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cardinalblue

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Everything posted by cardinalblue

  1. Applied statistics represent the probability risk of transmission so it does come from the summation of individuals so I believe it is very important to be aware of what the risk factors are and the numbers that have been calculated for that risk... HIV is not as easy to get compared to another bllodborne pathogen like HBV. JS was extremely unlucky as none of transmission links were broken or imparired enough not to prevent a sucessful transmission... From my days as an EH & S manager, I remember for HIV contaminated needlesticks (in a healthcare setting) had a transmission rate of less than 1% and HBV was in that 3% to 4% so just because one is exposed to contaminated blood or secretions does not mean anything close to a linear relationship. Transmission is in fact quite low but that still doesn't mean one should let down their guard; transmission does happen to the unfortunate as it depends on so many factors involved (susceptible host, virulance, infectiveness of the agent in question, means of transmission, etc)... CB
  2. That is a dangerous general statement you closed with.. CDC define AIDS as "the final stage of HIV infection" so it is viewed on a time progression which someone might or might not ever get to and some sooner and others later.. Might I approach it as someone who has a positive PPD test (test for TB) yet does not have active TB nor show any signs of infectious TB yet or might never in their lifetime if they stay healthy? Unfortunately or fortunately, the relationship to symptoms and immune deficiency is far greater in probability with HIV/AIDS than TB infection progessing to active TB in an initial healthy adult.... CB
  3. Did you verify what your doctor said to you is accurate especially for the number you reported for a non-infected healthy person? Or were you stating a number for an infected person? Here is a quote from my professional healthcare association (CHEM) in the USA. The source is ECRI - healthcare management system volume 3 exposure to pathogens 5.2 bloodborne pathogens page 4 1998... "The number of CD4+ T-Cells is one indicator of HIV disease progression. A healthy, noninfected person has an average of 1,000 T-Cells per cubic MM of blood. In HIV people, the number falls by an average of 40 to 80/mm3 every year. HIV can be broken into three stages: 1. The T-Cell count is greater than 500... 2. When the T-Cell count falls between 400 and 200, an individual is in the intermediary stage. 3. A count below 200/mm3 marks advanced-stage disease or AIDS. HIV replicates during all stages." Lets hope your T-Cell count can hover around that 800/mm3 mark for a long time.... CB
  4. Nice informative post. But I am not quite ready to lump in AIDS with HBV or Diabetes as just another manageable chronic disease... Does not HIV/aids still rank the number 1# fatal infectious disease in the world clearly topping TB? Too many posts here have "sugar-coated" their responses solely based on the heavy medication one will have to be on the rest of their life..I just don't buy into one can still live a normal and healthy life. When you come down with this disease or one of the other ones you mentioned, it is far from a "healthy" existence. You are basically trying to keep your T-cell count from dropping to a certain level so really the drugs are not improving one's health but just trying to keep it from deteriorating to a level safely away from where opportunistic infections take over.... Another sad part is the negative stigma and isolation still attached to people with hiv/aids in the workplace and in society in general compared to say a TB infection. It just aint the same as perceived by the public (employers, insurance comapnies, gov policies, associations, etc) so there is a long way to go on the psycho-social acceptance level.... I don't think HIV/AIDS should be minmized just because drugs clearly support in suppressing (not completely) the symptoms of AIDS as well as, extending people's lives longer. It says nothing of quality of life... I think it is still an unbelievable shock and trauma for these folks as the rest of their lives and how they live their life is forever changed. It must be so dramatic that only they can truly reflect what it feels like to be infected and the fight and perseverance to live on under immense strain and stress... You might wish to comment on the E-strain in LOS as it seems that some info is flying about here that might or might not be true? CB
  5. You mention that thailand doesn't yet ask for HIV tests results like the middle east to gain a visa, but what is thailand's status for residency for foreigners? Does Thailand actual permits HIV positive foreigners to gain residency if they know? Do they even ask? Is there a general policy but no actual enforcement? Do they even want to know or try to find out? To obtain the health certificate for employment, it is the old take your weight, blood pressure, look at your tongue, ask if you have had any major illnesses in your life and presto...same same with in getting a Thai driver's license so they are really just going through the motions and not a big deal to them since i would assume the prevelance rate amnong these two groups would be approaching 0... There would be no valid reason to ask about hiv/aids status for the driver's license as it would be the same to TB infection or almost all of diseases, but the US I know if very specific about illnesses that would impair one's driving like elipesy, siezures, fits, loss of consciousness, blackouts, and other specific illnesses effecting one's motor ability or consciouness state... CB
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