A Simple Guide to AIDS

A Simple Guide to AIDS
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What is AIDS?
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AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which is the final and most serious stage of HIV.

HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus which can dause a person infected with it up to 10 years to develop AIDS.

There are actually 2 types of HIV virus:
HIV-1 is the source of the majority of HIV infections throughout the world.
HIV-2 is not as easily transmitted and is mainly found in West Africa.

How is HIV transmitted?
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HIV is transmitted by:

1.unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person(semen,vaginal fluid)

2.the usage of HIV-tainted needles

3.from a mother to her baby during pregnancy and birth, also during breastfeeding

4.receiving infected blood and blood products

What is the danger of HIV?
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The HIV infection destroys CD4 (T-cell) lymphocytes and thus weakens the body's immune defences.

The T-cells are white blood cells which helps to protect the body from bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

If the T-cells are destroyed or weakened, they are less able to defend the body effectively against infections.

Having HIV also increases the risk of getting cancers.
The HIV virus can attack every organ of the body.

AIDS which is the terminal stage of HIV infection is fatal.

Once you reach this stage, the person usually dies 1-3 years from various infections and cancers.

What are the symptoms of HIV?
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Usually, a HIV-infected person may not notice any symptoms.
However, the following symptoms may be experienced subsequently:

1.fever,chills

2.Loss of weight

2.sore throat

3.muscular stiffness or aches

4.headache

5.diarrhoea

6.swollen lymph glands

7.fatigue

8.rash of various types

9.joint pain

WHO Classification Of HIV:
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Stage I: HIV infection is asymptomatic and not categorized as AIDS

Stage II: includes minor mucocutaneous manifestations and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections

Stage III: includes unexplained chronic diarrhea for longer than a month, severe bacterial infections and pulmonary tuberculosis

Stage IV: includes toxoplasmosis of the brain, candidiasis of the esophagus, trachea, bronchi or lungs and Kaposi's sarcoma;
these diseases are indicators of AIDS.

How do you test for HIV?
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Blood test for HIV Antibodies.
A negative result does not necessary mean you do not have HIV.
There is a window period of 3-6 months sometimes before the HIV antibodies show positive results.
When a test shows positive results, the blood is retested at a CDC(Communicable Disease Centre) which is able to test more specific tests for HIV.(Western Blot HIV Confirmatory Test)

Rapid HIV testing throgh oral swabs is now offered in some medical clinics.
These tests produce very quick results.
In approximately 20 minutes you may be able to know your HIV status.

New tests for HIV includes HIV-DNA and HIV-RNA testing.

Is there a cure for HIV or AIDS?
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At the present moment there is no cure for HIV or AIDS.

Treatments which can improve the patient’s immune system and prevent the onset of AIDS however are available:

1.Reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors:
This first group of drugs approved to treat HIV infection act by preventing the replication of the HIV virus.
The HIV virus is unable to spread in the body so easily and less secondary infection may attack the body.

2.Protease inhibitors:
This second class of drugs act by stopping the replication of HIV at a later stage in the cycle.

3.Combination or cocktail therapy (using two or more drugs together) is preferred in case the HIV virus becomes resistant to both classes of drugs.

4. Some new methods involve the use of thalidomide, antimalarial and Anti-TB drugs

5. A cure For HIV will be to produce a vaccine against the HIV virus.

How can I protect myself from HIV infection?
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Some preventive measures are:

THE ABC method of prevention:
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Abstinence or delay of sexual activity, especially for youth,
Being faithful, especially for those in committed relationships,
Condom use, for those who engage in risky behavior.

The CNN method of prevention:
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Condom use, for those who engage in risky behavior,
Needles, use clean ones,
Negotiating safer sex with a partner and empowering women to make smart choices

World AIDS day is on 1st December every year.

A Simple Guide to Shingles

A Simple Guide to Shingles
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What is Shingles?
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Shingles or Herpes zoster is a condition where a crop of blisters caused by the varicella zoster virus form a band across one side of the chest, abdomen or face.

