WK 4: HIV / AIDS

Question 1

Transmission of HIV

Answer 1

• Fragile virus transmitted only through contact with body fluids
• Blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk

Modes of transmission
- Sex with an infected partner
- Exposure to infected blood or blood products
- Prenatally at the time of delivery, or breastfeeding

Question 2

Risk factors of HIV

Answer 2

o Sex with an infected partner
o Exposure to infected blood or blood products
Prenatally at the time of delivery, or breastfeeding

Question 3

Patho of HIV

Answer 3

CD4 counts: Binds to specific CD4 receptor sites and CCR5 and CXCR4 co-receptors on the cell’s surface.

Viral load: Initial infection - Viremia (large viral levels in blood) for 2–3 weeks? Transmission is more likely when viral load is high

Question 4

What are the Phases of infection in HIV:
1. Acute Infection

Answer 4

○ Flu-like symptoms
§ Fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, headache, malaise, nausea, muscle and joint pain, diarrhea, or a diffuse rash
§ These symptoms are called acute retroviral syndrome and occur about 1–3 weeks after infection.
§ Lasts for 1–2 weeks

Question 5

What are the Phases of infection in HIV
2. Early chronic infection

Answer 5

○ Generally asymptomatic
§ Fatigue, headache, low-grade fever, night sweats, and persistent generalized lymphadenopathy often occur.
§ Most patients are not aware of infected status.

Question 6

What are the Phases of infection in HIV:
3. Intermediate chronic

Answer 6

○ CD4+ T cells drop to 200–500 cells/mcL.
□ Viral load increases.
○ HIV advances to a more active state.
○ Symptoms seen in earlier phases tend to become worse, causing persistent fever, frequent drenching night sweats, chronic diarrhea, recurrent headaches, and fatigue severe enough to interrupt normal routines.
○ Other problems may include localized infections, lymphadenopathy, and nervous system manifestations.

Question 7

Clinical manifestations of acute and intermediate chronic HIV

Answer 7

o Oropharyngeal candidiasis (thrush)
o Shingles
o Oral hairy leukoplakia
o Persistent vaginal candida infections
o Herpes
o Bacterial infections
o Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS)

Question 8

Diagnosis of AIDs

Answer 8

Most useful screening tests detect HIV-specific antibodies
· May take 2 months (window period) to detect antibodies
· Progression monitored by CD4+ T-cell counts and CD4 fraction
· Viral load
· Abnormal blood tests common
o Neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia
o Altered liver function tests
· Resistance tests

Question 9

Goals of anti-retroviral therapy and monitoring

Answer 9

· Keep viral load low
· Maintain immune function
· Improve quality of life
· Reduce potential for transmission
· Prevent opportunistic disease and new infections u Reduce disability
· Prevent reinfection

Question 10

Infection risk is managed in HIV

Answer 10

· Prophylactic antibiotics
○ given to prevent opportunistic infection (i.e., antibiotics)
· Vaccination
development issues

Question 11

Nursing interventions for HIV

Answer 11

· Promote healthy lifestyle
· Prevent opportunistic diseases
· Protect others
· Have supportive relationships
· Maintain productivity and activities
· Explore spirituality
· Come to terms with issues related to disease, death, and spirituality
· Cope with symptoms and treatments

Question 12

What is the Social stigma in the context of HIV/AIDs malaria

Answer 12

· Weakened family and societal support systems
· decreased participation in formal education of young people as a result of AIDS in the family,
· depleted family income due to loss of work,
· poor disease management present additional vulnerabilities.