Rabu, 30 April 2014

3 Most Common Causes of HIV

HIV Causes

HIV is primarily a sexually transmitted disease but can be contracted in three ways. All require the exchange of bodily fluids, such as semen, blood, breast milk, or vaginal secretion.

Sexual Transmission

The majority of HIV cases are acquired through unprotected sexual encounters. The sexual secretion of an infected person can come into contact with the genital, oral, or rectal mucous membrane of another and affect the uninfected partner. Both heterosexual and homosexual encounters can cause infection, with higher risk to the receptive partner.Anal intercourse has a higher risk of transmitting HIV than vaginal intercourse.

Blood Products

The most common cases of blood transmission of the disease occur primarily amongst intravenous drug users, hemophiliacs, and recipients of blood transfusion. Sharing or reusing syringes contaminated with infected blood poses a great risk for contracting the virus. Receiving tattoos with infected needles can also expose participants to the virus. In regions with substandard medical hygiene, the risk of acquiring HIV through blood is much higher than in more sterile medical environments.

Perinatal Transmission

The transmission of the disease from mother to child can happen at any point during the childbearing process. It can occur to the fetus in-utero, through an exchange of bodily fluids through the umbilical chord. It can also occur during childbirth, through the exchange of bodily fluids. This can be largely avoided through birth by caesarean section, so fluids are kept separate. Lastly, transmission can occur during breast-feeding as the child consumes the infected mother’s breast milk.

HIV Facts

HIV Facts:

What You Need to Know

What Is HIV?

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks your immune system, making you much more susceptible to infections and certain kinds of cancer. HIV can be treated with anti-viral medications and controlled, but currently there’s no cure.

Learn about the risks associated with HIV and how to protect yourself from this potentially fatal virus.

What Are the Statistics?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than a million adolescents and adults living in the United States are infected with HIV. Of this number, an estimated 18 percent aren’t aware of their infection and haven’t received a diagnosis. People of all races, ages and sexual orientation can become infected with HIV, although the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)states that gay and bisexual men across all races and ethnicities are most affected by the virus.

Am I at Risk?

The most prevalent risk factor for HIV is havingunprotected sex with someone who is infected with the virus (HIV positive). HIV can be spread through all types of sex, including vaginal, anal, and oral. However, transmission through anal sex is more common than with vaginal or oral sex.

You’re also at risk for becoming HIV positive if you use intravenous drugs, or have other sexually transmitted diseases that present through open sores.

Men who aren’t circumcised have a higher risk of being infected with HIV by female partners, according to the journal mBio.

How Is HIV Transmitted?

HIV is transmitted through some types of bodily fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal and rectal secretions, and breast milk. All of these fluids may have high concentrations of viral load. Others, such as amniotic and spinal cord fluid, may have the ability to transmit HIV to healthcare workers who are exposed to them, according to the CDC.

Saliva, urine, tears, feces, and vomit do nottransmit HIV unless they’re also mixed with infected blood. Sharing IV drug needles that could be contaminated with infected blood can transmit HIV.

An infected pregnant mother can give HIV to her unborn child through the placenta or exposure of the child’s mucous membranes to the virus during birth.

Exposure to infected blood products through a transfusion is possible. However, the United States has stringent mechanisms in place to prevent contaminated blood from entering blood banks. Transmission through blood transfusion is now an extremely rare occurrence.

Practice Safe Sex to Prevent HIV

Practicing safe sex plays a major role in protecting yourself against HIV. Use a condom during vaginal, anal and even oral sex—every time—to reduce your risk. Keep the lines of communication open about and during intimacy. Talk to your partner about your and their HIV status to stay informed and aware.

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation explains that being too shy to talk about sex and HIV, or assuming you can tell if a person is HIV positive just by looking are high-risk behaviors.

Protect Yourself from HIV

Sex is not the only way to become infected with HIV, and therefore is not the only way to protect yourself from the virus. Avoid sharing needles for IV. Use a clean needle, or better yet, get help to quit.

If you’re an expectant mom with HIV, seek medical care as soon as you realize you’re pregnant to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to your child.

Male circumcision has been found to reduce the risk of HIV, according to research published inmBio. If you weren’t circumcised as an infant and fall into a high-risk group, having it done as an adult might lessen your risk.

What Is the Outlook

for HIV-Positive People?

