Americans are unfamiliar with the disease.

"Americans are not sure what to think about schizophrenia," said NAMI executive director Mike Fitzpatrick. "They know schizophrenia is a medical illness affecting the brain, but it is largely misunderstood. There are gaps in knowledge- and access to treatment. Misinformation, mis perceptions, and misunderstanding represent a public health crisis."
Approximately two million Americans live with schizophrenia. Two-thirds do not receive treatment, even though the disease can be managed successfully.

The survey found the average age at onset was 21, but a nine-year gap exists between symptoms and treatment.

- 85% of Americans recognize schizophrenia as an illness, 79% believe that with treatment, people with the diagnosis can lead independent lives, but only 24% are familiar with it. Many cannot recognize symptoms or mistakenly believe they include "split" or multiple personalities (64%).

- 79% want friends to tell them if they have schizophrenia, but only 46% say they would themselves. Even with treatment, 49% are uncomfortable with the prospect of dating a person with schizophrenia.

- Among people living with schizophrenia, 49% said doctors take their medical problems less seriously, even though the report notes that the death rate from causes like heart disease or diabetes is 2-3 times that of the general population.

- A vast majority believe that better medications (96%) and health insurance (82%) would be most helpful to improving their condition,

- Caregivers agree better medications are needed. Approximately 80% have difficulty getting services for loved ones, 63% have difficulty finding time for themselves, and 41% have provided care for more than 10 years.

"We know what to do to increase recovery, but it requires public support, which depends on public attitudes," Fitzpatrick said.

What is hearing aid?

2009-02-16T02:52:00.000-08:00

What should I do if I think I need a hearing aid?

If you think you have a hearing problem and are thinking about getting a hearing aid, see your doctor. If your doctor thinks you may need a hearing aid, another type of specialist (audiologist) can help determine what type of hearing aid will work best for you. The audiologist will pick a hearing aid based on the type and how much hearing loss you have and other factors. He or she can help you learn how to get the most out of your hearing aid. In general, it usually is better to wear hearing aids in both ears, even if the hearing loss in the ears is not equal.

You also need to consider cost. Hearing aids can be expensive, and they are not always covered by insurance. Be sure to ask about a return policy, in case you are not satisfied with the hearing aid, and any warranties.

What are the different types of hearing aids?

Hearing aids differ in how they look, their size, where they are placed in the ear, and how much they can amplify sounds. All hearing aids consist of:

A microphone, to pick up sound.
An amplifier, to make the sound louder.
A speaker, to deliver the sound into the ear.
Batteries, to power the hearing aid.

What Happens Inside the Body?

2009-02-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

Once HIV enters the human body, it attaches itself to a White Blood Cell (WBC) called CD4. Also, called T4 cells, they are the main disease fighters of the body. Whenever there is an infection, CD4 cells lead the infection-fighting army of the body to protect it from falling sick. Damage of these cells, hence can affect a person's disease-fighting capability and general health.

After making a foothold on the CD4 cell, the virus injects its RNA into the cell. The RNA then gets attached to the DNA of the host cell and thus becomes part of the cell's genetic material. It is a virtual takeover of the cell. Using the cell's division mechanism, the virus now replicates and churns out hundreds of thousands of its own copies. These cells then enter the blood stream, get attached to other CD4 cells and continue replicating. As a result, the number of the virus in the blood rises and that of the CD4 cells declines.

Because of this process, immediately after infection, the viral load of an infected individual will be very high and the number of CD4, low. But, after a while, the body's immune system responds vigorously by producing more and more CD4 cells to fight the virus. Much of the virus gets removed from the blood. To fight the fast-replicating virus, as many as a billion CD4 cells are produced every day, but the virus too increases on a similar scale. The battle between the virus and the CD4 cells continues even as the infected person remains symptom-free.

But after a few years, which can last up to a decade or even more, when the number of the virus in the body rises to very high levels, the body's immune mechanism finds it difficult to carry on with the battle. The balance shifts in favour of the virus and the person becomes more susceptible to various infections. These infections are called Opportunistic Infections because they swarm the body using the opportunity of its low immunity. At this stage, the number of CD4 cells per millilitre of blood (called CD4 Count), which ranges between 500 to 1,500 in a healthy individual, falls below 200. The Viral Load, the quantity of the virus in the blood, will be very high at this stage.

Opportunistic infections are caused by bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites. Some of the common opportunistic infections that affect HIV positive persons are: Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), Tuberculosis (TB), Salmonellosis, Bacillary Angiomatosis (all caused by bacteria); Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Viral hepatitis, Herpes, Human papillomavirus (HPV), Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) (caused by virus); Candidiasis, Cryptococcal meningitis (caused by fungus) and Pneumocystis Carinii pneumonia (PCP). Toxoplasmosis. Cryptosporidiosis (caused by parasites). HIV positive persons are also prone to cancers like Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta has listed a series of diseases as AIDS-defining. When these diseases appear, it is a sign that the infected individual has entered the later stage of HIV infection and has started developing AIDS. The progression of HIV positive persons into the AIDS stage is highly individual. Some people can reach the AIDS stage in about five years, while some remain disease free for more than a decade. Measurement of the viral load and the CD4 count helps a doctor in assessing an infected person's health condition

How do some of the relevant rights apply?

2009-02-04T23:43:00.000-08:00

To empower rights-holders to claim their rights, to protect human dignity and to prevent the transmission of HIV, the following rights should be protected so that people will come forward for HIV information, education and means of protection, and will be supported to avoid risky behaviour:

Non-discrimination : protected against discrimination if seek help or are HIV+
Right to privacy : protected against mandatory testing; HIV status kept confidential
Right to liberty and freedom of movement : protected against imprisonment, segregation, or isolation in a special hospital ward
Right to education/information : access to all HIV prevention education and information and sexual and reproductive health information and education
Right to health : access to all health care prevention services, including for sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, voluntary counseling and testing, and to male and female condoms

Vulnerable populations

Depending on the legal and social situation and the nature of the epidemic in country, some groups may be more vulnerable to infection and impact because of their legal status or lack of human rights protection, e.g. women, children, minorities, indigenous people, poor people, migrant-workers, refugees, sex workers, people who use drugs, men having sex with men, and prisoners.

These groups should have equal access to HIV prevention information, education, and commodities, and to HIV care, support and anti-retroviral treatment; should not be subject to sexual violence or coercion, where applicable; and should be able to participate in the formulation and implementation of HIV and AIDS policies that affect them.

Non-discrimination/equality before the law : same access as others to services
Rights to education and health : same access to HIV prevention education and information, and health care services, including STI services and condoms
Liberty , security of person and freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment : freedom from violence, including sexual violence, freedom from mandatory testing
Right to participate in public life : participation in the formulation and implementation of HIV policy

For those living with HIV or otherwise affected by it, the following rights should be protected:

Non-discrimination and equality before the law : right not to be mistreated on the basis of health status, i.e. HIV status
Right to health : right not to be denied health care/treatment on the basis of HIV status
Right to liberty and security of person : right not to be arrested and imprisoned on the basis of HIV status
Right to marry and found a family , regardless of HIV status
Right to education : right not to be thrown out of school on the basis of HIV status
Right to work : right not to be fired on the basis of HIV status
Right to social security, assistance and welfare : right not to be denied these benefits on the basis of HIV status
Right to freedom of movement , regardless of HIV status
Right to seek and enjoy asylum , regardless of HIV status

Human rights and HIV

2009-02-04T23:42:00.000-08:00

The risk of HIV infection and its impact feeds on violations of human rights, including discrimination against women and marginalized groups such as sex workers, people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men. HIV also frequently begets human rights violations such as further discrimination and violence. Over the past decade the critical need for strengthening human rights to effectively respond to the epidemic and deal with its effects has become evermore clear. Protecting human rights and promoting public health are mutually reinforcing.

Several countries still have policies that interfere with the accessibility and effectiveness of HIV-related measures for prevention and care. Examples include laws criminalizing consensual sex between men, prohibiting condom and needle access for prisoners, and using residency status to restrict access to prevention and treatment services. At the same time, laws and regulations protecting people with HIV from discrimination are not enacted, or fully implemented or enforced.

Reforming laws and policies that are based in deeply-rooted social attitudes and norms such as gender inequality requires multisectoral collaboration. Although not sufficient to change social attitudes, legislation is important for addressing acts of discrimination. Civil society, including organizations of people living with HIV, as well as other parts of society, including police and justice systems, have a critical role to play. International organizations and donors can also play a positive role in support of local and national actors.

The protection of human rights, both of those vulnerable to infection and those already infected, is not only right, but also produces positive public health results against HIV. In particular, it has also become increasingly clear that:

National and local responses will not work without the full engagement and participation of those affected by HIV, particularly people living with HIV.
The human rights of women, young people and children must be protected if they are to avoid infection and withstand the impact of HIV.
The human rights of marginalized groups (sex workers, people who use drugs, men who have sex with men, prisoners) must also be respected and fulfilled for the response to HIV to be effective.
Supportive frameworks of policy and law are essential to effective HIV responses.

UNAIDS works to help enable States to meet their human rights obligations, and to empower individuals and communities to claim their rights in the context of the HIV epidemic.

Human Rights and Universal Access: What have Governments committed themselves to?

To ensure the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by people living with HIV and members of vulnerable groups; promoting access to HIV education and information; full protection of confidentiality and informed consent; intensifying efforts to ensure a wide range of prevention programmes, including information, education and communication, aimed at reducing risk-taking behaviours and encouraging responsible sexual behaviour, including abstinence and fidelity; expanded access to essential commodities, including male and female condoms and sterile injecting equipment; harm-reduction efforts related to drug use; expanded access to voluntary and confidential counselling and testing; safe blood supplies; and early and effective treatment of sexually transmitted infections; developing strategies to combat stigma and social exclusion connected with the epidemic.

Living With HIV: How Children Are Making The Successful Transition Into Adulthood

2009-02-02T07:10:00.000-08:00

Most of what we read and hear about HIV and AIDS is bad. It is a bleak landscape where good news is generally hard to find.

Let alone what is happening in sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the world under siege from this virus, the UK too is grappling with increasing health challenges from the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The National AIDS Trust says the UK will have 100,000 people living with HIV by 2010 and failure of investment in HIV prevention and education is putting thousands at risk.

But, tough as it is to contract HIV as an adult, how much thought is given to those who have the virus at birth? As a child living with HIV in Britain today, how do you face the challenge and stigma of being HIV positive through no fault or direct action of your own? And how do you move forward into adulthood carrying such a responsibility?

In the heart of London, there is a very special clinic which is helping HIV positive adolescents from all over the country move through this journey from childhood to adulthood. The clinic, at St Mary's Hospital in Padding ton, is simply known as the '900'. Its central focus is to manage the successful passage of HIV positive kids from childhood to adulthood through multidisciplinary care.

Children are typically expected to move from pediatric to adult health services between the ages of 16 and 18. This is traditionally acknowledged amongst health professionals as a complex time to turn children over to adult care, especially for those with chronic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes and heart problems, which used to have high mortality rates in childhood. For kids who are HIV positive, the 900 aims to make this transition as seamless and successful as possible, and it is a UK first in shaping a new approach to the treatment and management of HIV.

"There is widespread recognition that the transfer from pediatric to adult services has been very poorly managed in the past. Often when this transfer has occurred, the level of care has deteriorated. Now there is increasing evidence that shows a proper transition process with shared paediatric and adult appointments can really help," says Caroline Foster, a paediatrician specialising in adolescent HIV, who helps manage the 900 clinic.

St Mary's, part of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, runs the largest pediatric clinic for kids born with HIV in the UK. It currently treats around 250 children, many of whom come to the clinic from considerable distances with shared care established with district general hospitals, allowing both the sharing of clinical care, expertise and education.

The total number of children known to be living with HIV in the UK and Ireland is estimated at around 1,400 but it is London which has the largest numbers. The average age in the paediatric clinic is 10, and there are now up to 50 young people who are aged 16 and above.

Now that virtually every pregnant woman takes up the routine antenatal HIV test, and if found to be infected can then take up interventions to prevent her baby becoming infected, and children with HIV are surviving thanks to combination antiresonator therapy, the median age of children with HIV is going up, thus generating the increasing need for adolescent care and care as young adults, according to Foster.

"To fulfill their potential, these children now need both medical and psychosocial help. Thus, typical treatment will involve anti retro viral drugs to suppress the virus and also support with problems that tend to come in the teenage years, for example in relationships with friends and family members especially, as this is very much a family disease," she says.

Problems for young people with HIV range from having to live with a chronic disease, adhering to medication which may cause side effects such as lipodystrophy which can be unsightly, as well as psychosocial issues such as the death or ill health of family members and the complex issues of negotiating relationships and your first sexual experiences with HIV. There is also the ever present issue of disclosure, as HIV remains a stigmatizing disease, with at least one example of the bullying on Facebook of a young girl who chose to come out.

Whilst these problems cannot be underestimated, there is good news too and Foster is anxious to make the point. "Four of the young women in this clinic have now had their own babies who are HIV negative and this is great news, because teenagers need to adhere to their treatment to make this happen. I think now we can say that there is a wave of young people born with HIV who are surviving on treatment, transitioning, moving into adult services, getting through school to university and who are fully engaged in getting on with their lives."

