Archive for the ‘HIV’ Category
Dec
11
Posted by Waikhu
Sexually transmitted diseases (also known as STDs and once called venereal diseases or VD) are infectious diseases that spread from person to person through intimate contact. STDs can affect guys and girls of all ages and backgrounds who are having sex — it doesn't matter if they're rich or poor.
Unfortunately, STDs have become common among teens. Because teens are more at risk for getting some STDs, it's important to learn what you can do to protect yourself.
STDs are more than just an embarrassment. They're a serious health problem. If untreated, some STDs can cause permanent damage, such as infertility (the inability to have a baby) and even death (in the case of HIV/AIDS).
How STDs Spread
One reason STDs spread is because people think they need to have sexual intercourse to become infected. That's wrong. A person can get some STDs, like herpes or genital warts, through skin-to-skin contact with an infected area or sore. Another myth about STDs is that you can't get them if you have oral or anal sex. That's also wrong because the viruses or bacteria that cause STDs can enter the body through tiny cuts or tears in the mouth and anus, as well as the genitals.
STDs also spread easily because you can't tell whether someone has an infection. In fact, some people with STDs don't even know that they have them. These people are in danger of passing an infection on to their sex partners without even realizing it.
Some of the things that increase a person's chances of getting an STD are:
- Sexual activity at a young age. The younger a person starts having sex, the greater his or her chances of becoming infected with an STD.
- Lots of sex partners. People who have sexual contact — not just intercourse, but any form of intimate activity — with many different partners are more at risk than those who stay with the same partner.
- Unprotected sex. Latex condoms are the only form of birth control that reduce your risk of getting an STD. Spermicides, diaphragms, and other birth control methods may help prevent pregnancy, but they don't protect a person against STDs.
Preventing and Treating STDs
As with many other diseases, prevention is key. It's much easier to prevent STDs than to treat them. The only way to completely prevent STDs is to abstain from all types of sexual contact. If someone is going to have sex, the best way to reduce the chance of getting an STD is by using a condom.
People who are considering having sex should get regular gynecological or male genital examinations. There are two reasons for this. First, these exams give doctors a chance to teach people about STDs and protecting themselves. And second, regular exams give doctors more opportunities to check for STDs while they're still in their earliest, most treatable stage.
In order for these exams and visits to the doctor to be helpful, people need to tell their doctors if they are thinking about having sex or if they have already started having sex. This is true for all types of sex — oral, vaginal, and anal.
Don't let embarrassment at the thought of having an STD keep you from seeking medical attention. Waiting to see a doctor may allow a disease to progress and cause more damage. If you think you may have an STD, or if you have had a partner who may have an STD, you should see a doctor right away.
If you don't have a doctor or prefer not to see your family doctor, you may be able to find a local clinic in your area where you can get an exam confidentially. Some national and local organizations operate STD hotlines staffed by trained specialists who can answer your questions and provide referrals. Calls to these hotlines are confidential. One hotline you can call for information is the National STD Hotline at 1-800-227-8922.
Not all infections in the genitals are caused by STDs. Sometimes people can get symptoms that seem very like those of STDs, even though they've never had sex. For girls, a yeast infection can easily be confused with an STD. Guys may worry about bumps on the penis that turn out to be pimples or irritated hair follicles. That's why it's important to see a doctor if you ever have questions about your sexual health.
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Nov
16
Posted by Admin
What Is It?
Emergency contraception is a way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. Often called the morning-after pill, emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are hormone pills that can be taken up to 72 hours after having unprotected sex.
Most states require a doctor to prescribe emergency contraception; however, recently some states have allowed nonphysicians to provide ECPs. Either way it is important to seek medical help and guidance.
Emergency contraception is most effective when it is taken as soon as possible after intercourse. But some studies have shown that it can still work up to 120 hours after intercourse.
The intrauterine device (IUD) can sometimes be used as a form of emergency contraception. This is rarely prescribed for teens, though.
How Does It Work?
In high doses, the hormones estrogen and progesterone can prevent pregnancy. The number of pills taken depends on the type of pill being used. The first dose of pills should be taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse followed by a second dose of pills 12 hours later.
The hormones may work in a number of ways to prevent pregnancy. They may delay ovulation (the release of an egg during a girl's monthly cycle), affect the movement and function of the sperm, affect the development of the uterine lining, and disrupt the actual fertilization process.
ECPs are less effective if fertilization has already occurred. If implantation has already occurred and a girl is pregnant, ECPs will not interrupt the pregnancy.
How Well Does It Work?
About 1 or 2 in every 100 women who use ECPs will become pregnant despite taking ECPs within 72 hours after having unprotected sex. The effectiveness of emergency contraception methods is calculated differently from the effectiveness of other contraceptives because of how they are used. Emergency contraception is the only type of contraception method that is used after unprotected sex.
Emergency contraception is most effective when taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex. Because of this, the name morning-after pill is somewhat misleading: Ideally the pill should be taken immediately after sex, without waiting for the next morning.
