Do People With Hiv Lose The Ability To Fight Off Infections

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Ask the Experts

Can combivir decrease you bodys ability to fight off infection and decrease your blood clotting ability

I had a low risk exposure to an hiv + persons blood on my index finger, my skin was intact. I was put on combivir as pep which I took for 30 days. I had a negative hiv1 pcr qualitative test 14 days after stopping the medication which my doctor said...

Response from David Wohl, M.D.

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

I agree with you that testing again at 3 months is prudent and recommended. Combivir (AZT+3TC) should not be causing the symptoms you describe, especially after a short course of the medication. Blood work can also be done to assess your... Read more »

ability to produce antibodies to hiv?

Hello Dr.Bob,I have a question about producing antibodies for the hiv test.If you have a normal... Read more »

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D. »

HIV Testing at work - Possible Infection, Losing my Mind

HiI would greatly appreciate it if you could answer as I am losing my mind.At our place of work, we... Read more »

Response from Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D. »

Go to Ask the Experts »

Articles

HIV-Negative Babies Born to HIV-Positive Mothers Have Weakened Ability to Fight Some Infections

"Babies who are exposed to HIV at birth but don't become infected with the virus have lower levels of antibodies to diseases such as whooping cough, tetanus and pneumococcus," according to a study published in the Feb. 9 issue of the Journal of... Read more »

New Data on Individuals With Natural Ability to Fight Off AIDS

"Scientists on Sunday said they had found a key piece in the puzzle as to why a tiny minority of individuals infected with HIV have a natural ability to fight off the deadly AIDS virus," Agence France-Presse reports. "In a study they said holds... Read more »

Uganda Releases Strategy to Reduce HIV Infections; Activists Question Country's Ability to Meet Goals

"In response to rising HIV prevalence, Uganda's government has announced a strategy to reduce new HIV infections by up to 30 percent by 2015, but activists have cast doubt on its ability to achieve this ambitious goal," PlusNews reports. "In... Read more »

Fight Against HIV Losing Momentum; Robust Analysis Needed to Develop Long-Term Strategy

"After a decade of unprecedented increases in donor funding and a corresponding 17 percent decline worldwide in the number of new infections, the fight against HIV is losing momentum," Bjorn Lomborg, director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center and... Read more »

Connect With Others

HELP! I am really losing it...

Posted by Anonymous, 3 Replies

While I am waiting to get an app't with a counselor, I am fighting off severe depression and anxiety. Long story... HIV+ since 1990. Alot of health problems, most not HIV related, no major illnesses, opportunistic, etc. on new regime, viral load... Read more »

BBC NEWS:Online dating for people with sexually transmitted infection

Posted by Hellen, 1 Reply

Dating can often be fraught with uncertainty and self-consciousness. For those with incurable sexually transmitted infections (STIs), are tailored websites the answer for people nervous of telling potential partners about their condition?

The past...

I can't lose this headache

Posted by Anonymous, 3 Replies

Hi All. I am back again and not feeling any better. I thank you all for the postings to my really really scared but I am ready to go out of my mind already. I had the experience with getting a blowjob from an hiv unknown and having the health... Read more »

Mailing list for HIV(-) people who are infected

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Does anyone know the URL for the mailing list/message board for people who have been infected wih HIV for more than 1 year, yet still test negative via ELISA. For those of us who still have residual symptoms, we know how bogus these HIV/ AIDS tests... Read more »

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