HIV and Aids

Definitions AIDS – Acquired immune deficiency syndrome Final stage of infection with HIV HIV – Human immunodeficiency virus Virus that attacks the body’s immune system

History Origin Africa 1981: First identified rare cancers becoming more popular – Kaposi Sarcoma First cases of PCP (pneumonia) reported in injecting drug users 1982 – Name AIDS is adopted 1985 – Blood Test was available

HIV and The Body Lymphocytes B cells T cells Present in bloodstream, lymph nodes, and brain cells

Transmission Must enter a person’s bloodstream in order to infect the person. Transmitted through: Semen Blood Vaginal Secretions Breast Milk

Risk Behaviors Sexual Intercourse Sharing Needles Enter through tiny cuts in the body Having an STD with sores increases risk Sharing Needles Injection of drugs, steroids, pierce ears, or used make tattoos

Other Transmissions Blood Transfusions (not so much an issue anymore) Mother-to-child transfer during birth Exchanged through umbilical cord

Myth or Fact You can get HIV from a mosquito bite if that mosquito has bitten an HIV-infected person Myth – even though they spread malaria and yellow fever, HIV is not spread through the mosquito’s salivary glands

Myth or Fact You can get HIV by touching a glass from which a person infected with HIV has drunk. Myth - HIV is spread through blood, semen, and vaginal secretions.

Myth or Fact You can get HIV from swimming in a pool with someone who is infected. Myth – Even if an HIV infected person bled into the pool, the blood would be so diluted it would be harmless.

Myth or Fact You can get HIV from being sneezed on by someone who is infected. Myth – HIV is not spread through air-borne droplets

Symptoms May or may not experience illness Can be infected for years before showing signs of the infection 4 Stages

Stage One HIV infection Takes 2 weeks – 6 months for body to produce antibodies Tests: ELISA, Western blot test, IFA or RIA

Stage Two Asymptomatic Stage Months – years in which virus is present in blood No signs or symptoms of disease

Stage Three Symptomatic Stage Lymph node enlargement Weight loss Symptoms: Fever, rash, headache, body aches, tired, easy bruising, dry cough, swollen glands, night sweats, severe diarrhea, yeast infection

Stage Four AIDS Symptoms: Kaposi Sarcoma, WBC below 200 cells, Wasting Syndrome, Rare Pneumonia Once immune system fails: the person’s body is open to a host of infections that can attack other systems and create serious illness Once called fatal wasting disease

Abstinence and HIV/AIDS Avoid situations and events where drugs or sexual activity is likely to occur Choose relationships carefully Practice refusal skills

Activity List 10 goals you hope to accomplish in the next 8-10 years. Imagine you have sex and get HIV. How will this affect each goal? What systems of support would you seek out to respond positively to the circumstance?