What is the cause of shingles?
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The same virus that causes chicken pox causes shingles.
The chickenpox virus remains in a dormant state in certain nerve cells of the body from months to many years, and then reactivates, causing shingles.

This infection is due to a temporary decrease in the body's resistance, allowing the virus to start multiplying and to move along nerve fibres towards the skin.

Who are the People at risk of getting Shingles?
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About 1 in 10 people who had chickenpox as children will develop shingles as adults.
The disease occurs
1.more often in older people (over 50 years old) because the immune response is believed to be weaker in older people.

2.Trauma or possibly stress may also contribute to an attack of shingles.

3.Weakened Immune system people like those with cancer, eg. Leukaemia, lymphoma, undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer, patients with organ transplants and taking drugs to ward off transplant rejection and patients with diseases that lowers the immune system eg. AIDS.

What are the symptoms of shingles?
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The first symptom is a burning pain or tingling and extreme sensitivity in one area of the skin.
This may be present for one to three days before a red rash occurs.
A group of blisters then forms on a red base which looks like chicken pox lesions.
The blisters generally last for two to three weeks, during which time they accumulate pus and then crust over and begin to disappear.

The pain may last longer for a month or longer.
A slight discoloration or scarring of the skin is also possible.

How severe is the pain of Shingles?
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The pain is usually severe enough for the doctor to prescribe painkillers.
A long-lasting painful complication of shingles called post-herpetic neuralgia occurs in some older patients.
This may last long after the shingles have healed.
For these people the slightest touch or contact with clothing can be unbearable.

Where do shingles appear on the body?
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Shingles generally affect only one side of the body.

Most commonly, blisters will appear on the chest or abdomen, including the buttocks and genitalia, and even the face.

If the blisters involve the eye region, permanent eye damage can result.
Your doctor will refer you immediately to an eye specialist when such a complication develops.

What are the complications of Shingles?
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Post-herpetic neuralgia, a condition in which either constant or episodic pain persists for a long time after the skin has healed.
About 50% of affected patients are over the age of 60 years.
The chronic pain is believed to be due the damage to nerve endings.

People who suffer this long-term pain may experience psychological suffering such as depression, insomnia and weight loss.

Infection of the blisters by bacteria can also cause delayed healing of the skin.
Antibiotic treatment is needed.

If the shingles affects the forehead, sometimes inflammation of ophthalmic nerve of the eye may occur. It may cause severe pain in the eye and cause blindness. Damage to the cornea may also occur.

If the shingles affect the the ear, it may cause pain, tinnitus (buzzing sound in the ear), dizziness, loss of hearing or an increased risk of spread to the brain.

In patients with weakened immune systems, there may be high fever and spread of the disease all over the body.

Is shingles contagious?
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Shingles is much less contagious than chicken pox.
People with shingles can spread the virus if blisters are broken to someone who has never had chicken pox or who is already ill.

The people who are at risk include babies and those who already are ill such as cancer patients.
These people will develop chickenpox.

How severe is the pain of Shingles?
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The pain is usually severe enough for the doctor to prescribe painkillers.
A long-lasting painful complication of shingles called post-herpetic neuralgia occurs in some older patients. This may last long after the shingles have healed.
For these people the slightest touch or contact with clothing can be unbearable.

Does Shingles cause much scarring?
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Shingles can result in scarring if the blisters are infected or if the patients have used toxic home remedies on the blisters.

Some Chinese physicians believe that a snake in the skin causes the disease and the head of the snake must be burned with chemicals in order to stop the snake from growing.

How is shingles treated?
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In most cases Shingles clears on its own in a few weeks and seldom recurs.

Treatment consists of painkillers, as well as cool compresses to help dry the blisters.

Antibiotics are given if there is bacterial infection.

The antiviral drug, acyclovir, may be given especially for patients with eye involvement or who are very ill.
It is useful only if it is started early in the disease.
The earlier it is taken after the disease begins the better the effect.
The drug might prevent post-herpetic neuralgia.
Post-herpetic neuralgia can be treated with painkillers and high doses of tranquilisers at night.