Halt and Reverse: HIV/AIDS

History

• Discovered in 1980s

• Originally linked to gay males

• 1985 - first blood test approved

• In 1986, AZT, a failed cancer drug, was tested as an HIV treatment for the first time

• AZT was used primarily until the later 90s

• 1996 - Doctors prescribe cocktails for treatment

• 2006 - First notable decline in AIDS/HIV prevalence

Complications

• We must learn how to prevent instead of merely treat

• Cost Effectiveness and access to healthcare are large components of AIDS/HIV treatments

• Providing care to developing countries as well as our own. The burden is shared but carried by few

General Facts

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

• Weakened Immune System

• Leads to AIDS

• Symptoms hidden for decades in someAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

• Final stages of HIV

• Immune system withered away

• Cancers, bacteria, other viruses easily take over

How is it spread?

HIV is a contagious virusBlood, semen, vaginal fluid, or breast

milk from someone with HIV must come in contact with a mucous membrane or damaged tissue of an individual without HIV

Common contact includes

• Unprotected sex

• Sharing of needles, syringes, other intravenous equipment

• Breastfeeding

Who is at risk?

• Racial/Ethnic groups

• Substance Abusers

• Gay and Bisexual men

• Youth

Young people aged 13-29 account for 39% of all new HIV infections.

Prevention

Know your status and partners status

Practicing safe sex - condoms or other barriers

Increase the availability of condoms/barriers and safe sex and health education worldwide

Educate others on testing

Get Tested!

Tests are 99.9% accurateResults appear about 3 months after

exposureCDC recommends everyone is tested at

least oncewww.hivtest.org - Find a testing siteOral swabs for antibodies in mucousNeedles aren't even needed anymore to

detect

http://www.freehivtest.net/learn/#

If you test positive

AHF(AIDS Healthcare Foundation) - 1987Protect your physical and emotional

healthGet informed - Tips, and treatment

educationTell others

Smart Couples Project - http://www.thebody.com/content/art14649.html

There is hope!

MississippiDoctors claim to have cured infant with

HIV by applying drug cocktail 30 hours after birth

At 18 months - drugs were removedNo signs for 10 months, deemed

functionally curedCould lead to over 300,000 cured yearly

Cure Search

• The Berlin patient - leukemia bone marrow transplant lead to cure of HIV

• Merck, Johnson and Johnson, Gilead Sciences Inc are all searching for a cure

• We must shift away from simply preventing.

Resources

"Treat HIV Now." . Gilead Sciences Inc, n.d. Web. 28 Apr 2013. <http://www.treathivnow.com/hiv-facts/treating-hiv-today>.

"Learn About HIV and AIDS." AIDS Healthcare Foundation. AIDS Healthcare Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Apr 2013. <http://www.aidshealth.org/learn-about-

Pettypiece, Shannon. " HIV-Infected Infant Cured With Early Use of AIDS Drugs." Bloomberg . Bloomberg.net, 4 Mar 2013. Web. 28 Apr 2013. <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-03/hiv-infected-infant-cured-with-early-use-of-virus-blocking-drugs.html>.