Thursday, October 8, 2009

What is the connection between HIV/AIDS and heroin addiction

What is the connection between HIV/AIDS and heroin addiction?
Those diseases are sexually transmitted, right? Then how come that treating heroin addicts are able to lower the number of people who are afflicted with such diseases?
Other - Health - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
it is not just sexually transmitted. aids can also be contracted by sharing a dirty needle. heroin addicts use needles therefore transferring the disease to others that use his/her same dirty needle
2 :
Sharing needles or using unsanitary needles is decreased so in turn may cause a decrease in transmitting the virus.
3 :
Well, the truth is, HIV/AIDS and drug abuse/heroin usage are almost inseparable. This is due to the fact that there is a proliferation of the sharing of drug paraphernalia. Needles, cotton swabs, tourniquets, and cookers are being used by the drug users and then pass it on for another person to use, thus making the other person vulnerable to the affliction of the disease especially because the virus is easily transmitted from one individual to the other. The virus can easily transfer to the other person by an infected blood or body fluid's contact wtih an uninfected person's mucous membranes, broken skin, or blood. There is also the fact that a person who does drugs may have only very little control over his own actions. This could lead to uninhibitions and imulsiveness, therefore causing him to make rash decisions. This could lead him to perform sexual activities with an infected person, and he can transfer the virus to somebody else. Once the patient is infected with the virus, this further dulls the brain and puts his life in grave danger.
4 :
The other two are correct. Dirty needles.
5 :
sharing needles

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Sunday, October 4, 2009

The top 20 pharmaceutical companies in the world engaged in HIV/AIDS drug research

The top 20 pharmaceutical companies in the world engaged in HIV/AIDS drug research?
Which companies in the United States and Europe are currently researching drugs for HIV/AIDS prevention?
Infectious Diseases - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I think Phizer does, but I doubt they are interested in a cure, thank bank off the treatments and research.
2 :
Why?? Do you know how much of hard work it was, to make the virus??
3 :
The ones making TONS of $$ of the disease probably aren't doing a thing. The cure itself is what I am more interested in now. There is a preventative treatment but it is a path no one wants to take. CONDOMS or no sex. C'mon, who wants that? Just find a cure and we will all be happy. (except the bible thumpers and right wingers. Oh, and the companies making Billions of dollars from the meds. too.)
4 :
Not many focus on HIV/AIDS drugs b/c the return on investment is too low. Sure, there are some pharma companies that have HIV/AIDS drugs in the pipeline (Pfizer) but their focus - BECAUSE THEY ARE A BUSINESS - is on more common disease states (hypertension, arthritis, dyslipidemia, COPD). Merck probably does minor research, too. Don't know of any European companies but there probably are some.

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Thursday, October 1, 2009

What is the relationship between HIV AIDS and Leukemia

What is the relationship between HIV AIDS and Leukemia?
Can one be the causative factor for another? How?
STDs - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
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2 :
Yes, very good question. Many people, even medical professionals aren't aware of the relationship. Leukemia is basically abnormal white blood cells.. typically immature. But the gross definition is 'abnormal white blood cells'. This abnormality causes the symptoms and problems associated with leukemia. Which is why blood transfusions and current therapies work in the way they do. HIV is a completely different entity -- so how on earth are they related? Well quite simply HIV infection causes an imbalance in growth factors. Some of these growth factors and hormones cause bone marrow cells to grow. On occasion (in fact it's only on a very rare occasion) some of these bone marrow cells grow and become leukemic. (In case you aren't aware, the bone marrow produces the blood cells... in this case white blood cells. So you alter the creator of the cell, the cells will be created abnormally, hence leukemia.) Example of growth factor is IGF-1 -- bodybuilders often use a growth factor for lean muscle mass,.. at the risk of predisposing themselves to carcinogenic activity. Hope that helps.
3 :
1. HIV is a virus that attacks CD4 T Cells (one of 2 T cells CD4 and CD8). Essentially what will happen is that over time the virus will eliminate all of the CD4 T Cells (you will still have CD8 T cells "the other type"). CD4 T cells have 2 functions: they stimulate the activation of B cell secretion of antibodies and they recruit other immune cells (macrophages) to destroy pathogens. Once CD4 T cells reach a low level a huge chunk of the adaptive immune system is not protecting the individual so an HIV patient usually succumbs to opportunistic pathogens that typically don't cause harm in individuals with functional CD4 T Cells. (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome = gradual loss of CD4 T Cells). 2. Leukemia is cancer of the blood or bone marrow. It's a general term and can be distinguished by cancer of any of the leukocytes to include CD4 T cells. There are many different types and causes of leukemia, one of which is caused by a virus that targets CD4 T cells. If it was my HW, I would say that both HIV and Leukemia affect leukocytes (general term = white blood cells) and result in a decreased adaptive (humoral) immune response. Individuals with HIV (and other virus infections) are at a HIGHER RISK of developing certain leukemias.

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