AIDS Flashcards
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus.
A virus that destroys human immune cells, thus bringing about a severe weakening of the immune system.
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
A collection of illnesses that occur in the late stages of HIV infection, when the patient’s immune system has been severely weakened by the virus.
3 Classes of factors that affect the individual’s risk of HIV infection:
- Biological
- Sexual Behaviour
- Socio-economic
4 Biological factors affecting HIV infection risk
- Infection with other STDs
- Women are at higher risk of HIV transmission
- Circumcised men are at lower risk
- Genetic factors can influence susceptibility
3 Reasons for gender inequality being a significant driving factor in HIV spread. (Gender inequality falls within the Sexual behaviour class)
- Limited employment opportunities for women, means that many women are forced to rely on transactional sex as basic survival strategy.
- Many women are financially dependent of their male partners.
- Gender power imbalances make it difficult for women to confront partners.
Why is high levels of partner concurrency a promoting factor in HIV spreading.
- Individuals infected with HIV are most infectious during the first few weeks of infection.
- A person who acquires HIV from one partner is likely to transmit the virus to another partner quickly.
How did HIV prevalence compare between level of education in the early stages of the epidemic?
HIV prevalence levels were higher in more educated individuals than in less educated individuals, explained by people with higher socio-economic status finding it easier to attract partners.
How does HIV prevalence compare between level of education in recent studies?
They find that the risk of HIV is higher in less educated individuals. This could be due to relatively more HIV/AIDS awareness programmes in recent years.
How does HIV prevalence compare between urban and rural areas?
HIV prevalence tends to be higher in urban areas than in rural areas:
- partly due to greater opportunities for sexual networking in urban areas.
- the epidemic has typically started in urban areas and gradually filtered through to rural areas.
Symptoms following initial HIV infection
- glandular fever-like symptoms that last for a few weeks.
- This is the ‘window period’, in which an individual will test negative for HIV on antibody tests.
- Following initial symptoms, the individual enters a prolonged asymptomatic phase, typically lasting 4 to 6 years.
- Intermittent symptoms follow - such as weight loss, diarrhoea and oral infections.
- Finally, when the immune system has been severely weakened by the HIV infection, individuals experience a variety of opportunistic infections.
When does an individual start testing positive for HIV on antibody tests?
Typically 3 to 4 weeks after infection, after the individual has seroconverted.
Seroconversion
Development of antibodies in blood serum as a result of infection or immunisation.
Median time from infection to death from HIV/AIDS
between 9 and 11 years, in the absence of antiretroviral treatment.
Stages 1 and 2 of the WHO clinical stages.
Defined in terms of minor symptoms, such as swollen glands and skin rashes.
Stage 3 of the WHO clinical stages
Defined in terms of symptoms such as weight loss, oral infections and diarrhoea.