measles and HIV Flashcards
what is a key fact of viruses that is unlike diseases
viruses cannot be killed by antibiotics
what is measles
a highly infectious disease
can be fatal
what is the first symptom of measles
a fever
what is the second symptom of measles
after around 3 days, the patient develops a red skin rash
how is measles spread?
in droplets, when an infected person coughs or sneezes
the virus passes onto a different person when these droplets are inhaled
in some cases,complications can develop in measles.
what can these complications cause
damage to the breathing system and the brain
can be fatal
what helps prevent measles?
most children are vaccinated against measles when they are very young
what is the first symptom of HIV?
a flu-like illness that disappears after one or two weeks
what happens during the flu like symptom in HIV?
the virus attacks the cells of the patients immune system, over time the immune system becomes severely damaged.
The patients immune system then becomes so badly damaged that it can’t fight off other infections that other people could easily deal with
what happens to the patients immune system in HIV?
the virus attacks the cells of the patients immune system until the immune system becomes so badly damaged that it can’t fight off other infections that other people could easily deal with
when the immune system reaches this stage, the patient can now easily contract other infections such as TB
the HIV patient can’t fight off cancer cells, what does this lead to
developing cancer
what is the stage called when a HIV patient can easily contract with other infectious diseases
this is described as having a late stage HIV/AIDS
this is fatal
how can people infected with HIV be treated?
using antiretroviral drugs
what do antiretroviral drugs do?
how does this help?
it stops the virus from multiplying inside the patient so the virus doesn’t damage the patients immune system
patients who take antiretroviral drugs do not go on to develop AIDS and they can lead a normal life expectancy
what is a disadvantage of antiretroviral drugs?
they are not a cure for HIV or AIDS.
The patient must take these drugs for the rest of their life
