An STD is transmitted by means of physical contact and intercourse. These diseases are caused by parasites, virus or bacteria. Usually, STDs are preventable provided you make the right choices concerning your sexual health. Refraining from sex isn t a feasible idea at all. 

But fortunately there are alternatives too to curb the menace that STDs are:

Abstain: The most effective way to avoid STIs is to abstain from sex.
Mutual monogamy: Two people who have sex only with one another don t have any opportunity to bring a new STD into the relationship. If you and your partner have been tested and are healthy, remaining faithful to each other is a very good way to reduce your chances of contracting an STD.
Get Vaccinated: One important prevention tool against STIs is vaccination. Currently, vaccines are available to protect against infection with HPV, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Talk to your healthcare provider to see which vaccines might be recommended for you.
Protect Yourself: Condoms work really well in stopping most STIs from being passed from an infected partner to another when they are used consistently and correctly every time a person has oral, vaginal or anal sex. Consistently and correctly means that a person makes sure they use a condom every time they have oral, vaginal or anal sex and put it on and use it the right way.
Avoid alcohol and drug use: Avoiding alcohol and recreational drug use reduce the risk of contracting an STI, having an unwanted pregnancy, or being coerced to have sex. Alcohol and drug use can reduce our ability to make good decisions. It may also make us more likely to be talked into participating in an activity without being able to give our full consent.
Coping and Support
It's traumatic to find out you have an STI. You might be angry if you feel you've been betrayed or ashamed if there's a chance you infected others. At worst, an STI can cause chronic illness and death, even with the best care in the world.

Between those extremes is a host of other potential losses   trust between partners, plans to have children, and the joyful embrace of your sexuality and its expression. If in doubt, don't hesitate to visit a skin specialist or a physician.

STDs - 5 Ways You Can Avoid Them

4 Effects of HIV on the Body

HIV, which is short for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, penetrates your body and directly attacks your immune system. In this process, the virus weakens your body's natural defense mechanism against diseases and infections. A compromised immune system makes the body prone to minor infections, which healthy people would generally overcome. The virus itself doesn't cause any physical symptoms. It only serves to ease the entry of other bacteria and viruses into the body.

The following are some of the ways HIV affects your body:

1. Immune system

The human immunodeficiency virus destroys CD4 cells, the white blood cells that help the immune system ward off foreign substances. If left unchecked, HIV can develop into AIDS. During such time, the virus may damage the immune system to an extent that it wouldn't be able to ward off minor infections that a healthy immune system would. A person with HIV could thus suffer from fever, chills, sweats, shortness of breath, white spots in the mouth, fatigue, skin rash and weight loss from time to time.

2. Respiratory system

As HIV develops into AIDS, the body can contract infections such as pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), tuberculosis and Kaposi's sarcoma. These conditions lead to serious respiratory problems. PCP is found to be one of the most common infections among people with HIV. 85% of the people would develop the infection if the condition is left untreated.

3. Skin problems

As in healthy individuals, many skin conditions can also occur in people with HIV or AIDS. But a compromised immune system heightens the condition and causes difficulty in treatment. Dermatitis, psoriasis, and hives are common conditions. They are also prone to a rare type of skin cancer known as Kaposi's sarcoma.

4. Gastrointestinal System

Gastrointestinal disorders are the most common ailments for people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. Problems faced include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding. 50% of the people suffering from HIV encounter gastrointestinal disorders at some point of their illness.



4 Effects HIV has on the Body

For nearly 30 years, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) have been shrouded in myths and misconceptions. In some cases, these mistaken ideas have prompted the very behavior that cause more people to become HIV positive. Here are the top five myths about HIV, along with the facts to dispute them.

Myth No. 1: I can get HIV by being around people who are HIV-positive.

The evidence shows that HIV is non communicable and does not spread through touch, tears, sweat or saliva. You cannot catch HIV by:

    Breathing the same air as someone who is HIV-positive
    Touching a toilet seat or doorknob handle after an HIV-positive person
    Drinking from a water fountain
    Hugging, kissing, or shaking hands with someone who is HIV-positive
    Sharing eating utensils with an HIV-positive person
    Using exercise equipment at a gym

You can get it from infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or mother's milk.

