Treatment
In the early 1980s when the HIV/AIDS began, people with AIDS were not likely to live longer than a few years.While there is no cure for HIV, there are many different combinations of medicines available to treat HIV, the decision to start treatment for HIV is individual and considers a person's past medical history, the length of time they've been infected with HIV.These treatments do not cure people of HIV or AIDS they simply just make you feel better over a period of time.
NIAID is focused on finding new and more effective therapies that can extend and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS.
If you think you have been exposed to the virus within the last 72 hours (three days), anti-HIV medication may stop you becoming infected.It is only recommended following higher risk exposure, particularly where the sexual partner is known to be positive.
HIV is treated with ARV (antiretrovirals) , these work by stopping the virus replicating in the body, allowing the immune system to repair itself and preventing further damage. Once HIV treatment is started, you will probably need to take the medication for the rest of your life. For the treatment to be continuously effective, it will need to be taken regularly every day. Not taking ARVs regularly may cause the treatment to fail.
ARV treatment is available to prevent a pregnant woman from passing HIV to her child.Without treatment, there is a one in four chance your baby will become infected with HIV. With treatment, the risk is less than one in 100. If women have HIV they should not breast feed , because the virus can be transmitted through breast feed.
HIV treatment only works if you take your pills regularly every day. Missing even a few doses will increase the risk of your treatment not working.You will need to develop a daily routine to fit your treatment plan around your lifestyle.
NIAID is focused on finding new and more effective therapies that can extend and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS.
If you think you have been exposed to the virus within the last 72 hours (three days), anti-HIV medication may stop you becoming infected.It is only recommended following higher risk exposure, particularly where the sexual partner is known to be positive.
HIV is treated with ARV (antiretrovirals) , these work by stopping the virus replicating in the body, allowing the immune system to repair itself and preventing further damage. Once HIV treatment is started, you will probably need to take the medication for the rest of your life. For the treatment to be continuously effective, it will need to be taken regularly every day. Not taking ARVs regularly may cause the treatment to fail.
ARV treatment is available to prevent a pregnant woman from passing HIV to her child.Without treatment, there is a one in four chance your baby will become infected with HIV. With treatment, the risk is less than one in 100. If women have HIV they should not breast feed , because the virus can be transmitted through breast feed.
HIV treatment only works if you take your pills regularly every day. Missing even a few doses will increase the risk of your treatment not working.You will need to develop a daily routine to fit your treatment plan around your lifestyle.
Prevention
There are many simple ways to prevent the spread of HIV such as using protection during sexual intercourse. Using condoms whenever you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex and limiting the amount of sexual partners can all prevent the spread of the disease. If you do have more the one sexual partner get tested for HIV regularly and insist that your partners do too.
The second common way of the spread of HIV is the sharing of needles. Drug users of share needles to inject a particular drug such as heroin. When you share a needle you may be transmitting multiple bacterial diseases from the blood including HIV. Drug users should always use sterile needles and should never share the needles of others. Nevertheless normal citizens should never share needles either. As a matter of fact 2.4% of all HIV infections is due to the sharing of needles.
Lastly HIV can most certainly be prevented through awareness and education. Teaching others the consequences of HIV and how it can be prevented will undoubtedly reduce the number of people testing positive to HIV. This can most definitely be achieved by including it in the school curriculum and T.V advertisement. These would encourage young adults to be aware of the consequences and also adults to get tested.
The second common way of the spread of HIV is the sharing of needles. Drug users of share needles to inject a particular drug such as heroin. When you share a needle you may be transmitting multiple bacterial diseases from the blood including HIV. Drug users should always use sterile needles and should never share the needles of others. Nevertheless normal citizens should never share needles either. As a matter of fact 2.4% of all HIV infections is due to the sharing of needles.
Lastly HIV can most certainly be prevented through awareness and education. Teaching others the consequences of HIV and how it can be prevented will undoubtedly reduce the number of people testing positive to HIV. This can most definitely be achieved by including it in the school curriculum and T.V advertisement. These would encourage young adults to be aware of the consequences and also adults to get tested.