The Changing Face of HIV

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The Changing Face of HIV

Adults, adolescents, and pregnant women are all at risk of contracting the HIV. Health professionals should ensure they give recommendations to those who require HIV testing for early detection, counseling, and treatment. Objective is to increase HIV screening in healthcare settings. Professional nurses should recommend that individuals undergo at least one screening annually to reduce transmission, foster early counseling, and control the spread of HIV. It is important to screen pregnant women reduce the risks of mother to child transmission.

Persons infected by the HIV virus are those exposed to the virus. HIV susceptibility is a concept that describes the likelihood of an individual being infected. Highly susceptible persons are those exposed to the virus. Additionally, those with sexually transmitted infections and diseases are more susceptible to infection than those without. Herpes virus-2 (HPV-2) is the most common infection related to HIV. People who seek treatment to control its symptoms are less likely to contract HIV. Furthermore, treatment or prevention of these infections reduces a person’s risk of contracting HIV.

Nurses should encourage patients to adhere to their prescriptions and other medication by making them understand that missing doses can increase the risk of transmitting the virus to other people. Antiretroviral treatment (ART) prolongs the lives of persons with HIV. To maximize individual and public health benefits, high level of adherence to antiretroviral treatment is necessary. Nurses should counsel all HIV-infected persons on the benefits and risks of ART. Additionally, they should advice patients that inadequate taking of medication may lead to them developing resistance to medication. Nurses should also encourage HIV patients to continue with other prevention measures, commit themselves to long-term monitoring, and follow up visits.