Health Information by Dr Tan And Partners (Singapore)

Dr. Tan & Partners was established in 2005 with a vision to provide quality medical services with competency and care to our community - Health Information on Men's Health, Women's Health, Public Health and Sexual Health (HIV/STD)

HIV Transmission and Prevention

HIV and AIDS

 

HIV Prevention - Transmissions by Dr Tan and Partners

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Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that destroys your immune system, causing life-threatening infections and cancers, therefore leading to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

It has been about 30 years since HIV was discovered as the cause of AIDS. Back in the days when HIV/AIDS was first discovered, it was a total mystery. No one knew how it happened and no treatment was available. It was basically a death sentence, and people died within weeks or months after being diagnosed.

We have come a long way since then. People who have been diagnosed with HIV today can live a normal healthy life like anyone else. By taking a combination of anti-reviral medicationsand close monitoring by HIV physicians, the number of HIV patients who develop AIDS have been reduced significantly. HIV infection can also be prevented now by taking medications (they are called PrEP and PEP). Because of this, some people may take it for granted. Some may not take it seriously, and think that there is little need to be concerned. They fail to realise that there are more than 1 million people in the world who are infected with HIV, and more than 50,000 people become newly infected each year!

Yes, treatment works. But even with our advanced technology and knowledge in medicine, there is still no cure to HIV. No vaccines have been successfully developed against HIV yet, even after 30 years. Therefore, it all comes down to prevention.

Before we talk about prevention, let us again look at how HIV is transmitted. By understanding how it is transmitted, we can work out ways to prevent transmission. HIV passes from one person to another through body fluids such as blood, semen and vaginal fluids.

  • Sexual intercourse, the most common route of HIV transmission
  • Sharing of needles and injection drug use
  • Blood transfusion
  • Needle-stick injury
  • HIV transmission from infected mother to newborn

Here's a video on the Signs and Symtoms of HIV

 

((((Be Healthy. Be Safe))))

 

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