Decades ago, HIV was a death sentence. People weren’t aware of the risk factors, and there was no treatment. With the advent of anti-viral medications, people can live longer, better lives with HIV. The earlier treatment is administered, the better.

A joint study by Harvard University’s Immune Disease Institute and Children’s Hospital Boston showed that patients infected with HIV and tuberculosis (TB) had increased their survival rate by 33 percent when treatment began within two weeks of HIV diagnosis.

Studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association report that the five-year survival rate for HIV-positive patients in treatment is approaching the same rate as the uninfected population.

Prevention Is Your Best Weapon

Education, protection and communication are keys to protecting yourself and your loved ones from HIV. Although medical advances have progressed exponentially since the discovery of HIV and AIDS, the virus is still a serious health threat and should be prevented at all costs.

HIV vs AIDS: What's the Difference?

HIV vs AIDS:

What’s the Difference?

It can be easy to confuse HIV and AIDS. While they are different diagnoses, they do go hand-in-hand and are often used interchangeably to describe a particular disease. HIV is a virus that can lead to a condition called AIDS.

At one time in history, a diagnosis of HIV or AIDS was considered a death sentence. Thanks to research and the development of new treatments, today, people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS are living long, productive lives.

HIV is a Virus

HIV is a virus and particular exposure to it can lead to infection. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The name describes the virus: it infects humans only and it attacks the immune system, rendering it deficient and unable to work as effectively as it should.

Unlike many other viruses, our immune systems are unable to attack and completely clear out HIV. No one yet understands why we cannot defeat HIV, but medications can control it very successfully.

AIDS is a Condition

While HIV is a virus that may cause an infection, AIDS is a condition or a syndrome. Being infected with HIV can lead to having AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

AIDS develops when HIV has caused serious damage to the immune system. It is a complex condition with symptoms that vary by individual. Symptoms of AIDS are related to the infections a person develops as a result of having a damaged immune system, unable to fight infections as it would in a healthy individual. These may include tuberculosis, pneumonia, certain types of cancer, and other infections.

HIV Without AIDS

HIV is a virus and AIDS is the condition it may cause. You can have an HIV infection without acquiring AIDS. In fact, many people with HIV live for years without developing AIDS. Thanks to advances in treatment, you can live longer than ever before with an HIV infection.

While you can have an HIV infection without having AIDS, anyone diagnosed with AIDS already necessarily has HIV. Because there is no cure, the HIV infection never goes away, even if AIDS never develops.

HIV Can Be Transmitted

From Person to Person

HIV is a virus, which means that like other viruses, it can be transmitted between people. This is how infection spreads. AIDS, on the other hand, is a condition that is acquired only after a person has contracted the HIV infection.

The HIV virus is transmitted from one person to another through the exchange of bodily fluids. Most commonly, infection is transmitted through unprotected sex or through using contaminated needles. Less commonly, one can become infected through a tainted blood transfusion or a mother can pass the infection to her child during pregnancy.

HIV Does Not Always Produce Symptoms

HIV usually causes flu-like symptoms about two to four weeks after infection. This period of time is short and is called acute infection. The immune system brings the infection under control, leading to the latency period.

The immune system cannot completely eliminate HIV, but it can control it for a long time. During this latent period, which can last for years, an infected person may experience no symptoms at all. Once AIDS has developed, however, the patient will experience many symptoms of the condition.

HIV Infection

Can be Diagnosed

by a Simple Test

When infected with HIV, your immune system produces antibodies against the virus. A blood or saliva test can detect those antibodies and determine if you have been infected with HIV. This test may be effective only several weeks after infection, though.

Another test, which looks for antigens, proteins produced by the virus, can detect HIV just days after infection. Both tests are accurate and easy to administer.

AIDS Diagnosis Is More Complicated

AIDS is the final stage of the HIV infection, and there are a few factors that determine when a patient’s diagnosis has crossed from HIV latency to AIDS.

Because HIV destroys immune cells called CD4 cells, one part of the AIDS diagnosis contains a count of those cells. When the cells have dropped to a certain level, an HIV patient is considered to have AIDS. Another factor signaling the AIDS virus is the presence of opportunistic infections. This, too, would serve as a determinant for an AIDS diagnosis.

Treatment and Life Expectancy

Once HIV has developed into AIDS, life expectancy drops significantly. It is difficult to repair the damage to the immune system at this point, and infections secondary to HIV are common. These infections are what become fatal for a person with AIDS.

