HIV is simply the virus that causes AIDS while AIDS is the viral disease caused by HIV. HIV means Human Immunodeficiency Virus while AIDS means Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The virus that causes AIDS is a special one because it is not just a virus but a retro-virus that replicates in a fraction of seconds and attacks the human immune system severely.
The immune system contains biological "soldiers" known as antibodies that fight against diseases. The weakening of the immune system makes the human body vulnerable to opportunistic infections including tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. I suppose you know what I have just said about HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS is transmitted through the exchange of blood directly or indirectly from an infected person to another person. The use of unsterilized sharp instruments such as a needle and injection syringe can cause the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Unprotected sexual intercourse can cause the transmission of HIV/AIDS. A mother living with HIV/AIDS can transmit to her unborn child through the umbilical cordwhich connects the mother and the unborn child. Blood transfusion can also lead to transmission of HIV/AIDS if the transfused blood is infected with HIV/AIDS. So there are only four known ways through which you can contact the virus that causes AIDS. There's no way you can contact HIV through mosquito bites, having a hand-shake with someone that is infected, hugging, kissing, and sharing personal effects such as towel and clothes with someone that is living with the virus.
The only way you can find out whether you have contacted the virus is through having a blood test. And you have to go for the blood test from time to time, at least twice in a year, because the virus has an incubation period of about 3-6 months. If you are not yet married abstinence from sexual intercourse is the best option for you but if you cannot abstain you have to protect yourself with a condom. Then if you are married you just have to be faithful to your partner - stick to him or her because he or she has got whatever you are looking for out there. You have to make sure that you avoid unprotected sexual intercourse, and other ways of getting infected with the disease.
But there is one thing you don't know about HIV/AIDS. What you don't know is that HIV/AIDS kills slower than the stigma attached to it by some people in our various societies. Yes, you heard well. Stigmatization has killed more people living with HIV/AIDS than the virus or the disease itself. Some people living with HIV/AIDS have been rejected by their families and friends simply because they tested positive to the virus.
Some people living with the virus have lost their jobs simply because they are living with the virus. Some people have committed suicide because they thought they could not live to face the stigma. More and more people living with HIV/AIDS have died as a result of stigmatization or the psychological trauma that follows the disease.
You have to show love to these people living with HIV/AIDS. You have to show that their families and friends still want them. You have to show them that the society still wants them irrespective of the fact that they are living with HIV/AIDS. You have to let these people know that they are not less human because of their medical condition.
You have to let them know that living with HIV/AIDS is not the end of the world. Let them know that they can still live a normal life though they are living with HIV/AIDS. As a matter of fact, anybody can live with the virus so you have no right to stigmatize anybody because of HIV/AIDS.
The Human Papillomavirus or HPV is a large group of about 170 related viruses, each of which is given a number also called its type. This dangerous virus serves as one of the most commonly occurring cancer. The pre-cancerous lesions increase the risk of cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus, mouth or throat. Out of the 170 viruses, about 40 of them are transmitted through sexual contact and are responsible for developing pre-cancerous conditions.
What are the symptoms and how do you detect them?
HPV infection is transmitted through sexual contact. Usually, when you have vaginal, anal and oral sex with someone carrying the HPV virus, you are bound to be affected by it. Genital areas provide the virus with a much suitable environment for them to survive. As it is a sexually transmitted infection, people with more active sex life (with multiple partners) are at a risk of being infected with this virus.
Depending upon the type of infected virus, symptoms vary from person to person and some don't seem to experience any symptoms. General warts and genital warts are the most commonly seen symptoms. If one experiences genital warts, they surely have HPV. Not all genital warts look the same. Some just look like raised or flat pink, flesh like, whereas some seem to have a cauliflower like an outgrowth. There may be one wart to several numbers of them. Some are bigger, and some are insignificantly small.
These symptoms may take up weeks to appear after you have sexual contact with any infected one. If these symptoms start appearing it might happen that the cells of those areas have already begun developing pre-cancerous stages.
How to avoid such infections and what to do if I start observing such symptoms?
There is not much to do, to eradicate any case of HPV infection. As it strikes the most sexually active ones, keep a healthy check on your sex-life. Make sure the ones whom you have intercourse with are not infected already. But as this is not possible every time, maintain a proper intimate hygiene. Keep your private areas clean, and besides that, you may opt for a periodic check-up of your intimate areas to make sure you don't get infected.
