Presentation: Craig P Kurtz LMHC, PA

Use your mouse, left click to add lines

and change pages at your own pace.
Each

slide will auto advance every 15 sec.

Right click to pause / Left click to advance
Enjoy the experience
Lets get going!

Presented by the Professional

Counseling Centers of Greater
Jacksonville and Orange Park, Inc
Read

each page and take notes if it will help.

Be prepared for a test at the end of this
presentation.
Take your time and enjoy the course!

HIV & AIDS EDUCATION

Am

I at Risk?
What can I do to protect myself?
Should I be tested?

What is it?

Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Spreading rapidly around the world.
The failure of the bodies immune system, leaving us
susceptible to disease and cancers?

How is it spread?

Chiefly spread by sexual intercourse by women and

men
Most usually by homosexual men.
Now by heterosexual contact and it can effect
anyone!

We appear perfectly healthy?

Infected people may have no idea they are

infected
And they can transmit it by one sexual encounter.

Transmission

It is transmitted by blood and body fluids

Such as vaginal fluids, semen and male preejaculation fluid.
Vaginal intercourse is a well documented source of
transmission from women

Transmission

There is a greater risk of male to female and male to

male infection, as the semen is infected!
Oral contact is more difficult to evaluate.

What else can spread this?

Contaminated sexual toys.

It is found in tears and saliva but the levels found are
considered to low for transmission.
Unless there are cuts and abrasions evident.

Who else can spread this?

Mothers can pass it by birth or breast feeding

depending on what advanced stage of the disease
the mother is at.

It can spread without sexual

contact

Sharing needles by drug users.

Poor medical practice or the re-using of medical
equipment from patient to patient
Blood transfusion...
Organ donors

Biology of HIV

First recognized in 1981, HIV 1, HIV 2, and a closely

related virus found in apes and monkeys.
Its not known how long the virus has been present,
probably very long ago...

More Biology!

The HIV cell has genetic codes stored in RNA cells.

This is unusual as most genetic codes are stored in
DNA
The HIV-RNA cell is enveloped with protein and has
spikes allowing the cell to attach easily.

How does my cell change?

These spikes attach to certain cells.

Then the protein shell dissolves,
This RNA is absorbed into the new cell that the
spikes had attached too.
The RNA is then converted into DNA by its new host
cell

Now I have become infected!

This process is not reversible.

This is called INTEGRATION
Leaving the cell permanently infected, lying dormant
for several years.

There is no way back!

Remember;
This process is not reversible.

Some of the HIV- RNA cells stay.

They may become re-activated .

They learn to collect together and reproduce the
Original virus

Re-infection without exposure!

Leaving the cell they infected as new HIV cells into

the body
This causes constant re-infection of non-infected
cells

My immune system is now

damaged! Over and Over

My T-cells become the target..

They are the immune system, and fight off the HIV.
HIV out smarts the T-cell by changing or mutating
The T-cells then have to learn how to create antibodies for the modified HIV cells.

The immune system does work!

But I remain infected for life!

After years of fighting the virus my T-cells,
Or immune system eventually drops,
Leaving me defenseless against other infections and
virus

It may feel like having the flu..

This occurs about one week after exposure!

Then no symptoms may show up for years
This period could last from one to ten years!
Eventually my weakened immune system will show
symptoms, thus leaving the person with the disease
called AIDS!

Disease

The infected person is attacked by opportunistic

diseases
These are common viruses and may be passed on
to others without even contracting the HIV virus.

Acquired Immuno Deficiency

Syndrome: Disease

Some of the things that may happen can cause

problems with vision or retinal damage, the brain
Herpes with genital damage, chronic diarrhea or
tuberculosis which damages the lungs and other
organs!

Cancer!

Carposy Sychoma
A form of skin cancer, causing dark spots or pigment
blotches, which seems to be decreasing

Other Complications found!

Also lymphatic cancer,

Gout,
Brain damage, dementia. (memory loss)
Severe weight loss called(aids wasting)

Testing for infection

The problem is the time period of the immune

systems response
Usually around three months, where someone may
unwittingly pass on the virus to others

Re-testing after six months!

The test looks for the immune systems response or

the HIV anti-body
Which may not be present yet!
We can not treat the integrated cell that is damaged..
Heres why.

Treatment

We must kill the infected cells to cure the patient,

And with so many cells being impacted , it is not
possible
AZT can be added to the DNA cell which halts the
reproduction process

AZT and Inhibitors

Often the side effects of this treatment may be so

severe that it must be discontinued!
AZT also blocks normal cell reproduction, causing
additional problems in the infected person

Is there a Vaccine?

No Vaccines are often developed from weakened

or modified viral cells, which mount an immune
response
The HIV virus mutates by itself into many strains
making it almost impossible to duplicate for the
purposes of creating a vaccine

Is it dangerous?

Yes, it is difficult to test

Without exposing a subject with the HIV infectedtype cells
In the production of a vaccine,
This makes clinical trials virtually impossible!

Prevention!!!

Non penetrative sexual practices are safe

Latex condemns are recommended for sexual
activity
With only water based lubricant

More Prevention!!!

They should have the anti-spermicidal agent nonoxinol nine. To kill HIV infected sperm cells
They do split and break, so they are not 100%
effective.

Perceptions are dulled with

alcohol!

Plan In advance
Limit partners..

I am at risk, if I drink or use

drugs

Be sure your partner is HIV free, with testing!!!

Pregnancy can pass the infection to the child as well
as the mother can become seriously ill, or die!!!
HIV can accelerate with pregnancy

Other things to watch for!!!

Sharing needles
Sharing razors
Sharing toothbrushes

What else is possible?

Tattooing
Ear piercing
Dental procedures
Acupuncture, (Any thing that breaks the skin)
Blood transfusion

Other safety thoughts

Traveling abroad
Take condoms,
See physicians here first
Fly home for surgical procedures and avoid blood
transfusions unless your life depends on it..

Get tested

Get counseling before and after testing

Wait for three months after your last contact with
someone to get tested, have your partner do the
same thing!

Clean UP!

Remember, if your perspective partner didnt talk

with you about HIV testing,
They probably didnt talk with their last partner as
well!

Be carefull!

Use a solution of 10:1 water to bleach to kill the virus

whenever there is blood or body fluid loss.
Always make a new solution, as bleach evaporates!!!

Keep safety features in your car

and Home

Latex gloves
One way respirators for artificial resuscitation

There is NO CURE
Prevention

is the only answer!

Now be prepared to take this test

Take Test