With today’s treatments for the HIV infection, however, someone can live with the virus for years, and even decades before AIDS develops. Even though one can lead a normal and healthy life while undergoing HIV treatment, it is important to understand that you can still pass the infection to someone else.

45 WORDS YOU SHOULD KNOW HIV/AIDS

45 WORDS

YOU SHOULD KNOW

1. HIV 1

2. HIV 2

3. PrEP

4. CONCORDANT

5. STIGMA

6. KNOW YOUR STATUS

7. HIV CRIMINALIZATION

8. SEROCONVERSIO

9. FALSE POSITIVE

10. CD4 COUNT

11. NON-COMPLIANCE

12. PREVALENCE

13. AIDS

14. SERONEGATIVE

15. AIDS COCKTAIL

16. SEROSORTING

17. SAFER SEX

18. SEROPOSITIVE

19. SIDE EFFECTS

20. GET TESTED

21. LONG-TERM SURVIVOR

22. MEDS

23. ELISA

24. UNDETECTABLE

25. ACT

26. ARV

27. VIRAL LOAD

28. LIVING WITH HIV

29. TRANSMITTED RESISTANCE

30. ADVERSE EVENT

31. CELIBACY

32. WESTERN BLOT TEST

33. HIV NEUTRAL

34. ACTIVISM

35. ASYMPTOMATIC

36. ADHERENCE

37. MSM

38. FALSE NEGATIVE

39. REGIMEN

40. T-CELL

41. LONGEVITY

42. SERODISCORDANT

43. REDUCING RISK

44. MIXED STATUS

45. EMPOWERMENT

How HIV Affects the Body

HIV is unique in its ability to compromise the immune system. Learn how the disease progresses and makes patients susceptible to serious complications.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects the cells of the immune system. In particular, HIV attacks and destroys the T helper lymphocytes, or T-cells, which are crucial to the immune system and immune response. (These cells are also called CD4-positive lymphocytes because HIV uses the protein CD4, present on the surface of the cell, to attach itself and pry its way into the cell.) Each day, your body produces millions of CD4+ T-cells to help maintain your immunity and fight off invading viruses and germs. Once HIV is in your body, the virus is able to copy itself over and over, increasing its ability to kill CD4+ T-cells. Soon, infected cells outnumber healthy T-cells.

The lower a person’s CD4+ T-cell count goes, the more susceptible the person is to viruses and infections that an otherwise healthy body could fight. In the initial stages of the infection, the decline in T-cell count is gradual. The first few months and years after a person is infected, T-cell counts may remain very near normal or only slightly decreased. It’s when T-cell numbers begin to dip dramatically that patients with HIV begin noticing additional, worsening symptoms of the infection.

The Four Stages of HIV

An HIV infection is typically divided into four stages: acute primary infection, clinical latent infection, symptomatic HIV infection, and progression from HIV to AIDS.

Acute Primary Infection

Within the first few weeks of contracting HIV, 70 percent of people will experience flu-like symptoms—fever, headache, upset stomach, and muscle soreness are among the most common initial signs of an HIV infection. A positive diagnosis is possible at this stage, but many will not associate their symptoms with an HIV infection, unaware they have contracted the virus.

During the acute primary infection, HIV-infected cells are circulating throughout the blood system. Your body responds by producing HIV antibodies and cytotoxic lymphocytes (killer T-cells that seek out and destroy invading viruses or bacteria). Two to four weeks after infection, the immune system mounts an attack against the HIV with these antibodies and killer T-cells. HIV levels in the blood will be greatly reduced, and CD4+ T-cell counts rebound slightly.

Sabtu, 26 April 2014

Trik & Tips

Cara Untuk Meningkatkan

Semangat Hidup ODHA

ODHA adalah singkatan dari Orang yang Hidup dengan HIV dan AIDS. ODHA adalah mereka yang terinfeksi HIV dan mungkin yang telah pada tahap AIDS. Lalu apa yang harus kita lakukan bila ada teman, sahabat atau kerabat yang sudah positif HIV/AIDS? Paling bijak adalah dengan tetap memberinya motivasi dan dorongan agar tetap semangat hidup. Tapi bagaimana caranya? Mari intip sedikit tips dan trik yang bisa Anda lakukan untuk memberi semangat hidup kepada ODHA.

