HIV

   HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency virus). HIV is spread by direct contact with HIV contaminated body fluids through sexual contact, sharing needles & syringes during illegal drug injection, blood transfusions and from an infected mother to her unborn child during pregnancy, labor and delivery and breast feeding.

   HIV is a virus that contains proteins called antigens. Once HIV enters the blood stream, these antigens hook onto specialized white blood cells called T cells and infect them. The infected T cells then start to duplicate the HIV virus. The T cells are useless to perform their intended functions and the immune system fails leaving the body vulnerable to infections.

   HIV is difficult to diagnose in infants. All infants born to infected mothers should test positive for maternal HIV antibodies or IgG. This test can not distinguish if the child has HIV infection or just maternal antibodies. Antibodies in the child’s blood usually fade between 12 to 18 months of age. Specialized virologic tests, DNA PCR or RNA PCR need to be done to diagnosis an infant with the disease. The tests need to be done at least two times several months apart.
Two positive PCR tests = HIV infection.

Children over 18 months of age can usually be tested with the HIV antibody test.
One positive antibody test = HIV infection.

   A negative HIV test performed in a child’s country of origin is no indication that a child does not have HIV. Unfortunately HIV rates continue to be on the rise. Many foreign countries have yet to really begin broad public health programs to deal with this problem.

   There is no cure for HIV but life can be prolonged with medications that help to keep the viral load (amount of HIV in the blood) as low as possible. This helps to decrease the complications associated with HIV. These treatments are expensive and are not readily available worldwide.

Cindy Sundman R.N., BSN, CLNC