 advised to join support groups where members share common experiences.
According to researchers, even amongst all the research activity, we still may be many years away from finding a possible cure for AIDS. Because of advances in treatment, the number of AIDS cases in the USA and Canada has been dropping, but the disease continues to grow virtually unchecked in some countries.
Earlier, the progression of HIV was gauged through T-cell counts. Tests now measure the virus directly through a blood test, a much better indicator of the rate of HIV replication. This is done by checking the viral load (the number of particles in a blood sample)-directly proportional to the level of replication-that pinpoints HIV activity in a person`s body.
HIV antibodies are detectable only three weeks to six months after the first infection. This invisible period is termed the `window period`. Any tests undertaken during this period may be negative even if the person is infected.
The ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) Test
There is no test per se to detect AIDS. Prevalent tests simply detect the presence of HIV antibodies in human blood, which our bodies produce to fight the invader. The ELISA, the Rapid Simple and the Western Blot tests are currently used to detect HIV. Among these, the ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) is the most common screening test. After a person tests positive for this, it`s repeated to double-check the result. When an ELISA test yields two or more positive results, the Western blot is used to confirm these results, which is more specific than the ELISA. The two tests combined are more than 99.9 per cent accurate.
To circumvent the Window period, America`s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting tested six months after the last possible exposure to the virus. The CDC also stresses the importance of protecting oneself and others from further possible exposures to HIV during the six months between exposure and the test.
Additionally, CDC recommends that pregnant women also be tested for HIV. This ensures that, if HIV positive, a woman can take medications to lower the chance of passing HIV to her child before, during, or after birth. Sans medical treatment, an infected mother`s child has a 25 percent chance of being born with HIV. Medical treatment with AZT (also known as zidovudine or Retrovir) during pregnancy and labor dramatically reduces the risk of transmission from mother to baby.
Saliva and Other Tests
Besides blood tests, urine and saliva tests are also used to detect HIV. Some doctors voice reservations about the efficacy of saliva tests contending that although saliva contains some virus components, these may not be sufficient for transmission. The marketers of the saliva kit, however, claim that a study by the Thai Red Cross found that results of blood tests and saliva-kit tests were identical. Besides, the kits are said to be popular amongst a majority of American states as they are easy to use, cheap, portable and call for minimal training of employees. The biggest advantage these kits have over blood tests is the safety of medical personnel, since they obviate the use of needles and the drawing of blood.
In terminal illnesses such as cancer and AIDS, hospice care centers are indispensable. In fact, hospice care is an ancient concept practiced under ayurveda for millennia. The prime aim is to provide a sanatorium-like ambiance for patients, which facilitates a life free of prejudice and discrimination. Patients at a hospice care center can avail of subsidized or free medicines depending on their pecuniary status.
With its comprehensive array of medical and social services, hospice strives to meet each patient`s unique physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs, as well as the special needs of the patient`s family and close friends. The goals of hospice are to keep the patient as comfortable as possible by relieving pain and other discomforting symptoms; to prepare for a death that follows the wishes and needs of the patient; and to reassure both patient and 