"One Less"

Gardasil for men and young boy's would be a giant leep in haulting the growing number of women every year that die from cervical cancer. Gardasil can also protect against genital warts and other diseases in men caused by HPV However, the primary purpose of vaccinating boys with Gardasil will be to prevent them from sexually transmitting HPV into women, thereby causing cervical cancer.
Current Methods of detecting HPV:
Molecular detection of HPV DNA or RNA is currently the gold standard for identification of HPV
non-amplified hybridization assays
Signal amplified hybridization assays such as hybrid capture assays
Target amplification assays, such as PCR and in situ PCR. Southern blot hybridization (STH) and in situ hybridization (ISH) can be been used, but have serious shortcomings

Stigma

The Stigma of AIDS and HIV have changed greatly in these past years. But, there is still much more progress to be made. To combat these stigma's I would suggest launching a campaign much like the advertising we have all seen lately for such things as McCain for President. "I'm Joe the Plumber."or " I'm a PC." by Macintosh. I would take everyday people from all walks of life to show the humanity of the disease. I also think that creative advertising would help educate people on a more influential day to day basis. I would suggest something very similar to the warnings on cigarettes, put ad's for STD's on condoms. Put the education out there where it's in your face.

Is it better to Die with AIDS or Live with AIDS

In class we discussed weather it is quality or quainty that really matter's when dealing with AIDS. The article discussed two very different experiences with AIDS. On the one hand a young man living in America with assess to all the advances in medicine. And on the other hand a poor young girl living in Africa I believe. The man in America ended up getting very sick and spending his last days in a hospital where cause his jaw was locked shut the doctors decided to continue treatment despite the side-effects that were making him throw up and feel terrible. After which he passed away.
On the other hand the poor girl who could not afford any treatment spent her remaining time in the comfort of her god mothers house where the best care and love of her family was around her. Things never looked up and there was no hope on the horizon but she couldn't have gotten better treatment under the circumstances. I believe that is the way I would want to go. Peaceful.

Fighting the Spread of AIDS

Post Exposure Prophylaxis is an antiroviral drug treatment that is started right after a person comes in contact with HIV. The treatment is designed to give the immune system a better chance of protecting itself against the virus. It has to be administered at least 72 hours after contact to be affective and even then your chances are slim. PEP usually takes a month of two to three different drugs that cause a large variety of side effects. It is very common for most people to not finish the whole treatment. Side effects such as diarrhea, headaches, vomiting, and fatigue are pretty severe. Some of the more popular drugs used are zidovudine, lamivudine, and nelfinavir.
Pre Exposure Prophylaxis OR PrEP is a treatment taken before exposure to HIV/AIDS it also consists of antiretroviral drugs such as emtricitabine and tenofavir. Unlike PEP, PrEP side effects are moderately less severe. For both PEP and PrEP the results are hard to gauge due to lack of human testing. Since the only trails that have been done are on animals it is difficult to determine how well this medications work.
PEP and PrEP are being put in place in standard emergency procedures in undeveloped and developed countries around the world. In China and Thailand there are on going trials to see just how effective PEP and PrEP really are to give us a better gauge of what can be done to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS.

Caribbean and AIDS

There are regions of the world where religion or society is so that there is a status attached to anything deemed uncouth. In the Caribbean if a person is infected with AIDS that person is viewed as less then a person, much the same way that thousands of years ago a person with body rout would have been viewed. It's sad to think that a person would be so scared to be tested that they don't and end up spreading AIDS because they value the societies view of dignity over the protection for the people they love. This is the stigma that I talked about before. This stigma is on the way out. Over the last few years we have seen real change not just in our country but around the world. The world is shrinking and as such every bodies old views will have to mold and adapt. People will become more understanding and respectful , but until then people need to provide ways to help without forcing beliefs on other cultures.

And The Band Played On

In the movie "The Band Played On" the attitude concerning AIDS was that it was a gay disease and whoever got it deserved what they got. This point of view was the reflection of religion, personal up bring, and naivete. And, since this disease was only being found in homosexuals at first the general public did not do much to prevent or investigate the disease. Then more and more cases were being found in the elderly and heterosexual couples. Since AIDS is not only transferred sexually but also through the blood many transfusion patients were unknown contacting the disease. In my life time the stigma of AIDS has shifted greatly from what it once was, as well as the stigma of a persons sexual choices. There have been many advances to combat AIDS but it's not just a disease that we are fighting but the stigma that goes with it.

Top Ten things you should know about HIV and AIDS

AIDS and HIV are a major concern for many young people who have recently decided to become sexually active. I was amazed to learn how many people every year are infected with AIDS. The numbers make you want to question every sexual encounter you have ever had. Not to mention go straight to the student health center to get tested. The sad fact is that once you are infected with HIV or AIDS your days are number. Your quality of life has changed and your cost of living not just financially but physically has increased. At this point in time there is no cure for AIDS, there are medications that will help slow but not stop the spread of AIDS. What was once a disease for homosexuals has now spread to the entire population and needs our attention and help to prevent the spread and discovery of a cure.