HIV Transmission

When there's too much profanity almost everywhere, I wonder why we're too critical when it comes to HIV and AIDS. Aside from being fatal and fierce, we attach labels of social stigma and disgrace to these conditions. Too many people have suffered and died, so the least we should think about is discriminating the victims as society's unwanted.

AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease, hence, there are more chances of transmitting the HIV virus through intercourse. So why do we need to shun physical contact? You can touch them and heal their souls. All they need is for you to show them even a bit of compassion and kindness. Even the intimacy of kissing cannot transmit the deadly virus to your partner. So where's the love?

A peck on the cheek or even a sweet touch of your lips can pass on love and care. Kissing is so powerful that it can soothe the ailing heart, even of a distressed AIDS victim. If you really want to make contribution, do away with the myths and misconceptions. Search for truth behind the disease and help strengthen their faith. Two decades from now, AIDS may still be a scare but once you care, you'll help alleviate the social conditions of those in despair.

Tuberculosis or TB is one of the main causes of mortality in world. In fact, millions of people are suffering from this detrimental and contagious disease every year. And about 1/3 of the total population of world have this disease. And unfortunately, HIV victims are not exempted from the transmission of germs, mycobacterium tuberculosis.

People living HIV can easily get infected by the bacteria coming from tuberculosis due to their poor immune system. Their bodies can longer fight the bad germs, and thus become TB infected as well. Actually, TB is present in some underdeveloped countries. This is because medications for TB patients can hardly provide. TB can spread through coughing, sneezing, or spiting of a TB infected person.

Unfortunately, it is not easy to diagnose TB in HIV infected individual. And bacteria from TB can rapidly progress in HIV patient. It can also cause death to people with HIV if TB remains untreated or undiagnosed. And TB disease is the major AIDS-associated opportunistic infection that can danger HIV-negative individuals. So, if you think that you have an early signs of TB, it's wise to consult a doctor immediately.

For many years, AIDS has been one of the world's serious health problems. The virus has infected about more than a million of people living in America. And not only in America that HIV/AIDS has spreaded, but also in other parts of the globe where AIDS has severely affected people, including those unborn babies. Not all HIV-infected pregnant women know that they have the virus. And it's possible to easily transfer the virus to the unborn child if the infected pregnant mother will deliver the child without the proper medication and care on her disease.

This situation calls for pregnant mothers to undergo HIV testing. This is done to avoid the possibility of transferring the disease to unborn baby. The Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT) occurs during pregnancy through labor or breastfeeding. In 2005, some 700,000 children below 15 became HIV infected through MTCT. But, MTCT can be prevented through voluntary testing and counseling, use of antiretroviral therapy, safe delivery practices, and safe use of breast-milk substitutes. And with proper treatment and medical interventions, the possibility of a baby to become HIV infected could lessen.

Today, several women are suffering from the marks of HIV. Unfortunately, not all of them are aware that they are infected by the virus. The lack or insufficient education on HIV/AIDS has been one of the reasons why many people are now suffering from this sexually transmitted disease. But economic and gender aspects also contribute to the increasing number of HIV/AIDS victims.

We all know that it's right for a married woman to submit her body to her husband. Religiously speaking, married couples have authority to each other's body. However, if woman submits to unprotected sexual intercourse with her HIV-infected husband, she'll likely have the virus. Some women living with HIV got the virus from irresponsible sexual act of their partners. In addition, there are ladies who have no choice but to go into sexual trade or prostitution due to poverty and illiteracy. Although they want to keep themselves from the threat of HIV, yet the nature of their job has limited ways to protect them from HIV transmission. And the saddest part, there are women who are helplessly carrying the damaging and burdensome loads of HIV due to poverty and unawareness on AIDS.

The problem about HIV is serious. There are thousands of people who are infected by the virus every year. And this virus can easily infect a person if he is not aware about the transmission. HIV/AIDS can be acquired through any sexual activity, however; there are other channels that the virus can enter to transfer to innocent people.