Myth No. 2: I can get HIV from mosquitoes.

Because HIV is spread through blood, people have worried that biting or bloodsucking insects might spread HIV. Several studies, however, show no evidence to support this, even in areas with lots of mosquitoes and cases of HIV. When insects bite, they do not inject the blood of the person or animal they have last bitten. Also, HIV lives for only a short time inside an insect.

Myth No. 3: I'm HIV positive, my life is over.

In the early years of the disease epidemic, the death rate from AIDS was extremely high. But today, antiretroviral drugs allow HIV positive people and even those with AIDS to live much longer, normal and productive lives.

Myth No. 4: My partner and I are both HIV positive there's no reason for us to practice safer sex.

Practising safer sex, wearing condoms or using dental dams can protect you both from becoming exposed to other (potentially drug resistant) strains of HIV.

Myth No. 5: You can't get HIV from oral sex.

It's true that oral sex is less risky than some other types of sex. But you can get HIV by having oral sex with either a man or a woman who is HIV positive. Always use a latex barrier during oral sex.

Top 5 Myths & Misconceptions About HIV & AIDS!

HIV infection and AIDS (commonly referred to as HIV/AIDS) are caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV is transmitted sexually and through exchange of body fluids, such as blood. The HIV attacks our defense system (immune system) giving opportunity to many illnesses to attack the body. These infections (called opportunistic infections) range from common cold and diarrhea to life-threatening illnesses including uncommon pneumonias and cancers. The type, range and intensity of opportunistic infections vary with the severity of the HIV infection and the extent to which our immunity is compromised. 

AIDS is the last stage disorder of the HIV infection. Though there is no complete cure for the HIV-infection till date - despite thousands of scientists across the world working on it, spending countless hours of research involving billions of dollars - there has been tremendous progress in medicare improving the quality of life of the HIV-infected, in extending their life-span to almost normal levels and in preventing mother-child transmission. 

The key factors in extending the life-span, and in keeping good immunity and good health are 

balanced and nutritious diet

regular physical exercise

correct, consistent and lifelong use of the prescribed medicines

periodic medical checkups

staying psychologically positive and strong

good family support and

good lifestyle habits.

The last one involves maintaining good personal hygiene, avoiding smoking (active as well as passive), alcohol, recreational drugs, unhygienic and disease-prone environments and sedentary life style. Those who follow these will guidelines certainly have better prognoses. 

Diet:

A nutritious diet is of utmost importance to the HIV-infected, as adequate nutrition contributes to the development of the immune system, prevents malnutrition and wasting, achieves and maintains optimal body weight and strength, enhances the body s ability to fight opportunistic infections, helps delay the progression of HIV, improves the effectiveness of drug treatments, and improves the quality of life. 

Ensure that the food contains adequate macronutrients, that is, carbohydrates, proteins and fat, otherwise the patient may end up with - protein-energy malnutrition, manifesting itself in the weight loss and wasting that is typical of AIDS patients.

As per WHO, an HIV-infected person has additional nutrient requirements: 10-15 percent additional energy intake and 50 to 100 percent increase in protein intake as compared to a non HIV-infected person.

Consuming micronutrients (especially Vitamins A, B6 and B12, iron and zinc) is important for building a strong immune system and fighting infections.

Try and maintain a daily diet containing rice/roti, vegetables, legumes, and fruits which provide you energy and micronutrients. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.

Eat at least two servings of fish each week. Oily fish, which contain omega-3 fatty acids, are best. If you cannot eat fish, you can also get omega-3 fats from omega-3 eggs, walnuts, flax seeds.

Better avoid fast foods.

Living with HIV/AIDS: Diet, Nutrition, and Food Safety

People who suffer from human immunodeficiency virus, commonly known as'hiv, are known as hiv positive people. The virus is the agent of aids that is currently incurable. Hiv is known to alter the human immune system and makes people much more susceptible and vulnerable to diseases and infections. 

Body fluids such as semen, blood, breast milk, vaginal fluids etc. Of an infected individual contains the virus, which can be passed from one person to another during blood-to-blood and/or sexual contact. Hiv positive women may even pass on this virus to their children during pregnancy, delivery or by breast feeding them. Hiv is also transmitted during oral, anal or vaginal sex, by contaminated hypodermic needles and by blood transfusion. 