But if you have already started observing such symptoms, better not be late to pay a visit to your doctor as soon as possible. If caught at an early stage such infections are easily curable as it is one of the most commons ones. Although there is no HPV test for men in the healthcare sectors, for women HPV tests are available which are not to be confused with Pap smear tests. Your doctor may carry out a lab test to detect the virus.
What are the treatments?
Most of the HPV infections get destroyed over time, but if that is not the case, your doctor may use methods like cryotherapy, conization, laser therapy and loop electrosurgical excision procedure, which are to cure you easily.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
STD or sexually transmitted disease is usually an infection which spreads from one person to another during sexual contact. Some STDs can also be transferred through touch, since they spread by skin contact. People hardly like to talk or discuss STDs, but it is very important to rule out the possibilities of STD. Whether one likes it or not, if STD testing is ignored, then it can lead to long term consequences.
Why STD Testing is Important?
Often STDs have no signs and symptoms, and the only way to know that are you suffering from a STD is to get tested for it. So it is a good idea to get yourself tested, as you never know if you might have a STD even though you don't show symptoms. Also, when STDs are diagnosed, most of them can be cured.
Consequences of Not Getting Tested
If one has STD and is not getting tested for the same, then it could lead to health problems which can cause permanent damages or might prove to be fatal. Some of the problems are:
Symptoms of STD
While, gonorrhea, chlamydia and human papilloma virus ((HPV)) have no symptoms, the common symptoms of STDs might vary.
If these symptoms are observed, it is vital to get tested for STDs. Also, the best way to protect your partner is not to practice unsafe sex and to refrain from the same until diagnosed and treatment is complete. Getting yourself tested for STD is also beneficial, as it can prevent complications like cancers and infertility.
The standard STD panel of tests consists of Herpes IgG antibody and HIV antibody blood tests, along with a blood test for syphilis antibody and DNA urine test for gonorrhea and Chlamydia. For more information, make an appointment with us. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.
What is Genital?
Genital warts are soft growths that appear on the genitals. They’re a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Genital warts can cause pain, discomfort, and itching. They’re especially dangerous for women because some types of HPV can also cause cancer of the cervix and vulva.
HPV is the most common of all STIs. Men and women who are sexually active are vulnerable to complications of HPV, including genital warts. Treatment is key in managing this infection.
Causes:
Most cases of genital warts are caused by HPV. There are 30 to 40 strains of HPV that specifically affect the genitals, but just a few of these strains cause genital warts.
The HPV virus is highly transmittable through skin-to-skin contact, which is why it’s considered an STI.
In fact, HPV is so common that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that most sexually active people get it at some point. However, the virus doesn’t always lead to complications such as genital warts. In fact, in most cases, the virus goes away on its own without causing any health problems.
Genital warts are caused by strains of HPV that differ from the strains that cause warts on your hands or other parts of the body. A wart can’t spread from someone’s hand to the genitals, and vice versa.
Symptoms:
Genital warts are transmitted through sexual activity, including oral, vaginal, and anal sex. You may not start to develop warts for several weeks or months after infection.
Genital warts are not always visible to the human eye. They may be very small and the color of the skin or slightly darker. The top of the growths may resemble a cauliflower and may feel smooth or slightly bumpy to the touch. They may occur as a cluster of warts, or just one wart.
Genital warts on males may appear on the following areas:
-penis
-scrotum
-groin
-thighs
-inside or around the anus
Genital warts in females may appear on the following area:
-inside of the vagina or anus
-outside of the vagina or anus
-cervix
-Genital warts may also appear on the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat of a person who has had oral sexual contact with an infected person.
Even if you cannot see genital warts, they may still cause symptoms, such as:
-vaginal discharge
-itching
-bleeding
-burning
If genital warts spread or become enlarged, the condition can be uncomfortable or even painful.
Diagnosis:
To diagnose this condition, your doctor will ask questions about your health and sexual history. This includes symptoms you’ve experienced and any times you’ve engaged in unprotected sex, including oral sex.
Your doctor will also perform a physical examination of any areas where you suspect warts may be occurring.
For women only:
Because warts can occur deep inside a woman’s body, your doctor may need to do a pelvic examination. They may apply a mild acidic solution, which helps to make the warts more visible.
Your doctor may also do a Pap smear, which involves taking a swab of the area to obtain cells from your cervix. These cells can then be tested for the presence of HPV. Certain types of HPV may cause abnormal results on a Pap smear, which may indicate precancerous changes. If your doctor detects these abnormalities, you may need more frequent screenings to monitor any changes.