One cannot underestimate the issues that young people born with HIV and living in the UK have to deal with. But these issues are relative. In Africa, without treatment, half of kids born HIV positive will be dead by their third birthday.

Dosing and drug formulations in children

2009-02-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

The dose of antiretroviral drugs given to children is generally based on either weight or body surface area. As children’s bodies are constantly changing, drug doses need to be altered to make sure that a child is not given too much, or too little, of a drug. Health care workers also need to take into account that children under the age of six metabolite drugs faster than adults, so even after adjusting for body weight, they may need to be given higher quantities of ARVs to achieve the same effect that the drugs would have in adults. Information about specific drugs is often limited, and drug manufacturers and expert guidelines use a variety of ways to calculate doses of pediatric ARVs, so there is no uniform dosing system to follow.
Because of the complex nature of pediatric dosing, under- or over-dosing can be a serious risk. Dosing is further complicated by the variety of forms that ARVs may take when provided to children, all of which require different measurements. Infants who are too young to swallow tablets ideally need to be provided with these drugs in the form of syrups or powders, but these formulations are expensive and often impractical. Some syrups need to be refrigerated after opening, which requires a reliable electricity supply, and powders need to be mixed with water, which may be unfeasible in areas where clean drinking water is not regularly available. In addition, the unpleasant taste of syrups and powders can make it difficult for children to take their ARVs every day.
An encouraging development is the relatively recent availability of fixed-dose combination therapies (FDCs), which combine multiple ARVs into a single tablet, for children. Tablets consisting of lamivudine, stavudine and nevirapine have been supplied by the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI), in conjunction with drug purchase facility, UNITAID, to children in 26 nations. In these countries CHAI’s monthly pediatric treatment formerly consisted of 12 bottles of liquid. For those children who can now access FDCs, only a small container of tablets is needed, making the therapy easier to store, transport and administer.
In areas where there is a lack of affordable pediatric ARV formulations, clinicians often have no choice but to divide adult fixed-dose combination drugs into measures appropriate for children. There is evidence that dividing tablets carries a risk of under- or over-dosing but equally, a significant 2006 study of eight countries concluded that the use of divided adult FDCs can achieve successful and satisfactory results in children. The World Health Organisation supports this practice in situations where no appropriate pediatric medications are available.

HIV patients with mental health problems live just as long, says Australian study

2009-02-02T06:36:00.000-08:00

HIV-positive individuals with mental health disorders survive just as long as HIV-positive people with good mental health, according to an Australian study published in the May edition of HIV Medicine. The investigators established, however, that patients with mental health problems took more antiretroviral drugs and spent more time in hospital than patients without mental health difficulties. Appropriate use of antiretroviral therapy could, they suggest, not only improve the health of patients with both HIV and mental health problems, but also reduce their use of healthcare resources.

Mental health disorders are common in people with HIV. Investigators from Melbourne, Australia, wished to determine the prevalence and impact of mental disorders in their clinic population between 1984 and 2000. They hypothesised that individuals with mental health problems would have a worse outcome, with poorer treatment outcome, reduced response to antiretroviral therapy, and increased mortality when compared to patients with no recorded mental health disorders.

The investigators performed a retrospective analysis including all 2,981 patients who received care for HIV at the Alfred Hospital. They cross-referenced this population with the VPCR database of mental health patients and found that 525 individuals matched.

Substance abuse was the most common psychiatric disorder seen in these individuals (17%), followed by affective disorders (9%) and personality disorders (2%). In 47% of cases, the cause of the mental health problem was unknown.

In a third of individuals, the mental health disorder pre-dated diagnosis with HIV. The investigators also observed that there were some slight differences in the demographics of patients recorded on the VPCR database and those of Alfred Hospital cohort. In particular, VPCR patients were less likely to be gay (58% versus 70%) and more likely to report injecting drug use as their HIV risk activity (24% versus 7%).

The investigators noted that 31% of individuals with mental health disorders received treatment with potent antiretroviral therapy after 1996 compared to 26% of individuals with no recorded mental health problems. They also noted that patients on the VPCR database used more antiretroviral drugs (median 6.4) than individuals with good mental health (median 5.5) and hypothesise that this was due to adherence problems or the capacity for some anti-HIV drugs, such as efavirenz (Sustiva) to exacerbate pre-existing mental health difficulties.

A third of individuals with mental health problems were hospitalised compared to 23% of patients with no recorded mental health disorders. The investigators also noted that there were differences in the reasons for hospitalisation between the two groups of patients, with patients with mental health problems more likely to be hospitalised because of infections (29% versus 20%), for non-infectious conditions such as liver problems (28% versus 19%) and for mental health reasons (18% versus 8%). Factors independently associated with an increased risk of hospitalisation were mental health problems (p < 0 .001), a prior AIDS-defining illness (p < 0.001) and receiving HIV treatment prior to 1986 (p = 0.001).

The investigators then looked to see if there was any relationship between a recorded mental health disorder and an increased risk of death. They found no difference in survival between patients in the general Alfred Hospital cohort and those on the VPCR database.

“Patients with psychiatric disorders are able to benefit from highly active antiretroviral therapy”, write the investigators. However, they note that their study was limited by its retrospective design. They conclude, “enhancing awareness and improving treatment in those with both HIV and mental health disorders may potentially improve quality of life for these patients but may also reduce unnecessary health care usage.”

Development of novel treatments for hepatitis C

2009-01-30T06:05:00.001-08:00

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major and growing global health problem, affecting about 170 million people worldwide, and is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, treatment is restricted to interferon alfa and ribavirin, which leads to a successful outcome in only about 50% of individuals.

New effective treatments with tolerable side-effect profiles are needed urgently, but development has been hindered by an inability to culture HCV and a scarcity of animal models. Herein, we review progress in HCV biology, including cell culture and new animal models, and the contribution of this work to our understanding of the virus' life-cycle and pathogenesis and development of specifically targeted antiviral treatment. We also discuss changes in our understanding of HCV epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostics.

Risk factors

2009-01-30T05:21:00.000-08:00

Anyone can get tuberculosis, but certain factors increase your risk of the disease. These factors include:

Lowered immunity. A healthy immune system can often successfully fight TB bacteria, but your body can't mount an effective defense if your resistance is low. A number of factors can weaken your immune system. Having a disease that suppresses immunity, such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, end-stage kidney disease, certain cancers or the lung disease silicosis, can reduce your body's ability to protect itself. Your risk is also higher if you take corticosteroids, certain arthritis medications, chemotherapy drugs or other drugs that suppress the immune system.
Close contact with someone with infectious TB. In general, you must spend an extended period of time with someone with untreated, active TB to become infected yourself. You're more likely to catch the disease from a family member, roommate, friend or close co-worker.
Country of origin. People from regions with high rates of TB — especially sub-Saharan Africa, India, China, the islands of Southeast Asia and Micronesia, and parts of the former Soviet Union — are more likely to develop TB. In the United States, more than half the people with TB were born in a different country. Among these, the most common countries of origin were Mexico, the Philippines, India and Vietnam.
Age. Older adults are at greater risk of TB because normal aging or illness may weaken their immune systems. They're also more likely to live in nursing homes, where outbreaks of TB can occur.
Substance abuse. Long-term drug or alcohol use weakens your immune system and makes you more vulnerable to TB.
Malnutrition. A poor diet or one too low in calories puts you at greater risk of TB.
Lack of medical care. If you are on a low or fixed income, live in a remote area, have recently immigrated to the United States or are homeless, you may lack access to the medical care needed to diagnose and treat TB.
Living or working in a residential care facility. People who live or work in prisons, immigration centers or nursing homes are all at risk of TB. That's because the risk of the disease is higher anywhere there is overcrowding and poor ventilation.
Living in a refugee camp or shelter. Weakened by poor nutrition and ill health and living in crowded, unsanitary conditions, refugees are at especially high risk of TB infection.
Health care work. Regular contact with people who are ill increases your chances of exposure to TB bacteria. Wearing a mask and frequent hand washing greatly reduce your risk.
International travel. As people migrate and travel widely, they may expose others or be exposed to TB bacteria.

Causes of tuberculosis

2009-01-30T05:18:00.000-08:00

Tuberculosis is caused by an organism called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings. Rarely, a pregnant woman with active TB may pass the bacteria to her unborn child.

Although tuberculosis is contagious, it's not especially easy to catch. You're much more likely to get tuberculosis from a family member or close co-worker than from a stranger. Most people with active TB who've had appropriate drug treatment for at least two weeks are no longer contagious.

TB infection vs. active TB
If you breathe TB bacteria into your lungs, one of four things might happen:

You don't become infected with TB. Your immune system immediately destroys the germs and clears them from your body.
You develop latent TB infection. The germs settle in your lungs and begin to multiply. Within several weeks, however, your immune system successfully "walls off" the bacteria in your lungs, much like a scab forming over a wound. The bacteria may remain within these walls for years — alive, but in a dormant state. In this case, you're considered to have TB infection and you'll test positive on a TB skin test. But you won't have symptoms and won't transmit the disease to others.
You develop active TB. If your immune defenses fail, TB bacteria begin to exploit your immune system cells for their own survival. The bacteria move into the airways in your lungs, causing large air spaces (cavities) to form. Filled with oxygen — which the bacteria need to survive — the air spaces make an ideal breeding ground for the bacteria. The bacteria may then spread from the cavities to the rest of your lungs as well as to other parts of your body.

If you have active TB, you're likely to feel sick. Even if you don't feel sick, you can still infect others. Without treatment, many people with active TB die. Those who survive may develop long-term symptoms, such as chest pain and a cough with bloody sputum, or they may recover and go into remission.
You develop active TB years after the initial infection. After you've had latent TB for years, the walled-off bacteria may suddenly begin multiplying again, causing active TB, also known as reactivation TB. It's not always clear what triggers this reactivation, but it most commonly happens after your immune system becomes weakened. Your resistance may be lower because of aging, drug or alcohol abuse, malnutrition, chemotherapy, prolonged use of prescription medications such as corticosteroids or TNF inhibitors, and diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

Only about one in 10 people who have TB infection goes on to develop active TB. The risk is greatest in the first two years after infection and is much higher if you have HIV infection.

Tuberculosis

2009-01-30T05:17:00.001-08:00

Symptoms

Although your body may harbor the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, your immune system often can prevent you from becoming sick. For this reason, doctors make a distinction between:

Latent TB. In this condition, you have a TB infection, but the bacteria remain in your body in an inactive state and cause no symptoms. Latent TB, also called inactive TB or TB infection, isn't contagious.
Active TB. This condition makes you sick and can spread to others.

Signs and symptoms of active TB include:

Unexplained weight loss
Fatigue
Fever
Night sweats
Chills
Loss of appetite

Tuberculosis usually attacks your lungs. Signs and symptoms of TB of the lungs include:

Coughing that lasts three or more weeks
Coughing up blood
Chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing

Tuberculosis can also affect other parts of your body, including your kidneys, spine or brain. When TB occurs outside your lungs, symptoms vary according to the organs involved. For example, tuberculosis of the spine may give you back pain, and tuberculosis in your kidneys might cause blood in your urine.

When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you have a fever, unexplained weight loss, night sweats and a persistent cough. These are often signs of TB, but they can also result from other medical problems. Your doctor can perform tests to help determine the cause. TB can be diagnosed by your primary care doctor or by a doctor who specializes in lung diseases (pulmonologist) or by an infectious disease specialist. If you don't have a doctor, your local public health department can help.

HIV testing results

2009-01-30T04:09:00.001-08:00

Can you test negative for HIV and still have HIV?
Yes. If you were only recently exposed to the HIV virus, you could test negative and still have HIV (false-negative), particularly with the standard antibody tests. Unfortunately, you may also be at greatest risk of spreading the virus during this time.

If you test negative for HIV during standard antibody HIV testing and it's been less than three months since the suspected exposure, consider retesting. The best time for retesting is three months or more after the possible exposure.

Instead of waiting to be retested with an antibody test, you may also have the option of getting one of the few less commonly done tests that can identify HIV infection earlier, before antibodies can be detected.

What if you test positive for HIV?
Although there's no cure for HIV/AIDS, treatment has come a long way in the past few decades, offering extended and improved quality of life for many. Early treatment can help you stay well and delay the onset of AIDS. Inform any partners about a positive diagnosis, because they will need to be evaluated and possibly treated, as well.

Discuss further testing and treatment with your doctor. Your doctor will use PCR tests to measure the amount of the virus in your blood, which can help predict the probable progression of your disease. People with higher viral loads generally don't do as well as those with lower viral loads. Viral load tests are also used to decide when to start and when to change your treatment.

A healthy lifestyle can also help you stay well:

Avoid smoking, using illicit drugs and drinking too much alcohol. These can weaken your immune system.
Get tested for tuberculosis (TB) and STDs. You may have TB or STDs and not know it. These may cause serious illness if not treated.
Use condoms. Abstaining from sex is the most effective way to avoid transmitting HIV to others or to getting other STDs that may harm your health. But if you decide to have sex, use condoms. Condoms are very effective at preventing HIV and other STD transmission, though they aren't 100 percent effective.

