Contents:
- Medical Video: Latest News: Vaginal bacteria species can raise HIV infection risk and undermine prevention
- Understand how one can get HIV
- Good bacteria in the vagina can prevent HIV in women
- Why is that?
- The most effective way to prevent HIV
Medical Video: Latest News: Vaginal bacteria species can raise HIV infection risk and undermine prevention
According to the 2014 WHO report, there are at least 36.9 million people in the world who have HIV. Until now, HIV was considered an incurable disease. Even so, transmission of HIV can be prevented. Some time ago, a study stated that good bacteria residing in the vagina can prevent HIV in women. Is that right?
Understand how one can get HIV
The method of transmission of HIV to date is still often associated with free sex behavior and the use of drug needles in turn.
Although rare, viruses can also be transmitted through:
- Infected blood from wounds in the mouth and gums bleed, such as through kissing by biting to injury.
- Needles and objects that penetrate the skin contaminated with HIV, especially needle scar wounds in the official medical environment (such as in hospitals)
- Organ grafts and blood transfusions
- Mothers infected with HIV can transmit the virus to the baby (before or during labor) and during breastfeeding.
- Eyebrow embroidery, eyebrow tattoos, lip embroidery, body tattoos, and piercings are done not with professional technicians (not using sterile needles).
The HIV virus attacks your immune system, by attacking and killing CD4 cells in the body. CD4 cells are a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in protecting the body from infection.
HIV viruses that are not handled properly cause people with HIV to be affected by Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, aka AIDS.
Good bacteria in the vagina can prevent HIV in women
A study from the University of Washington and the University of Rochester Medical Center looked at the bacterial population in the vagina of 57 female participants who had been diagnosed with HIV. The bacterial sample is obtained by rubbing the inner wall of the vagina, like a pap smear test.
Researchers tootrack HIV viral load (how many viruses) in the vagina, and the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases such as trichomoniasis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Researchers found that women with the most bacterial populations in their vagina had lower levels of HIV virus in their vaginal fluid samples. More and more populations of good bacteria in the vagina, known as namesLactobacillus, this is believed to help reduce the amount of the HIV virus in previous vaginal tissue samples that have been infected with HIV.
Why is that?
Good bacteria in the vagina are known to produce hydrogen peroxide which works to block the virus. Researchers suspect that this effect makes itthe HIV virus is increasingly difficult to spread in the body, and over time can inhibit its growth.
Moreover, the lower the level of HIV viral load in the vaginal tissue, the less likely the virus will spread through sexual contact.
Even so, further studies are needed to strengthen these findings. Because the study above is still small in scope and carried out only based on tissue samples controlled in the laboratory.
The most effective way to prevent HIV
Although the study above is still very limited,Jane Hitti, M.D., researcher and Obgyn specialist (SpOG) from the University of Washington School of Medicine confirms that tThis emotion still emphasizes how important it is for every woman to always maintain vaginal health, even at even women who are HIV positive.
Until now, the best way to prevent transmission of HIV is to have safe sex, one of which is by using a condom. Use condoms made from latex or polyurethane, which prove to be very effective in preventing the spread of HIV. Also make sure to always use a new condom every time you have sex. That is, one condom cannot be used twice for two rounds of sequential sex.
The second thing you need to do is not / stop consuming alcohol and illegal drugs. These substances affect your logic and make you more likely to make bad decisions or be in a situation where you don't have complete control over self-awareness.
