Dear Readers,
WE AT the HIV/AIDS Mailbox sincerely hope that our thousands of children and young adults at home on vacation from school are enjoying their August holidays, and utilizing the time at their disposal beneficially.

A study group during an HIV/AIDS Workshop for youth at the Guyana National Newspapers Ltd Sports Club.

We know that many of you would have benefitted from Summer School and Vacation Bible School Programmes currently being held throughout the country, and we urge you, wherever possible to attend and make good use of these.

Many Summer School Programmes are known to incorporate education of HIV/AIDS, which we consider very useful.

For those of you who have not been able to benefit from such programmes, today the HIV/AIDS Mailbox brings you, in collaboration with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases (NIAID), a Refresher Course on some of the basic issues on which we touched over the past months.

We urge you to read these very carefully and commit them to memory, since such knowledge, along with the resolute application of the ‘assertiveness skills’ on which we briefed you over the last three weeks, can place you in a good position to make wise and informed choices when confronted with situations bordering on HIV/AIDS.

NIAID is the leading US government institute for HIV/AIDS research, and is committed to conducting the research necessary to successfully end the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Shirla
What are some HIV risk factors?

A study group during an HIV/AIDS Workshop for youth at the Guyana National Newspapers Ltd Sports Club.

HIV is found in the blood, semen or vaginal fluid of someone who is infected with the virus. You may be at increased risk of becoming infected with HIV if you:

• Engage in anal, vaginal or oral sex with men who have sex with men, multiple partners or anonymous partners without the use of a condom.

• Inject drugs or steroids where needles/syringes are shared.

• Have a sexually transmitted infection, such as syphilis, genital herpes, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, bacterial vaginosis, or trichomoniasis.

• Have been diagnosed with hepatitis, tuberculosis or malaria.

• Exchange sex for drugs or money.

• Are exposed to the virus as a fetus or infant before or during birth or through breastfeeding from a mother infected with HIV.

• Engage in unprotected sex with someone who has any of the risk factors listed above.

Some quick facts about HIV transmission
• HIV cannot survive for very long outside of the body.

• HIV cannot be transmitted through routine daily activities, such as using a toilet seat, sharing food utensils, or drinking glasses, shaking hands, or through kissing.

• The virus can only be transmitted from person to person, not through animals or insect bites.

• People infected with HIV who are taking antiretroviral therapy can still infect others through unprotected sex and needle-sharing.

Complications and side effects of ARVs
Antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs can, in rare cases, cause serious medical complications, including metabolic changes such as abnormal fat distribution, abnormal lipid and glucose metabolism, and bone loss. Monitoring for these complications and side effects is the responsibility of patients and their healthcare providers.

NIAID supports research aimed at understanding antiretroviral drug-related complications and other side effects, as well as strategies to reduce patient exposure to potentially toxic drug regimens, such as different drug dosing schedules or combinations, and comparing early versus delayed treatment. NIAID is striving to develop simpler, less toxic, and more effective antiretroviral drug regimens.

Adherence and drug resistance
People infected with HIV who take antiretroviral treatments sometimes find it difficult to adhere to their drug regimens. This can be caused by the complexity of having to take several drugs each day or the unpleasant side effects that may result from some medications, such as nausea and vomiting. However, when patients fail to take their medications, HIV has an opportunity to create more variations of itself, including strains that are resistant to antiretroviral drugs. Therefore, it is important for people to continue taking their medications as prescribed by their physician.

On interruption of drug supplies
[World Bank Report 2009] Even short term interruptions of drug supplies could threaten patients’ health, cutting the returns to the investments in treatment. The number of ART interruptions of more than two days, and duration of interruptions increase the risk of treatment failure. Up to 50 per cent of patients whose treatment is interrupted for 15 days may subsequently need a different regimen. If treatment interruptions become frequent for many individuals currently on ART, the risk of transmission of drug-resistant HIV will increase.

Hope you’ve been able to find this column interesting. Keep on reading, and if you’ve any questions, email us at: waronhiv@yahoo.com or you may drop in or mail your letters to:
HIV/AIDS Mailbox Guyana Chronicle Lama Avenue Bel Air Park Georgetown