Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is a virus that replicates quickly within the human body and devastates the immune system, leaving the body open for opportunistic infections. HIV has infected humans in record numbers since 1981 when the first cases were identified in the United States. It is now seen in epidemic proportions around the world. Diagnosis of HIV has many implications in the lives of those who are touched by it.
False Positive
There are several different types of tests used to diagnose HIV, but the most prevalent and traditional is the antibody test. According to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, this test identifies antibodies in the blood stream and saliva that the body produced to fight the virus. These antibody tests are extremely accurate but, because of the sensitive and devastating result of this disease, any positive test must be confirmed by another test to ensure that the positive result is accurate. The accuracy is based on sensitivity to the antibodies and specificity of the antibodies being tested. The ELISA is an extremely sensitive test that detects very small quantities of the antibody and reduces the potential for a false-negative test. This sensitive test is slightly less specific, which means that the results could be false-positive. A second test is always required to confirm. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that the combined accuracy of these tests is 99 percent.
Psychological
The diagnosis of HIV and AIDS has far reaching and disturbing effects on the lives of the people it touches. Once the implications for spread of the disease were recognized, early testing and detection methods were produced to help identify and treat those who suffered from HIV. As far back as 1994, researchers and physicians recognized the need for counseling and intervention to reduce the potential for a rapid deterioration in health. False-positive tests were one of the potential risks that could be experienced resulting in depression and financial ruin before secondary tests could give more accurate conclusions. According to a study "Depressive Symptoms and AIDS-Related Mortality Among a Multi-site Cohort of HIV-Positive Women" published in 2004, doctors found that women who were infected with HIV and exhibited signs of depression had double the mortality rate of groups of women who had HIV and exhibited little to no signs of depression. The psychological effects of the diagnosis can lead to rapid deterioration of health and death without psychological intervention.
Multiple Sexual Partners
HIV is spread through the exchange of bodily fluids such as blood and semen. The two most common forms of transmission are through sexual intercourse and shared needles, both of which involve the exchange of blood or semen. After the diagnosis of HIV, you should not continue these practices in order prevent the infection of your partner or friends. It is possible to express your sexuality with a consistent partner when they are well informed of your HIV status. Talk with your physician about the physical acts which are possible for you and your partner. He will base recommendations on several factors, such as the virulence of your strain of HIV, the extent of your disease, the overall health of your partner and the current available preventative measures.
Pregnancy
According to the international AIDS charity Avert, an HIV-positive woman can transmit the virus to her child during pregnancy, delivery or through breast feeding. The risk of transmission of HIV from mother to child is between 20 to 45 percent if the infected woman becomes pregnant, breast feeds and/or takes no preventative drugs during the process. If you are HIV positive, however, and want to have a child, you can reduce the potential of your children contracting HIV by taking preventative measures and consulting with a physician while planning the pregnancy.
Blood Donation
According to the American Red Cross, only 3 out of every 100 Americans routinely donates blood. Once you have been diagnosed with HIV, however, you are no longer eligible to donate blood because you can transmit the disease to the recipient. You should not give blood if you have a positive HIV test or have participated in any activities that might put you at risk for becoming infected with HIV.
