scholarly journals Fear of HIV Infection and Impact of Training on the Attitudes of Surgical and Emergency Nurses Toward Inpatient HIV Testing

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Gańczak ◽  
Peter Barss

This study evaluates the association between the degree of fear of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and support for different HIV testing policies. A strong fear of acquiring HIV infection at work was widespread among a sample of 601 Polish surgical and emergency nurses. Most favored inappropriate HIV testing of all surgical patients and inpatients. Previous training about HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and experience caring for HIV-positive patients had a significant impact on reducing support for testing of all inpatients but not for testing of surgical patients.

1995 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Joan Lipa ◽  
Walter Peters ◽  
Victor Fornasier ◽  
Benjamin Fisher

As the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection increases, so does the recognition of unusual manifestations of this syndrome. This study describes two patients who presented with a unique, rare, cutaneous manifestion of HIV infection. One patient developed an aggressive atypical cellulitis and ascending lymphangitis of the hand, which failed to improve following multiple courses of several different antibiotics. The other patient presented with multiple, vascular, nodular lesions, clinically resembling Kaposi's sarcoma. Routine biopsies and wound cultures were not helpful for diagnosis. A definitive diagnosis of bacillary angiomatosis (BA) was made using a special silver-staining (Warthin-Starry) histological technique and electron microscopy. Both patients responded completely to oral erythromycin therapy. BA is a newly recognized bacterial infection caused by bacteria of the genus Bartonella. It is seen primarily in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and less commonly in patients with other immunosuppressed conditions. The term BA describes the lesion's pathogenesis (infective-bacillary) and clinico-histology (angiomatosis). The causal organism cannot be cultured reliably and is resistant to most antibiotics. This study reviews these two patients, the differential diagnosis of BA, specific confirmatory tests used in diagnosis, and the treatment outcome of this condition. It is important for the plastic surgeon to understand BA, because it can resemble other common presentations, but it can also be associated with internal involvement leading to mortality. However, when recognized, it can usually be cured by oral erythromycin therapy (500 mg qid) for several weeks.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-102
Author(s):  
ALAN MEYERS ◽  
NICHOLAS PEPE ◽  
WILLIAM CRANLEY ◽  
KATHLEEN MCCARTEN

The early diagnosis of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in infancy is clinically important but remains problematic in the asymptomatic child born to an HIV-infected mother. In addition, many such women are unaware of their HIV infection until their child manifests symptomatic HIV disease. Nonspecific signs of pediatric HIV infection, such as generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, or persistent thrush, may be important in alerting the clinician to consider the possibility of HIV infection in the child whose history of HIV risk is unknown. We report one such sign which may be evident on plain chest radiography. The pathology of the thymus gland in pediatric acquired immunodeficiency syndrome has been described by Joshi and colleagues,1-3 who have reported precocious involution with marked reduction in thymus size and weight.


1990 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
CA Holmes

In order to assess the need for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome education among podiatric assistants, comprehensive questionnaires on human immunodeficiency virus infection were distributed in February and March 1989. The findings presented here are based upon questionnaires completed and returned by 300 assistants. The purpose of the needs assessment was three-fold: to find out how much the surveyed assistants know about AIDS and HIV infection, how they feel about working with HIV-infected patients, and to what extent they understand and follow recommended infection control practices. The results of the survey reveal that many of the assistants in the sample in this study are ill-informed about HIV infection, that they have numerous concerns and fears about working with HIV-infected patients, and that they are not following recommended infection control guidelines.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucky Kumaat

Abstract: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are the major problems of global health. It is estimated that approximately 75.9% of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected women aged are in productive ages (20-39 years) with possibilities to become pregnant. Since the prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection in pregnant women is increasing, anesthesiologists are increasingly confronting these diseases in their patients. HIV infection in pregnant women often raises questions about the safety of regional anesthesia for them. Fears of the spread of infection to the Central Nervous System (CNS) or the sequel of the neurological system have led some clinicians not to use regional anesthesia. Some research shows that pregnant women with HIV infection are not a contraindication for regional anesthesia since there is no CNS and neurological sequel or infection after a long enough time post operation. Keywords: HIV infection, AIDS, parturition, regional anaesthesia.  Abstrak: Infeksi Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) dan Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) adalah masalah utama dari kesehatan global. Diperkirakan sekitar 75,9% wanita yang terinfeksi HIV berada pada usia produktif (20-39 tahun) yang berpeluang untuk hamil. Karena prevalensi infeksi HIV pada wanita hamil semakin meningkat, maka ahli anestesi semakin banyak diperhadapi dengan pasien demikian. Infeksi HIV pada wanita hamil seringkali memunculkan pertanyaan mengenai keamanan penggunaan anestesi regional pada mereka. Kekuatiran terhadap penyebaran infeksi ke sistim susunan saraf pusat (SSP) atau sekuel neurologik menyebabkan sebagian klinisi menentang penggunaan anestesi regional. Beberapa penelitian telah membuktikan bahwa wanita hamil dengan HIV bukan merupakan kontraindikasi bagi penggunaan anestesi regional karena tidak dijumpai adanya infeksi SSP atau sekuel neurologik setelah selang waktu yang cukup panjang pasca operasi. Kata kunci: Infeksi HIV, AIDS, persalinan, anestesi regional.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 626-630
Author(s):  

The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among adolescents is both significant and rising, and concern about this disease is increasingly evident among adolescents, their parents, and health professionals. Such concern evolves from multiple factors including not only the number of adolescents who have been reported to have the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), but also the uncertainty as to how many youths have been infected with the virus but remain asymptomatic; the risk of becoming infected through either heterosexual behavior, homosexual behavior, or substance abuse; and the need to implement effective preventive strategies. EPIDEMIOLOGY By the end of December 1992, a total of 946 cases of AIDS in persons aged 13 through 19 had been reported to the Centers for Disease Control. Although adolescents account for less than 1% of the total reported cases of AIDS, 20% of total cases occur in young adults aged 20 through 29. The long latency period between infection with HIV and the emergence of clinical AIDS, often in excess of 5 years, suggests that many of these young adults were first infected during their adolescence. For others, who become infected as young adults, the sexual or drug use behaviors that placed them at risk for infection had their onset during adolescence. Although national cross-sectional seroprevalence studies have not been conducted, data from selected populations of adolescents provide some information about the rate of infection among segments of the adolescent population. Since October 1985, the Department of Defense has tested applicants for military service for HIV infection. The Prevalance rate for 17- to 19-years-old screened between October 1985 and March 1989 was 0.34 per 1000.


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