HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS
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The infection continuum has six crucial elements that registered nurses require addressing HIV/AIDS disease spread to others. They focus on interrupting a single or multiple links in the chain of infection to prevent its transmission. The agent is the first element in the chain of infection. For HIV/AIDS, it is a pathogenic microorganism known as human immune deficiency virus. A virus is miniscule and it consists of an RNA/ DNA core and outer protein coat. It can reproduce quickly on the inside of the cells. Transmission requires that an adequate amount or concentration of the pathogen be present (Access Continuing Education, Inc., 2011). The virus is quite fragile when exposed to room temperature and air and it causes acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. The disease is life threatening and it is a global pandemic (Regional Infection Control Networks, 2011).
The second element of infection is a reservoir which refers to the environment where the infectious pathogen lives and reproduces to the levels where it can be transmitted (Regional Infection Control Networks, 2011). HIV/AIDS reservoir is in the patient’s blood, gastrointestinal tract, bone marrow, lymph nodes, liver/spleen, genital tract, brain among other anatomic sites. The virus remains chronic because of its ability to hide in the infected cells. The infected cells remain invisible to the natural body’s immune response and anti-retroviral drugs. The virus hides in latency infected, resting memory CD4+T cells which contain HIV DNA provirus. These cells are indistinguishable from uninfected resting CD4+T cells unless they are activated to produce the virus. These dormant forms of HIV in the T cells were previously thought to be less than one percent, but a Johns Hopkins university research in 2013 indicates that they may be sixty fold more (Bubnoff, 2013).
The virus’ portal of exit refers to how the virus leaves the different reservoir points in the host’s body causing an infection. The virus exits the body through secretions such as semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk, non-intact skin such as blood from draining wounds, mucous membranes such as the vagina. It is important to screen the blood before transfusion to mitigate the risk of infection (Aveling, 2010). Others such as sweat, tears, saliva, urine and feces are incapable of transmitting the virus unless they are visibly contaminated with blood. Body fluids from HIV positive patients such as amniotic, cerebrospinal, pleural, pericardial and synovial fluids may be infectious. This means that healthcare practitioners in an operating room need extra caution (Access Continuing Education, Inc., 2011). Susceptibility is another element in the chain of infection and the susceptible hosts are those individuals that become infected with the HIV virus.
The method of transmission is the other element in the chain of infection that is important in understanding the portal of exit from the reservoir and preventing the point of entry into a new host. The means of transmission involves coming into direct contact with an infected person. Transmission mainly occurs through practices such as tattooing, and ‘blood brothers’ like rituals where exchange of body fluids is common (Access Continuing Education, Inc., 2011). A mother may also transmit the virus to her child during the birthing process. The virus may also be spread in the workplace upon contamination with body fluids through splashes and needle stick injuries. It cannot be transmitted through sharing amenities such as toilet seats, swimming pools, bathrooms, showers, and eating facilities. It is however, advised that persons refrain from using other persons items used in shaving, brushing teeth and vibrators which are likely to have blood contamination (Access Continuing Education, Inc., 2011). The portal of entry is the other element in the chain of infection which is similar as the portal of exit. HIV’s portal of exit includes similar avenues to the portals of entry such as unprotected sex which allows exchange of secretions through non-intact skin, injecting drug use using infected needles, transfusion using infected blood, infected body fluids splashing onto mucous membranes.
One of the most common strategies that registered nurses can use to break the chain of infection is using a barrier to prevent transmission. These may include using a condom during sexual intercourse to prevent infection. It greatly reduces the chance of infection particularly for gay men engaging in anal intercourse. It is because anal intercourse causes tears often and leaves the mucous membranes more susceptible to virus penetration. Women also are more vulnerable to infection than men because they have more mucous membrane than men (Access Continuing Education, Inc., 2011).
The viral load in a patient is highest during the initial phase of infection and the last phase of full blown aids. At this point they are highly infectious. Nurses take precautions to prevent the infection of an unborn child of an infected mother during pregnancy and during the birth by reducing the viral load. They administer zidovudine to significantly reduce the risk of infecting the baby during pregnancy and during birth. In the US, mother to child infections was estimated in twenty five percent of pregnancies in 2011 where...