If you’re a woman and concerned that you may have contracted a form of HPV known to cause cervical cancer, your doctor can perform a DNA test. This determines what strain of HPV you have in your system. An HPV test for men is not yet available.
Role Of Homeopathy In Genital Warts:
Homeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc. A miasmatic tendency (predisposition/susceptibility) is also often taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions. The medicines given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition. The symptoms listed against each medicine may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications are also taken into account for selecting a remedy.
Diet And Non-Diet:
To help your body heal faster, you should cut out any immune stressors like smoking or a diet that is heavy in processed or unhealthy foods. Foods to incorporate into your diet include: antioxidant rich foods (blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, bell peppers, squash) dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.
Hepatitis B is the most severe liver infection due to hepatitis B virus. The virus attacks the liver, causing liver failure, cirrhosis or liver cancer. It spreads via infected blood and bodily fluid. Health care workers, emergency personnel, primary assistants, persons who have given birth to infants and have infected partners are in danger of getting infected with the virus. If you are associated with a hazardous group, then you need to know how to save yourself from infection and transmittal.
How do you know if you are at danger of Hepatitis B infection?
If you are a healthcare worker or you need to manage blood, blood products, and body fluids at your work, then you are in contact with hepatitis B virus.
How to safeguard yourself?
All healthcare personnel, primary carers, casualty worker and others who are prone to blood and bodily fluids in the work need to get hepatitis B vaccination. In a period of six months, the vaccine is given in three doses. It is advisable to test your Hepatitis B antibody level once in 6 weeks after completing the immunization series. This aids you to make sure that you get adequate safety against hepatitis B virus. If the defending antibiotics have not been growing in your body even after completing the immunization series, and then you have to repeat the chain.
What are the extra careful measures?
It is recommended to avoid direct contact with blood and body fluid. If blood spreads, then clean those using thin bleach solutions. If you have any cuts or open wounds, then cover them properly before taking care of the infected person. Avoid sharing sharp objects like blades, nails, slippers, and earrings. Make sure whether or not the new and sterile needles are used during the treatment of certain diseases. Wash hands with soap and warm water after possible risk.
How to get your Hepatitis B status?
You can determine even if you are infected with Hepatitis B virus and the condition of the virus by 3 part blood test. Hepatitis B virus is a dangerous blood born pathogen that can cause fatal disease. Avoiding getting in touch with this virus is the measure to save you from diseases.
If you are prone to Hepatitis B virus and if you are not vaccinated then you should immediately take medical attention. The doctor usually advises you to obtain Post Exposure Prophylaxis as soon as possible. It is worth getting the first dose of vaccine within 24 hours of exposure. To determine whether you have developed defending antibiotics, you have to test.
Hepatitis B can cause liver cancer therefore investigation is necessary.
Family should be screened as it can be in family Pregnant mother with hepatitis B can transmit infection to newborn. All pregnant females should be screened and precaution should be taken to stop transmission to newbor
Herpes is one of the most common STD of present times. Sometimes, there are people who are infected, but do not have any symptoms and can spread the infection to their partners. Genital herpes infection can be caused by two strains of virus, HSV1 or HSV2 (HSV for herpes simplex virus). It is spread by direct contact, from the site of infection to the site of contact. The infection usually presents as a sore (vaginal, anal or oral areas) and the fluid in these lesions contains the virus. When another person comes in contact with these sores (any region), then the infection spreads. This spread could be from any one contact area to another contact area.
When herpes is transmitted from people who are infected with the virus, but have no obvious symptoms, these are usually called prodromal symptoms, which include itching or tingling in the area of contact. The virus can spread from this area to the other person, and this form of transmission is known as “virus shedding.”
The infection can spread even during these initial stages until the sores are formed, to the time when they are completely healed and the skin looks normal again. Any sexual contact (vaginal, oral, or anal) can be risky and lead to the partner getting affected (75% chances of infection).
Asymptomatic transmission is also possible wherein the infection spreads when there are no symptoms in the infected person. In some people, the virus remains dormant for years together, but these people continue to shed the virus and are capable of infecting. This is more common with HSV2 strains than HSV1.
Pregnancy is another tricky situation where the infant can get infected through the mother. If there are traces of the virus in the vaginal tract, then it is safer to not have a vaginal delivery, else there are higher chances of the infant getting infected.