What can you expect during HIV testing?

2009-01-30T04:08:00.001-08:00

Traditional HIV testing

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test looks for antibodies to the virus in a sample of your blood drawn from a vein. If this test is positive — meaning you have antibodies to HIV — the same test is repeated. If the repeat test is also positive for HIV antibodies, you need a confirming blood test called the Western blot test, which checks for the presence of HIV proteins. The Western blot test is important because you may have non-HIV antibodies that cause a false-positive result on the ELISA test. Combining the two types of tests helps ensure that results are accurate, and you receive a diagnosis of HIV only if all three tests are positive.

It can take up to two weeks to get the results of the ELISA and Western blot tests.

Rapid HIV testing
Several rapid tests offer highly accurate information within as little as 20 minutes. These tests also look for antibodies to the virus using a sample of your blood, drawn from a vein or a finger prick, or fluids collected on a treated pad that's rubbed on your upper and lower gums. The oral test is almost as sensitive as the blood test and eliminates the need for drawing blood. A positive reaction on a rapid test requires a confirming blood test. And because the tests are relatively new and were originally approved for use only in certified laboratories, they may not be available everywhere.

Home HIV testing
Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only one HIV test for home use. The Home Access HIV-1 Test System, marketed by Home Access Health, is as accurate as traditional HIV tests, and all positive results are automatically retested.

For this test, you mail in a drop of your blood, then call a toll-free number to receive your results in three to seven business days. This approach ensures your privacy and anonymity — you're identified only by a code number that comes with your kit. The greatest disadvantage is that you're not offered the counseling that you typically receive in a clinic or doctor's office, although you're given referrals to medical and social services.

Early detection HIV testing
Some tests can detect HIV infection earlier, before antibodies are detectable in standard HIV testing. These tests may cost more than standard HIV testing and may not be as widely available. You will also still need standard antibody testing later, to confirm results, because false-positives and false-negatives are possible. Tests that can help identify early HIV infection include:

PCR or RNA tests. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests involve evaluating a blood sample for genetic material — RNA or DNA — produced by the HIV virus infection. These tests measure the amount of virus present in your blood (viral load) and are most useful for monitoring your condition after you've already been diagnosed with HIV. The tests may return a false-negative result if infection with HIV occurred too recently, such as fewer than five days ago.
p24 antigen tests. This test can identify an HIV protein — p24 — in your blood from about one week to up to three or four weeks after infection with HIV. Once antibodies begin to form, they bind to the p24 protein, making p24 undetectable. By that time, standard antibody tests may be able to detect the antibodies.

HIV testing: What tests and when to get tested

2009-01-30T04:06:00.001-08:00

You may be thinking about getting tested for HIV for any number of reasons. Perhaps you've been exposed to someone's blood or had unprotected sex. Or maybe you just want to make sure. If you're considering HIV testing, you might be feeling some anxiety about it. Knowing what to expect from HIV testing and what types of tests are available can help.

If you do have HIV, the sooner you find out, the better. Early medical treatment and a healthy lifestyle may delay the onset of AIDS — a chronic, life-threatening condition caused by HIV.

Who needs HIV testing, and how often?

If you think you may have HIV — get tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages voluntary HIV testing as a routine part of medical care if you are:

An adolescent or adult between the ages of 13 to 64
Pregnant, because if you're infected with HIV there are ways to reduce the chance you'll pass it along to your baby

Yearly testing is recommended if you're at high risk of infection. Consider HIV testing yearly and before having sex with a new partner if you:

Have had unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex with more than one sexual partner or with an anonymous partner since your last screening
Are a man who has sex with men
Use IV drugs
Have been diagnosed with tuberculosis or a sexually transmitted disease (STD) such as hepatitis or syphilis
Have had unprotected sex with someone who falls into any of the above categories

How do you prepare for HIV testing?

No special preparations are necessary for HIV testing. You may need to call your doctor to schedule an appointment. Some public health clinics may allow you to simply walk in for HIV testing.

How is HIV testing done?

HIV is usually diagnosed by testing your blood or oral mucus for the presence of antibodies to the virus. Unfortunately, these HIV tests aren't accurate immediately after infection because it takes time for your body to produce antibodies — usually two to eight weeks. In rare cases, it can take up to six months for HIV antibodies to develop and for these types of HIV tests to be accurate. However, the majority of tests are considered to be accurate within three months. A few early detection tests also exist, but they may be more costly and less widely available.

Risk factor

2009-01-30T03:31:00.001-08:00

Anyone of any age, race, sex or sexual orientation can be infected with HIV, but you're at greatest risk of HIV/AIDS if you:

Have unprotected sex with multiple partners. You're at risk whether you're heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual. Unprotected sex means having sex without using a new latex or polyurethane condom every time.
Have unprotected sex with someone who is HIV-positive.
Have another sexually transmitted disease, such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea or bacterial vaginosis.
Share needles during intravenous drug use.
Received a blood transfusion or blood products before 1985.
Have fewer copies of a gene called CCL3L1 that helps fight HIV infection.

Newborns or nursing infants whose mothers tested positive for HIV but did not receive treatment also are at high risk.

How HIV is transmeted

2009-01-30T03:30:00.000-08:00

You can become infected with HIV in several ways, including:

Sexual transmission. You may become infected if you have vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected partner whose blood, semen or vaginal secretions enter your body. You can also become infected from shared sexual devices if they're not washed or covered with a condom. The virus is present in the semen or vaginal secretions of someone who's infected and enters your body through small tears that can develop in the vagina or rectum during sexual activity. If you already have another sexually transmitted disease, you're at much greater risk of contracting HIV. Contrary to what researchers once believed, women who use the spermicide nonoxynol 9 also may be at increased risk. This spermicide irritates the lining of the vagina and may cause tears that allow the virus into the body.
Transmission through infected blood. In some cases, the virus may be transmitted through blood and blood products that you receive in blood transfusions. Since 1985, American hospitals and blood banks have screened the blood supply for HIV antibodies. This blood testing, along with improvements in donor screening and recruitment practices, has substantially reduced the risk of acquiring HIV through a transfusion.
Transmission through needle sharing. HIV is easily transmitted through needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood. Sharing intravenous drug paraphernalia puts you at high risk of HIV and other infectious diseases such as hepatitis. Your risk is greater if you inject drugs frequently and also engage in high-risk sexual behavior. Avoiding the use of injected drugs is the most reliable way to prevent infection. If that isn't an option, you can reduce your risk by participating in a needle exchange program that allows you to trade used needles and syringes for sterile ones.
Transmission through accidental needle sticks. Transmission of the virus between HIV-positive people and health care workers through needle sticks is low. Experts put the risk at far less than 1 percent.
Transmission from mother to child. Each year, nearly 600,000 infants are infected with HIV, either during pregnancy or delivery or through breast-feeding. But if women receive treatment for HIV infection during pregnancy, the risk to their babies is significantly reduced. In the United States, most pregnant women are pre-screened for HIV, and anti-retroviral drugs are readily available. Not so in developing nations, where women seldom know their HIV status, and treatment is often limited or nonexistent. When medications aren't available, Caesarean section is sometimes recommended instead of vaginal delivery. Other options, such as vaginal disinfection, haven't proved effective.
Other methods of transmission. In rare cases, the virus may be transmitted through organ or tissue transplants or unsterilized dental or surgical equipment.

Symptoms of HIV in children

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Children who are HIV-positive may experience:

Difficulty gaining weight
Difficulty growing normally
Problems walking
Delayed mental development
Severe forms of common childhood illnesses such as ear infections (otitis media), pneumonia and tonsillitis

When to see a doctor
If you think you may have been infected with HIV or are at risk of contracting the virus, seek medical counseling as soon as possible. Questions to consider include:

Why should you get tested? The idea of being tested for HIV infection may be frightening. But testing itself doesn't make you HIV-positive or HIV-negative, and it's important not only for your own health but also to prevent transmission of the virus to others. If you engage in a high-risk behavior such as unprotected sex or sharing needles during intravenous drug use, get tested for HIV at least annually.
What if you're pregnant? If you're pregnant, you may want to get tested even if you think you're not at risk. If you are HIV-positive, treatment with anti-retroviral drugs during your pregnancy can greatly reduce the chances you'll pass the infection to your baby.
Where can you get tested? You can be tested by your doctor or at a hospital, the public health department, a Planned Parenthood clinic or other public clinics. Many clinics don't charge for HIV tests. Be sure to choose a place in which you feel comfortable and that offers counseling before and after testing. Don't let concern about what people may think stop you from being tested. For a referral, or to make an appointment for an HIV test at a Planned Parenthood clinic near you, call 800-230-PLAN (800-230-7526). You can also contact your local or state health department.
Will your results be private? All states and U.S. territories report positive HIV and AIDS test results to state public health officials to help track the spread of the disease. Most states use name reporting, but the results are released only to the health department and not to anyone else — including the federal government, employers, insurance companies and family members — without your permission. In addition, legal provisions ensure the highest degree of confidentiality with regard to name-based HIV data. If you are concerned about having your name reported, many states offer anonymous testing centers. If you do test positive and seek treatment, however, you will likely have to provide your name to your doctor.

Drug treatments

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As medical understanding about how the virus invades the body and multiplies within cells has increased, drugs to inhibit its growth and slow its spread have been developed. Drug treatment for HIV/AIDS is complicated and expensive, but highly effective in slowing the replication (reproduction) of the virus and preventing or reducing some effects of the disease.

Drugs to treat HIV/AIDS use at least three strategies:

interfering with Hive's reproduction of its genetic material (these drugs are classified as nucleotide or nucleotide anti-retrovirus)
interfering with the enzymes HIV needs to take over certain body cells (these are called protease inhibitors)
interfering with Hive's ability to pack its genetic material into viral code — that is, the genetic "script" HIV needs to be able to reproduce itself (these are called non-nucleotide reverse transcription inhibitors )

Because these drugs work in different ways, doctors generally prescribe a "combination cocktail" of these drugs that are taken every day. This regimen is known as HEART treatment (HEART stands for highly active antiretroviral therapy). Doctors may also prescribe drugs to prevent certain opportunistic infections — for example, some antibiotics can help prevent PCP, especially in kids.

Although a number of medicines are available to treat HIV infection and slow the onset of AIDS, unless they are taken and administered properly on a round-the-clock schedule, the virus can quickly become resistant to that particular mix of medications. HIV is very adaptable and finds ways to outsmart medical treatments that are not followed properly. This means that if prescribed medicines are not taken at the correct times every day, they will soon fail to keep HIV from reproducing and taking over the body. When that happens, a new regimen will need to be established with different drugs. And if this new mix of medicines is not taken correctly, the virus will likely become resistant to it as well and eventually the person will run out of treatment options.

Aside from the difficulty of getting young children to take their medication on a timed schedule, the medications present other problems. Some have unpleasant side effects, such as a bad flavor, whereas others are only available in pill form, which may be difficult for kids to swallow. Parents who need to give their child these medications should ask the doctor or pharmacist for suggestions on making them easier to take. Many pharmacies now offer flavoring that can be added to bad-tasting medicines, or your doctor may recommend mixing pills with applesauce or pudding.

Because the number of drugs described above is still limited, doctors are concerned that if children fail to take their medicines as prescribed (even missing just a few doses), the virus could eventually develop resistance to existing HIV drugs — making treatment difficult or impossible. It is then doubly important that kids take their medications as directed. One of the most important home treatment messages for any parent or caregiver that the child should take all medications consistently, at the time the prescription indicates. This can be difficult — but many HIV/AIDS family support groups and experienced medical providers can help families with practical suggestions to help them be successful with the many day-to-day challenges they face.

Many of the new medications that fight HIV infection are expensive. One of the major challenges facing individuals, families, communities, and nations is how to make these medications easily available to all that need them.

Diagnosing HIV Infections and AIDS

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Every pregnant woman should be tested for HIV to have a better chance of preventing transmission to her unborn child.

If a woman knows she is HIV-infected and already has children, it is recommended that all of her children be tested for HIV. Even if she has older children and they seem healthy, they could still have an HIV infection if she was HIV-positive at the time they were born. A blood test is needed to know for sure.

However, when a new baby is born to an HIV-infected mother, there is no immediate way to know whether the baby is infected with the virus. This is because if the mother is infected, an ELISA test (which checks for HIV antibodies in the blood) will almost always be positive, too. Babies will have their HIV-infected mother's antibodies (which are passed to the baby through the placenta) even if they are not truly infected with HIV. These babies may remain HIV-antibody positive for up to 18 months after birth, even if they are not actually infected.

Infants who are not actually infected with the virus (but are born to HIV-positive mothers) will not make their own antibodies; the HIV antibodies that came from their mothers will gradually disappear from their blood before they reach 2 years of age. Any blood tests performed after this point will likely be HIV-negative. Infants who are infected with HIV from their mothers will begin to make their own HIV antibodies and will generally remain HIV-positive after 18 months of age.

