Pathophysiology Flashcards
Routine HIV testing is encouraged because…
It helps decrease stigma
Prevents over-reliance on looking at “risk factors” that focus on stereotyping behaviour
Negative testing offers opportunity for harm reduction counselling
Different HIV testing options in SK include…
Standard screen
Point of Care
Dried Blood Spot
Self Testing Kits
Standard screen uses the ____ to test for HIV.
4th generation antibody (Ab) and antigen (Ag)
Results will take few days to 2 weeks
Point of care tests for HIV via…
Rapid antibody screen
If positive, need confirmatory testing
There are two types of HIV: the most common is…
HIV-1
HIV is spready by contact with ____, such as…
HIV-infected body fluids
(Blood, semen, vaginal fluid, rectal fluid, breastmilk
For transmission to occur, HIV-infected body fluids need to come in contact with…
A mucous membrane, damaged tissue, or be directly injected into the bloodstream
Modes of transmission for HIV include…
Sexual transmission
Blood contact (needles)
Vertical transmission (if not suppressed)
Knowing HIV viral load is important because it determines the…
Likelihood of being able to transmit HIV to others
Having an undetectable viral load means…
HIV is untransmittable
Main symptomatology with HIV include…
Flu-like symptoms within 2-4 weeks after infection (fever, sore throat, night sweats, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, rash, enlarged lymph nodes)
Many patients have no symptoms at all
CD4 count is a marker of…
Immune system health - indicates disease progression
Highlights urgency to start ARV’s, OI proph
A normal CD4 count is considered…
800-1200
When assessing lab values, the CD4 count we should evaluate is…
The absolute value
HIV viral load is measured in…
Copies/mL
Less than ____ copies is considered “suppressed”
50
Typically most patients are suppressed within ____
1-2 months