Newborns and/or babies can also get infected when someone who is infected kisses the baby. Given that their immunity is low, the chances of developing an infection are quite high. It has also been suggested that having cold sores puts a person at higher risk of developing HIV, though this remains to be proven.
Prevention:
Listed below are some ways to prevent or lower the chances of getting infected with the herpes virus.
HIV-Human Immune Deficiency Virus is a virus known all around the world and has contributed to a large number of deaths over the years. As its name suggests, HIV is a virus that attacks an individual’s immune system by destroying the white blood cells and reproducing itself inside the same cells. This slowly weakens the immune system of the affected person and eventually, without treatment the body finds it difficult to fight any disease. A person with HIV, and taking no treatment, is estimated to survive for ten to fifteen years. However, this also depends on the health, background, and age of the patient.
The treatment for HIV has been a huge challenge for the medical fraternity, ever since the virus was identified some years ago. The difficulty with this particular virus is that it spreads itself or multiplies, and this poses a different kind of challenge for physicians. In the process of multiplying, this virus can alter its form, which is medically known as mutation and the newly formed or mutated virus can be resistant to the drug being administered. The doctor will then have to recommend a second line of treatment and prescribe another set of drugs. In some HIV patients, a third line may also have to be resorted to after observing the progress with the second line of drugs.
Drug Resistance Tests Used
When a person is under HIV treatment, it may emerge that the drugs are not yielding the results expected from that line of treatment. It is then that the doctor will advise a drug resistance treatment to determine the resistance level of the virus, and therefore, a new set of drugs will then be prescribed. With experience, doctors have now started advising drug resistance tests on new HIV patients also. This is to check which drugs the virus is resistant to. This is similar to the culture analysis conducted in the conventional system.
Second and Third Line of Drug Resistance
A lot of research has already been done to find the cause of failure for the first line of treatment of HIV and how the second line can then be started. But there are cases, where about 3% of patients develop resistance to the second line of drugs being administered as well. It may not be practically feasible for the medical team to detect the level of drug resistance at the time of starting one level. This is because the multiplication and mutation of the virus might start to occur after some time. Doctors will therefore have to wait for a while before the drug resistance test can be done. This holds equally good for the subsequent levels as well.
Choosing an Optimal Path Essential
After studying the impact of the virus mutation and the difficulties posed in the treatment of HIV, doctors have now turned to planning the treatment in an optimized manner. The patient is put through tests to identify the virus and then the appropriate combination of drugs is prescribed. Subsequently, a close surveillance is maintained to monitor the outcomes and progress of the treatment. If any new mutations occur, then the treatment course is modified to ensure that the effect of the mutations doesn’t cause any further damage to the patient. Ensuring the patient follows the treatment regimen stringently is a challenge and patients have to cooperate with the medical team to see that they don’t miss a dose of medication even once.
The progress from line one to third line regimen shows development in treatment options. While reports show that more patients die when the second regimen is being undertaken, a lot of value and research are being put towards the third dline. Increasing access to first line of treatment in some countries are constrained and it would be difficult for patients to get third line treatment.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
In case you have a concern or query, you can always consult the best general physicians online & get answers to your question via online doctor consultation.
निपाह वायरस के बारे में कम जानकारी उपलब्ध हो सकती है. लेकिन जब जोखिम की बात आती है, तो इससे होने वाले नुक्सान का स्कोर बहुत अधिक होता है. वर्ष 1998 के दौरान मलेशिया में इस वायरस की रिपोर्ट पहली बार की गई थी, जबकि भारत के लिए यह रोग कुछ नया नहीं है. दरअसल, इसने भारत और बांग्लादेश को कई बार अपनी जद में लिया है, जिससे लगभग 280 संक्रमण और 211 मौतें हुई थी. अब यह वायरस वापस आ गया है !
पिछले एक महीने में निपाह वायरस के चलते केरल में 9 लोगों ने अपनी जान गवाई है. पिछले दो हफ्तों में तीन लोगों को जाँच के दौरान पॉजिटिव पाया गया है और 25 से ज्यादा लोगों में इसके लक्षण देखे गए हैं, जिसके चलते उन्हें अस्पताल में भर्ती कराया गया है.
निपाह के कारण जो आपको पता होना चाहिए:
इस संभावित इन्फेक्शन के संकेत बुखार और श्वसन समस्या और भ्रम हैं. कुछ मामलों में फ्लू जैसे लक्षण भी देखे जाते हैं. इसकी गंभीरता बहुत अधिक है, जिसके चलते कोमा की स्थिति भी हो सकती है.
