Guide to resources about AIDS and HIV infection, health care professionals, medications, symptoms, AIDS prevention, Opportunistic Infections, AIDS and depression and useful information.

The Importance of HIV Testing

September 4th, 2010 2:24 am

A person who has been infected with the HIV virus may not be aware of it because there are no symptoms upon entry of the virus into the body. Thus, it is important for those who are sexually active and those who utilize hypodermic needles to get tested for HIV. It is important to note that the tests for HIV do not actually look for the virus but instead try to detect if there are any HIV antibodies, which are created by the body’s immune system in its effort to combat the infection. Thus, the presence of HIV antibodies means a person is HIV positive while their absence means that a person is HIV negative.

However, the body may need three weeks to three months before it is able to generate enough HIV antibodies to be noticeable in a test. Sometimes, it may even require six months before sufficient antibodies can be found to indicate the presence of HIV. Thus, it is advisable to take the test at least three months after the possible exposure. This period between the time of possible exposure and the time when the antibodies can be detected is called the HIV window period. During this time, a person is still regarded as being capable of transmitting the disease even if initial tests turned out to be negative.

There are four types of HIV tests, and they are the conventional blood tests, rapid tests, oral tests and home tests. The blood test may require one to two weeks before the results are available. And if this turns out to be positive, a different test is conducted to eliminate the potential for a false positive result. The rapid test requires only 20 minutes before the results can be obtained but once again, confirmatory tests must be done if a positive result is obtained. Meanwhile, oral testing is now possible where samples of oral fluids, such as saliva, are taken instead of blood. A Western blot is needed to confirm a positive result.

The Benefits of Early HIV Treatment

August 24th, 2010 1:08 am

There are many benefits associated with early HIV treatment. In most cases, individuals with this virus are released a plan that includes taking a unique combination of medications that are referred to as “Antiretroviral”.

These types of medications work to control the level of the virus that is within your body. Individuals that undergo treatments have longer life expectancy and drastically reduce their risks for entering into the last stage of the illness, which is referred to as AIDS. In addition to this, those that engage in this type of treatment are less likely to experience various types of illnesses as a result of a weakened immune system.

If an HIV patient takes part in early HIV treatment they will not experience symptoms that are severe. The severity is drastically reduced. In the early stages of HIV, the virus is known to multiply at an extremely fast pace.

This increases the CD4 cell count and could result in many medical complications. Those that are engaging in a treatment plan typically do not face these complications. Those that participate in a treatment program will experience a slower progression in the illness than those that elect to avoid going through therapy.

Participating in early HIV treatment is extremely beneficial. However, there are some risks associated with early treatment. The most common are the side effects that are experienced. Over time, these side effects will eventually disappear, but they may prove to be quite troublesome for the sufferer.

Many individuals may develop a type of resistance to the medications that are used when it comes to early HIV treatment. The patient may also become dependent on the treatment.

Despite the fact that there are risks involved, the benefits outweigh the risks that are present. Early HIV treatment is actually a productive move for those that have been diagnosed with this potentially fatal virus.

About the Author: Anne Ahira is an established entrepreneur and successful coach in her country of Indonesia. Her success story has been published in many nationwide publications in Indonesia.Making a lucrative income online is a challenging endeavor, but by getting the *right* information, it is an endeavor that you can succeed at!