1 - What cells are attacked by the HIV virus?
White Blood Cells AKA T Cells. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) attacks the CD4+T cells which basically prevent our immune system from infections.
2 – What is the CD4 count?
CD4 cells are a type of white blood cell that fight infection. Another name for them is T-helper cells. CD4 cells are made in the spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus gland, which are part of the lymph or infection-fighting system. CD4 cells move throughout your body, helping to identify and destroy germs such as bacteria and viruses. The CD4 count measures the number of CD4 cells in a sample of your blood drawn by a needle from a vein in your arm. Along with other tests, the CD4 count helps tell how strong your immune system is and indicates the stage of your HIV disease. It also guides treatment, and predicts how your disease may progress. Keeping your CD4 count high can reduce complications of HIV disease and extend your life.
3 – How can the HIV virus be easily eliminated outside the organism?
The HIV viruses can be easily eliminated with bleech for about 15 minutes (1 deciliter of bleech in 1 liter of water); Ethanol 70% for about 15 minutes; more than 60ºC heat; detergents.
4 – What are the differences or similarities between HIV1 and HIV2?
Both forms of HIV are spread through sexual contact, blood, and mother-to-child transmission. The symptoms of HIV-1 and HIV-2 are exactly the same and individuals cannot know which type they have without tests performed by a physician. HIV-1 is found around the world, while HIV-2 is restricted to a very small portion of West Africa. Countries where HIV-2 is common include Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. Outside of West Africa, HIV-2 is extremely rare. Places where it is most common are countries with strong ties to West Africa like Portugal, Angola, and France. In the United States, only about 100 confirmed cases of HIV-2 have been reported. These cases have mostly occurred in people who have traveled to West Africa. Moreover the the viruses come from different monkeys.
5 - Comment on the statement.
“One may or not loose its identity or even have or not have the sensation of loss when discovering she/he is HIV positive. This is personal and it is different from each individual depending on many factors.”
(Filipe Canha, London, November 2009)
6 - Comment on the statement.
“Throughout everywhere and in every century, the individual is unwell, however, unwell through societie’s gaze, function and upon its fixed norms. The patient’s comunication is elaborated within the comunication based on relations from the individual to the social…”
(Herzlich et al., 1991: 13)
7 - Comment on the statement.
“HIV/AIDS should be considered as a cronic disease.”
(Mario Rui Andre - Physician, Lisboa, November 2009)
8- Comment on the statement.
“Researchers found that one in five people with an HIV diagnosis had been harassed, threatened or verbally assaulted in the past 12 months. Many reported ignorance and prejudice from within the medical profession, particularly from GPs and dentists.”
(“People with HIV alarmed by levels of stigma in UK”, http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/29/hiv-study-stigma-attitudes discrimination)
Canha