संयोग से यह एक वायरस है जो शरीर में पहली बार प्रवेश के बाद महीनों या यहां तक कि वर्षों के भीतर खुद को फिर से सक्रिय कर सकता है. ऐसे मामलों में स्थायी स्वास्थ्य परिस्थितियों जैसे तेज़ ऐंठन और व्यक्तित्व परिवर्तन विकसित हो सकते हैं.
खतरे से बचें रहने के लिए सबसे अच्छा तरीका है. संक्रमित जानवरों जैसे कि सूअर और चमगादड़ के संपर्क में आने से बचा जाना चाहिए.
इंसानों को वायरस का ट्रांसमिशन अन्य एनआईवी संक्रमित लोगों से संक्रमित चमगादड़, संक्रमित सूअरों के साथ सीधे संपर्क के माध्यम से होता है. इसके अलावा यह संक्रमित जानवरों के संपर्क वाले संक्रमित भोजन का उपभोग करने से होता है.
निपाह वायरस के लक्षण:
इस वायरस के लिए विकसित होने वाले लक्षणों के लिए ऊष्मायन अवधि 5 से 14 दिनों तक होती है और निदान होने के बाद उपचार तुरंत दिया जाना चाहिए. निपाह वायरस रोगियों में निम्नलिखित का कारण बन सकता है.
निवारक उपाय:
निपाह वायरस के लिए उपचार:
निपाह वायरस के साथ लोगों या जानवरों के इलाज के लिए कोई टीकाकरण या दवा उपलब्ध नहीं है. एकमात्र उपलब्ध उपचार गहन सहायक देखभाल है. जैसे ही आपको लक्षण दिखते हैं, तो तुरंत अस्पताल जाए.
आश्चर्य की बात नहीं है कि निपाह वायरस शीर्ष 10 प्राथमिक बीमारियों की सूची में है, जो विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन (डब्ल्यूएचओ) ने अगले बड़े प्रकोप के लिए संभावित प्राथक के रूप में निर्धारित किया है. यद्यपि उपचार वर्तमान में सीमित देखभाल है, फिर भी निपाह वायरस के प्रसार से निपटने के लिए निवारक उपायों को विकसित करने के लिए सरकार और चिकित्सा समुदाय द्वारा प्रयास चल रहे हैं.
HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been conclusively known to be the causative agent for AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) which is a major killer disease of the modern times affecting almost 50 million people around the world.
The virus that causes ‘ Aids’ – HIV belongs to a family of viruses known as retroviruses. HIV looks like a rolled up porcupine. It contains two snakes like single strands of RNA along with reverse transcripts firmly wrapped up in a core, giving HIV its characteristic appearance.
On entering the white blood cells known as CD 4 cells, HIV produces its own DNA and sees to it that this gets inserted into the DNA of the host cell. The viral DNA has enough power and information to direct the destiny of the cell. It can force the cell to manufacture several new copies of HIV. However due to certain trigger and regulatory mechanisms, the viral DNA lies dormant in the host cell for several years before it begins to do the damage.
It has been known that CD4 lymphocytes are mainly affected by the HIV when these classes of lymphocytes are destroyed. It produces an immunological imbalance in the body and weakens the resistance to several opportunistic infections, consequently leading to death. The medicines available at present produce a decrease of the viral load, but as they are immunosuppresents they can produce a deterioration of the patients’ immunity.
People infected with HIV may take 7 – 10 years to develop AIDS.
AID/HIV in Ayurveda may be considered as Ojakshaya, meaning the loss of Vital Energy or immunity. The symptoms, Signs and Causative factors (Nidan), and the Treatment aspect has been described in many Ayurvedic Treaties like Charak Samhita, Susrutha Samhita and Ashtanga Hrudaya, Bhavprakash, Vaidya Chintamani and Chakradatta etc.
Ojas is essence of our body. Ojas is otherwise explained as ‘Bala’ (strength or immunity) and ‘Dhatusara’. Ojas is of two types namely, ‘para ojas’ and ‘Apara ojas’. The ‘ojas’ of para(excellent) type is eight drops in quantity, is located within the heart and death occurs when this get depleted. The other type ‘Apara ojas’ is also known as ‘sleshmaka ojas’, the quantity of which is described as Ardha Anjali and distributed throughout the body. When this ojas is not affected the bodily functions will be normal.
In conditions like HIV/AIDS, where loss of ojas is a prominent feature, people are found to be susceptible to various other diseases or infections.
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