Viral Diseases and Immunity

The window period is the time between initial HIV infection and when the virus can be detected by standard HIV tests. During this period, a person is infected but may test negative. The answer is Window Period.

Oil-based lubricants can weaken and break down latex condoms, making them ineffective for HIV prevention. Water-based or silicone-based lubricants are safe to use with condoms. Therefore, condoms with oil-based lubricant is not advisable.

Both symptoms described are associated with HIV/AIDS: whitish coating (thrush, a fungal infection) and purple spots (Kaposi's sarcoma, a cancer). These are opportunistic infections that commonly affect people with weakened immune systems due to HIV. The answer is Both.

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which attacks the immune system and can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). The correct full form is Human Immuno Deficiency Virus.

Current HIV/AIDS treatments, particularly antiretroviral therapy (ART), can effectively suppress the virus, manage symptoms, and significantly improve quality of life and life expectancy. However, these treatments cannot completely cure HIV - the virus remains in the body and can rebound if treatment is stopped.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that attacks the immune system, while AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is the late stage of HIV infection that occurs when the immune system is severely damaged. A person can live with HIV for many years without developing AIDS, especially with proper treatment.

HIV is transmitted through direct contact with infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk. Casual contact like shaking hands, hugging, sharing toilets, or being near coughing/sneezing cannot transmit HIV. However, activities involving blood contact like caring for nosebleeds or open-mouth kissing when blood is present can transmit the virus.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) established 'Club Red: Let's Talk' as their corporate initiative to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among employees. The program aims to educate about HIV/AIDS, combat stigma, and encourage open dialogue about the disease in the workplace. Red Ribbon Club is a more generic name used by many institutions.

Mosquitoes cannot transmit HIV. When a mosquito bites someone, it injects its own saliva, not blood from the previous person. HIV cannot survive in mosquitoes' digestive systems - the virus is broken down as food. The mouth parts of mosquitoes are also too small to contain enough HIV particles to cause infection.

HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids containing high concentrations of the virus. Blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk are all established transmission routes. Saliva, tears, and sweat are NOT transmission routes.

HIV specifically targets and destroys CD4+ T cells (helper T cells), which coordinate immune responses. It also infects macrophages and dendritic cells, which serve as reservoirs and transport the virus. All three cell types are crucial in HIV pathogenesis.

Direct contact with HIV-infected blood through open wounds, cuts, or mucous membranes is a documented transmission route. Healthcare workers can be exposed through needlestick injuries, and transmission can occur through blood-to-blood contact.

PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a 28-day course of antiretroviral medication taken after potential HIV exposure to prevent infection. It must be started within 72 hours of exposure, ideally within 24 hours. It is NOT prevention or prescription-related.

HIV tests detect antibodies produced by the immune system in response to HIV infection, not the virus itself. RNA, DNA, and T-cell counts are not what standard antibody tests identify.