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AIDS is a virus which has been defined in
1981. It leads to destruction of the body's
immune system. It is known that AIDS is not contagious
by contact, breath, insects, sharing food or drink,
using toilets or swimming pools. It is contagious by
sexual contact as a result of the slight minute ruptures
which happen during sex and which allow the virus present in
the semen or uterine secretions to be transmitted through
these ruptures, to the blood. It is also known that if
either party suffers a venereal disease with ulcers, the
chances of contracting AIDS increases five-fold. The
disease is also transmitted by contaminated blood
transfusions, contaminated syringes and non-sterilized
dialysis machines and from mother to fetus.
Moreover, transmittal of the disease through lactation is
also possible although very rare.
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Symptoms:
Man may carry the virus without
manifestation of any symptom, but he is able to transmit the
disease to others. Also, 50% of the persons who
contract the virus, will show symptoms within 10 years.
Full blown AIDS symptoms range from
continuous diarrhea for several weeks accompanied by weight
loss or high fever, increased night perspiration or
enlargement of the lymph glands, the appearance of
discolored spots on the skin or contraction of certain types
of cancers and TB or a whole set of these symptoms at the
same time.
Prevention:
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Abstain from any promiscuous sexual
relationships.
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Use condoms (males).
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Refrain from using sterilized syringes
more than once, after which they must be destroyed and
their needle broken, to prevent others from re-using
them.
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Abstain from taking illegal drugs since
they cause disorientation and reduce the body's
immunity.
-
Avoid pregnancy if the mother is
infected, to preserve her life and prevent the spread of
the disease to her child.
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Restrict blood transfusions to urgent
cases after ensuring that the blood is free of the
virus.
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Run AIDS tests on renal failure patients
before placing them on the dialysis machines.
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Exercise caution when using sharp
tools such as syringe needles, scalpels in the case of
doctors and nurses, razor blades in the case of
barbers, as wells as ear piercing equipment and
tattooing. Dentists must also use up-to-date and
powerful sterilization equipment.
The Importance of Diagnosis:
If there is no cure or vaccine for AIDS, so
why do we stress on the importance of clinical tests to
diagnose carriers of the virus? The most important
reason for this is prevention. By this we mean
acquainting the afflicted person of his disease so that he
may take necessary precautions to prevent spread of
the disease to family members and friends etc. Another
important reason for the diagnosis is to provide a chance to
the carrier to correct his life style and practices
and lead a healthy athletic life, abstain from drug and
alcohol to preserve the capacity of his immune system
and consequently reduce the chances of its collapse and the
resulting manifestations of the disease.
The most important reason for the diagnosis
is to provide the victim an opportunity to take
certain medication such as AZT (or the recent cocktail of
antiviral drugs) at an early stage if the specialized tests
indicate that this is required. Such measure reduces
the number of cells infected with the virus and therefore
delay the manifestations of the disease.
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How is AIDS Diagnosed?
The disease is diagnosed only in the labs
which have the equipment, expertise and ability to give
accurate results as well as the financial capability to
purchase kits necessary for the diagnosis from world famous
companies so as to avoid recurrence of the tragedy which
took place in certain blood banks is France and Germany in
1993.
Diagnosis is made in three stages:
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First:
Measuring the AIDS virus antibody, which is a
fast, inexpensive method which allows delivery of the
results within 24 hours. If the result is negative, it
is advisable to follow up and re-test after 6 months,
particularly if the patient suspects that he has been
exposed to the virus, or if the patient belongs to a high
risk group such as doctors and nurses. If the result
is positive, the test must be repeated using the same method
after taking a second blood sample from the patient.
Second:
Run a reconfirmatory test of the antibody
such as Western Blot.
Third:
Measure the amino acids of the virus itself
using PCR. This is the latest and most accurate
technique currently available for diagnosis. It
is worth noting that the person who has been clinically
proven to have the AIDS virus, is medically considered as a
carrier (Seropositive) , unless some or all the
above-mentioned symptoms appear.
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