| What is AIDS ? | | | | have HIV can give blood with no risk of HIV for |
| HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus. Like all | | | | themselves or for the person who gets the blood. If |
| viruses, it must invade the cells of other organisms to | | | | you are in a profession where you might come into |
| survive and reproduce. HIV multiplies in the human | | | | contact with other people's blood, you should be |
| immune system's CD4+ T cells and kills vast numbers | | | | careful to learn and follow the guidelines for dealing |
| of the cells it infects. The result is disease symptoms. | | | | with this situation. Your employer should make that |
| AIDS is caused by infection with a virus called human | | | | information available to you. If this does not happen, |
| immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This virus is passed | | | | I suggest you demand it. |
| from one person to another through blood-to-blood | | | | What are the key principles in managing HIV |
| and sexual contact. In addition, infected pregnant | | | | infection? |
| women can pass HIV to their babies during | | | | First of all, there is no evidence that people infected |
| pregnancy or delivery, as well as through breast | | | | with HIV can be cured by the currently available |
| feeding. People with HIV have what is called HIV | | | | therapies. In fact, individuals who are treated for up |
| infection. Some of these people will develop AIDS as | | | | to three years and are repeatedly found to have no |
| a result of their HIV infection. | | | | virus in their blood experience a prompt rebound |
| How HIV is transmitted | | | | increase in the number of viral particles when therapy |
| You can become infected with HIV in several ways, | | | | is discontinued. Consequently, the decision to start |
| including: | | | | therapy must balance the risk of an individual |
| Sexual transmission. You may become infected if you | | | | advancing to the stage of symptomatic disease |
| have vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected partner | | | | against the risks associated with therapy. The risks |
| whose blood, semen or vaginal secretions enter your | | | | of therapy include the short and long-term side |
| body. You can also become infected from shared | | | | effects of the drugs, described in subsequent |
| sexual devices if they're not washed or covered with | | | | sections, as well as the possibility that the virus will |
| a condom. The virus is present in the semen or | | | | become resistant to therapy. This resistance then |
| vaginal secretions of someone who's infected and | | | | limits the options for future treatment. |
| enters your body through small tears that can | | | | Translation |
| develop in the rectum or vagina during sexual activity. | | | | After HIV mRNA is processed in the cell's nucleus, it |
| If you already have another sexually transmitted | | | | is transported to the cytoplasm. HIV proteins are |
| disease, you're at much greater risk of contracting | | | | critical to this process: for example, a protein |
| HIV. Contrary to what researchers once believed, | | | | encoded by the rev gene allows mRNA encoding HIV |
| women who use the spermicide nonoxynol-9 also | | | | structural proteins to be transferred from the nucleus |
| may be at increased risk. This spermicide irritates the | | | | to the cytoplasm. Without the rev protein, structural |
| lining of the vagina and may cause tears that allow | | | | proteins are not made. |
| the virus into the body. | | | | In the cytoplasm, the virus co-opts the cell's |
| HIV can be transmitted by blood contact. If you | | | | protein-making machinery ¾ including structures |
| receive a blood transfusion from someone with HIV, | | | | called ribosomes ¾ to make long chains of viral |
| you will probably get HIV. This is why it is important | | | | proteins and enzymes, using HIV mRNA as a |
| that people who have HIV do not give blood. You | | | | template. This process is called translation. |
| cannot get HIV by giving blood. People who do not | | | | |