CHAPTER 3: HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
Chapter overview This chapter will review antiretroviral medications to inhibit the reproduction of the HIV in the body. It will also explain pre- and post-prophylactic measures and other prevention strategies. Treatment elements will be discussed looking at the importance of behavioral changes and psychological Chapter objectives ● Discuss techniques to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Endemic is the constant presence of a disease or infectious agent in a certain geographic area or population group. Epidemic is the rapid spread of a disease in a specific area or among a certain population group. Pandemic is a worldwide epidemic; an epidemic occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting a large number of people. What is ARV? ARV stands for antiretroviral. Antiretroviral medications are designed to inhibit the reproduction of HIV in the body. If ARV treatment is effective, the deterioration of the immune system and the onset of AIDS can be delayed for years. It is recommended that ARV drugs be used in combinations of at least three drugs. What is HAART or ART? HAART stands for highly active antiretroviral therapy, but the current term is often shortened to simply antiretroviral therapy (ART). It is the combination of at least three ARV drugs that attack different parts of HIV or stop the virus from entering blood cells. Even among people who respond well to ART, the treatment does not get rid of HIV. The virus continues to reproduce but at a slower pace. According to the CDC: Treatment guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that a person with HIV begin antiretroviral therapy (ART) as soon as possible after diagnosis. If you delay treatment, the virus will continue to harm your immune system and put you at higher risk for developing AIDS, which can be life threatening (CDC, 2019). What is drug resistance? Drug resistance occurs when a virus is able to adapt, grow, and multiply even in the presence of drugs that usually kill it. Drug resistance reduces the ability of ARV drugs to block the replication of HIV. In some people on HAART, the virus mutates and becomes highly resistant to current medications. What new preventive technologies are in development? Researchers currently are developing new technologies, such as microbicides and vaccines, to help prevent HIV infection. Microbicides are chemical compounds in the Treatment access and integration Analyses of HIV surveillance data collected by the national CDC, urban and rural health departments, and health maintenance organizations revealed that blacks, Hispanics, women, the chronically mentally ill, and the poor are less
factors that should be incorporated to ensure prevention and sustained effectiveness of treatment. Florida’s plan to address HIV/AIDS, developed in conjunction with the CDC, will be introduced.
● Explain HIV/AIDS treatment. WHAT DO ENDEMIC, EPIDEMIC, AND PANDEMIC MEAN?
form of gels, films, sponges, lubricants or suppositories that women could use before sex to block HIV transmission. An effective microbicide would kill HIV in semen, block the virus from attaching to a target cell or prevent HIV from multiplying if the virus enters a target cell. A preventive HIV/AIDS vaccine would elicit an immune response to protect the body from HIV infection. A vaccine would be administered orally or more likely through injection. Microbicides and vaccines are tools that potentially could be used without partner negotiation, which could grant women greater power over their own sexual health. It is also a possibility that a partially effective microbicide and a partially effective vaccine could be used in combination to prevent HIV infection. According to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF, 2019), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are new approaches to preventing HIV: ● PrEP is a daily pill that can protect you from HIV as long as you take it every day and use condoms. ● PrEP protects people who are HIV-negative and are: ○ At risk of being exposed to HIV through sex or injection drugs. ○ Ready to take a daily pill. If you are HIV-negative and exposed to HIV, PEP can stop HIV before it infects your body. PEP stands for post- exposure prophylaxis. PEP is an emergency medicine you take right after you are exposed to HIV. If you think you were exposed to HIV, immediately go to a clinic or emergency room and ask for PEP. Clinical trials are underway to develop and test implantable antiviral medications. A 2020 research report by Rael, Martinez, Giguere, et al., reviewed several long-acting biomedical HIV prevention products in the development pipeline, including injections and implanted medication delivery devices (IMDDs). These delivery systems can increase adherence to medication regimens thus improving outcomes of treatment to prevent HIV/AIDS. For more information The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) provides information about prevention of HIV infections, other sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis at https://npin.cdc.gov.
likely to obtain appropriate HIV therapy compared with the general population. HIV-infected people in rural areas report reduced access to medical and mental health care services relative to their urban counterparts.
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Book Code: CFL0425
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