Health Information Center

Nobody enjoys going to get a flu shot, but we do expect that if we want one, getting in line for it should simply be a matter of showing up for the event. But what if that was not the case? What if you discovered that you were actually turned away from an inoculation center because you did not fit a predefined “profile” for who is eligible to receive a shot?

Ironically, in a year in which a pandemic strain is circling the globe, this is a very real possibility. Right now we know for certain that swine flu vaccines will be in short supply until sometime in 2010. That means not everyone can be vaccinated against the new pandemic virus. Continue reading ‘Will You Be Denied The Swine Flu Shot?’ »

When most people think about the prospect of a severe pandemic visiting their neck of the woods, it is the fear of becoming infected that scares them. In the case of a flu strain that kills as efficiently as the one that circled the world in 1918, the prospect is hardly a comforting one. In the case of blue collar workers it is believed that in some U.S. communities the mortality rate for those infected was as high as 10 percent. In more epidemiologically isolated communities, like the Inuit Eskimo tribes of Alaska, the mortality rate reached 90 percent and virtually wiped those communities off the map.

Less widely appreciated is that a pandemic need not even reach your door in order to be able to kill you or a family member. During a severe pandemic you could literally starve to death while never having come in close contact with the virus. This is just one of the conclusions I reached after reading which will have you rethinking just how much you really understand about your own place in the world. Because it turns out that we are a lot more delicately positioned than we like to believe. Continue reading ‘You Can Avoid Infection And A Pandemic Can Still Kill You’ »

Each HIV-infected patient initially entering into care should have a complete medical history, physical examination, laboratory evaluation, and counseling. The purpose is to confirm the presence of HIV infection, obtain appropriate baseline historical and laboratory data, assure patient understanding about HIV infection, and initiate care as recommended by the HIV primary care guidelines and by the opportunistic treatment and prevention guidelines. Baseline information then is used to define management goals and plans.
The following laboratory tests should be performed for a new patient during initial patient visits:
• HIV antibody testing (if prior documentation not available) or if HIV RNA is undetectable (AI);
• CD4 T-cell count (AI);
– HIV RNA (Viral Load);
Continue reading ‘Entering HIV Treatment’ »

For some, the subject of sex can be taboo, but it really needn’t be. Sex is something which is performed everyday all over the world-whether you are heterosexual, homosexual, young, middle aged or mature; everyone has sex at some point in their lives, whether it is for recreation or procreation. When it comes to having sex, safety is key for both the protection of yourself and your partner.

In order to be as safe as possible from sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and pregnancy, you should wear a condom in every instance where you are partaking in sexual intercourse. We are all aware of condoms, and you may also be aware of the different variations of condoms which are available on the market at the moment. You may feel that you are well educated when it comes to condoms and practising safe sex, but condoms actually play a key role in protecting us in all aspects of our sex lives:

- As many people are aware, condoms are vital in order to prevent against the spreading of STIs which can be caught through the exchanging of bodily fluids. They are also key in protecting yourself from HIV and contrary to popular belief-you cannot catch HIV from an infected partner when wearing a condom unless there is a fault with your condom. This is why it is important that you check the expiry dates of your condoms, and only use lubricants with compatible condoms. Continue reading ‘What You Didn't Know About Condoms’ »