The most accurate diagnosis of HIV infection in early infancy comes from tests that show the presence of the virus itself (not HIV antibodies) in the body. These tests include an HIV viral culture and PCR (polymerase chain reaction), a blood test that looks for the DNA of the virus.

Older children, teens, and adults are tested for HIV infection by an ELISA test to detect the presence of HIV antibodies in the blood. Antibodies are specific proteins that the body produces to fight infections; HIV-specific antibodies are produced in response to infection with HIV. Someone with antibodies against HIV is said to be HIV-positive. If the ELISA test is positive, it is always confirmed by another test called a Western blot. If both of these tests are positive, the patient is almost certainly infected with HIV.

How Common Are HIV and AIDS?

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The first case of AIDS was reported in 1981, but the disease may have existed unrecognized for many years before that. HIV infection leading to AIDS has been a major cause of illness and death among children, teens, and young adults worldwide. AIDS has been the sixth leading cause of death in the United States among 15- to 24-year-olds since 1991.

In recent years, AIDS infection rates have been increasing rapidly among teens and young adults. Half of all new HIV infections in the United States occur in people who are under 25 years old; thousands of teens acquire new HIV infections each year. Most new HIV cases in younger people are transmitted through unprotected sex; one third of these cases are from injection drug usage via the sharing of dirty, blood-contaminated needles.

Among children, most cases of AIDS — and almost all new HIV infections — resulted from transmission of the HIV virus from the mother to her child during pregnancy, birth, or through breastfeeding.

Fortunately, medicines currently given to HIV-positive pregnant women have reduced mother-to-child HIV transmission tremendously in the United States. These drugs (discussed in detail in the Drug Treatments section of this article) are also used to slow or reduce some of the effects of the disease in people who are already infected. Unfortunately, these medicines have not been readily available worldwide, particularly in the poorer nations hardest hit by the epidemic. Providing access to these life-saving treatments has become an issue of global importance.

Causes

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Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy: This is often the earliest symptom of HIV infection after primary infection. Because of marked follicular hyperplasia in response to HIV infection, the lymph nodes have very high viral concentrations. Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy may be observed at any point in the spectrum of immune dysfunction and is not associated with an increased likelihood of developing AIDS.
Oral lesions
- Thrush: This can result from Candida infection and oral hairy leukoplakia, presumably due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. It is usually indicative of fairly advanced immunologic decline, generally occurring in patients with CD4 cell counts of 200-500/µL.
- HSV lesions: The finding of HSV lesions can also reflect deteriorating immune function in patients infected with HIV.
- Reactivation of herpes zoster (shingles): Observed in 10-20% of patients infected with HIV infection, shingles indicate a modest decline in immune function and are often the first clinical indication of immunodeficiency.
- Aphthous ulcers of the posterior oropharynx: These affect 10-20% of patients infected with HIV. Their etiology is unknown. These ulcers can be very painful and can cause dysphagia if left untreated.
Hematologic
- Anemia
  - All other causes of anemia should be excluded systematically before concluding that anemia is due to HIV infection.
  - With disease progression, patients infected with HIV develop a moderate-to-severe hypoproliferative anemia. The most common form of anemia observed in patients infected with HIV has the characteristics of anemia of chronic disease.
  - Anemia may be a complication of opportunistic infections and/or it may be due to marrow damage from the virus or from drug toxicity (eg, zidovudine, also known as azidothymidine [AZT]).
- Thrombocytopenia
  - Thrombocytopenia may also be an early consequence of HIV infection. Approximately 3% of patients infected with HIV with CD4 cell counts greater than 400/µL have platelet counts of less than 150,000/µL. Of patients who have CD4 cell counts less than 400/µL, 10% also have platelet counts of less than 150,000/µL.
  - HIV-associated thrombocytopenia is rarely a serious clinical problem. In most cases, platelet counts remain greater than 50,000/µL and the condition can be treated conservatively.
  - Idiopathic thrombocytopenia observed in patients with HIV infection is very similar to the thrombocytopenia observed in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Immune complexes containing anti-gp 120 antibodies and anti–anti-gp 120 antibodies have been found in the circulation and on the surface of platelets. Because these data point to an immunologic basis for the thrombocytopenia observed in patients infected with HIV, most of the treatments used are immune-based.
  - Another mechanism for HIV-induced thrombocytopenia is a direct effect of HIV on megakaryocytes, evidenced by a defect and subsequent decrease in platelet production.
  - In patients infected with HIV, thrombocytopenia has also been reported as a consequence of classic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). This clinical syndrome, consisting of fever, thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and neurologic and renal dysfunction, is a rare complication of early HIV infection.
Neurologic
- Aseptic meningitis: This can be observed in all but the very late stages of HIV infection. This suggests that aseptic meningitis in the setting of HIV infection is an immune-mediated disease. Aseptic meningitis due to HIV infection usually resolves spontaneously within 2-4 weeks. Signs and symptoms may persist long-term in some patients.
- Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: Through unknown mechanisms, HIV infection can mimic Guillain-Barré syndrome.
- Mononeuritis multiplex: A necrotizing arteritis of peripheral nerves, this condition is another autoimmune peripheral neuropathy observed in patients infected with HIV.
- Myopathy: AZT can cause myopathy; this is often reversible once the drug is discontinued. HIV infection can also cause myopathy by direct damage to the muscle cells. The exact mechanism has not yet been elucidated.

Physical

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Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy: During the examination, the nodes are generally discrete and freely mobile.
Oral lesions
- Thrush manifests as a white exudate, often with an erythematous mucosa. Thrush is observed most commonly on the soft palate. Early lesions can also be found along the gingival border. The diagnosis is made by direct examination of a scraping for pseudohyphal elements, which are characteristic of Candida species (typically Candida albicans). Severe cases can involve the esophagus, with resultant dysphagia or odynophagia.
- Oral hairy leukoplakia manifests as filamentous white lesions, generally along the lateral borders of the tongue.
- HSV causes lesions. Oral and genital lesions are most common, but perianal and periungual lesions are also observed. Herpetic lesions resemble a cluster of vesicles on an erythematous base.
- Reactivation of herpes zoster (shingles) is characterized by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) lesions that may extend over several dermatomes. Widespread cutaneous dissemination may occur, but visceral involvement has not been reported.
- Aphthous ulcers are shallow and painful and usually affect the posterior oropharynx.
Hematologic
- Anemia may be present, and the physical examination may reveal pallor.
- For thrombocytopenia, as in other forms of thrombocytopenia, bleeding is rare, unless the platelet count falls to less than 10,000/µL. If this occurs, bleeding gums, extremity petechiae, and easy bruising are common presenting features.
Neurologic
- With aseptic meningitis, patients may experience headache, photophobia, and frank encephalitis. Cranial nerve involvement may be observed. Cranial nerve VII is affected predominantly; sometimes, nerves V and/or VIII are also affected.
- Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy findings include weakness, areflexia, and minimal sensory changes.
- With mononeuritis multiplex, patients develop multifocal asymmetric cranial or peripheral nerve lesions, including facial or laryngeal palsy, wristdrop or footdrop, and other neuropathic symptoms. Early in the course of HIV infection, mononeuritis multiplex is usually limited to a single nerve or a few nerves and resolves spontaneously without treatment.

History

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The clinical manifestations observed for acute HIV infection are numerous, and multiple systems can be affected. The discussion below outlines the historical course and physical findings of the conditions observed in acute HIV infection. Oral lesions, including thrush, hairy leukoplakia, and aphthous ulcers, are particularly common during this stage of HIV infection.

Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy: Patients have a history of enlarged lymph nodes (>1 cm) involving 2 or more extrainguinal sites for more than 3 months without an obvious cause.
Oral lesions
- Thrush may be present.
- Patients may have oral hairy leukoplakia.
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV) lesions may be present and can be painful.
- Reactivation of herpes zoster (shingles) occurs in patients infected with HIV, with a relapse rate of approximately 20%.
- Aphthous ulcers are shallow and painful and typically affect the posterior oropharynx.
Hematologic
- Anemia may be present, and patients usually present with fatigue and malaise.
- Thrombocytopenia may also be an early consequence of HIV infection, but typically it is not symptomatic. Bleeding of the gums, extremity petechiae, and easy bruising are common presenting features in patients with clinically significant thrombocytopenia.
Neurologic manifestations: These result in significant morbidity for patients infected with HIV.
- These manifestations may be either primary (ie, due to HIV infection) or secondary (ie, due to opportunistic infections, neoplasms, or other conditions [peripheral]).
- Opportunistic infections and neoplasms include toxoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, human T-cell leukemia virus type I infection, M tuberculosis infection, syphilis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, and primary CNS lymphoma. Secondary processes typically occur when CD4 cell counts are less than 200/µL.
- Neurologic conditions that can occur during the acute HIV infection phase include aseptic meningitis, peripheral neuropathies (eg, mononeuritis multiplex, Guillain-Barré–like syndrome), and myopathy.
- Aseptic meningitis can be observed in all but the very late stages of HIV infection. Patients may experience headache, photophobia, and frank encephalitis. Aseptic meningitis due to HIV infection usually resolves spontaneously within 2-4 weeks. Signs and symptoms may persist long-term in some patients.
- Peripheral neuropathies are common in patients infected with HIV. They occur at all stages of illness and take various forms, as follows:
  - Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: Patients commonly present with progressive weakness, areflexia, and minimal sensory changes.
  - Mononeuritis multiplex: This is a necrotizing arteritis of peripheral nerves. Patients develop multifocal asymmetric cranial or peripheral nerve lesions, including facial or laryngeal palsy, wristdrop or footdrop, and other neuropathic symptoms.
  - Myopathy: This may range in severity from an asymptomatic creatine kinase elevation to a subacute syndrome characterized by proximal muscle weakness and myalgia.

Pathophysiology

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Acute HIV infection affects the lymphatic system, skin, gastrointestinal system, genitourinary system, bone marrow, and neurological system. Clinical findings observed in acute HIV infection include the following:

Lymphatics - Persistent generalized lymphatic
Oral lesions
- Thrush
- Oral hairy leukocyte
- Pharyngitis
- Herpes simplex virus
- Reactivation herpes zoster (shingles)
Dermatological - Rash
Hematologic
- Anemia
- Thrombotic
Neurological
- Primary (IE, due to HIV infection)
- Secondary due to opportunistic infections: These usually occur when CD4 cell counts are less than 200/µL.
  - Toxoplasmosis
  - Cryptococcosis
  - Cytomegalovirus infection
  - Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection
  - Syphilis
  - Human T-cell leukemia virus type I infection
- Secondary due to neoplasms: These usually occur when CD4 cell counts are less than 200/µL.
  - Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
  - Primary CNS lymphoma
- Secondary due to other causes
  - Aseptic meningitis
  - Peripheral neuropathies (eg, mononeuritis multiplex, Guillain-Barré–like syndrome)
  - Myopathy

Mortality/Morbidity

Acute HIV infection comprises a range of diseases. Morbidity varies depending on the condition. By definition, no mortality is associated with acute HIV infection.

Race

No racial predilection is documented for patients with acute HIV infection.

Sex

Both sexes are affected with the constellation of symptoms that define the syndrome of acute HIV infection.

Age

This condition can affect patients of any age.

Background

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The clinical effects of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are diverse, ranging from an acute syndrome associated with primary infection to a prolonged asymptomatic state to advanced disease. Experts regard HIV disease as beginning at the time of primary infection and progressing through numerous stages. For most patients, active virus replication and progressive immunologic impairment occur throughout the course of HIV infection, even during the clinically latent stage. HIV disease can be divided empirically based on the degree of immunodeficiency into early stage (ie, CD4 T-cell count >500/µL), intermediate stage (ie, CD4 cell count 200-500/µL), and advanced stage (ie, CD4 cell count <200/µl).

The stage of HIV infection when CD4 cell counts are greater than 200/µL has been given a variety of names, including pre–acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex. Note that these 2 terms are being used less frequently.

The time from initial infection to clinical disease is highly variable, with a median time of approximately 10 years. HIV disease with active virus replication usually progresses during this asymptomatic period, and the rate of disease progression correlates directly with HIV RNA levels. Patients with high levels of HIV RNA progress to symptomatic disease faster than patients with low levels of HIV RNA.

In many patients, opportunistic diseases may be the first manifestations of HIV infection. Some patients who are otherwise asymptomatic develop persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) during this time. With few exceptions, CD4 cell counts decline progressively during this asymptomatic period at an average rate of approximately 50/µL/y. Patients with early symptomatic HIV infection have CD4 cell counts greater than 200/µL. When the CD4 cell count falls to less than approximately 200/µL, the resulting state of immunodeficiency places patients at high risk for opportunistic infections and neoplasms, thus, clinically apparent disease.

Many of the initial problems encountered while CD4 cell counts remain greater than 200/µL are not sufficiently indicative of a defect in cell-mediated immunity to be considered AIDS-defining illnesses. Some of these problems appear to be direct effects of long-standing HIV infection. Equally important is the fact that the clinical findings at the stage of disease encompassed by early symptomatic HIV infection, while indicative of a decline in immune function, are generally less predictive of overall patient status than the data obtained from serial measurements of CD4 cell counts.