Emergency contraception will not prevent pregnancy if a girl has unprotected sex after taking the ECPs.
Because emergency contraception does not prevent all pregnancies, a woman should see her doctor if she doesn't get her next expected period after taking it.
Protection Against STDs
Emergency contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Couples having sex must always use condoms to protect against STDs even when using another method of birth control.
Abstinence (not having sex) is the only method that always prevents pregnancy and STDs. If a girl has been forced to have unwanted sex, she should see a doctor right away to be tested for STDs. That's because it's important to treat some STDs immediately before they develop into bigger problems.
Possible Side Effects
The larger-than-normal dose of hormone causes some side effects in many of the women receiving emergency contraception pills. These side effects include nausea, vomiting, breast tenderness, and headache. Such side effects are usually minor, and most improve within 1 to 2 days. A girl's menstrual period may be temporarily irregular after taking ECPs.
Who Uses It?
Emergency contraception is not recommended as a regular birth control method. Instead, it is used for emergencies only. If a couple is having sex and the condom breaks or slips off, if a diaphragm or cervical cap slips out of place, or if a girl forgot to take her birth control pills for 2 days in a row, a girl may want to consider using emergency contraception. It is also available to teens who are forced to have unprotected sex.
Emergency contraception is not recommended for girls who know they are pregnant.
How Do You Get It?
In most cases, a doctor must prescribe ECPs. Many health clinics also provide them. You must go as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals keeps a list of providers who prescribe emergency contraception. You can find the name of someone in your area by calling their hotline at (888) NOT 2 LATE.
How Much Does It Cost?
Depending on the types of pills that are prescribed, the emergency contraceptive pill costs between $8 and $35. Many health insurance plans cover the cost of emergency contraception and family planning clinics (such as Planned Parenthood) may charge much less.
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Nov
15
Posted by Admin
HIV Treatment
HIV Treatment
The only real weapons we have against viruses are natural ones, that is antibodies which can destroy viruses and bacterias. The problem with HIV is that the body cannot produce antibodies against the HIV virus. That is how a HIV test if performed, that is not looking for virus but testing for antibodies. No antibodies have yet been found in a human being that are effective in the long term against HIV. That is why a vaccine will be so difficult to find.
HIV Treatment Drugs
Our only other hope lies in a drug that could destroy viruses in the body. We have none that is effective. We will undoubtedly find such a drug one day but it is a long, long way off. How do you kill something (HIV virus) that does not breathe, does not need food, does not live and never dies? Attempts have even been made to flood the bloodstream with small pieces of cell wall (CD4) so the viruses are unable to touch living CD4 white cells. Another method being tried is to inject antibodies (`neutralising') from HIV-positive people to give extra protection to people with AIDS.
There would be one terrible problem with all such potential drugs. If they can be found, they will have to be taken for life. If some cells in the body are already infected, then a drug preventing entry of new viruses into unaffected cells will need to be taken until every reprogrammed cell and its descendants are dead—which could take fifteen years or longer. If we stopped the drug after ten years and a single reprogrammed white cell were to be activated to make more virus particles, the disease could start progressing all over again. This applies also to drugs preventing reprogramming, virus manufacture, or budding from the cell.
HIV Treatment Vaccines
Drug companies are pouring billions of dollars into research to find better treatments and much less into vaccines. With a lot less work they can rush through testing and licensing and bring a new drug onto the market. Advertising is unnecessary. Media hype does most of it, and pressure becomes irresistible from patients who are desperate for any hope of cure.
Cost of HIV Treatment
HIV drugs are very expensive because of billions of dollars put into the HIV and AIDS research. Doctors and governments are forced into using drugs which are very expensive, possibly $4,000 per patient, but may hardly work at all.
According to a study in 14th International AIDS Conference, average annual cost of treating HIV-positive patients in the United States can vary from about $34,000 to $14,000, depending on the stage of the virus. The yearly expense for treatment averages $34,000 for people in the advanced stage of illness compared with $14,000 for those infected who are keeping the virus at bay with a combination of anti-retroviral medications known as the AIDS drug cocktail, the report found. The $20,000 differential in care for healthy vs. sick patients covers far more than HIV medications
Total number of AIDS deaths between 1981 and the end of 2003: 20 million.
Number of children orphaned by AIDS living in Sub-Saharan Africa at the end of 2003: 12 million.
By December 2004 women accounted for 47% of all people living with HIV worldwide, and for 57% in sub-Saharan Africa.An estimated five million people in low and middle income countries do not have the AIDS drugs which could save their lives.
Regional AIDS and HIV statistics at end of 2004
During 2004 around five million adults and children became infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus that causes AIDS. By the end of the year, an estimated 39.4 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS. The year also saw more than three million deaths from AIDS, despite the availability of HIV antiretroviral therapy which reduced the number of deaths in high income countries.
Information collection from AVERT - A UK HIV and AIDS Charity
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