Dampingan Sebaya
Peningkatan mutu hidup ODHA merupakan salah satu tujuan dari Strategi Rencana Aksi Nasional (SRAN) Penanggulangan AIDS 2010-2014. Dukungan sebaya adalah dukungan mental yang diberikan oleh ODHA, terutama ODHA yang baru mengetahui status HIV. Untuk itulah peran KDS (kelompok dampingan sebaya) menjadi sangat penting bagi ODHA.

Pemberdayaan Diri
Banyak yang berpendapat bahwa diagnosis HIV dan AIDS adalah vonis hukuman mati. Sedikit ODHA yang berani hidup dengan menanggung stigma berat dalam masyarakat. Suatu contoh yang sangat inspirasional bahwa seorang ODHA mampu mencetak prestasi yang mendunia. Sebut saja Derajat Ginanjar Koesmaryadi, pendiri Rumah Cemara, sebagai contoh yang bisa dikonfirmasi prestasinya melalui search engine internet bagaimana dia dan komunitasnya mampu meraih penghargaan dalam Homeless World Cup di Paris tahun 2011, suatu ajang kompetisi street soccer. Untuk melakukan kegiatan olahraga seperti ini tentu seseorang mesti dalam kondisi raga yang fit.

Penerimaan dan Kepercayaan Diri
Kepercayaan diri ODHA yang terbangun untuk menghidupi hari-harinya akan mendorongnya untuk berani menaklukkan penyakit ini. Menaklukkan di sini dalam artian mampu menerima dan bersahabat dengan si virus sebagai penghuni tubuhnya meski dan mesti tetap melakukan terapi ARV sehingga bisa hidup dengan well-being. Pengabaian terhadap keinginan meraih label normal dan lebih fokus untuk bangkit dari keterpurukan dengan menjalani gaya hidup yang sehat diharapkan bisa membentuk kualitas hidup yang baik. Harapan hidup mungkin akan lebih panjang dari yang diperkirakan dan bahkan tidak pernah jatuh dalam kondisi AIDS.

ODHA

ODHA
(Orang Dengan HIV/AIDS)

ODHA dan dirinya...

ODHA adalah sebutan untuk orang-orang yang telah mengidap HIV/AIDS. Adapun gejala-gejala seseorang kemungkinan terjangkit HIV diantaranya adalah sebagai berikut :

Rasa Lelah Berkepanjangan
Sesak nafas dan batuk yang berkepanjangan
Berat badan turun secara menyolok
Pembesaran kelenjar (di leher, ketiak, lipatan paha) tanpa sebab yang jelas
Bercak merah kebiruan pada kulit (kanker kulit)
Sering demam (lebih dari 38 derajat Celcius) disertai keringat malam tanpa sebab yang jelas
Diare lebih dari satu bulan tanpa sebab yang jelas

Pada awal-awal kasus terjangkitnya HIV, kebanyakan orang tersebut cenderung menunjukkan reaksi-reaksi keras seperti menolak hasil tes, menangis, menyesali dan memarahi diri sendiri, bahkan mengucilkan diri sendiri. Saat-saat seperti itu merupakan gejala psikologis yang justru dapat membuat orang tersebut semaikin terpuruk. Pembinaan terhadap ODHA diperlukan agar selanjutnya ODHA kembali melanjutkan hidup.

ODHA bukan berarti akhir. ODHA masih dapat bertahan hidup selama 5-10 tahun. Sekarang tinggal bagaimana ODHA itu sendiri mengisi hidupnya yang lebih berguna bagi diri sendiri. Menjalani hidup yang produktif dengan :

Mengikuti diet tinggi akan protein dan kilojoule yang sehat
Mengatur tingkat stress dan emosinya, misalnya dengan perilaku emosi dan spriritual yang sehat berimbang
Seks yang aman, misalnya dengan menggunakan kondom agar tidak melakukan penularan
Menjauhkan diri dari narkoba (drugs) , minuman keras, rokok
Menjaga kesehatan makanan, minuman, tempat tinggal, pakaian, dan badan
Konsultasi ke dokter secara teratur
Memilih pergaulan yang bagus

ODHA, keluarga, dan masyarakat...

