A quarter of a century ago, doctors from the United States published a message about several cases of incomprehensible disease among young American men. So the era of the AIDS epidemic began, but at the same time another epidemic began - myths about a new infection.
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We have not yet had a single HIV case in our country, and we already knew that it was «Plague XX century», What meets she is some kind of bad «Risk groups» etc. Now we know that AIDS causes a virus, we know when and how it is transmitted, and even by means of treatment. But myths remained and, alas, most people have a much greater understanding about them than the truth.
AIDS mythology could be devoted to a whole book. It also contains only six harmful myths.
HIV and AIDS – is it that one and too, or two different diseases
Until now, people confuse HIV and AIDS names. It's time to put all the notorious points above «E». AIDS – The syndrome of the acquired immunodeficiency. Immunodeficiency means that the immune system that protects our body from viruses and bacteria, begins to work incorrectly. Immunodeficiency may be in man congenital, and may develop due to old age or severe diseases. AIDS – Immunodeficiency is special, different from others, and is connected with the activity of one virus.
HIV – AIDS virus. Like all viruses, it needs someone else's cell to reproduce. In the human body there is only one type of cells in which HIV multiplies – This is a type of immune system cells called CD4. For a while, the immune system restrains HIV and fills lost CD4. But without treatment in a few years, HIV can lead to immunodeficiency – to AIDS. So say «To infect aids» or «AIDS analysis» - not properly. HIV is transmitted, i.e., the virus, and it determines the analysis.
HIV tests often show the wrong result
Sometimes you can hear that HIV analysis may not show the presence of a virus almost a few years. This is wrong. HIV infection may not give themselves for several years, it is true. But HIV test becomes positive during the first weeks. In 95% of people, the analysis becomes positive after 3 months, the rest of this process takes up to 6 months.
But the positive result of the first HIV analysis is really sometimes incorrect – false-positive. Therefore, it is necessarily checked by another analysis – confirming. This confirming analysis is completely different – It is more accurate. Therefore, if you are told that HIV analysis «doubtful» or «Positive and need to double-check» – Do not immediately panic or go to another laboratory. This is if the analysis of another type is also positive – Then the doctor makes a diagnosis «HIV infection».
HIV spread through needles in cinemas (disco, transport)
Everyone heard about the notorious «injections needles». And they wrote in the newspapers, and on the Internet go «Letters of happiness» about it, and a friend's friend had a friend who seems to be so pricked. The only problem is: for 25 years of the epidemic, not a single case was recorded when so someone tried to pass HIV. Needles in the railing invariably turn out to be trained local hooligans, injections in clubs – Machines of competitors or excessive imagination of davey visitors.
And here are some facts. Random injection of a medical needle (for example, a doctor shook immediately after an infected patient) is associated with a very small risk – no more than 0.1%. Another fact: According to one survey, more than 90% of people after the diagnosis of HIV infection is the first idea: «Did HIV pass from me to someone else?». About any «conspiracies» can talk? You will not begin to prick someone needles if you find HIV? People with HIV are no different from your friends, girlfriends and family members. Only prejudices against people affected by the epidemic are forced to believe in any nonsense.
In condoms there are small holes through which HIV penetrates
Very often religious figures, and even simple man in the streets, they say that there are so small holes that are much more HIV in the latex condom. But the fact is that free copies of the virus «float» In the body fluid. They are not capable of leaving somewhere, crawl or jump over. The condom does not miss the liquid, it means that it does not miss and HIV.
The condom does not protect 100% – After all, it can break or jump, especially with imperative use. However, its effectiveness against HIV showed many studies. Here is one of them: 171 couples in which one partner had HIV, for several years he was constantly condoms. Only 3 partners as a result handed HIV. That is, the condom reliably defended 98% of couples from quite real risk.
If a pregnant woman is HIV, he will definitely be transferred to the child
With regard to pregnancy with HIV exaggerations more than enough. Counting that HIV can pass the child from the mother during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. If the woman feeds the breast, and during pregnancy and childbirth, protective measures were not taken, the risk for the child will be 20-30%. Artificial feeding and special antiviral drug during pregnancy will reduce this risk to 1-5%.
In developed countries, such as the United States or the United Kingdom, the level of HIV transfer to children has long been less than 1%. That is why, during pregnancy, women hand over HIV analysis – So that you can take all measures to protect the child.
HIV infection – This is a deadly sentence
There are diseases chronic, from which a person cannot get rid of – For example, diabetes or hypertension. But this does not mean that they – «death sentence» and they can not be treated. HIV – This is a chronic infection, that is, there is no way to save the body from the virus.
Often published messages about «Kudesniki», who were able to cure HIV – Who is heating a person to a huge temperature, who is a prayer and holy spirit, and who will negotiate with mysterious bioplas. These messages are usually a scammers who arouse money from desperate people. Until now, not a single case was recorded «Healing» from HIV. But this does not mean that HIV infection can not be treated at all.
Since 1996, there is an effective means of treating HIV infection – Combined antiviral therapy, which suppresses the breeding of HIV in the body. The goal of therapy – stop the development of HIV infection and prevent people to develop AIDS. Therapy against HIV must be taken constantly, approximately as insulin in diabetes or pills at hypertension. Many people with HIV start therapy still early – Their immune system itself copes with the virus, but at the AIDS stage it may be too late. Therefore, it is so important that HIV is found in a person on time.
If you summarize, real, and not mythical HIV infection, you can detect, you can treat, and you can definitely protect it. And the first thing you need to do to take care of your health and health of loved ones – It is abandoning these and other myths.