The importance of AIDS symptoms

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In any important area, research can really help the cause. This is especially the case when it comes to epidemics like the AIDS virus. Without the research and the developments that come from that research, the AIDS and HIV pandemic would be much worse than it already is. Many people in the world have this virus. By last estimates, there are over thirty three million people in the world who currently have the disease. That is astronomical when it comes to a terrible and deadly disease such as this. In fact, more than two million people have died from the virus so far. With the help of proper research, scientists can hopefully gain enough information on AIDS to create a cure.

Scientists have already learned a lot about HIV and AIDS through their research. In the beginning, there were a lot of misconceptions about the virus. For instance, people though that only homosexual sex or drug use spread the virus. Through great research, they've learned that this is not true. Anyone can contract or spread the disease. It isn't limited to a certain kind of person. Now that this is known, more people can protect themselves. And the more people that do, the epidemic can subside.

Through the proper research, scientists and doctors have found a lot of great treatments that can help people with this virus. While they have yet to find a cure, these medications are still very helpful. They improve the quality of the lives of the people with the illness. It also makes it harder to contract the disease from people who take the medicine. Through further research, scientists hope that they will eventually find a cure. If they do, it will likely be given to people all over the world in the form of a vaccination. This information on AIDS will be very helpful in stopping the current pandemic.

Research also does a great job of increasing the education on the subject. Often, education is the reason why the illness is so widespread. If people don't know how to protect themselves, then they will likely contract the disease and give it to others. This is evidenced by the current AIDS epidemic in Africa. Since these nations are so poor, they cannot afford to educate their population on AIDS and how it can be contracted. That is why there are so many people there who are sick with the virus. There are organizations that are working on educating people in sub-Saharan Africa, though. They work to let people know about simple ways that they can avoid getting sick, such as the use of condoms. They also supply these condoms to people in hopes that they will use them and avoid giving AIDS to others.

Without the proper research, we wouldn't have known about how to avoid getting sick with the AIDS virus. We would likely have many more people in the world who are sick. This research has helped a lot of people and it has slowed down the spread of the virus. Still, the amount of people who have the disease grows every year. With more research and education, this can hopefully be reversed.

Now you can see the importance of proper research when it comes to AIDS and HIV. The research that has already been done has had a great and positive impact on the epidemic. Hopefully, further research will help find a cure and make less people sick with the disease. That is the main goal for scientists. To help the cause, donating money often goes to the research. This money also helps people who already have the disease.

Learn more about AIDS statistics

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Since AIDS and HIV have become such a problem, more and more people get sick from it. If people want to avoid getting sick, they must first learn the facts about the virus. There is a lot to be known about this illness. The more that people know about it, the better the chance of lowering the amount of people that are sick with it.

AIDS is an epidemic. This means that it is a virus or disease that has spread and infected a wide number of people. It is also a pandemic. This means that it is an epidemic that is prevalent in a large portion of the world. In this case, AIDS and HIV can be found in nearly every country in the world. As a matter of fact, there are more than thirty three million people in the world that are currently afflicted with the virus. That is a staggering number when you realize that there are six billion people in the world. That means that .5% of the world is infected with AIDS, and that number continues to grow every year.

Although most countries have a population of people infected with HIV and AIDS, the continent of Africa has by far the most. This is especially the case in sub-Saharan Africa, which consists of all of the countries to the south of the Sahara desert. In fact, three quarters of the world's HIV sufferers come from Africa. There are many reasons why this area of the world has more people infected with the AIDS virus. For starters, many scientists believe that this is where the virus originally began. While they don't know for sure, they still believe this to be the case. There is also a lack of education and medical staff in these areas.

Education does a great bit of help in relation to the AIDS in Africa. Without the right information, people don't know about the illness and how it can be contracted. They will then not protect themselves and others the way that they should. In Africa, few people use condoms. This is because they don't have much access to them, and they don't realize how important they are. Organizations are working to help teach people so that AIDS in Africa becomes much less of a problem.

There are also organizations that are sending units of medical professionals to Africa as well. These doctors and nurses are helping administer important treatments so that the chance of spreading AIDS and HIV is lessened. They also give condoms and other protection to people so that they hopefully will cease to spread the illness to others. This work is very important and is a large reason why the world population of AIDS sufferers isn't larger than it already is.

Some people don't realize how many children are infected with AIDS and HIV every year. Most know that this virus can be spread the sexual acts and through the transfer of blood. Less know about how this all affects babies. Often, children can get AIDS before they are ever born. This happens when the mother is infected with the virus. She can pass it along to her baby during pregnancy. It can also happen through childbirth. If you have AIDS, do not breast feed your baby. This is a big way that most children contract the illness. Instead, feed your new child with formula. This way, you can ensure that they stay healthy and happy.

With these AIDS statistics, you can be much more well-informed about the virus. With proper education and research, the epidemic should subside.

Treatments of HIV and AIDS

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There is a lot of fear that goes along with AIDS and HIV. Since it first started to show up in the early 1980s, there has been a large amount of fear present with this epidemic. People are scared that they will get it, so they are already concerned about the various treatments. While there are plenty of scientists working to find a cure for HIV and AIDS, they haven't yet found one. Instead, medication for the illness is used as a treatment rather than a cure.

Before you worry too much about the treatment for AIDS and HIV, you must first learn about the actual virus. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus while AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Essentially, AIDS is an advanced version of HIV. There are many people who have HIV but do not have AIDS, but it can't go the other way around. If you have AIDS, then you have HIV as well.

This virus can be contracted several ways. You basically need to come into contact with certain fluids that are infected with the virus, including blood. This also applies to vaginal fluid, semen and pre-seminal fluid. For children, AIDS can be contracted through breast milk. If you have HIV and your child was born without it, you should avoid breastfeeding in order to save your child from this harmful virus.

In order to determine if you have HIV, you need to take a test. This test is administered by nurses or doctors in health clinics. They will take your blood and send it out for testing. It usually then takes a few days to a few weeks in order to find out the results. If you find out, through the use of these tests, that you are positive for the virus, you'll need to start treatment right away. With help from the treatment, HIV and AIDS symptoms can greatly diminish.

Highly active antiresonator therapy, known as HART for short, is the main way that AIDS and HIV is treated. These consist of several different drugs, commonly called a cocktail. It may take a while for your doctor to figure out what works for you. They will put you on different HAART medication combinations to see what works and what does not. Eventually, you will be taking the right amount and combination of medications that will keep you as healthy as possible.

While these medications and treatments don't cure AIDS and HIV, they do help. They can reduce the chance of your giving the virus to others. They also help you fend off any other illnesses that you could get sick with because of your hampered immune system. Your quality of life could drastically improve if you were on these medications.

Not only that, but you could live much longer on these medications. For example, if you don't go on the treatment when you have HIV, you will only live for nine to eleven more years after you were infected. If you are on the treatment, this lifespan will double. This makes a significant impact on your health and life when you are on the medications. Because of this, doctors and nurses will encourage you to do so.

If you do not have health insurance and are low on funds, you likely won't need to worrying about the cost of the medications. There are organizations and government programs out there that help people who need treatment for AIDS and HIV. Contact them once you find out that you are sick. Your doctor may even be able to help you contact the appropriate organization that can help you with this.

The symptoms of AIDS

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The symptoms of AIDS are found as a result of infected immune system. Viruses, bacterias, parasites or fungi are the main reason for causing conditions that develop AIDS and are usually controlled by the elements of the immune system that HIV damages.

The symptoms of AIDS can be found in almost every part and every organ of the human body. In the early stage when first infected with AIDS, there is a good possibility of not having any signs and symptoms of infection, but there is a chance of flu-like condition two to four weeks after becoming infected. Some of the early symptoms include: pyrexia (fever), headache, rash, swollen lymph glands and sore throat (pharyngitis). Even if the person does not have these symptoms, he can transmit the virus to the people surrounding him. The virus is reproducing in lymph nodes and gradually starts to break down the helper T cells which have the role of managing the complete immune system.

After a few years, the AIDS develops into the later stage. The person infected by AIDS can stay without any symptoms manifestation for more than nine years, but after this period the virus is very crucial and destroys the immune system. There is a good possibility of getting soft infections or showing infection effects such as: swollen lymph nodes, weight reduction, diarrhea, fever, cough and breath problems.

Ten or more years after the first AIDS infection, this virus becomes very critical and expands into the latest phase of infection when more serious symptoms can be found. The number of CD4 lymphocyte is less than 200 while normal count varies from 800 to 1,200. In this period the immune system of the person infected by the virus is much damaged, making it very sensitive to similar infections. The signs and symptoms of some of these infections may contain: headaches, weight reduction, chronic diarrhea, soaking night sweats, dry cough and difficulty in breathing, blurred and distorted vision, steady white spots or unusual lesions on the tongue or in the mouth, shaking chills or fever higher than 38 C for several weeks.

The person infected by AIDS is more likely to develop certain cancers, but improved treatments have reduced the risk of these illnesses.

Symptoms

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A doctor should be seen if any of the following symptoms persist for longer than two weeks:

painless swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin
fever
night sweats
tiredness
weight loss without dieting

If a patient has AIDS and symptoms of lymphoma, a doctor will carefully check for swelling or lumps in the neck, underarms, and groin. If the lymph nodes don't feel normal, the doctor may need to cut out a small piece of tissue and look at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This procedure is called a biopsy.

In general, patients with AIDS-related lymphoma respond to treatment differently from patients with lymphoma who do not have AIDS. AIDS-related lymphoma usually grows faster and spreads outside the lymph nodes and to other parts of the body more often than lymphoma that is not related to AIDS. Because therapy can damage an already weak immune system even further, patients who have AIDS-related lymphoma are generally treated with lower doses of drugs than patients who do not have AIDS.

Intestinal Disorders

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The churning action of the stomach breaks down food to help the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. Malabsorption and diarrhea from intestinal problems are common in HIV and can result from both infectious and non-infectious causes.

Intestinal opportunistic infections are less frequent now than they were in the pre-HAART era, but people with advanced AIDS can develop Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) or other bacterial infections of the small intestine. Cryptosporidium, a parasite which causes chronic diarrhea in people with AIDS, other parasites such as giardia and microsporidia, and some viruses can all infect the small intestine. Symptoms of small intestine infection often include upper abdominal cramping, bloating, and nausea, along with diarrhea. Stool and blood tests are necessary to check for infectious causes of diarrhea. When an infection can't be found, the diarrhea may be the result of small bowel bacterial overgrowth or HIV enteropathy -- the direct infection of the intestine with HIV. HIV enteropathy alters the lining of the small intestine, decreasing the area available to absorb nutrients. This condition may also affect drug absorption, although it's difficult to test the effects directly.

Infection in the large intestine has a distinct set of symptoms -- diarrhea with lower abdominal pain, defecating blood, or feeling the need to defecate but being unable to do so. The large intestine is a common site for infection with CMV, HSV, and bacteria like salmonella and shigella. Antibiotic therapy can alter the environment of the gut, allowing for overgrowth of the bacteria clostridium difficile in the large intestine, which causes diarrhea 3-4 times a day.

Stomach Disorders

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Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) is a common problem regardless of HIV status. Symptoms of gastritis include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, and, in severe cases, vomiting blood. Common causes of gastritis are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprofen, major health stress (patients who are sick enough to be in an Intensive Care Unit), heavy alcohol use, and infection with the bacteria H pylori. H pylori doesn't cause problems for most people who have it. And it is no more common in people with HIV than in those without HIV. But the presence of H pylori can negatively affect treatment success for people with HIV.

The breakdown of the stomach or intestinal lining causes an ulcer. Ulcers are extremely common - 10% of adults have an ulcer at some point in their lives -- and they cause dull or gnawing pain in the upper abdomen. Contrary to popular belief, ulcers occur more frequently in the small intestine than in the stomach, and they are more commonly caused by NSAIDs, excessive acid production, or H pylori infection than by stress or too much coffee. An upper endoscopy is performed to diagnose ulcers, often accompanied by specialized testing for H pylori.

HIV gastropathy, a condition caused by decreased stomach acid secretion, makes affected patients more susceptible to bacterial infections like salmonella and shigella. These bacteria would normally be destroyed by acidic stomach contents. HIV gastropathy also decreases absorption of medications that require an acidic environment, such as Nizoral (ketoconazole) and Sporanox (itraconazole), two commonly-used antifungal drugs. There is no specific test for HIV gastropathy at this time, but your healthcare provider may make certain medication adjustments if he or she suspects this condition, such as switching to other drugs that don't depend on acid for absorption.

Disorders of Esophagus

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The GI tract is a long tube with one entrance (the mouth) and one exit (the anus), and problems can occur in any section on the way down. The esophagus is the part of the tube between the mouth and the stomach. The muscles of the esophagus contract and relax to propel food down. A muscular valve at the base of the esophagus closes off the stomach so that its acidic contents can't leak back up into the esophagus.

