HIV Virus Increases Risk Of Opportunistic Infections-Studies

April 19,2010
HIV Virus Increases Risk Of Opportunistic Infections-Studies
By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Macrohon, Southern Leyte-An individual who is affected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is sensitively vulnerable to have an increase risk of opportunistic infections according to studies.
Dr, Julius Alteveros Duarte, Provincial Dentist, who gave the lecture held at Kuting Reef in brgy. Asuncion here informed the participants composed mostly of Health Workers and media practitioners that HIV is a virus that causes AIDS, while the latter is a syndrome of infections.
Based on the basic information of the debilitating and dreaded disease, H stands for Human; I-stands for Immunodeficiency which results to weakening of immune system and consequently increases risk of opportunistic infections; V-stands for Virus (one of the microbiologic agents that infect the body).
While the acronym AIDS means Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Specifically, A stands for Acquired,meaning,neither genetic nor inherent; I-refers to the Immune system of the body that is weakened by the virus; D-means deficiency-destruction of anti-infective cells known in medical term as CD4 + cells; S stands for Syndrome-group of illnesses taking place at the same time.
Duarte reported that based on the 2006 statistics total death caused by AIDS among those affected reached 2.9M for adults and 380,000 for children under 15 years old. People who were newly-affected with HIV in the latest survey, the dentist disclosed, were 3.8M and 530,000 were children under 15 years old.

HIV Transmission
How is HIV transmitted? According to studies and research conducted by medical experts HIV is transmissible thru the following medium: 1)sexual contact:oral,anal or vaginal sex; 2)direct contact with seminal fluid, cervical or vaginal secretions and infected blood via transfusion; 3)HIV-infected mothers to infant during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding.

Prevention Activities
To avoid acquiring or spreading the dreaded diseased. Duarte citing medical records mentioned the following preventive measures: 1) Abstain from promiscuous sex; 2) Be monogamous by having only one heterosexual partner and behave responsibly; 3) Be charitable. Care for others and for yourself by teaching/conducting Christian values formation; 4)Avoid taking illegal drugs and drink alcoholic beverages only in moderation; 5) Strengthening family values/bonding and education by reading articles all about HIV and AIDS; 6)Attend lectures/seminars on the subject matter.

Circulated Misinformations
However, to correct some circulated misinformation or misbelieve on how HIV and AIDS in some concerned areas could be acquired, Duarte clarified that based on the studies, the HIV virus cannot be transmitted via the following means: insect bites; touching or hugging; coughing and sneezing; water and food; handshaking and kissing; telephone/cellphone use; sharing of cups,glasses,plates or utensils; and bathing in swimming pool.

Several years ago this reporter had heard by words of mouth in a casual conversation that originally the HIV virus causing AIDS was acquired thru man’s sexual intercourse with an animal or animals. Then it spread thru sexual contact with fellow human beings until it reached in other countries by some other means including the Philippines.
How true is this belief or allegation? What specific country where the unusual/weird and beastly act by man was first committed? Is it in Africa or where? In some occasions when I happened to read articles about HIV/AIDS I did not encounter such kind of revelation or unscientific statement of sort. Can an in-depth medical research be able to trace the origin of (HIV/AIDS) virus, to find out if it has some truth to what I‘ve heard in the past years’ allegation?
Additionally, there are two types of HIV that causes AIDS:1) HIV-1 which is more common worldwide; 2)HIV-2 more common in African areas. These 2 types of HIV can be transmitted through similar routes and its opportunistic infections are also similar in nature.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)