HIV/AIDS
Your Health Information
- An overview of HIV/AIDS
- How do HIV and AIDS differ?
- How common is HIV/AIDS?
- How is the HIV virus spread?
- How do I know if I have HIV/AIDS?
- Why is swift detection so important?
- Occupational and institutional hazards are ever-present…
- Following detection, what diagnostic advances have been made in measuring the effectiveness of AIDS therapies?
- What are Protease Inhibitors?
An overview of HIV/AIDS
Knowledge is the key to preventing this fast-spreading disease. AIDS is currently an incurable illness resulting from deterioration of the human immune system. It was first reported in the United States in 1981. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). AIDS weakens the body’s ability to fight off certain infections and illnesses. These opportunistic infections are usually controlled by a healthy person’s immune system. However, those with AIDS have immune systems that are weakened and may, therefore, require medical attention to prevent and treat these illnesses.
How do HIV and AIDS differ?
Someone who is “HIV positive” does not necessarily have AIDS. HIV is said to have advanced to AIDS when an infected person develops an AIDS-defining illness (one or more of the conditions currently recognized by the Centers for Disease Control), or certain results on their blood tests, even if they have not yet developed symptoms.
How quickly or slowly HIV progresses to AIDS varies from one person to another. As is the case with other diseases, early detection by a healthcare provider is key to fighting HIV/AIDS.
How common is HIV/AIDS?
Experts estimated at the end of 2002 that 42 million people in the world were living with HIV/AIDS. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that close to 1 million people in the United States are living with HIV/AIDS. About 40,000 new cases occur each year in the U.S.
How is the HIV virus spread?
HIV, the AIDS virus, passes from person to person through the exchange of bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and breast milk. Transmission occurs when these body fluids are exchanged during intimate sexual contact or while sharing infected hypodermic needles. An infected woman can also pass HIV to her unborn child. HIV can also be transmitted through a blood transfusion with contaminated blood or blood products. In theory, other objects that come into contact with blood, such as shared toothbrushes or razors, can pass along HIV to subsequent users. Currently, however, nothing indicates that transmission of the virus is possible through sneezing, a hug or handshake, or other casual contact.
For further information, please visit the following websites:
- Needlestick Prevention
- Centers for Disease Control
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
How do I know if I have HIV/AIDS?
Early infection with HIV usually causes no symptoms at all. The only way to know for sure is to be tested. A doctor or healthcare provider can test for HIV by examining a sample of blood for antibodies.
Why is swift detection so important?
By testing early, a person can take immediate steps to determine a medical care plan with their physician or health care provider. Early testing also alerts an HIV-infected person to avoid high-risk behaviors that may pass along the virus to others.
Sadly however, many who are tested for HIV in public clinics are never alerted to their HIV status. In fact, each year 8,000 HIV-infected people who come to public clinics for HIV testing do not return a week later to receive their test results. With the OraQuick ADVANCE HIV-1/2 Antibody Test, results are available on the spot in about 20 minutes.
Widespread availability of this rapid HIV test is likely to increase overall HIV testing and decrease the number of people, an estimated 225,000 Americans, who are unaware they are infected with the HIV virus. Early testing enables infected individuals to obtain medical care earlier in the course of their infection, potentially saving lives and limiting the spread of this deadly virus.
Occupational and institutional hazards are ever-present…
Abbott distributes an advanced rapid diagnostic tool, OraSure's OraQuick HIV-1/2 Antibody test, that is critical not only in awareness and treatment of the general public, but also as a mechanism for the prevention of HIV transmission in institutions such as hospitals and correctional facilities. The availability of rapid testing in these specialized settings may help reduce accidental infection.
Some applications may include:
- Protecting ER staff by identifying HIV-positive patients prior to treatment
- Identifying exposure to HIV through accidental needle sticks
- Minimizing HIV transmission to the infant of an infected mother during childbirth
- Ensuring that HIV-positive inmates are identified upon internment
Following detection, what diagnostic advances have been made in measuring the effectiveness of AIDS therapies?
Drug resistance has become a significant obstacle in the fight against AIDS, rendering treatments ineffective. Clinicians and researchers must constantly devise new combinations of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens as the virus mutates. Thus, research into HIV mutations may provide clinicians with new therapeutic tools.
What are Protease Inhibitors?
These antiviral drugs act by inhibiting the HIV virus' protease enzyme -- preventing viral replication. These drugs block the protease enzyme from breaking apart long strands of viral proteins to make the smaller, active HIV proteins. When the larger HIV proteins are unable to be broken apart, they cannot re-assemble themselves into new and functional HIV particles.
About OraSure Technologies
OraSure Technologies develops, manufactures and markets oral fluid specimen collection devices using proprietary oral fluid technologies, diagnostic products including immunoassays and other in vitro diagnostic tests, and other medical devices. These products are sold in the United States as well as internationally to various clinical laboratories, hospitals, clinics, community-based organizations and other public health organizations, distributors, government agencies, physicians’ offices, and commercial and industrial entities.
OraSure Technologies is the leading supplier of oral-fluid collection devices and in vitro diagnostic assays to the employment, criminal justice, drug treatment, life insurance and public health markets for the detection of abused drugs and the antibodies to HIV. Based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the Company develops, manufactures and markets oral specimen collection devices, in vitro diagnostic tests, and other medical devices.