Heartburn - a burning sensation behind the center of the ribcage - occurs when stomach contents travel back up the esophagus. If you experience heartburn, it usually happens thirty to sixty minutes after eating and is sometimes accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth. Heartburn can be prevented by waiting at least three hours after meals to lie down, by elevating the head of the bed or using extra pillows in bed, and by avoiding spicy or acidic foods. Other lifestyle changes to help prevent heartburn include maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding tight belts or pants.

Frequent heartburn is a side effect of some HIV medications. It may also be a sign of esophageal reflux disease, called GERD for short. GERD can damage the lining of the esophagus and lead to other complications. Frequent heartburn should be discussed with your health care provider, as inexpensive, over-the-counter treatments are available. Further testing by your provider, including looking down the esophagus with a camera (an upper endoscopy), may be necessary if the symptoms don't go away.

Another symptom related to the esophagus is pain when swallowing or difficulty swallowing. Those symptoms should raise a red flag, especially for people with low immune function (CD4 counts less than 200), as they may be signs of a yeast infection (esophageal candidiasis), cytomegalovirus (CMV), or herpes virus (HSV), each of which requires specific therapy. Left untreated, swallowing problems can have a significant negative impact on medication adherence, nutrition, and, of course, quality of life. Treating AIDS with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) helps to cure esophageal infection and to prevent future infections.

Several medications -- some used to treat HIV and opportunistic infections as well as some used to treat other illnesses and conditions -- may cause direct injury to the lining of the esophagus if the pills get stuck in the esophagus as they travel down. They should always be taken with plenty of water while you're sitting up to make sure that the medications are appropriately washed down.

The infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIVE infection, AIDS)

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The infection caused by immunodeficiency virus (HIVE). Another name - AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). I have in recent years the spread of epidemic in the world, is caused by human immunodeficiency virus, found in saliva and mucous discharges of patients. This is a contagious disease, developed with the hit of the causative agent in the blood, most often transmitted sexually. HIVE infection occurs and when intravenous drugs, with transfusions of blood and its products because of the non-tool, especially needles.
Destroyed by boiling the causal agent of AIDS, ether, acetone, ethanol (20%), sophomoric sodium (0.2%). For the first time the disease was detected among homosexuals and drug addicts. He even called the first "gay disease." Pain predominantly male (9 of 10). Later it was also widely disseminated among the people, having indiscriminate sex. We prove the transmission of the virus from mother to child during pregnancy and childbirth.
Symptoms and over. First, the temperature rises to 38-40S, at any time of day, there is profuse sweating, sharply reduced physical activity. At the same time, you may experience liquid stools, loss of flesh, shortness of breath, inflammatory changes in skin, hair loss, increase in lymph nodes. This may take several years. Then the patients developed various associated infections, which rarely occur in people with normal immunity. They can affect the skin, lymph nodes, eyes, the various departments of gastrointestinal tract, lungs, central nervous system. At the skin while there are various rashes (spotty, nodular, bubble, etc.), often accompanied by itch's. The difficult period of these diseases is extremely limited due to the protective forces of the body. Most of the time in patients with AIDS, there is double the current pneumonia persisted. Often occurs candidness of the oral cavity, which is spreading, resulting in a vipers the esophagi and lungs. At the oral mucosa, genital organs and perineum bubble eruptions occur. Many affects the central nervous system, eyes. Often there diarrhea, taking a rather hard, with frequent watery stools (up to 15 liters a day). The majority of patients immediately after recovery from illness infection the other begins, there is a mix of various infections.
Approximately 40% of AIDS patients develop malignant tumors. Often diagnosed at a late stage or after the death of the patient. Approximately 1 / 3 found Kapok's sarcoma, which often affects not only the skin, and lymph nodes, mucous membranes and internal organs.
Quite often infected with the virus for several years, apart from increasing the neck, or axillaries cervical lymph nodes, there are no other symptoms with further classical painting.
Human immunodeficiency virus, and the war affect the people most active age.

Scientists have found that the AIDS virus can hide in cells of human

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Scientists have found that the human immunodeficiency virus ( HIVE), causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), can hide in human cells, so that the natural protective mechanisms do not notice. The statement was made by Dr. Kathleen Collins (Kathleen Collins) from the University of Michigan (University of Michigan), USA. She worked with the report on the 162 the meeting of the general microbiology (Society for General Microbiology), taking place this week at the International Conference Center (International Conference Center) in Edinburgh, UK.
Usually, the immune system reacts to the emergence of the virus (egg influenza virus), the formulation of special cells that can cope with the virus. But in the case of HIVE immune response can be formed all human life, because it evaded the virus from immune cells, making them feel part of the normal cells. Hide helps protein Neff, explains Dr. Collins. He is introduced to the part of the immune system, which is responsible for the identification of viruses and bacteria. U.S. Scientists have developed drugs that can block this action of protein Neff.
Incidentally, during the same session of the general microbiology hear the report that the AIDS virus emerged as a result of evolution. The nearest relatives of the virus, SIVA (simian immunodeficiency virus, immunodeficiency virus monkeys) living in monkeys, do not destroy the work of the immune system of their hosts. More active and destructive force of HIVE obliged all the same protein Neff.
AIDS made its presence felt recently, only 26 years ago. Journal of Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report (departmental publication of the American Center for disease control) 5 June, 1981 published an article about a strange outbreak of pneumonia in Los Angels, USA. During 7 months, five men have been victims of a microscopic fungus Pneumatics caring, which often occurs in the human lung, but usually behaves quietly and may cause disease only in people with suppressed immunity. In addition, all patients were found cytomegalovirus, has also tended to quickly neutralized the immune system. It was clear that the five with severe immune disorders could not accidentally come together. It turned out that all the victims were members of one sex communes. Therefore, in the introductory part of the article Dr. Jim Curran suggested that the depression of immunity due to any infection, possibly transmitted through sexual contact. Since the world first learned about AIDS.

A protein "lock" the AIDS virus in human cells

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American biologists discovered a protein that prevents new particles of human immunodeficiency virus (HIVE) to withdraw from the infected cells, thus preventing virus reproduction.
The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, believe their discovery will help to create new ways to fight HIVE.
The human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS and other viruses, is the intracellular parasites and can not reproduce without the participation of different ways of living cell.Virus "cheat" system cells, forcing them to make viral proteins instead of their own.
Infected cells works as a kind of factory for production of viral particles - proving that at the final stage of development must reach out through the membrane infected cells.
Scientists had previously been known that most human cells contain a factor that regulates the output of viral particles, but still a factor that has not been identified.
Biologists from the Emory University Medical School (Georgia), Vanderbilt University and the Mayo Clinic have found that HIVE particle "locks" in the cell protein CAME (calcium-modulating chillingly lag ans).
This protein works in the latter stages of the life cycle of the virus, keeping Verizon in the membrane of cells. However, HIVE and developed a means of defense against CAME - viral protein Up. When Up is absent, the virus particles can not be separated from the membrane.
When researchers in the laboratory "removed" from the human cell protein CAME, they found that Up was no longer required to exit the virus particles from the cell. When the researchers introduced CAME in cells, which under normal circumstances do not prevent the entry of HIVE particles, Verizon stayed on the surface of cells.
"This study is important because experience shows that CAME - is innate defense mechanism against HIVE", - said one of the authors, Professor Paul Spinier (Paul Spearman) from Emory University.

Infections

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Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
This virus family herpetologist. It can be located not only in those infected with HIVE. But a person with a healthy immune system, it either does not cause any inflammation (of symptoms) or manifest as a mild cold. CMV can be transmitted through semen, cervical secret urine. He very easily transmitted through sexual contact. People with immunodeficiency virus that can cause liver injury (hepatitis), lungs (pneumonia), gastrointestinal tract (colitis), the eye (retinues, often resulting in complete or substantial loss of vision). Because CMV is transmitted through semen and cervical secret and urine, HIVE-positive people must use a condom during any sexual contact penetrating to prevent contamination of this virus.
Not a small role in the prevention of CMV plays a compliance standard of hygiene, including the timely thorough handshaking.
Hairy leukemia
This defeat cover fabric of language, as reflected stuck wite thin hairs (similar to the raw cotton). Called Epstein-Bar virus. Leukemia does not endanger the lives of HIVE-infected, but reduces the quality of life, so how can create discomfort when eating. It is not contagious and often goes by itself .. Look-alike may be confused with candidiasis, but unlike him, leukemia does not extend further language.
Herpes simplex I and herpes simplex II
This family of viruses herpes. Manifested in the form of small bubbles in the vicinity of the mouth ( "cold") (herpes simplex I) or the anus and / or genitals (herpes simplex II). Those and other manifestations are usually held in 10-15 days, but could be renewed. It may be infected by both viruses at once. People with impaired immune systems of most do not pass, and spread on the skin to other parts of the body. The lesions are sometimes accompanied by severe itch, which poses a considerable inconvenience.
Lymph nodes
This is a long time not passing the increase in lymph nodes. Its cause is not a specific infectious agent (this is not a contagious disease). Usually, when the body is struggling with an infection the size of lymph nodes increased some what, particularly in the worst-hit areas of the body. Increased state of lymph nodes may persist up to several weeks.
In the case of HIVE infection, increasing the lymph nodes is observed through 2-6 months after infection, and remains a very long time, because the body can not "win" the infection and is in a position to fight. Sometimes lymph nodes reach a significant size, so that they can be seen.

Opportunistic infections

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Opportunistic infections and diseases develop only on the background of the affected in a weakened immune system. If the immune system is working properly, the infection and the disease or do not develop or appear to not dangerous to the life form.
Against the backdrop of the defeat the immune system of HIVE can develop opportunistic infections following:
Candida
It is very common disease caused by a fungus Candida Albanians. It can infect mucous tissue throat, anus, vagina, digestive tract, but most often seen in the mouth. In the worst option mouth into the throat and further into the lungs. May grow at a reception of antibiotics, when the violation healthy flora of the human body. There is a belong raid on the mucous tissues. There is strong pain, but can create difficulties when eating.
Often occurs and vaginal candidates. Sometimes it develops in the early stages of HIVE infection, but most cases are not linked to HIVE infection. Pregnancy, diabetes, hormonal disorders, severe stress, some oral contraceptives, and strong antibiotics can lead to the emergence and development of vaginal candidates.
Cryptically meningitis
The defeat of the brain caused by Cryptograms informant. It can be found in meningitis and, rarely, in the blood. More often than not, there are the external manifestations of the disease the following: headache, visual impairment (blurred picture "), a state of constant confusion, depression, speech impediments. According to statistics, the disease affected 10% of AIDS patients.
Circumscription's
Called a parasite circumscription parvenu. Until 1976, there have been no deaths caused by a parasite that. Infection occurs if the company gets something, which had earlier contact with the faces of contaminated human or animal. Also, contamination can occur when you do not use boiled water or food, did not pass the required heat treatment. In this case, the organism into the parasite eggs. Quite often, circumscription parvenu enters the mouth through dirty hands.
After about 2-10 days after infection symptoms of infection. It can be watery diarrhea, headache, skin irritation, weak catarrh about the phenomenon. When there is severe diarrhea dehydration. In humans with normal immune systems, these symptoms are often themselves through 7-10 days. For people with immunodeficiency infection with circumscription parvenu can lead to serious violations, including threats to life.
HIVE-positive people should avoid any contact with the faces of humans and animals (generally not recommended to take home, or playing with cats or tanks under a month, or with animals suffering from diarrhea), be sure to wash your hands after using the toilet, working in the garden and other contact with the ground, meeting with many people. It also should be excluded oral-anally practice sec . Particular attention should be given water and products: water must boil immediately before use, to try to avoid any food, more than 2-W hours without being sealed packaging and are not held enough heat treatment.

What is HIVE?

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Human immunodeficiency virus is composed of RNA, enzymes (protease, inveterate, reverse transcript) and Shell.
RNA - this spiral, in which hereditary information about the virus in the same way as in human DNA contains hereditary information of the person. It is an RNA virus transformed into the DNA of cells of CD +.
Enzymes help the virus to penetrate into the cells of the body and multiply. They are an integral part of its life cycle. Modern anti-retrovirus drugs affect just for enzymes. The shell protects the RNA and enzymes from external influences.
As the virus multiplies in the human body?
For the reproduction of the virus requires special cell. These cells called CD +-lymphocytes. Unfortunately it is these cells in our body responsible for the immune system and are designed to fight infections. The very technology of reproduction of HIVE as follows: When a virus is found in the blood, it is close to lymphocytes, it dissolves the skin cells and releases its contents into the victim. Then, using the enzyme reverse transcript build their HIVE RNA in DNA-lymphocyte cells. It turns out that the lymphocyte contains both hereditary information of the individual, as well as HIVE. Once the virus is introduced in the human genetic material, it can reproduce (synthesize new viruses). To do this, use of HIVE protease enzyme. With the help of DNA is cut into small pieces, each of which contains the HIVE RNA. Thus, the virus is one of a few. Once the virus has created several copies, they are coming out of the cell, thereby destroying it. And start all over again. New viruses are looking for their victims - CDC +-lymphocytes.
The problem of HIVE infection and AIDS is surrounded by a lot of misconceptions.
HIVE - Human immunodeficiency virus is.
It affects immune system cells rights. Diagnosis of HIVE - infection "is when a person is infected with HIVE.
HIVE - infected and AIDS patients - not the same thing.
AIDS - acquired immune deficiency syndrome. To develop in people infected with HIVE, and is the final stage of the disease. Since HIVE infection to the development of AIDS may take from 7 to 15 years. HIVE-infected person may feel good, look good and are not even suspected of being infected. People living with HIVE / AIDS can be of any gender, age and nationality. Humanity is not think of a cure for AIDS, but there is a cure for the fear evoked by the word "AIDS". That is a fact.
Learn the facts about HIVE and AIDS. When you know the facts, you can get rid of fear. Use this knowledge and keep themselves.

