HIV AIDS
How does HIV transmit to
the womb from a positive mother?
Does my wife need to be
tested for HIV after a blood transfusion?
Is AIDS more common in
poor people?
Can muslim males get AIDS
by indulging in sex with 4 wives?
I am HIV positive, can I
live a normal life?
What
is HIV test and when should it be done?
How does HIV transmit to
the womb from a positive mother?
Q. I have
a doubt about the transmission of HIV virus from the
positive mother to the baby in the womb. How does the
virus go into the blood of the baby in the womb from the
mother? It is through blood or digested food?
A. If the
mother is HIV infected, she can transmit the HIV infection
to her baby either during pregnancy or during delivery or
through breast-feeding. During pregnancy, the infection
passes from mother to the unborn baby through placenta
(through blood).
Does my wife need to be
tested for HIV after a blood transfusion?
Q. My wife
has been transfused with 12 units of blood early this
year, on account of portal vein thrombosis (PVT). Her
liver is normal and non-alcoholic, leading to varices in
her intestine. Now she is responding to beta-blocker &
for the last 6 months there has not been any problem. She
is now taking Ciplar 40 - 80 mg, twice a day. Does she need
to undergo a test for HIV or Hepatitis B or C? Its been 5
months since she received the transfusions & there is
no problem with digestion or any thing, her BP is also
normal in spite of taking such a high dose of Ciplar 40.
Please advise.
A. All
blood transfused to patients undergoes mandatory checks for
HIV, HBsAg, HCV, VDRL, Malaria, etc. The risk of developing
an infection with an episode of blood transfusion is
negligible, since the tests used for screening are very
sensitive, but may miss a sample in the window phase /
incubation phase. However, the risk increases according to
the number of transfusions.
For you own mental satisfaction, you could undergo HIV,
HBsAg and HCV testing, though it is not recommended as a
routine.
Is AIDS more common in
poor people?
Q. Recently
I looked at some statistics of HIV and found an interesting
pattern. The economically backward class people are
affected by HIV more. But when I dug deeper, I found a
correlation between the economic status and AIDS affected
rate. I found that not many affluent people are affected
by this. Is this because the affluent class have more body
resistance due to the diet and vitamin supplements they
take, which the economically backward class can't afford?
Does it depend on the person's body condition at the time
of intercourse or infection? Is it because of unsafe and
unhealthy nature of sex practices that poor people follow?
Is all the information about HIV over hyped? As there are
many diseases that are worse than HIV?
A. You
pose an interesting question. Yes it is true that there are
more HIV infections in poor people that there are in rich.
But as an epidemiologist I look at both numerators (how
many infected) and denominators (out of how many). There
are very many more poor people in
Another factor worth keeping in mind is that (sentinel)
surveillance is carried out most frequently in sites in
Government hospitals. Poor people tend to predominate there
too, rich persons got to large corporate hospitals and so
are not really included in the usual surveillance data.
Most HIV infection is through the sexual route (currently
86% in
There is no evidence that well nourished persons are less
susceptible to HIV. At least I have not come across
reliable evidence to that effect. However there is evidence
that better nourished persons take longer to succumb to HIV
as their immune systems are less stressed and better.
Can muslim males get AIDS
by indulging in sex with 4 wives?
Q. Why do muslim
males do not get infected with AIDS in spite of having sex
with 4 wives, which is allowed in their community? What
are the chances of infection, if I have sex with a married
woman without any precaution?
A. HIV
infection has nothing to do with the number of wives, it is
connected with unprotected sex with someone who is infected
and this means whether or not the infected person happens
to be a spouse. In fact, the majority of women who get
newly infected with HIV in
I am HIV positive, can I
live a normal life?
Q. I was tested HIV
positive twice. But I haven't fallen
sick nor felt that I am carrying a virus that causes AIDS.
What should I do to be sure of my test results? Should I
trust them? Other people don't trust me when I tell them
and call me a joker. My fiancee loves me a lot and tested
negative for AIDS. She says whatever the results be, she
still wants me. What should I do?
A. Generally,
if two tests are positive one can assume that the result is
correct and HIV infection is present. If you wish you can
have a third test also but make sure that a kit different
to the first one is used, if it is again positive there can
be no doubt about your HIV status.
For the first many years, an average of 9.8 years, there
are no signs and symptoms from the infection and the person
feels well and, in fact, is well. He is able to work, earn
a living, look after his family. In fact he can live a
normal life.
You understand of course that when I say an average of 9.8
years it means that there will be persons who develop
illness earlier but there will also be persons who continue
beyond that period in the quiet stage.
Normal social interactions at work, in public life, in the
family do not pose a risk to anyone else and there be no
cause for concern.
