Each year 600-800 cases of HIV and
AIDS (with an average of 25 deaths) are reported in Washington
State. The Grant County Health District’s HIV case-manager’s
client load has increased greater than four-fold over the past
5 years; currently 22 infected individuals are receiving case management
services.
The AIDS syndrome was first recognized in 1981 and represents
the late clinical stage of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV). Advances in anti-viral medication therapy have
significantly slowed the progression of HIV infection to AIDS. Without
antiviral therapies, an estimated 90% of infections will advance
to AIDS, causing death within 3 to 5 years.
HIV can be transmitted through sexual contact (in particular,
unprotected intercourse with many concurrent or overlapping sexual
partners), the sharing of contaminated needles and syringes, and
infected blood and blood components, tissues and organs. HIV
can also be passed by infected mothers to their infants before,
during, or shortly after birth.
Many people do not develop any symptoms when they first become
infected with HIV. Some people, however, get a flu-like illness
within three to six weeks after exposure to the virus, including
fever, headache, tiredness, nausea, diarrhea and enlarged lymph
nodes in the neck, armpit, and groin. These symptoms usually
disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for another
viral infection. It can take up to 10 years for the number
of virus particles to increase to the level where the body’s
immune system can no longer function properly, making the infected
person more susceptible to various infections, called “opportunistic
infections”.
Hepatitis C is a viral liver disease that can be transmitted by
direct contact with blood from an infected person. Symptoms
may include fever, lack of energy, nausea, vomiting, abdominal
discomfort, and jaundice (yellow color to the whites of eyes or
skin and darkening of urine). About 80% of individuals who
have injected “street drugs” and/or shared injections
drug equipment are infected with hepatitis C. It can also
be spread to health care workers through needle-sticks, as well
as through organ transplants (especially prior to the 1990’s
when there was no test for hepatitis C) and kidney dialysis. About
5% of cases are transmitted through sexual transmission, with another
5% being transmitted from infected mothers to their infants.
Hepatitis C is the leading cause for liver transplants, as most
infected persons will develop chronic long-term hepatitis C, which
can not only spread the infection to others, but can result in
cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver failure. It accounts
for nearly 10,000 deaths each year in the US.
Since 2000, 7000 cases of Hepatitis C have been reported in Washington
State. 370 cases have been reported in Grant County.
Anyone who feels that they may have or be at risk for these diseases
should talk to their healthcare provider, or call the Health District
509-766-7960 for more information. Individuals who have injected
illegal drugs even once at any time should get tested. top of page
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