What are the methods and means of protection from AIDS, the most effective?
1. Do not use drugs.
2. Do not use with any common syringe and needle.
3. Do not dial out of the total drugs and do not pour them out of the total syringe.
4. Having sex only with one partner, which are not virus-positive person, NOT tunic, not using a common needle or syringe with other people and does not have other sexual partners.
5. Be protected during sexual contact, if there is no absolute certainty that the partner is not a virus-positive person.

Drugs and Experience doctor, their role in AIDS CURE

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Drugs

Research ways of life, as described above, also showed that drugs are not associated with more rapid progress of HIV infection.

However, it is not for all drugs. According to the latest figures cocaine, possibly accelerating the development of HIV infection, because this substance contributes to the reproduction of HIV. Cocaine increases the ability of HIV to enter cells of the immune system, preventing cells to produce the protective substance. Some data show that weekly consumption of cocaine and various hallucinogens linked with a higher risk of death, although it is unclear how this relates to HIV.

Until now until the end unclear whether the development of HIV infection from injecting drug use. Some experts suggest that drug use contributes to violations in the DNA of the virus, bringing the virus mutates frequently. Perhaps that is why among injecting drug users often encountered resistance to anti-retrovirals and HIV-associated diseases of the nervous system.

Also injections non sterile tools may be associated with re-infection of HIV and various other infections that may influence the course of the disease.

There is laboratory evidence that alcohol contributes to the development of HIV infection. Like cocaine, it blocks a substance the immune system that prevent the virus to penetrate the cell. Nevertheless, studies on real people have not shown that the use of alcohol as something related to the progress of HIV.

There is evidence that smoking cigarettes increases the risk of opportunistic infections of the skin pneumocystic pneumonia. But with the development of HIV smoking has nothing to do.

Experience doctor

Strictly speaking, this is hardly a risk factor for disease. However, studies show that people whose doctor more experience in the field of HIV / AIDS live longer and remain healthy longer than patients whose doctors have less experience. In one study showed that among the people on stage AIDS risk of death was 43% lower among patients with the most experienced doctors. The same study determined that patients with an experienced doctor quickly receive first aid and specialized treatment, they have better access to a variety of laboratory studies. And that leads to better health when living with HIV.

The II part of genetic genetic characteristics

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Lifestyle and other factors

Poverty and homelessness are also associated with the development of HIV infection, possibly because of such factors as poor diet and lack of access to medical care. Also examined lifestyle factors such as psychological health (eg depression), but on this issue there is no single opinion.

In one English study involved 168 people living with HIV for several years. Among them were those who could be called non progressive, such us people whose immune status has remained above 500 cells / ml after more than 8.5 years after infection. Also among them were people with an average speed of development of HIV infection, and the rapid development of HIV infection.

Scientists have collected the most information about their different lifestyles: the use of alcohol and tobacco, sleep, receive vitamin supplements, physical activity, using alternative methods of healing. The results were disappointing: a way of life had virtually no impact on the development of HIV infection. Monitoring of HIV-positive women for seven years has also not shown that life may once have an impact on HIV.

Dangerous sex

There is some evidence that a dangerous sex linked to the development of HIV infection. One study showed that among HIV-positive men who have unprotected penetrating sex, immune status has fallen faster than among men, avoiding risk sex.

Men involved in receiving anal sex without a condom, there is often a sharp decline in immune status. The risk of lowering the immune status grew with each new sexual partner, which does not use a condom.

These studies do not say what the causal link between the dangerous sex and immune status. Perhaps the reason is re-infected with HIV. Also, the reason may be in various sexually transmitted infections. Some researchers even suggest that the semen itself may suppress the immune system.

There was only a few cases of re-infection of HIV. In some cases reinfektsiya hampered by the immune system to contain the virus, or lead to resistance to treatment. As a result, the development of HIV infection is accelerated.

The genetic characteristics

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People who have certain mutant genes, cells can be CD4, less vulnerable to HIV. This is due to the fact that these people on the cells lacking the so-called co receptors CXCR4 and CCR5. Both co receptors virus needs to penetrate the cell.

According to data analysis of several studies of CCR5 mutations reduces the likelihood of AIDS by 23% and the CCR2 mutation at 26%. Other studies have identified mutations that reduce the risk of developing AIDS in the 31-39%.

For example, the mutation CCR2 64I is linked to a much slower decline in immune status. Typically, this mutation occurs among Africans and Asians, rather than the Europeans. But mutation of CCR5 delta 32 Conversely distributed among northern Europeans and Scandinavians.

However, the impact of genetic mutations are much more difficult than is commonly thought. Their protective effect associated with the duration of infection, age, injecting drug use and other factors. For example, the mutation CCR2 64I can protect the body only in the early stages of HIV infection. According to some studies active injecting drug prevents certain mutations of protective action. Under the assumptions of scientists is due to the special influence of certain drugs on the immune system.

Some mutations, however, help the virus to enter cells, increasing the risk of HIV transmission and progression of infection.

The genetic characteristics can also affect the "ambassadors" of immune system - chemokinesis and cytokines, which also affects the progression of HIV infection. Studies suggest that cases of rapid progression of HIV infection associated with changes in some of the most important substances that regulate the immune system - interleukin.

There's also a link between the progress of HIV infection and genetic characteristics of antigen immune system - HLA. This antigen is liable to be inherited, and depends on it "launch" immune response. When the various mutations of the antigen likelihood of the rapid development of HIV infection can be changed six times.

Gender

According to contemporary scientific understanding sex does not affect the speed of development of HIV infection. Earlier on this issue was confusing, since some studies have shown that women with HIV progresses more rapidly. Explanation of data such research has been more than trivial - because of discrimination against women, they may be less access to health care and good medical care.

The largest study conducted in Switzerland showed that there was no difference between the progress of HIV infection in men and women. Nevertheless, against women exists and its characteristics. Women immune status begins to decline, with a little more than men's viral load. This may be relevant to the appointment of antiretroviral therapy for her, but that does not mean that HIV progresses more rapidly among women. Also for older women and drug users is characterized by a rapid decline in immune status than men.

Pregnancy

Overall the study helps firmly say that pregnancy does not lead to the progress of HIV infection. Moreover, a study in the U.S. showed that even multiple pregnancy is not associated with increased risk of AIDS.

Nevertheless, some studies that contradict. For example, according to one study, some opportunistic infections, such as bacterial pneumonia, more prevalent in women who were pregnant. But most of these characteristics are very slim. Also, there is evidence that during the 12 weeks after birth for women increased viral load, even before they have to take anti-retroviral therapy.

Meals

Known fact is that a deficit of some vitamins and minerals can lead to a deterioration in the functions of the immune system. There is evidence that the lack of vitamins A and B-12, as well as zinc associated with more rapid decline in immune status. A lack of calories and protein also associated with deterioration of the current HIV infection. Often such shortages lead to problems with digest nutrients and diarrhea.

While not known whether influence over HIV infection by certain food additives. But now we can say that a full meal, rich in proteins, as well as various vitamins and minerals - is one of the most important drugs for people living with HIV / AIDS.

Stress

Severe stress can accelerate the development of HIV infection. Frequent stressful events, such as breaking long relationship, problems at work, financial difficulties, the loss of loved one or arrest - all linked to the progress of the disease.

Strong stressful events in the two years increased the risk of HIV infection in about four times. Stress is important not only in itself. It is also important whether a person feels that he controls stress. People who feel helpless and unable to change anything more at risk of deteriorating health.

What is the "daily stress" does not affect the progression of the disease. The value is just very strong and prolonged stress. Particularly vulnerable to these people who have no social support of friends and loved ones in serious moments of life.

Psychological distress - the most severe form of stress is directly related to the development of HIV infection, but not with life. A study in the U.S. HIV-positive drug users showed that people experiencing distress, most often AIDS has already developed two years after the transmission of HIV.

The path of transmission of HIV

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There is conflicting data as to whether the development of AIDS as something related to the transmission of the virus through.

Now most scientists have rejected such theories as insolvent. Apparently, the value is not the route of transmission of HIV, and other factors that may be linked to through the transfer. For example, before some were saying that people who are HIV transmission through blood transfusions, the disease progresses rapidly. However, it does not take into account the fact that if a person transfused blood, the more likely he was at an older age, and may suffer other serious illnesses.

Age

Adult progression of HIV infection is faster at an older age. The most noticeable is in people over 40 years. By some estimates the risk of AIDS is increased by 27-55% with each new decade. In one study, conducted among adult hemophiliac, showed that ten years have remained healthy 86% of people infected by the age of 15 years, 72% of people infected between the ages of 15-34 years, 45% of people infected by the age of 34 -54 Years, and only 12% of infected people aged over 55 years. In one Italian study shows that the progression of HIV infection is increasing one and a half times increase in the age of ten years.

The explanation of this phenomenon may be that with increasing age the immune system more difficult to replace CD4 cells with new ones. Perhaps this is due to suppression activities thymus - prostate, generating new cells CD4. Another explanation is that older persons below the level chemokinesis - substances that interfere with HIV to penetrate the cell.

Also, HIV infection can progress rapidly in young children, especially infants. Slower all HIV progression among adolescents.

It is assumed that the young people the best immune response in the transmission of HIV, bringing the viral load has long remained low.

However, according to latest figures, with access to anti-retroviral therapy effect of age on the progression of HIV infection is reduced. However, according to some studies people older than 50 are still difficult to restore the immune status, even when receiving anti-retroviral therapy.

The development of HIV infection: that it affects, and what's not

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The development of HIV infection and its rate depends on many factors, not all of them are known to medicine. Nevertheless, already aware of some causes more rapid development of the disease, or longer maintain health. Some of them are impossible to control, the others may affect not only physicians but also people with HIV.

Changeable forecast

Until 1996, it was thought that 100% of people with HIV develop AIDS in the period from 18 months to 25 years. But even those figures were unreliable. The reasons for this were several:

* Some people develop AIDS more quickly, others slowly.
* The first assessment of progression of HIV infection have appeared as early as the beginning of the epidemic. Then the diagnosis put people in the early stages of AIDS, and it is not surprising that almost all of them have developed AIDS in almost a year.
* With the passage of time, it became clear that most HIV-positive people remain healthy much longer than 1-2 years after infection. Moreover, people can stay healthy from the very beginning of the epidemic, so it was impossible to determine how long, in principle, can continue silent period.

Before the advent of anti-retroviral drugs, scientists have been able to form a picture of "natural evolution" of HIV infection. Left untreated, the average life expectancy of people with the time of HIV infection was 13 years old. Naturally, this meant that someone stage of AIDS appeared before someone at a later date.

Before the therapy the majority of HIV-positive people develop AIDS stage a few years after HIV transmission. However, modern medicine has become not only the ability to control the development of HIV infection, stopping it using drugs, but also identify some factors affecting the changes in immune status and viral load in HIV.

These factors affect how quickly or slowly growing HIV infection, although they themselves do not cause disease. The presence or absence of additional factors did not "guarantee" that people quickly sick. On the development of AIDS affects several factors, many of them are still not known.

The more dangerous viral hepatitis B?

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A 1% ill in the acute period can develop very severe, form of the disease. Suddenly, there is growing dramatically and jaundice, a sweet smell of mouth, drowsiness during the day, insomnia at night, may be bleeding from the stomach and intestine. This period may end up dying, but if the man survives, it sure is recovering.

Chronic disease without treatment over 10-20 years could evolve into cirrhosis of the liver in 10-30% of cases. Each year, 10% patients with cirrhosis develop gastrointestinal bleeding, jaundice, increasing the stomach through the accumulation of fluid violated mind, until loss of consciousness, and 6% have a risk of liver cancer on the background of cirrhosis.

What to do if you have signs of hepatitis B?

Call a doctor. There's no need to engage in self. This can lead to the rapid development of chronic hepatitis with the outcome of cirrhosis. Treat with caution to promises to cure hepatitis in the short term, the use of techniques "alternative medicine", "people's means." They still did not deliver.

As one survey and treatment of hepatitis B?

Survey and must be treated with a doctor: infectious disease, gastroenteritis and Hematology. The very treatment of hepatitis B drug that can block the reproduction of the virus began recently, in the early 90-es.

To determine the feasibility of antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis B must pass corresponding tests, and it is possible extraction needle liver tissues (liver puncture biopsy) for microscopic examination. Before deciding on the appointment of treatment, the doctor must weigh all the factors: age, severity of illness, the risk of possible side effects of antiviral drugs, the likelihood of response to therapy.

