HIV and AIDS Flashcards
what is HIV?
enveloped RNA virus that encodes DNA into your genome through reverse transciptase
what is AIDS?
when you are HIV+ and have <200 CD4 cells or an AIDS indicator disease
how is HIV transmitted
blood, semen/vaginal fluids
what makes HIV more transmissible?
primary or late infection times
no treatment
how likely is HIV to be transmitted?
25% mom-baby
<0.5% sex
<0.3% needle stick
what does HIV target?
CD4 cells (T cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, microglial cells)
what is the process of HIV entering the body?
enters cell (with gp120-cd4receptors), uncoats, makes DNA, integrates into genome (DNA has 5 errors per copy - drug resistance)
what are problems in advanced HIV disease?
dementia
wasting syndrome
what happens in HIV infections?
opportunistic infections (tb, taxoplasmosis, cryptococcal meng)
and malignancies (kaposi’s sarcoma, lymphoma, cervical cancer)
how is HIV diagnosed?
serology (antibodies for screening, western blot for confirmation)
immunological studies (for CD4 counts)
viral load testing (qPCR)
resistance genotyping (for drug choices)
what is the window period?
time required to generate antibodies and show up positive on test
50% by 2-3 weeks
95% by 4-6 weeks
99% by 12 weeks
how is HIV treated?
HAART - highly active antiviral therapy
prevents transmission
limits viral load
keeps CD4 count stable
what is PrEP?
pre-exposure prophylaxis
prevents HIV infection by limiting viral replication
what to do if needle stick injury?
if necessary: post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) within 72 hours (ideally within 2 hours)