Mentioned below are a few issues that a hiv positive woman have to face apart from discrimination and stigma, fear of infecting their children or partners, violence and abandonment. 

1. Menstrual disorders: changes in menstrual cycles are frequently reported by hiv infected women. However, menstrual dysfunctions are due to varied reasons that aren't directly related to the disease. Although most of the hiv positive women suffer from amenorrhea i. E. The unusual absence of periods, it is not just due to hiv but also because of weight loss or immunosuppression. 
 
2. Contraception: it is very important that the contraception a hiv positive woman chooses not only acts as birth control, but also to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and hiv. Although condoms do not provide exceptional pregnancy prevention, they are excellent at preventing transmission of the hiv virus. Permanent sterilization is usually the most chosen contraceptive method for hiv serodiscordant couples.

3. Surgical complications: hiv positive women are at a higher risk of undergoing gynecologic surgery. This is because they are more vulnerable to pelvic infectious disease that requires surgical intervention. There is also a greater risk of developing vulvar cancer in hiv positive women. 

4. Fertility: there has been an increase in the number of seropositive women contemplating pregnancy and childbirth. Most couples resort to assisted reproduction to lower the risk of horizontal hiv transmission. Studies show that undergoing hiv treatment and having an undetectable viral load is helpful in preventing the transmission of hiv. It is important to consult a medical expert if you are unable to get pregnant after at least 6 months of trying. Fertility problems are more common in hiv positive women than hiv negative women.

Issues for HIV Positive Women

Tuberculosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The infections occurring in people with weak immunity as compared to the people with a healthy immune system are called as opportunistic infections. As, HIV enters the human body, it replicates and weakens the immune system which in turn increases the risk of contracting Tuberculosis in people already suffering from HIV infection.

An HIV and Tuberculosis co-infection occurs when an individual has both, the HIV infection and an either latent or active TB disease simultaneously.  Each disease acts in speeding up the progress of the other, when HIV and TB infection is present together in the body. HIV infection speeds up the progression from latent to active Tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis also accelerates the progression of replication and spread of the HIV infection.

HIV infection and Tuberculosis are totally different type of infectious diseases. HIV is a viral infection and TB is a bacterial one. An HIV infected person will not contract TB unless a contact happens with a TB infected person. TB spreads via droplet infection and is communicable. If a person lives in a country with a high prevalence rate of TB, an HIV patient is highly susceptible to contracting the infection. In the similar manner, a person suffering from TB gets infected with the HIV infection only through the blood and bodily fluids borne route, with unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV infected individual being the most important cause.

Amongst all the other opportunistic infections, TB occurs at an earlier stage in the course of an HIV infection than most other opportunistic infections. Mortality rate in the co-infected patients is more than twice that of HIV infected individuals without a TB infection. Even if a patient is undergoing anti-retroviral therapy, the death rates remain high in co-infected individuals.The natural history and course of TB gets altered in people with an infected immune system. The damage to immunity due to HIV infection causes a drastic reduction in the pathogen killing capacity of the body. In such patients if there is no anti-retroviral treatment prescribed, then the latency period between the infection and progression of disease gets eliminated. 

An active phase of TB is observed in such individuals progressing within a short span of time, ranging from weeks to months, rather than years as it normally should be spanning. Risk of progression from a latent stage to an active stage of TB is around 10-15 times greater in an HIV infected individual as compared to the non-infected person. Such individuals also communicate the disease more rapidly to others.Pulmonary tuberculosis in an HIV infected person can present similar symptoms like that of a classic TB disease. However, a co-infection can sometimes show less presenting TB symptoms, where even the chest X-ray scans can be observed to be normal. A  subclinical  phase of Tb in co-infected patients can cause delay in the diagnosis of the symptoms and subsequently affect the prognosis due to lack of timely treatment.

Social stigma and discrimination has caused an obstacle in provision of adequate treatment for people with HIV. Proper counseling  and initiatives taken to provide indiscriminate care can aid in identification of co-infection and earlier stages. Anti-retroviral treatment teamed up with anti-tubercular drug regimen is prescribed and a successful treatment for drug sensitive cases of TB can be provided with medications for 6-8 months.

How HIV & TB  Are Related?

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