8
votes
Accepted
Why don't leave HIV infected people in aseptic environment until they're cured?
There are three major reasons why we can't just keep someone in an aseptic environment and wait for their CD4 count to drop to zero and - presumably - for HIV to have consumed itself to extinction in ...
- 2,433
7
votes
What is the risk of HIV infection via insertive fellatio?
One problem with this approach of seeking knowledge is the theoretical nature of the question itself:
Unprotected fellatio, which has been practiced by all civilizations since mists of time, is now ...
- 6,867
6
votes
Accepted
Could we cure HIV through transplantation of white blood cells resistant to HIV?
This is not a silly question. While transfusing white blood cells, with the CCR5 mutation isn't a solution because these cells will be rejected by the recipient's body (and also because those cells ...
- 905
6
votes
Accepted
How does HIV infect people?
You can only get HIV from someone or something already infected. This includes humans, needles, breast milk, etc. HIV virus must come in contact with a damaged or open tissue.
CDC.gov
You can get ...
- 2,965
6
votes
Accepted
How do you get infected with HIV?
What should I take care of while sleeping with another woman to protect her against AIDS?
Get tested and go see you doctor. CDC.gov:
No HIV test can detect HIV immediately after infection. If you ...
- 2,965
5
votes
How can someone that is HIV positive not be contagious?
Your back-of-the-envelope calculations seem to be off in estimating the extent of viral load reduction in a treated versus untreated person as well as the risk of transmission for unprotected, ...
- 13.3k
5
votes
Can HIV patients get further infected by their own blood?
No.
One is either infected or one isn't. There is no middle ground. Infection is defined as
invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues, as in an infectious disease.
Also, ...
- 6,742
5
votes
What's with anal sex and HIV?
Yes, anal sex is the most risky method of sex with the highest possible chances for HIV infection.
This is clearly said in the official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website:
Anal sex ...
- 1,301
5
votes
Accepted
Eradicating HIV
It's quite easy to be infected with HIV and not know it. HIV is notoriously stealthy, often producing no symptoms for months or even years, and in the meantime the person can transmit the disease. ...
- 9,694
5
votes
What happens to HIV once it completely destroys the immune system?
In addition to what anongoodnurse wrote about the patient likely dieing, I don't think this scenario would work at all.
HIV doesn't infect all immune cells. It infects T-cells/CD4 cells, which are ...
- 6,982
4
votes
Why is HIV singled out from other STIs?
Question: If HIV is an STI, then why is HIV often listed separately, for example:
HIV & Sexually Transmitted Infections Fact sheet
STDs and HIV – CDC Fact Sheet
What You Need To Know About the ...
- 15.8k
4
votes
Accepted
Why is HIV singled out from other STIs?
This is a good question, and although as you correctly state that HIV is an STI (see STI vs STD vs Sexually Transmitted Virus?) there is a difference with HIV which is one reason why it may be ...
- 6,154
3
votes
What is the risk of HIV infection via insertive fellatio?
I would just like to add to @LangLangC's answer that the rarity of transmission of HIV from insertive fellatio can be due to the presence of inhibitory substances in saliva and also due it's ...
- 516
3
votes
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COVID-19 vs HIV
Someone who's been infected by COVID-19 is asymptomatic but can spread the disease for no more than 14 days. Quarantine measures were started in China less than two months after the first case.
...
- 2,003
3
votes
Accepted
Was KP-1461 found to be not a good drug?
From Mullins, J. I., Heath, L., Hughes, J. P., Kicha, J., Styrchak, S., Wong, K. G., ... & Parkins, J. (2011). Mutation of HIV-1 genomes in a clinical population treated with the mutagenic ...
- 13.3k
3
votes
Why is it not possible to get HIV by touching a contaminated surface?
There is a similar question from biology section(https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/15712/how-do-viruses-or-bacteria-survive-outside-the-body-long-enough-to-spread) but your question focuses ...
- 828
3
votes
What's with anal sex and HIV?
Major Edit: Corrected extremely incorrect stats
The vagina, being "designed" (evolutionary speaking) for intercourse, has a lining which is reasonably good at fending off pathogens, particularly ...
- 139
3
votes
What is really the cause of HIV?
HIV is short for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, so you're asking what causes the virus. Well, that doesn't make much sense and I don't think that's what you meant to ask. I think what you meant to ask ...
- 9,694
3
votes
How can I detect condom failure?
I'm afraid the answer is no, you can't know in advance if the condom is going to break.
As far as I can tell, and from my own personal experience, most condom failures are not due to the condom ...
- 1,301
2
votes
Accepted
Contagiousness of lip herpes in the work environment?
Estimating the risk of communication of two members of the herpesvirus family (Herpesviridae) in this context is very difficult to answer, not only because of lack of research, but because of the many ...
- 116
2
votes
Was "patient zero" a concept used in epidemiology before 1980s HIV investigation?
You are indeed correct! The origins and first usage of the word "patient-zero" was actually a total misinterpretation that was caught on quickly by the media, and has since been perpetuated henceforth....
- 2,403
2
votes
Why is HIV singled out from other STIs?
From a rigorous scientific viewpoint, it at first makes indeed not much sense to list STIs and HIV separately. HIV is a virus that once it is in your body and you have antibodies developed will have ...
- 6,867
2
votes
Accepted
Why is it so difficult to develop vaccine for HIV?
Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) positive means a person has an infection not a disease. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome(AIDS) is caused if infected by HIV.
Before we dig into why making a vaccine ...
- 176
1
vote
Why HIV Dna PCR is done for children born to HIV + mothers and not RNA PCR
HIV DNA PCR is found to be more specific for actual infection than RNA PCR .
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9951977/
I didn't read the whole thing
I guess DNA PCR actually detects reverse ...
- 11
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What would be the chances of catching HIV when getting a blood donation from a man who has sex with Men?
TL;DR — The transmission of HIV through blood products is very rare, but examples have occurred in some low-income countries which lack the equipment to test all blood.
You said:
Around the world ...
- 6,154
1
vote
If an HIV test was done using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA), does it mean it screens for HIV 2 and/or is a 4th generation test?
A detailed description of the “generations” of HIV testing by Alexander has been published.
Alexander TS. Human Immunodeficiency Virus Diagnostic Testing: 30 Years of Evolution.
Clinical and Vaccine ...
- 975
1
vote
Accepted
Risk of HIV transmission during blood test?
Porco et al studied a situation where a phlebotomist in California admitted to intentionally reusing needles.
They estimated likelihood of HIV transmission (as well as hepatitis B/C) based on ...
- 13.3k
1
vote
How can there be a level of HIV viral load that will make infecting others impossible?
As per the US CDC non-detectable viral load means effectively no transmission possible (there are not many absolutes in medical sciences).
See also: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/art/index.html
...
- 1,161
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Which infectious diseases only require a one-off intervention for treatment, cure or prevention?
Although cirumcision slightly reduces the chances of getting HIV, there is another pathology that it prevents almost in its entirety: Penile cancer (still it's doubtfully enough justification to ...
1
vote
How many mL of blood is typically drawn for a HIV blood test?
HIV blood tests (for antigens and antibodies) are, at least where I practice, 4mL. However, if your doctor wants other blood tests she might add 1-2 vials of the same size. Depends on the organisation ...
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