However, the virus can be spread through blood and via
sexual intercourse. You must not donate blood and never
share a syringe for injection.
The matter of sex is more difficult. You will always have
to use measures to prevent passing on the infection. Even
an infected person must protect himself/herself against
reinfection as that can have a bad effect on the progress
of the disease.
If you and your fiancee decide to marry after considering
all aspects that is only the business of the two of you.
You must decide for yourself. Please keep in mind that even
if your fiancee and you have had sex and she has not got
infected it is no guarantee that she will not acquire the
infection later on increased exposure. She will also not be
able to bear your child without the risk if becoming HIV
positive herself -- then who will look after the child in
the long run?
The chance of condom failure and your wife getting
infection is 15% over time.
Obviously in a short letter I cannot give you all the
information you need and you should consult a reliable
counsellor or HIV/AIDS doctor so that you get all the
support and information you need. Another good source that
can be a great help is a network of HIV positive persons in
your city.
For your self I would suggest that you try a live a healthy
and regular life with adequate nutrition, physical exercise
and rest. Do not neglect any illness, no matter how mild
and always seek treatment. One last suggestion, do not rush
into taking anti-retro viral drugs. These drugs should be
saved for when you need them, Generally I do not suggest
that they are started unless the CD4 cell count falls below
200.
Q. Is HIV
infection possible by having oral sex or having been
masturbated by an infected person? What are the most common
symptoms of infection? Do the infected patients lead a
normal life for years? After how many years can the disease
show some symptoms?
A. Being
masturbated by an HIV infected person or masturbating an
HIV infected person does not normally carry any risk of HIV
transmission. The exception is in case the semen of an
infected person is used as a lubricant for masturbation of
a non-infected person or if the non-infected person has a
open cut or wound on the hand and this cut comes in contact
with the semen of an infected person. The risk of HIV
transmission from oral sex is not as high as other forms of
unprotected penetrative sex, but we now know that HIV can
be transmitted by this route. The risk is greater if the
infected person ejaculates in the mouth of his partner.
Saliva too can be infective and the mouth often has cuts
and bleeding points from gums increasing the risk of HIV
transmission. It is best to avoid all penetrative sex
except with a mutually faithful and regular partner or to
always use a condom for oral sex. These general comments
also apply in the case of sex between man and woman.
AIDS
awareness
Q. 1) I
wanted to improve my awareness about AIDS Will a
person be contracted with AIDS by a single sexual
intercourse. 2) I have read that the AIDS virus dies as
soon as it is exposed to air, so will it be contracted if
one is using a shaving blade which might have dried blood
stains? 3) How early can a person come to know that he/she
might have AIDS, and how much time will it take for the
AIDS to show its effects.
A. 1) Yes,
if it is unprotected sexual intercourse with an unknown
person. Although the sexual mode of transmission is
inefficient, it is responsible for 75 - 85% of infections
world wide especially in
2) Though HIV is very sensitive to heat, it is very stable
at room temperature(25-27C) for 15 days and at 37C for 11
days even in dried blood spots. This is because proteins in
the blood form a protective layer around the virus
particles and protect it from destruction. However, heating
at 56C for 10 minutes or boiling at 100C for 1 min destroys
the virus completely.
3) After contracting HIV infection (by any route), the
progress of infection varies from person to person. It
depends on several factors. It may vary from 2-3 years to
more than 15 years. Nonetheless, it is estimated that 50%
persons would die of AIDS within 10 years and 75% will die
within 15 years after contracting HIV infection, if not
treated. Once AIDS develops, the course is rapidly downhill
and majority die within 24 months.
What
is HIV test and when should it be done?
Q. I had an anti-HIV antibody test from
Grant Medical Foundation Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune and the
test was performed 4 and 6 months after the last exposure.
Both the times the result was non-reactive. My question is:
1. What does this result mean i.e. is infection there or
not; 2. Is this test performed for both types of HIV i.e
HIV 1 & HIV 2 or for only one type because the
report does not mention this? The report says: TEST NAME
RESULT ANTI-HIV ANTI BODY NON REACTIVE So what should I do
or do you want me to get some other tests done or should I
ask the lab for details regarding HIV 1 & 2 separately
because I recently read in a book that false negative
result is obtained if the test is peformed only for 1 type
of HIV as the person may be infected with the other type.
3. Which is the ideal period for the test - 3 months or 6
months after exposure?
A. A
non-reactive test means a negative test -- no HIV
anti-bodies found. If sufficient time has elapsed since
exposure this means that there is NO infection. I do not know
the clinic in question but I am confident that a clinic in
Pune should use the current test kits available in