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Herpes Simplex virus Type 2 infection |
| Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection was one of the strongest risk factors for HIV acquisition among men who have sex with men. |
| HIV Infection showing decline! |
| Report released by UNAIDS today said that: the global response to AIDS is showing results. As the world marks 30 years of AIDS, UNAIDS estimates about 34 million people are living with HIV and nearly 30 million people have died of AIDS-related causes since the first case of AIDS was reported on June 5, 1981. |
Some of the facts:
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| HIV ~ Human Immunodeficiency Virus |
| HIV- Management |
| In HIV infection there is intense and persistent viral replication which leads to gradual depletion of CD4 cells. The primary goal in managing the HIV patients is to prevent this process of replication to as low as possible and to maintain it as long as possible. With this there is lower risk of clinical progression of the disease and prevention of opportunistic infection. |
| Classes of ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUGS: Anti retroviral drugs act by inhibiting the multiplication of the virus. The drugs mainly target 2 key enzymes the virus requires to multiply.These are PROTEASE , REVERSE TRASCRIPTASE. Drugs inhibiting the Reverse Transcriptase enzyme are divided into two types – Neucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) & Non-Neucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs). |
| Combination Therapy: HIV virus has the ability of developing resistance if any one drug is used alone. Hence current guidelines are to use at least 3 antiretroviral drugs in combination. This is the same principle used in the treatment of tuberculosis. This triple drug regime is commonly called HAART ( Highly Active Antiretoviral Therapy). HAART has been shown to inhibit viral replication to levels below the limit of detection. |
| Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy: The antiretroviral therapy is started in persons with sign of compromised immune system or indication of presence of Opportunistic infection. CD4+ cell count less than 500 cells/ micoliter or increase of viral load to more than 5,000 – 10,000 copies/ milliliter. are indications of reduced immune strength. All symptomatic patients with symptoms suggestive of active infection – wasting, thrush or unexplained fever for > 2 wks. should be started with antiretroviral drugs irrespective of the viral load. Proper counseling of the patients is also very important before commencing the therapy. Patients is told about the fact that the therapy has to be life long and it is not curative. Cost of the therapy and side effects should be known to the patient. Adherence to the treatment process should be thoroughly stressed. The patient should know that even if he or she is keeping fine transmission of the infection to others is possible and safe sex methods should be practiced. |
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Commonly used initial Antiretroviral regimens |
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Antiretroviral drug regimens are comprised of one choice each from column A and B. |
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Column A |
Column B |
| Efavirenz | Stavudine + Didanosine |
| Indinavir | Stavudine + Lamivudine |
| Nelfinavir | Zidovudine + Lamivudine |
| Nevirapine | Zidovudine + Didanosine |
| Saquinavir | |
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HIV in Females – its different! |
It has been found that the markers ( Viral Load, T-cells ) doctors generally use to determine progression of HIV infection behave differently in women and people of color as compared to white men.
More research is needed to determine what these differences mean in practical terms in the treatment of women. |
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HIV & Hepatitis G |
| Researchers have discovered that infection with an apparently harmless, newly recognized virus seems to interfere with HIV, slowing its progression and prolonging survival of AIDS patients. Virus called GBV-C or hepatitis G, inhibits HIV. Patients with both HIV and hepatitis G lived longer than those infected with HIV alone. |