It is important to be informed about the extent, causes, and prevention of HIV/AIDS disease. A pregnant mother who is carrying the virus must know the way to protect the child in her womb. Some hospitals and health centers should continuously inform the public about the threat of this disease. If you are having the virus, you must not allow passing it to others, especially to your family.

Some people get the virus through unsafe sex, sharing of needs to inject drugs, and poor health care environment. Although there is a possibility that one can acquire the virus from these venues, he can still prevent the transmission of the virus. As always reminded, always use condom, avoid sharing of needles, and check blood transfusions.

There are some people who deliberately pass HIV to innocent people. People with HIV who deliberately pass the disease to others may be charged with a criminal offense. Also, would you believe that there are people who would like to get infected with HIV virus? These people also fall under scenarios of deliberate passing of HIV. They like to have the said disease because it gives them some thrill. However, there is a possibility that they will not be charged with a crime because the act was done with the permission of both parties.

On the other hand, reckless passing of HIV can be diagnosed if the disease or the virus was passed on in a different scenario. A perfect example of this case is when a person with HIV engages in unprotected copulation with HIV negative individual and doesn't tell the latter about the disease. The court will see it as a reckless behavior on the side of the infected person. He/she merely wanted to gratify his/her sexual urges. He/she did not wish to inflict the disease on others.

Lastly, the accidental passing of HIV will be ruled in court if the person does not know that he/she is infected with the disease then engages unprotected sexual intercourse with a partner.

Before AIDS and HIV were discovered there had existed numerous perils when engaging in casual sex. Diseases like herpes, gonorrhea, and hepatitis B are a major concern. Although they are transmitted in similar manner, back then people didn’t consider the connection between AIDS/HIV and other venereal diseases. Several studies have indicated that there is a strong connection between the two. For one, when you expose yourself to STD’s you also endanger your health to the threat of HIV, and vice versa.

Having certain STD’s increases your risk of contracting HIV. Herpes produces skin sores and breaks. These broken skins serve as a portal to HIV, making it easier for a person to be infected by the deadly virus. Even if there are no breaks or sores, STD infection can stimulate a response in the genital area increasing the likelihood of HIV transmission. If a person is already infected with HIV, and gets gonorrhea or chlamydia, he or she becomes more infectious. There are substantial evidences that conclude that men infected with gonorrhea increases the viral load of HIV in their semen. Another instance that proves the connection is that if an HIV patient contracts herpes, the lesions are more severe thus increasing the chances of spreading not only the STD but the HIV as well.

Obviously, mosquitoes would be perceived as HIV carriers since they suck blood from people, and then bite on another. If this is in fact true, then the number of the HIV infected people today would be, well, massive. So how does this really work?

Studies from researchers have shown that blood-suckers don't just suck blood from a person then immediately bites on another. What they do is they go to a resting place to absorb and digest the blood. Also, insects cannot just suck the blood with the HIV virus because they can only take on so little amount, and they only suck the blood from the surface of the skin. So there, mosquitoes cannot carry the HIV disease, and although they bite a lot, they're not that dangerous.

We all know that HIV can be transferred through unprotected sex, promiscuous sexual activities, and unsafe blood transfusions. Sadly, HIV can also be acquired by children via the mother. This usually happens during the late stages of pregnancy or after the birth of the child, when he or she is most dependent on the mother for nutrition.

Breastfeeding babies furthers this risk and without adequate treatment, HIV is highly probable to be passed on. Fortunately, the Ceasarian method of giving birth, together with necesssary medication, have been known to lower the chances of HIV transmission.

HIV is a disease that can be transmitted in several ways. Although, it cannot be transmitted through the saliva, it is transmitted through sexual intercourse, through blood transfusions, which does not commonly happen, through needles, or injections, through infected mothers to their child, and through IV drug use. The most you can do to avoid HIV infection is, to use protection during sexual intercourse, use a condom. Remember, it's better to be safe than sorry, and HIV is something that you can die from, so act wisely. Strengthen your immune system, and most importantly, live a healthy life.