BY THE WAY, I'M NOT AN HIV EXPERT!!!!
Ok so HIV has been making news recently and it looks to be pretty good news too, but it's really not what people are thinking.
Since HIV medacines were first made available, of course the aim has been to find a cure for it, but infact, all drugs available for HIV to this date, only prevent the symptoms and stop it from re-occouring in the body. No known cure has been found yet, although science is only around the corner from it!!!
HIV itself is a complex desease, described on wikipedia as...
"Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus (slowly-replicating retrovirus) that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk. Within these bodily fluids, HIV is present as both free virus particles and virus within infected immune cells.
HIV infects vital cells in the human immune system such as helper T cells (specifically CD4+ T cells), macrophages, and dendritic cells. HIV infection leads to low levels of CD4+ T cells through a number of mechanisms including: apoptosis of uninfected bystander cells,[4] direct viral killing of infected cells, and killing of infected CD4+ T cells by CD8 cytotoxic lymphocytes that recognize infected cells.[5] When CD4+ T cell numbers decline below a critical level, cell-mediated immunity is lost, and the body becomes progressively more susceptible to opportunistic infections."
Basically, it's not currently cureable but is manageable with a lifetime of drugs and other forms of medacine.
Any myth's around HIV?
Where to begin really?
- HIV and AIDS are the same thing, just different names. - WRONG, HIV and AIDS are different attacks on the human body and do require different sets of medication and check-ups.
- HIV is mainly in the gay community - WRONG. Study's over the past few years have shown that people who identify as straight are more likely to catch the desease. In either case, a persons sexual activity shouldn't be brought into this debate.
- HIV can only be caught through sexual activity - WRONG. Any way that it can get through the skin and into the body, it can and will use. So yes, penatrtive sex is a main way, but cuts etc can also be a way into the body for HIV.
- You can't lead a normal life once you have HIV / AIDS - WRONG. I personally know several people who have either HIV or AIDS and they lead perfectly normal lives. Sure they have to be abit more careful and clean, but it is perfectly possible to lead a normal life once you are infected with HIV or AIDS.
- A cure for HIV is coming - CORRECT. Sure it's been in the making for some time and probably won't be available for some time either, some sciency people do claim to be close to cracking a cure for HIV at the moment, so within our lifetime, it is possible.
- HIV cannot be cured in 3rd world contries like africa - WRONG. These drugs and detection ways all cost money and as we can all see, for whatever reason, some regions in Africa simply don't have the money to detect let alone give medication to those suffering, which is why donations to charities that help with this sort of thing are always welcome and needed!
So why do i think that it's bad there's been a cure for HIV?
While this child in the news seems to have been cured of HIV, it was done by medication which is given to people who already have HIV, there's nothing different about this medication other than, it being given to a baby. Medication like this HAS been given to babies before when it has been needed and it doesn't seem to have worked before, wether something is different about this child's immune system, we just don't know yet.
So why is it bad news?
ALOT of people are reading this story and thinking that a break through has been found and that HIV is now cureable when in simple terms, it's not and this is still a threat to people. We need to follow this case for some more time while futher tests are carried out on this child, because if the child has gotten rid of HIV, then this will be of course very interesting to people who not only have HIV but for those who like to be informed of HIV and whats happening in the med's world!
So, how to prevent HIV and AIDS from getting to you?
We all know the old thing of, if you don't know your sexual partner, use protection. Protective sex isn't just to stop someone from getting pregnant, it's also to prevent stuff like this from happening to you. Most importantly, KNOW YOUR STATUS!!!! I really can't stress to you how fed up i am of seeing people too afraid to talk about HIV/AIDS/STI's and STD's with their doctor or nurse. The longer people are afraid to talk about this and use contraception, the longer this problem goes on.
Getting to know your status is easy and results can be back with you within minutes in some places these days. It's quick, easy and sometimes free too!!! It's NOT painful and let put it simple, would you rather wap out your cock or fanny to a doctor, or have to explain to all of your friends and family that you've caught something and face a life of being on medication and your life being at risk if it's not taken?
That's really how simple it is.
So don't be afraid, contact your doctor and ask about getting tested, it could just be the best thing you do today.
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