As evident hepatitis B?

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Viral hepatitis B may be acute and chronic. From the moment of infection to the deterioration of the well-being held from 42 to 180 days. In some cases, the disease begins with jaundice. However, usually the first signs of disease are common fatigue, malaise, declining appetite, increasing the temperature to 38-39 ° C, can be nausea, vomiting, headache, pain in muscles, joints, cough, runny nose. The disease is subtly - at this stage it easily confused with the flu or cold. All this takes 1-2 weeks, during which some lose flesh on 3-5 kilograms. Then the patients notice darkening of urine, then yellow color scler eyes, and later skin. It starts with icteric period, which lasts for 3-4 weeks. There may disturb pain, lighter calories. The period of recovery lasts 2-12 weeks, is characterized by the disappearance of jaundice, improve the general condition, but is likely to remain a small increase in the liver. In 80-90% of cases is healing. If the disease is delayed until 6 months, then likely move acute phase of chronic disease. Some of the 5-10% of infected adults and 30% of children infected between the ages of 1 to 5 years and 90% is not a vaccine, inoculated newborns born to mothers, sick with chronic hepatitis B disease runs in a carrier, ie no manifestations characteristic of chronic hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis is not always preceded by an acute form. Chronic hepatitis can show itself occasionally incomprehensible weakness, fatigue, very rarely in the period of - the appearance of jaundice and deterioration of general condition, or for a long time does not show itself does.

Hepatitis B

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Hepatitis B (B) - one of the most common liver disease in the world, caused by a virus of hepatitis B. In the vast majority of cases of acute hepatitis B patients successfully treated and, importantly, become lifelong immunity to re-infection. But if the infected person, for whatever reason, lowered immunity, severe period of illness goes undetected, gradually during the prolonged infection becomes chronic.

How is hepatitis B virus infection?

Infection with the virus of hepatitis B, mainly occurring through blood. More often it happens when using shared syringes to intravenous drug use, as well as toothbrush and razor, in the performance of tattoos, piercings, manicure, less when you remove the teeth or in surveys in violation of the integrity of the skin or mucous membranes, as well as possible in carrying out operations. That is, the virus can get into your body through the piercing-cutting items and medical instruments, which, with a lack of processing stored pieces of infected blood. When transfusions of blood containing the virus, also happens contamination. If your sexual partner has hepatitis B virus, the probability of infection through semen is 30%, the virus penetrates even through intact mucous membranes. Detection he also saliva, tears, urine, when they hit on the damaged skin and mucous membranes is the risk of infection, but it is very small. Such transmission is possible in the home, more often among children. Revealed the relationship of contracting hepatitis C through a tubes for inhaling cocaine. If the mother has hepatitis B virus, then it may be born infected child. Therefore, all children almost immediately after birth vaccinate against hepatitis B. The virus is found in breast milk, but not a risk to the child not allowed to breast-feeding.

Living with hepatitis C and depression

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Living with a chronic disease presents many difficulties. None of us do not usually thinks that one «excellent» day we can seriously sick, so normally we are not ready when it happens. Depression can accompany any chronic diseases, including hepatitis C (HIV) and severely complicate the lives of patients. The most difficult time, when depression can find any, are the times:

• When first diagnosed

• During treatment

• After an unsuccessful course of treatment

• When evaluating lifestyle and their sexual opportunities

• If you have these symptoms HIV, as fatigue and sleep disorders

• When attempting to cope with the progressive hepatitis

• When a person is confronted face to face with death

Treatment of HIV

HIV treatment can be very difficult. Typically, patients start treatment with hope and confidence that the result will be positive. If not, the patient may be disappointed, depressed and oppressed. Such a reaction is normal in such situations. The feelings may be different, and some people may experience a range of negative emotions. Those who just finished the medicine, especially highly vulnerable to the risk of depression. Give yourself time to receive results of drug passed. A prolonged depression or depression that hamper normal life, may require medical intervention, such as psychotherapy or treatment with antidepressants.

How can I deal with depression

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1. Do not place a very difficult task and not take themselves too much responsibility. If you expect from yourself too much, it could increase the likelihood of failure, which worsen your health;

2. Very extensive work broken down into parts that are easier to implement, determine what are the priorities and what can wait and do the work whenever possible;

3. Do not take major decisions, such as relocation, change of work, divorce, not having discussed the issue with close friends or relatives of those you trust. Try to postpone decisions on important matters until you do not sign out of depression;

4. Do not stay alone. Spend time in the society of others. Try to talk to them about things not related to depression;

5. Do what improves your mood. Go to the movies, go to the playground to play ball.

6. Take physical exercise. Studies show that people suffering from depression are feeling better, if regular exercise. Sports facilities in the fresh air (jogging, walking, swimming, cycling) in particular provide a significant effect;

7. Exclude from your diet, caffeine and refined sugar. In one study found that people are likely to use a lot of caffeine and refined sugar, depression deepened, and when checking in three months they were still in the same state;

8. Do not overeat and refuses to eat. Follow a healthy, well-balanced diet;

9. Deliver a joy. Medicines for you can become something that enhances your mood - hot bath with a fine tool evening at the opera, visits to dance halls, anything;

10. Do not worried that your condition has not improved as soon as well. It takes time, that you become much better.

Facts and Figures

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Once referred to as depression, scientists are not trying to show the relevance of the problem: "plague of XIX Century", "XXI century - the age of depression, cancer XXI Century", "age of melancholy," and this is only a few definitions. Doctors believe that by 2020 disability because of depression goes to second place among other diseases, giving first place only cardiovascular disease. The reason for such gloomy predictions provide data of numerous scientific and statistical studies showing that:

Every five people in highly developed countries with high levels of life suffers from depression.

About 15% of cases of latent depression sheltering under the guise of bodily ailments.

Likelihood of falling ill from depression 2-4 times higher for single people than for married and having communication and support from co-workers, friends and relatives because the violation of interpersonal relations plays an important role in the development of depression.

Divorced risk of falling ill from depression is 5 times more likely than people who do not have problems in the relationship with their spouse. The reason for this - the stress accompanying the process of parting the once close to people, especially when one of them to do so was not ready.

Depression each year younger - if the earlier depression cases aged 30-40 years, but now the peak of the development of the disease occur in older age.

Prevalence of depression among women (20-25%) is significantly higher than among men (4-10%), with one single year, depressive disorders are developing at 9.5% of women and 5.8% of men that leads include representatives of the beautiful floor to the category risk. It is believed that the peak of women's depression is in age from 30 to 40 years. Disappointed by the fact that, in the absence of adequate support from women, depression can become a chronic condition and darken the remainder of his life "owner". His contribution to the development of depression among women are making as biological factors related to changes in hormonal background (pregnancy, menopause) and the many psychological and social factors.

Women health and stress

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Female body more resistant to stress than men. Nature provides him an additional margin of safety. At least for the reconstruction of the monthly loss of blood and mucosa cells of the uterus. Feminists argue that for men, the loss would amount ... monthly circumcised. I will not even hint what they think of the analogy of child birth. Finally, it must be plump and best juices lively ball - first in ourselves and then for himself.

In fact, in the evolution of the female body polish, such a strategy: to make and bring up, despite everything. That is to ensure reproductive success, with moderate but constant pressure stress factors. This woman and a special device helps the brain, and particularly the balance of hormones, and subcutaneous fat reserves. Incidentally, the hire: During puberty a woman should gain at least 14 kilograms(or reproductive) fat, which gradually gives maiden forms of circularity tempting. Only in this case the pregnancy runs smoothly and ends. And if famine? Elimination ovulation and pregnancy can not occur at all. Violations of menstrual cycle for a woman to become a kind of indicator: something is wrong. A man is sometimes not aware of the pressure of stress, but merely tolerated, sick or stretches to the bottle.

The special, a way to get rid of stress - bogged down in political, social or legal action. For example, wake the professional aspirations of the savory lawyers and try to accommodate the husband all his belongings.

Finally, women do not mind resorting to chemical means of stress. Despite high lives, society has tens of thousands of overt and anonymous alcoholics and drug addicts. Even more - now millions - using antidepressants.

The passion for shopping, let him senseless - another way to blow off, get positive emotions. Excellent way to help gourmet. It lies in the very nature of man: in the hardships of life need more words, to build reserves of energy and body sizes to improve physical resistance and social rank. How well privacy in the kitchen, filled apartment sad cooking, and if someone dares to enter on your territory - will receive pin on the head. However, if you eat as long as you want, gluttony may turn into pathological insatiability, some "night eating" and even this bulimia.

Cytomegalovirus

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Cytomegalovirus belongs to the same group of viruses as herpes. This organism multiplies rapidly and may live long in the human body, leaving their footprints everywhere.

In recent infection, which causes cytomegalovirus occurs quite often. The reason to unfavorable environment, excessive fascination with drugs, the wrong way of life. Because the disease usually begins if the body fails in the immune system, the virus often manifests itself during pregnancy, that is precisely when a woman raises the so-called physiological immunodepression and protective forces weakening.

The source of trouble - TSMV carriers or patients cytomegalovirus infection. The virus is transmitted through blood, urine, saliva, breast milk, amniotic waters, sperm, that is, by any physiological fluid. Add to that: You can be infected with airborne droplets or through household where the infection is moving from one person to another through dirty hands or objects items (towels, dishes). If the infection is acute in women during pregnancy, the virus enters a child through the placenta or amniotic waters, in addition, the baby could be infected with the disease at the time of child birth or during breastfeeding. In the event that a meeting with TSMV occurred at the beginning of pregnancy, the consequences are especially severe because the virus enters the blood and spread to all organs and tissues child.

How to detect disease?

The disease runs in different ways, it is because, as the people it infected. But most often it starts with symptoms typical of influenz: rising temperatures, increased lymph nodes, causing problems with the digestive system, there is abundant selection of the vagina. In addition, women may complain of general malaise, headache, severe fatigue. At the skies and a nose raid on the increase and become painful salivary glands. Add to this the analysis of blood found antibodies TSMV.

Usually, pregnancy, complications cytomegalovirus infection has seriously: sometimes the child ceases to grow (because of what happens miscarriage), placenta detachment occurs, symptoms of intrauterine infection or placental insufficiency when the baby does not have enough oxygen (a condition known as hypoxia), because which delayed its development, or a threat of premature birth.

Sometimes, women with chronic infection cytomegalovirus birth to a child without visible developmental disorders. But, unfortunately, the disease still defers its imprint, and during the examination the doctor can observe the following:

-Problems with the central nervous system, the initial stage of cerebral palsy, emotional aggression, violation of speech, hearing defects;

-Changes in the structure of the skin and mucous membranes, more vivid picture of skin;

-Low birth weight, delayed mental development, in violation of motor activity.

How sick lesbians

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As our society continues to be homophobic, different sexual orientation causes of neuroses, depression and leads to a large number of suicides among homosexuals. Suicidal behavior more typical of adolescents, but the risk is and adult gay men and lesbians. Stress caused by social attitudes towards homosexuality, can serve the cause of sexual disorders - impotence, vaginal or violations of ejaculation.

Members of sexual minorities far more than their heterosexual peers, smokers, drinkers and intravenous drug users. In recent years, rates of homo-and heterosexual almost compare.However, drug addicts with different sexual orientation have more diverse "arsenal" of psychotropic substances. It is also known that the proportion of smokers among lesbians is almost twice the rates of heterosexual women.

Homosexual adolescents are more likely than heterosexual, come into conflict with their parents, sometimes ends escape from the house. Leaving from parents, these teenagers often earn their living own body, which significantly increases the risk of drug abuse and sexually transmitted diseases.

Among homosexual women, as well as among doctors, there is the belief that cervical cancer, in the absence of vaginal sex with men, they are not threatened. However, precancerous changes are detected in more than 10% of lesbians.

In addition, unlike traditional orientation of women, lesbians do not use hormonal contraceptives, does not give birth and more smoke. This - the additional risk factors for geometrical cancer and breast. Add to all of the newly emerged evidence that sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, can be transferred in women with homosexual contact.

Oddly enough, for patients gay characterized violations by the digestive system, as a result of depletion, and over. Also high risk of fecal-oral infections such as hepatitis A or escherichia caused by intestinal wand.

Among the doctors perception that the trauma of the rectum caused by gay sex. This is true only in the event of minor damage, but serious injuries - fractures - occur as a result of intestinal disorders as men of normal orientation.

Minor damage epithelium rectum involved in sex, dangerous primarily as the entrance of infection: herpes virus, AIDS and hepatitis B, chlamydia and other microorganisms. Many of these infections increase the risk of developing cancer of the rectum.

Studies have shown that the majority of practicing anal sex not use condoms and prevention of infection becomes ineffective. However, doctors are not interested in themselves and do not inform their patients about the rules of protection against sexually transmitted diseases in such sexual relationships. Given that anal sex practice as many heterosexual couples, such consultations are necessary for them.

A special group of patients are transsexuals - people who consider themselves to the opposite sex. First and foremost, they need psychological support doctors. And if transsexuals are solved on an operation to change sex, the subsequent hormonal treatment can trigger the growth of cancer.