Keluarga merupakan pihak pertama yang berhak dan berkewajiban atas kondisi ODHA. Jika dalam keluarga saja ODHA sudah dikucilkan bagaimana dengan dunia di luar keluarga. Sudah seharusnya keluarga yang menjadi pendamping, pendukung, dan pelindung bagi ODHA. Untuk menjadi pendamping ODHA, seseorang harus mengutarakan kejujuran terlebih dahulu, paham seluk beluk HIV/AIDS, mengenali watak dari ODHA sehingga sebagai pendamping, orang tersebut bisa memahami ODHA.

Respon masyarakat terhadap virus HIV merupakan pengaruh bagi ODHA. Mungkin beberapa lapisan masyarakat belum bisa menerima ODHA dilingkungan mereka karena mereka menganggap ODHA itu membahayakan. Sebenarnya dukungan dan respon yang positif dari orang-orang disekitar ODHA adalah orang-orang yang sebenarnya bisa memberikan semangat untuk berpikir positif untuk hidupnya dan juga bisa memberikan hal-hal yang berguna bagi masyarakat disekitar ODHA tersebut.

Beberapa tindakan keluarga dan masyarakat yang diharapkan dalam membantu dan mendukung ODHA misalnya

Family concept, artinya lingkungan rumah atau suasana rumah diciptakan agar pengidap HIV seperti merasa benar-benar berada di rumah, misalnya mendapat kasih sayang, dan rasa bertanggung jawab atas dirinya sendiri.
Role Model, adalah menggunakan orang yang pernah mengalami kejadian yang serupa dengan pengidap HIV untuk menceritakan apa yang harus dikerjakan di masa datang.
Positive Peer Pressure, adalah saling bertukar pikiran dalam satu kelompok agar saling menilai dan memotivasi diri, contohnya tidak kembali kepada ketergantungan terhadap narkotika.
Theurapeutic Session, yaitu konsultasi, penyuluhan dan terapi .
Moral and Religius Session, yaitu mensyukuri anugerah Tuhan yang masih menyayangi dengan memberikan ujian yang berat, agar lebih bisa mendekatkan diri dengan-Nya.

Dengan memberikan perhatian terhadap ODHA, jangan pernah mengucilkan ODHA dan ikut menyertakan mereka dalam kegiatan-kegiatan masyarakat, dengan begitu akan menambah semangat mereka untuk hidup dengan lebih baik. Contoh-contoh kegiatan yang dapat dilakukan yaitu penyuluhan-penyuluhan kesehatan (dalam kesempatan tersebut, ODHA diharapkan dapat menceritakan kisah mereka di masa lalu dan mengingatkan bahaya AIDS supaya masyarakat tidak mengikuti jejak yang telah mereka tempuh).

Keluarga dan masyarakat harus menjadi pihak yang mengasihi, bukan sebagai pihak yang membenci karena dalam membina persahabatan antara ODHA dan non-ODHA dibutuhkan saling keterbukaan saling menerima apa adanya.

Film Indonesia tentang HIV/AIDS

3 Film Indonesia tentang HIV/AIDS

Cinta dari Wamena (2013)

Penilaian penulis resensi(5/10)(1 Resensi)

Tiga sahabat Litius (Maximus Itlay), Tembi (Benyamin Lagowan) dan Martha (Madonna Marrey) tinggal di kota kecil di Papua. Mereka bermimpi untuk bisa terus sekolah. Impian ini membawa mereka ke Wamena, di mana mereka bisa bersekolah gratis. Di kota ini, persahabatan dan impian mereka diuji oleh gaya hidup permisif, dan wabah AIDS yang melanda remaja Papua. Perjalanan…

Mika (2013)

(4.5/10) (5)
Penilaian penulis resensi(5/10)(1 Resensi)

Indi, gadis periang, didiagnosa mengidap penyakit scoliosis ketika SMP. Karena kondisi kesehatannya ini, dia harus mengenakan besi penyangga tubuh selama 23 jam setiap hari. Sebelum masuk SMA dia berlibur ke Jakarta, dan berkenalan dengan Mika. Mereka menjadi teman dekat. Mika yang cuek, dan selalu memandang hidup dengan santai dan positif, perlahan bisa membantu Indi untuk kembali…

Karena Aku Sayang Markus (2007)

Markus mengidap HIV sejak lahir. Teman serta sekolah menjauhinya. Hanya Ajeng yang tulus berteman dengannya.

category film HIV/AIDS

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