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Q:
Is there a risk of HIV transmission when having a tattoo ?
A:
If instruments contaminated with blood are not sterilized between clients
there is a risk of HIV transmission. So one should insist on use of
sterilized or disposable needles before tattooing.
Q:
Am I at risk of becoming infected with HIV when visiting the doctor’s or
dentist's ?
A:
Transmission of HIV in a healthcare setting is extremely rare. All doctors
are suppose to follow infection control procedures call universal
precautions when caring for any patient. They are designed to protect both
patients and doctors from the transmission of HIV. Insist your doctor or
dentist to follow these precautions while giving care to you.
Q:
If an employee has HIV, should he or she be allowed to continue work ?
A:
Yes, HIV remains dormant in an infected person’s body for many years.
Workers who have no symptoms associated with AIDS should continue to work,
and should be treated no differently from other workers. Those with AIDS
or AIDS-related illness should be treated in the same way as any other
employees who are ill, In fact, this attitude will go far in helping curb
the menace of AIDS.
Q:
Can oral sex cause AIDS ?
A:
Oral sex (mouth or tongue touching genitals) may carry risk of HIV
infection especially if there are cuts or sores present in the mouth or on
the genitals.
Q:
Are condoms the only answer to safe sex ?
A:
No. While good quality lubricated condoms reduce the risk of HIV and STD
infections, no condom can be said to be absolutely safe. Condoms can tear
or Ave. microscopic holes which make them ineffective. The only safe
sexual behaviour is to have a mutually faithful sexual partner, who is not
infected with HIV, or to practice sexual abstinence.
Q:
How will I be sure that my future marriage partner is not infected with
HIV ?
A:
In India, where most marriages are "arranged" and future
partners have little interaction before marriage, this is a difficult
predicament. The only way to be certain of a person’s HIV status is
through a blood test. So nowadays it is advisable to do an HIV test before
marriage rather than matching janam-kundli of a couple.
Q:
How should an HIV – infected person cope with his / her condition ?
A:
While testing HIV positive is a traumatic experience, it is important to
learn how to cope. A good counseller, friend or family member with whom
one can share anxieties and fears is helpful. One should follow a healthy
lifestyle and eat nutritious, balanced meals. Responsible sexual behaviour
is critical – remember condoms are not 100 % safe. An HIV positive women
should know the risks of getting pregnant. Financial planning for the
future will reduce stress.
Q:
Why do people who are infected with HIV eventually die ?
A:
When people are infected with HIV, they do not die of HIV or AIDS. These
people die due to the effects that the HIV has on the body. With the
immune system down, the body becomes susceptible to many infections from
the common cold to cancer. It is actually these particular infections and
the body’s inability to fight the infections that cause these people to
become so sick, that they eventually die.
Q:
Are all the children born to HIV infected mother infected with HIV ?
A:
No. about one-third of children born to HIV positive mothers become
infected with HIV. However nowadays if one gives anti HIV drug AZT to
these mothers during pregnancy and labour and then to newborn child this
risk of infection can be reduced considerably.
Q:
What is the truth about the AIDS cure claims published daily in the
newspapers ?
A:
Traditional medical practitioners tend to believe that they can cure AIDS
by giving immunopotentiating drugs. Due to lack of knowledge about
conducting clinical trials scientifically, hasty conclusions are drawn on
simple outcome measures such as weight gain or feeling of well being. Such
improvements are dubbed as AIDS cure claims. Many AIDS cure claims tend to
get published in the newspapers in India. Unfortunately, these claims are
not based over adequate scientific evidence and they are just made to
extract money from these poor sufferers. HIV / AIDS patients in search of
hope tend to get easily attracted towards such claims and take the
treatment. However there is no scientifically documented approach to AIDS
cure as of today in any of medical sciences as yet in the world. HIV
infected individuals should not get mislead by such claims.
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