Since 1995, there has been a tremendous decrease in HIV — and AIDS-related deaths, primarily because of the development of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART; Katz et al., 2002). HAART is the combination of three or more HIV drugs, often re­ferred to as “drug cocktails.” This development, in conjunction with the development of   ELISA […]

Tests for HIV can either identify the virus in the blood, or more commonly, detect whether the person’s body has developed antibodies to fight HIV. The most widely used test for antibodies is the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay). To check for accuracy, if an ELISA test result is positive, a second test, known as the […]

HIV infection results in a gradual deterioration of the immune system through the de­struction of T-helper lymphocytes (Friedman-Kien & Farthing, 1990). For those who are not being treated, this decline in T-helper lymphocytes takes an average of 3 years in those who are emotionally depressed and more than 5 years in those who are nonde­pressed […]

College students are at risk for HIV because of high rates of sexual activ­ity, multiple sexual partners, lack of protection during sexual activity, and sexual activity that takes place after a couple has been drinking (LaBrie et al., 2002). Knowledge levels among college students are generally high; on the other hand, students also tend to […]

Since the first reported case of AIDS in 1981, 1.5 million people in the United States have become infected with HIV, including more than 500,000 who have died (UNAIDS, 2005b). Worldwide, there are between 36.7 million and 45.3 million people living with HIV (see Table 15.2). One-third of these HIV-infected people throughout the world are […]

Although the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a viral infection, there are sev­eral factors that set it apart from other STIs and also shed some light on why the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) debate has become so politically charged. HIV/AIDS appeared at a time when modern medicine was believed to be well on its […]

Viral hepatitis is an infection that causes impaired liver function. The three main types of viral hepatitis include hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV). Hepatitis A is transmitted through fecal-oral contact and is often spread by food handlers but can also be spread through anal-oral contact. In the United States, hepatitis […]

Sexually transmitted infections can also be caused by viruses. Once a virus invades a body cell, it is able to reproduce itself, so a person will have the virus for the rest of his or her life. Viruses can live in the body, and, although a person may not experience symptoms, he or she is […]

In Chapter 13 we discussed pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection of the fe­male genital tract, including the endometrium, Fallopian tubes, and the lining of the pelvic area. Here we look at the role of STIs in the development of pelvic inflammatory disease. Pelvic inflammatory disease can be caused by many different agents, but the […]