|
Blogs |
|
|
 |
Aug 6th, 2003 - 09:28:57 |
Faddy
CHRIS THIRD ASSIGNMENT
Let’s Share Caution and Care Training
Module Three – Mother and Child
Completed by: Chris Evans
1) Write a small story on a mother and her HIV infected baby
When a pregnant mother is infected with the HIV virus, it is a very serious matter for the child, but it does not necessarily guarantee that the baby will be born with the disease. In fact only 25% of babies born from HIV positive mothers will carry the disease themselves.
With this fact in mind, it may seem paradoxical that 100% of the babies born from HIV positive mothers will test positive themselves for the disease immediately after birth. It isn’t until 18 months after birth that a child will test negative if not infected with the disease. The reason for this becomes clear when we remember that the Elisa and Western Blot tests detect the presence of antibodies in the blood stream that are produced to fight the HIV virus. These antibodies are transferred to the baby’s body during pregnancy, while the HIV virus cannot be transferred due to the placenta, which—when healthy and functioning properly—acts as a filter against the disease’s agents. Therefore, while all babies will test positive immediately after pregnancy, 75% will revert to negative 18 months after birth once the antibodies clear the children’s systems.
But if the HIV virus cannot be transferred through a healthy placenta during pregnancy, then how are 25% of newborns infected with the disease? There are three chief methods by which this can occur: first, if the placenta becomes damaged the virus can be transmitted through the protective filter; second, at birth the baby is highly susceptible to infection from the mother’s blood; finally, during breast feeding it is feasible that the baby may become infected, but the odds of this are between 10 and 15 percent.
Aug 5th, 2003 - 09:42:09 |
Faddy
Zia's third assignment
A mother positive in HIV has to maintain much precautions and preventive
measures in the context of the latest development in the field of
prevention.
A mother either positive or negative must take precautions in bearing a baby
in her womb. So that the baby can be free of infection of HIV in the womb.
The positive mother shall have to know that she should take retroviral
medicines for the 36th weeks of the pregnancy on a regular course and a
special course for the beginning of pain to the stage of giving birth.
The baby for the time of birth shall have to be fed with antiretroviral
syrup at internals for six weeks and it will make the baby free of HIV and
there will be less of risk of HIV in this case.
The medical scientists of the world are progressing with new addendum to
this prevention thrust and thanks to the blessings of the modern medical
sciences that we are proceeding towards total prevention of HIV once a day
hence.
Mohammad Ziaul Ahsan
Aug 4th, 2003 - 09:24:40 |
Faddy
Assignment posted by Adewole Kehinde Adegbenga
Mother and her Positive Baby
Pregnancy occurs when a male sperm meets with a female egg. The fertilised ovum first divides into two cells. Each of them then divides again, etc. The cells continue to divide in this way to produce a solid ball of cells, called sometimes early embryo. This early embryo travels down the oviduct to the uterus. Here it sinks into the lining of the uterus (this is the implantation of the embryo). The embryo continues to grow and produces new cells which form tissues and organs. After eight weeks, when all the organs are formed, the embryo is called a foetus.
Soon after the early embryo reaches the uterus, some of the cells, instead of forming the organs of the embryo, grow into a disc-like structure, the placenta. The placenta becomes closely attached to the lining of the uterus. It is attached to the embryo by a tube called the umbilical cord.
All fertilised eggs from HIV positive mothers are HIV negative. They do not contain the HIV inside their membranes. However, all babies from HIV positive mothers are, at birth, HIV positive.It is important, at that stage, to remember that the HIV test is looking for antibodies, not directly for the virus. The infected mother has got antibodies against HIV. Antibodies are very tiny particles. Such as the oxygen, glucose or amino acids,antibodies can pass through the placenta filter, from the mother’s blood to the embryo’s blood.
Unlike the antibodies, both the viruses and the White Blood Cells are too big and cannot pass from the mother’s blood to the embryo’s blood through the placental filter.
Therefore, even if the virus does not pass through the placenta, the baby will test HIV positive at birth because it has got the maternal antibodies. However, after 6 to 18 months, when the maternal antibodies will have disappeared, the baby will test HIV negative.
Infection can occur during pregnancy (if the placenta gets damaged) or, more commonly, at birth. 25% of the babies from infected mothers (one in every four babies) will receive the virus in these ways mostly through transmission during delivery of the baby. 75% (three in every four) of the babies will never get into contact with the virus and will therefore not be infected.
Jul 25th, 2003 - 08:50:28 |
Faddy
Second asignment of chris
Completed by: Chris Evans
1) Discuss antibodies as a lifesaver
Antibodies are produced by white blood cells within a person’s body in order to counteract the effects of the HIV virus. They are introduced into a person’s system 4-12 weeks after infection, at a time when the white blood cell count is dropping and the virus is initially replicating at a high rate. As the antibodies enter the system, the number of virus agents drop and the white blood cells begin to recover.
These antibodies act as lifesavers in two crucial ways. First, they counteract the effects of the HIV virus, allowing the white blood cells to recover and fight against the infection. Second, they can be detected by tests used to determine whether HIV is present in the system. Detecting the virus early on can stop the spread of the virus, and allow a person to take the necessary steps to ensure that their body remains health enough to fight the virus.
2) Why are they Elisa Test and Western Blot Test done after three months?
The Elisa and Western Blot tests are two of the methods used to determine the presence of antibodies within a person’s system. As mentioned above, these antibodies are only present 4-12 weeks following the initial infection. If the tests are conducted before this time interval, the person may be misdiagnosed as not possessing the virus. Therefore it is important to test after a 3 month period to ensure accurate results.
3) What are two major conditions of HIV transmission?
In order for HIV to be transferred from one person to another, there must first be a presence of HIV in one person, and an appropriate route for which the virus to pass from one host to the other. As an example, any interaction that allows infected body fluids (blood, semen, pus, etc.) from one person to enter the body fluids of a second non-infected person puts that person at risk of HIV infection.
Jul 25th, 2003 - 08:36:51 |
Faddy
The second assignment of J. S. Wanjala
ELISA TEST:
Elisa test a word that stands for enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay. It is blood test that shows if there are antibodies to HIV, the AIDS virus, in a person’s blood.
Western Blot. A blood test that shows if a person has antibodies to HIV, the AIDS virus, This test is difficult to perform and presently is very expensive. Sometimes the western Blot is used to confirm a seropositive Elisa test.
HIV TEST:
The only way to find out whether someone has HIV is by using a special blood test called the Elisa test. This test detects antibodies that are produced when HIV attacks the body. This is why a HIV positive person is sometimes referred to as HIV antibody positive. The test is repeated after a period of three or six months. This is because some people take a longer period before they can start producing HIV antibodies.
The interval between infection and production of HIV antibodies is called the window period. Results of the Elisa test are usually confirmed by the administration of another test that called western Blot test. These two tests are the only ones available in Kenya.
So research is still going on.
J. S. Wanjala
Page:
1
2
(Total Blogs: 10)
 feed
|
 |
 |
 |
|
Menu
