Week 2

Question 1

Which bodily fluids are capable of transmitting HIV?

Answer 1

blood, spinal fluid, pleural fluid, pus, semen, vaginal secretions, amniotic fluid, pericardial fluid, synovial fluid

Question 2

Which bodily fluids are not capable of transmitting HIV?

Answer 2

urine, feces, saliva, nasal secretions, gastric fluid, sputum, tears, sweat, vomitus

Question 3

HIV is what type of virus?

Answer 3

retrovirus

Question 4

What type of exposure carries the highest risk of acquiring HIV?

Answer 4

vertical transmission [24%] followed by receptive anal intercourse [1-2%]

Question 5

Who gets HIV overwhelmingly in the US compared to another group?

Answer 5

In the US more men than women are living with HIV/AIDS

Question 6

Which race/ethnicity are overwhelmingly diagnosed with HIV? Note the differences between men and women

Answer 6

Men: African-Americans, White and Hispanic Latino each take up about a third
Women: 60% African-American, 19% Hispanic/latino, and 17% White

Question 7

How is HIV transmitted among males and females [transmission with the highest percent]?

Answer 7

Men: 80% of HIV cases were transmitted via male-to-male sexual contact
Women: 85% of HIV cases were transmitted via heterosexual contact

Question 8

True or False: Do you have HIV if you have AIDS?

Answer 8

True

Question 9

True or False: Do you have AIDS if you have HIV?

Answer 9

False

Question 10

What does AIDS stand for?

Answer 10

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Question 11

How is someone diagnosed with AIDS?

Answer 11

They need to have one of the following:

1. CD4 T cell count less than 200cells/uL
2. CD4 T cell percentage of total lymphocytes less than 15%
3. One of the AIDS defining illnesses

Question 12

What are the AIDS defining illnesses?

Answer 12

more than 25 conditions…including esophageal candidiasis, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia [PJP]

Question 13

How do we test for HIV/AIDS?

Answer 13

We can test for HIV-RNA, p24 antigen [capsid], and we can test for antibodies

Question 14

At what time points do we use the different tests?

Answer 14

HIV RNA is the earliest thing we can test for, followed by p24 antigen about 1-2 weeks post infections [test positive 22-3 weeks], followed by antibodies 35 days post infection [1st generation];

Question 15

Define seroconversion

Answer 15

l

Question 16

What is the window-period of an HIV infection?

Answer 16

period where it’s difficult to diagnose the disease. the serology is not yet positive. it is about 2-3 weeks

Question 17

How can the HIV infection window be decreased?

Answer 17

It can be decreased by detecting the capsid [p24 antigen]

Question 18

When do antibodies appear in the blood during an HIV infection?

Answer 18

3-4 weeks

Question 19

Describe the 4th generation HIV test.

Answer 19

Ab/Ag test. Combines HIV antigen test and an antibody test. If anyone of these turns positive than it is a positive result

Question 20

What is the typical first test for diagnosing HIV? Describe it.

Answer 20

The HIV 1 and 2 Ab EIA test. It can be read in 20minutes.Oral test; high sensitivity and high specificity. Detects the amount of HIV IgG in saliva. This test has greater than 99% agreement with Western Blot. However, this has to be 3-4 weeks after the time of exposure.

Question 21

Which test allows you to test for HIV antibody and antigen at the same time?

Answer 21

ELISA [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay]

Question 22

What is the confirmatory test for HIV diagnosis?

Answer 22

Western Blot! Detects antibody against viral peptides that have been separated by electrophoresis and blotted

Question 23

What is the common course of diagnostic tests?

Answer 23

1. rapid test [like oral]
2. ELISA [can be combo]
3. confirmatory test [WB]

Question 24

What is the ultrasensitive technique for diagnosing HIV?

Answer 24

HIV RNA detection via PCR

Question 25

Describe HIV primary infection [AKA acute retroviral syndrome]. Is this primary infection self-limiting?

Answer 25

Occurs 2-6 weeks after HIV infection and patients develop flu-like illness. Symptoms include fever, swollen glands, sore throat, rash, and muscle aches. Symptoms occur in 30-90% of newly infected patients. Median duration of symptoms is 12-28 days.
Yes, this infection is self-limiting.

Question 26

Describe HIV asymptomatic infection

Answer 26

clinical latency, no symptoms of disease

Question 27

Describe HIV early symptomatic infection

Answer 27

lymph nodes burnt out; more T cell destruction. opportunistic infections

Question 28

What is the level of infection called after early symptomatic infection?

Answer 28

AIDS [advanced immunodeficiency with opportunistic infections/cancers

Question 29

What form of treatment has allowed HIV patients to have longer life expectancies?

Answer 29

anti-retroviral therapies