HIV and Aids are known diseases, yet few people actually understand what they are. It is important to know the facts about HIV and Aids, so that one can understand how treatment works. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is similar to many other viruses, like the virus that causes the “flu.” However, the body can fight against the virus that causes the “flu” but can’t fight against HIV. This is because HIV weakens the immune system by destroying T-cells or CD4 cells, which are important in fighting against disease and infections. Since there is no cure for HIV, once an individual contracts the disease, it will remain in them forever. Although there is no cure for HIV, it can be controlled and regulated. If unable to control the
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Many individuals worry about how it will affect their lives, this is a normal reaction. Once a person tests positive for HIV, it is important to seek medical attention. HIV positive patients work closely with their health care provider regarding important decisions. Such decisions include when to start treatment and what kind of medication to take. These important decisions usually begin with a baseline evaluation, which includes a review of the patient’s medical history, a complete physical exam and some lab tests, CD4 count and viral load. The baseline evaluation allows the provider to determine the patient’s stage of HIV infection and the readiness to begin treatment. During the evaluation, the provider discusses benefits and risk of treatment, how to prevent spread of HIV to others and answers any questions the patient may have. Once the provider has completed the baseline evaluation, the two can then decide the best course of action to treat the patient …show more content…
This process, called passive immunization, involves infusing antibodies into an individual’s blood. Human trials are underway and researchers are hopeful that this approach with help prevent, treat and possibly cure HIV. An experiment was done where four different doses of an HIV antibody called 3BNC117 were given to 29 people, of which 17 are HIV positive. Of these infected participants, 15 were not taking any antiretroviral drugs at the time of the study. Eight participants were given an infusion of the highest dose of antibody. Results showed that the amount of virus in their blood was reduced significantly for 28 days. Although the results were impressive, much work needs to be done to determine if the effects are long-lasting. Previous studies showed that this approach reduced levels of HIV in monkeys and mice, but did not work well in humans. This was due to the use of an older generation of antibodies that could not neutralize against a broad range of HIV. For the past decade, researchers have been looking for antibodies that neutralize a wide variety of HIV and have found one; 3BNC117 belongs to this
Many individuals worry about how it will affect their lives, this is a normal reaction. Once a person tests positive for HIV, it is important to seek medical attention. HIV positive patients work closely with their health care provider regarding important decisions. Such decisions include when to start treatment and what kind of medication to take. These important decisions usually begin with a baseline evaluation, which includes a review of the patient’s medical history, a complete physical exam and some lab tests, CD4 count and viral load. The baseline evaluation allows the provider to determine the patient’s stage of HIV infection and the readiness to begin treatment. During the evaluation, the provider discusses benefits and risk of treatment, how to prevent spread of HIV to others and answers any questions the patient may have. Once the provider has completed the baseline evaluation, the two can then decide the best course of action to treat the patient …show more content…
This process, called passive immunization, involves infusing antibodies into an individual’s blood. Human trials are underway and researchers are hopeful that this approach with help prevent, treat and possibly cure HIV. An experiment was done where four different doses of an HIV antibody called 3BNC117 were given to 29 people, of which 17 are HIV positive. Of these infected participants, 15 were not taking any antiretroviral drugs at the time of the study. Eight participants were given an infusion of the highest dose of antibody. Results showed that the amount of virus in their blood was reduced significantly for 28 days. Although the results were impressive, much work needs to be done to determine if the effects are long-lasting. Previous studies showed that this approach reduced levels of HIV in monkeys and mice, but did not work well in humans. This was due to the use of an older generation of antibodies that could not neutralize against a broad range of HIV. For the past decade, researchers have been looking for antibodies that neutralize a wide variety of HIV and have found one; 3BNC117 belongs to this